Hello! i just finished my 2nd scarf on the Ashford SampleIt Loom using a 7.5 (30/10) dpi heddle. I used a lovely yarn- Malabrigo Rios 210 yards, pure Merino superwash 100 gm skein. My instructor helped me calculate yardage, we started with a 60 " warp by 6 " wide and i was left with 70 yds of yarn leftover. I was making this scarf for a petite person as a special gift. I was not aware to calculate the 10% shrinkage and have just taken it off the loom. Prewashed it measures 5 1/2" wide by 36" long without fringe. I am thinking I should start over but unsure of how to make it longer and not run out of yarn. I don't understand all the information to be filled out on the Yarn Calculator. Can anyone help me?

 

Comments

Joanne Hall

First, you might consider a yarn which is not super wash.  I once wove a scarf with superwash on a rigid heddle loom and I much prefer how regular wool yarn looks when it has been finished.

I have also used Malagrigo yarn for scarves for rigid heddle weaving and one skein was enough.  But I selected the finer weights which have more yarns in a skein.  I don't remember seeing the Rios and I don't remember the names of the two I used, but if you just select one that is a little finer, you should be able to weave a much longer scarf with one skein.

Joanne

Joanne Hall

I have also used the Swedish Mora yarn, 20/2, which has over 1.000 yards in a 100gram skein.  Even using it three fold, one skein made a very long scarf. 

Joanne

weavinupnorth

Hello Joanne!

My dear friend Linda whom i am learning to weave with is starting a scarf using Malabrigo Mechita 100% Merino Superwash and it is finer; 420 yds per 100 gm skein as opposed to my 210 yd per skein of Rios. It is coming along beautifully and the scarf is more delicate. Is that the type of finer yarn you are referring to?

Joanne Hall

I think it was a single ply, but definitely finer. I used a 10 per inch heddle reed.  The second Malabrigo was not a superwash and I liked it much better.

Joanne

weavinupnorth

We only have a 7.5 dpi heddle with the rented class loom. Her yarn is 2 ply I think. With the larger heddle and finer yarn will that make a difference in the scarf length that is will more yarn be required for the weft threads? Thanks again!

Joanne Hall

A regular wool yarn will full nicely and fill in the space between the yarns.  But a super wash will not full enough or at all.  When you weave, be sure to count your wefts per inch and keep it about the same as the warps per inch.  So, when you are weaving, place the weft at about 8 per inch.  If you weave an inch and count 10 or 11 per inch, you are beating the weft in too closely.

Joanne

weavinupnorth

Hello again. When you gave the example of 72" scarf length does that include the fringe or rather 72" of woven scarf and then I add on the fringe length to my measurements? Thanks!!

gal511

I am sorry for not giving you this---I added 4" of fringe on each end--I wanted a short fringe.  I made this a very loose, open fabric--lots of open slots...make a sample first and you'll come up with measurements from your sample.  2 balls of the yarn will be enough for the scarf. 

10ashus

Not enough length in wàrp for fringe? Add it to the ends like knitters do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfYRfbRSPQk

10ashus

Not enough length in wàrp for fringe? Add it to the ends like knitters do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfYRfbRSPQk

10ashus

Not enough length in wàrp for fringe? Add it to the ends like knitters do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfYRfbRSPQk

susieingallswilder

I am sooooooooooooooooo new to weaving but very excited to begin!  I want to make a rag rug on my 40" Gilmore x-frame, jack loom.  If my dent is 12 dpi and I am using 8/4 cotton warp and I want my rug to be 26 x 36, do I multiply 26 (width of rug) by # of dpi to get 312?  So I need to have 312 ends and go through that many heddles?  alternating 4321, 4321?  THANK YOU!!!!!

weavinupnorth

Hi Susie! I am very new too but apparently you are much further along than I!! Good for you for I can barely figure out your question never mind the answer! I'm sure you'll receive many great answers. Happy weaving!

sally orgren

Good question, and one I have been answering a bunch in the last month with so many new weavers in my land guilds! I keep finding myself reminding people the yarn dictates the sett (ends per inch).

 

And just because the yarn's sett isn't an exact match to the reed you own, doesn't mean you need to buy a new reed.

 

If the recommended sett for 8/4 cotton is 12 ends per inch, and you have a 12 dent reed, then 12 x 26" wide = 312 warps.

 

In a 12-dent reed, one thread per dent will give you 12 per inch, and you can thread the loom 1234 1234 or 4321 4321 or whatever you prefer.

 

But let's say you had an 8 dent reed. You could still "sley" this reed for 12 ends per inch. Instead of one thread per dent, you would alternate one thread per dent with two threads per dent, so you would still have 12 ends per inch.

 

BTW, how long would each of those 312 warps be? (They have to be longer than your 36" long finished rug...)

 

Don't forget to add in loom waste for your Gilmore (24-36") and take-up and shrinkage, anywhere from 10-20% of the woven area. (For a rug 36" long, that could be 3-6").

 

I know loom calculations can trip up a lot of folks, but it is worth the time to master this skill. Deborah Chandler's book Learning to Weave has a sample project calculation form, and I am sure there are various sources on the Internet, too.

 

 

susieingallswilder

Thank you so much Sally!  I can see that this group is going to be worth its weight in gold (or fiber maybe?). :)  Your answers help me a ton!  I have that book and also am watching a Craftsy class by Janet Dawson that is quite good.  I have a sectional warping beam and a told I can use that just as I would a regular warping beam, so I am going to give it a shot!  Thanks again!  Oh, and also when I am using my warp board, I understand that I follow my initial yarn measurement around the pegs and back and each full pass equals two ends.  So, if then I wind two yarns at a time, that would equal 4 ends each full back and forth path, right?  So only 70-some total wraps?  Again, your help is priceless!  Sue

susieingallswilder

Thank you so much Sally!  I can see that this group is going to be worth its weight in gold (or fiber maybe?). :)  Your answers help me a ton!  I have that book and also am watching a Craftsy class by Janet Dawson that is quite good.  I have a sectional warping beam and a told I can use that just as I would a regular warping beam, so I am going to give it a shot!  Thanks again!  Oh, and also when I am using my warp board, I understand that I follow my initial yarn measurement around the pegs and back and each full pass equals two ends.  So, if then I wind two yarns at a time, that would equal 4 ends each full back and forth path, right?  So only 70-some total wraps?  Again, your help is priceless!  Sue

susieingallswilder

Happy weaving to you also!  :)  I am sure this will be like anything else we have done that was hard getting started.  I know when I first started spinning it was really so foreign to me and now I love spinning!  So hopefully before long you and I will both be answering other weavers' questions!  :) 

weavinupnorth

Hello Susie!

what a lovely thought that one day we may know enough to help support other weavers-too exciting! I read back to Sally's answer (they always are super informative!) and I understand it now. Would love to see a picture of your rug when it is finished! Laura 

sally orgren

Yes.

So, if you wind 2 threads at a time, you will double your efforts in half the time! (That is one of my tricks for fast warping.)

 

Erica J

You will be helping others out before you know it! You would be surprised how many other weavers you inspire (help) by sharing your projects here!

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