Hello Rayon Chenille weavers!    Hope everyone with an interest in this fiber will post their hopes, dreams, success, failures and frustrations so we can all learn a bit more about how to work with this tempermental fiber!   I have a chenille warp on one loom now, doing a very simple 8 shaft tied weave.....coming out wonderfully!  What are all of you weaving?

Comments

Mon, 07/20/2009 - 16:42

glorsm (not verified)

Hi ---My name is Gloria and I have been weaving with chenille about 3 years and having a great time with color blending.  As for finishing, I have been throwing 3 picks of sewing thread at the beginning and end of a scarf, weave the fringe with scrap yarn then zig-zag over the thread picks with a sewing machine before wet finishing.  After wet finishing, I unravel the scrap yarn and it leaves a bit of a bumpy fringe. Its an easy finish and looks good.

Mon, 07/20/2009 - 17:31

Little Meadows (not verified)

Your finishing method sounds interesting but what happens to the fringe later on?  I mean in wear and washing, etc?  Liese

Wed, 07/22/2009 - 16:05

Su Butler

HI Gloria.....welcome to the group!   You are smart to use the sewing thread at the beginning and end of the scarf.  It helps protect the weft and keep in in place.  I must admit I am dismayed at the method used for your fringes.  While the bumpy fringes may look great when you first undo them, subsequent laundering and just general use and wear will quickly strip the pile from the fringes and you (or worse!!...your customer) will be left with a bunch of ugly string hanging from the ends of their scarf.  Rayon chenille fringes need to be finished - plying, braiding etc, to keep the pile in the yarn intact. 

Su :-)

Wed, 07/29/2009 - 23:01

stephanie (not verified)

Hello,

 

I have been weaving chenille scarves for quite awhile and have even given a little program at our guild about  finishing.  Just like Sue recommends, I never let the twist turn on itself.  I always twist to the right about 8 turns per inch and then to the left the same amount of twists.   It has worked wonderfully for me and one of my scarves that I woven with Cotton Cloud chenille is now 10 years old and the fringe is in perfect shape.   I leave about 6 inches for fringe.   I visited a beautiful craft shop in N.H. this summer, the price on the shawl was $200. and the fringe was only one inch untwisted.   I felt like telling them that this shawl is giving a bad reputation to chenille weaving but kept quiet.   Hope to learn alot from this group.   By the way I love to set my 1450 at 16epi.

Stephanie

 

Wed, 07/29/2009 - 23:34

Deanna (not verified)

Hello to the group.

I have been weaving for about 30 years and have woven chenille for about 10 years.  Ten years ago I wove chenille scarves for a designer I knew.  That year I did about 300 yards of chenille scarves...mostly in stripes with 20/2 pearl cotton weft. 

I have explored chenille on my own since then and have been trying to get a jacket weight fabric that is not quite so liquid looking as the scarves.

Deanna

Thu, 07/30/2009 - 00:05

cookie48 (not verified)

A friend of mine gave me about 4 spools of left over chenille yarn but not brave enough to try on my 4 harnest loom.  There's enough to make 4 scarves.  I almost forgotten I had it.  I also own a "Knitter's" Loom that you can weave up yarns that's kind of soft and suitable for crocheting or knitting.  Ashford created these looms and you can add multiple harnests (like two at a time) to create more WPI's.  I was thinking about using this chenille on my Ashford Knitters Loom.  I thought my 4 harnest table loom will add too much tension on chenille yarn, but I think the same friend that gave me this yarn had used it on her 10 Harnest Floor Loom with no problem.

I also tried weaving chenille (but the Lion Brand's chenille yarn) on one of my Weavette Looms, but when I was close to finishing weaving the square, I darn near stripped the chenille off the base of the yarn.  Luckly I had just a few inches left.  I'm at the process of weaving 16 squares for each side of pillow, but I still have a long ways to go.  Last time I will weave chenille yarn on my Weavette Looms.  I will stick with using my Ashford Knitter's Loom.  Not so rough on the chenille yarn.

Cookie

Mon, 08/03/2009 - 03:28

berylmoody

One of the completed chenille scarves.  More details at my projects.

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 17:44

Su Butler

Hi Cookie.......do not be afraid to use your chenille on the 4 harness loom.  If you handle it carefully and gently, it can certainly withstand being woven!  I have woven literally thousands of rayon cheinlle items!  It you are very uncomfortable, try using a warp of Tencel, silk, or rayon and use the chenille in the weft.  If you do choose to use the chenille as the warp, be sure to sett the warp appropriately for the weave structure you want to use.  I am not sure what size chenille you have been gifted with, but if it runs 1200-1900 yards per pound, then sett at 18-20 epi for a good, firm plain weave.  The piece will feel stiff after removing from the loom, but will get soft and luxurious after wet finishing. 

I can understand the pile stripping out of the yarn when doing the last squares of a Weavette......the pile is only held in place by the twist of the core yarn, so any overmanipulation will cause the pile to shed. 

Hope that helps!

Su :-)

 

 

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 17:47

Su Butler

HI Deanna......if you wish to weave a jacket weight fabric, try using a mixed warp/weft that includes the chenille.  You could use perle cotton if that is your yarn of choice, in a finer weight than the 20/2 (maybe 30/2) and intersperse the chenille so you get the pile where you wish, creating a firmer fabric for a jacket.  You could change the weave structure in addition to choosing to mix materials to create a nice jacket weight.  I very often use a silk warp and chenille weft for garment weight fabrics that retain that sheen and luxurious feel of chenille but that have more body than an all rayon item.

Su :-)

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 17:52

Su Butler

HI Stephanie.......I had to laugh when I read about the shawl you saw.....telling the proprietors is usually an exercise in futility, as they don't see what happens to the fringes in the end.....but if you focus on the unsatisfied customer that is likely to result from a sale of this item, they might just listen and ask their supplier to do something with the fringes.   I have been know to have such conversations with vendors......<gg>

I'm glad to hear you are passing on the advice to twist fringes well, and evenly.  It makes all the difference in the world, particularly when the item is woven of yarns that are 100% viscose rayon. 

16 epi is a decent sett for 1450 ypp rayon chenille as long as the weave structure is plain weave.  It is the very least number of epi that I would use for any rayon chenille with a core the equivalent of an 8/2 cotton........

Su :-)

 

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 17:52

Su Butler

Looks lovely Beryl!!  Congrats!

Su :-)

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 00:00

Maryse Levenson (not verified)

Su,

I still have problem imagining how the folded fringes are secured!  Can you post a picture of fringes finished that way?  Thank you.

I haven't worked with chenille in a while but will start again very soon.

Maryse

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 11:44

Su Butler

HI Maryse.....here is a photo of a piece done with my fringe technique.....

Note how the knot is at the fell line stead of the end of the fringe, and there is NO little beard!

Note how the knot is at the fell line and there is no little beard on the fringe.  The ends are completely finished. The fringes are very secure when done using this method.

Best,

Su :-)

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 13:25

francorios (not verified)

Here is my first piece woven with rayon chenille yarn. Weft is chenille yarn 41% acrylic/59% viscose. The warp is flat ribbon yarn 94% viscose. This was woven on a backstrap loom. Construction details on my blog.

http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com/2009/09/acrylicchenille-scarf-on-backstrap-loom.html

At first I beat the chenille firmly and found the scarf was as stiff as a carpet. So I loosened up the the weave by pulling it back up the warp and putting it back down the warp with a comb. Then I started weaving again from that point and did not beat it so hard. Much better feel. Kind of a balancing act between beating for a firm weave and having a loose weave/drape by placing the weft, not beating.


At the end of the weaving, I hem stitch both ends of the weaving with the chenille weft. I tied the warps close to the weft with overhand knot (groups of 3) and I tied overhand knot each individual warp 1/4 inch from the end for fringe. Finished weaving length is 51 inch chenille woven plus 12 inch fringe on each end. I used one of those big balls of chenille and 91 feet of ribbon yarn. It took about 3 days maybe 6 hours altogether.

I am finding that the knots I tied to add in the weft are very lumpy. Is there a better way to add weft that wont leave loose ends hanging out? I normally overlap weft changes on my weaving but this is so loose I was worried about loose ends working our.

Have a good day!

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 13:59

Maryse Levenson (not verified)

Whoa!   That's beautiful!  I better read the instruction again and practice and practice....  If only I could have a demonstration :-) 

Thanks Su.

Maryse

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 17:20

Su Butler

Next time I see you in person, I'll gladly show you how this is done......I'll be at Complex Weavers Seminars in ABQ in 2010....probably won't meet before then......but who knows?? <g>

Su :-)

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 17:31

Su Butler

HI Francorios.......Since you used chenille that has a synthetic content, you won't have to worry to much about worming.  However, chenille of all fiber types tends to feel pretty heavy and stiff when woven.  Did you wet finish your piece after weaving??  If the piece is ever going to be laundered, it is important to finish with a good wet finish after the piece comes off the loom.  Even though chenille tends to feel heavy and stiff when woven, after wet finishing it will feel much softer and have a more pliable hand.  When you weave chenille, a wet finish will show whether the beat/sett were good enough to prevent worming.  I cannot tell the scale of your piece and so cannot tell if it is intended ot be a scarf or a belt or something else.  If it is going to be worn, the looser beat on the chenille may come back to haunt you.....I hope it does not, but it is possible - especially with the viscose warp and very open sett.   

Hemstitching with chenille yarn does very little to secure the yarns......remember that chenille is only as strong as the core yarn.....the pile does nothing to secure other yarns into a weave structure.   I think it is better to weave two shots of sewing thread and beat firmly at the beginning and ending of a chenille piece to protect the weft.  But this might not really work with the warp you chose. 

Weft can be tied together by stripping the pile from 2" of chenille, stripping 2" from the piece to be joined, tying a very small, tight knot and trimming the ends off....the knot should be practically invisible and should not feel very prominent if you handle it that way.

I want to congratulate you on your first chenille piece!!  I am sure you will enjoy it and hope you keep on weaving with chenille!

Su :-)

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 18:46

francorios (not verified)

Thank you Su,

I've never played with chenille before and this is exactly what I need to hear.

So before I wet finish this, I will do the weft joins agains the way you described.

I will do the hemstitch over with some of the ribbon yarn I used as warp and I can still weave a few shots in the end of the weave at both ends.

The piece is 3 inch wide woven, 51 inch long woven, with 12 inch fringe. Its a scarf.

I have three more balls of chenille to play with.

Thank you again!

Have a good day!

 

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 20:42

Maryse Levenson (not verified)

By them I may be an expert :-) :-)  Maryse

Mon, 11/09/2009 - 19:53

ctroyer (not verified)

Hi!  I have been weaving for about 6 or 7 years, and have woven most every fiber, but I've never before attempted weaving rayon chenille.  I've just ordered several cones on chenille in the most beautiful fall colors.  The chenille is about 1800 yards per pound, and what I'd like to do is use the different colors of chenille to create stripes in the warp and black tencel or perle cotton for the weft with some kind of a twill pattern.  My question is, what sett should I use for the warp, and what weight should I use for the weft to make the pattern pronounced?  I've got all weights of black perle cotton and 8/2 and 20/2 black tencel on hand.

Thanks,

Cindy

Mon, 11/09/2009 - 22:50

Su Butler

HI Cindy.....welcome to the group!   If your warp is going to be all chenille, and woven in a twill, I would suggest 20-24 epi........I would sett at 24 personally.  If you are going to do anything but a straight 2/2 twill, you will need to weave a supplementary binding pick - in other words, a shot of tabby - in between every pattern pick.  A very fine thread can be used for this and it will disappear into the weave, but if you don't do it, your chenille will probably worm.  You could use your 20/2 black tencel, but it is a little thick to act as a supplementary binding pick.  I would opt for a black rayon sewing thread.  If you use the 8/2 for the pattern and the sewing thread for the SBP, you will only need two shuttles and weaving should go fast.   If you plan to use any other twill, sett closer and use the SBP and don't make your floats any more than three threads long.......

Happy weaving!

Su :-).........if you don't have my book, Understanding Rayon Chenille, you might want to buy or borrow a copy to learn about how to handle chenille.  Perhaps your local guild or library has a copy, and if not, I have copies (on CD only) for sale......

 

Tue, 11/10/2009 - 02:41

ctroyer (not verified)

Thank you for the advice, and I'll definitely order your book!

Tue, 11/17/2009 - 17:15

ctroyer (not verified)

Sue,

I received your book (I'm the Cindy who contacted you about having trouble registering.) and have read it from cover to cover and realized my plans for my first project were a little ambitious and I better try something more basic for my first attempt.

I warp F2B and I loved your suggestions for warping the chenille using the dowels!  I can see where this method would be great for other fibers as well, and I'm excited to try it.

I do have one question.  When planning out the length of the warp, I was wondering if I can include the length tied to both the front and back as part of the fringe, or if the knots damage the chenille too much to use this.

Thanks!

Cindy

Tue, 11/17/2009 - 20:18

Su Butler

HI Cindy......glad you got the book registered.......and my goodness, you must be a speed reader!  

The dowels work exceptionally well for winding a chenille warp that must not be fussed with while beaming.  They allow an nice even tension and little fuss. 

Yes, you can use your waste yarns as fringes.  I would not, however, attempt to untie knots, rather allow enough to knot and then cut off the knots and use the rest as fringes.  You will have to waste a little, but rayon chenille can be a bear to knot, and even if you are successful, it usually ends up in loss of pile from the knotted areas of the yarn.  When I tie onto the front apron, I use a surgeons knot to hold the yarn in place, (two half knots, like the first part of tying a shoe), then tie a bow in the warp to hold it.  When I am done, I can untie these threads and use the entire length as fringe.  It is a real yarn saver. 

Happy chenille weaving Cindy!   Let me know if you have any further questions!

Best,

Su :-)

Thu, 03/03/2011 - 18:57

knitflix (not verified)

Actually, this is my first project on this new-to-me Gilmore loom. Nothing like starting out with something easy, huh? I chose to weave a scarf with some unknown chenille that I inherited. My guess is it's a rayon chenille because it's quite flat. A measurement on a McMorrin balance estimates it at 1750 yds / lb. It's a plain weave scarf at 20 epi.

Anyway, I'm pretty much finished with weaving and have been searching for finishing advice. I had a fringe in mind when I warped the loom and the beardless fringe sounds perfect.

I'm writing a check now for URC and hope it arrives soon so I can take this project off the loom! lol

Thanks in advance Su.

~Janice

Tue, 03/15/2011 - 12:55

Su Butler

HI Janice....it sounds like you may have some of the older "woven" chenille. It was very flat and it will behave a little differently than ring spun chenille. You were smart to sett it at 20 epi and that should help keep it from worming when you wet finish. I would simply soak the piece for a few minutes, then gently spin out the excess water and rinse, then lay flat to dry. Do NOT hang wet chenille....it will elongate and may not break today, but will definitely break in future. There is finishing info in the book, but if you have any other quetions, please feel free to write to me. Su :-)
Wed, 04/10/2013 - 21:13

virginialawlor

I have read Su's book and all the posts on the forum, but have not seen anything about hemming chenille.  Do you weave an inch of sewing thread and then turn that under?  I am not a fan of the look of fringe and would prefer to hem. thanks

Fri, 10/25/2013 - 20:56

Su Butler

HI Virginia....sorry I am SO late answering....I cannot always access this forum, even though I am the manager!!!

Anyway, you asked about hemming chenille.  Sewing thread, as long as it is rayon or silk, works very well to weave the hems, so when turned over twice they are not too bulky.  Another method is to weave 1/2" of sewing thread, then 1/2" of chenille at the beginning of the piece. Turn the sewing thread up then turn the whole thing up again and the whole hem will look chenille but be less bulky.  At the other end, after weaving the body of the piece, weave the extra 1/2" length of chenille and then 1/2" sewing thread.   The chenille will show on both sides of the hem but the hem will be less bulky overall.  

Su :-)

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Rayon Chenille