This is a perfectly beautiful table runner but one I'll never repeat because of the yarn I used. Unlike the photos, the yarn color is a rich variegated copper metallic and I just loved it when I bought it...but not after using it.
Paton's Metallic in the copper alloy colors doesn't weave particularly well...I had to pull out one row when the strand itself began to unravel. It definitely doesn't lock in well at the end of the row. I knew I couldn't use it as part of the fringe because of it's terrible unraveling so I wove the ends back in and actually tried to knot them to prevent further unraveling. It doesn't appear to be working so this runner will definitely have to be hand washed carefully.
Each strand is variegated in color and in thickness which makes for a beautifully textured design. And that's where the good part ends. I love the finished appearance but not the worry of future unraveling.
Unfortunately I bought 2 skeins of this yarn, the copper alloy and a gorgeous burnished rose gold that looks more like periwinkle to me. I guess I'll use it on a runner just because it's so pretty.
The pattern is Christine Allen's Cobblestone Way and I only changed the border to simplify it. I've used this pattern before and love it!
Update: Donna gave me a really good idea on how to secure the ends of this yarn. She suggested burning the ends so they wouldn't continue to unravel. I used to make floor mats with very thick ropey yarn and that's how we secured those ends. I haven't tried it yet but will take photos when I do. I'm actually getting ready to start a new table runner using the yarn (I was foolish enough to buy 2 skeins) so I sure hope burning the ends works!
Update: I cut off a piece of the yarn to burn the end...didn't want to start burning it on the skein in case it flared right through it...and it worked perfectly. For some reason I thought it might leave a glob on the ends but it looks very small and neat.
I was horrified to read that one of our Swedish weavers actually keeps track of how many hours (days, weeks, months!) it takes her to complete a Swedish weaving project. I have an approximate idea how long it takes me but I don't know exactly...and I don't want to know exactly because that might take the fun out of weaving. It doesn't matter one bit to me how long it takes when I'm making something for family or a friend but I try not to think about the hours I spend making an item to sell.
People who do crafts for sale will never get paid properly for their time and we accept that. We hopefully get our enjoyment out of creating...I know I do. I get further enjoyment out of seeing a stranger look at my work with admiration. Thankfully, the few pieces I sell are not an important part of my income or I'd starve.
It's been gratifying to me to find more Canadians who actually know what Swedish weaving is. Most have never heard of it because the supplies are atrociously expensive in Canada and that's why I buy most of mine in the States.
My hint for today, though, is for weavers to put to the back of their minds how long it takes them to complete a project. Just weave and enjoy!
I discovered this yarn by accident while shopping at "Len's Mill Store (not sure if this chain is only in Ontario). I bought it and a lovely plain lilac color because I loved the sheen. I found out quickly that it unravels on the ends just like the Simply Soft Party so I knotted it in the same way and was happy to see that it slipped through the floats easily.
Unfortunately, one of the stands began to unravel right in the middle of a row so I had to remove it and start again. This means I won't buy this yarn again. It's pretty but too unstable. The yarn is a beautiful variegated rust color called copper alloy and is also variegated thicknesses along each strand. I love the effect and hope it doesn't cause me too much trouble finishing my project.
Another problem arose at the end of each row where I normally weave the ends back into the runner or leave them as part of the fringe. Because this yarn unravels in a sort of ugly way, I chose to weave it back in but then wasn't sure how to end it. I had to knot 2 pieces together to feel safe that it won't unravel during normal washing. Again, it's beautiful but not suitable for me to buy again.
