I wasn't going to add this runner to the blog yet because it's unfinished. I haven't done the fringe yet because my sewing machine is already packed in the car ready to go to Florida. I have a couple of runners I'll complete once I get there and post them at that time.
This one is a little different, though, and I thought it might be a good lesson for new Swedish weavers. Placing diamonds between the patterns is a common practice to fill in spaces. I love playing around with the diamonds, making them different sizes, etc., and decided to create this table runner using diamonds only. I love it.
My original plan was to weave all the diamonds in with royal blue yarn (Simply Soft Party) but I stupidly didn't check to see if I had more of the blue than just the remnant of a skein I started with. Well, I didn't. No problem, though, because we are crafters and crafters can always find a solution. My solution was to use both the royal and the silver/grey yarns because they go well together.
I think I ended up using more silver/grey than the royal but it looks nice. I didn't use a pattern, just found my centers and started weaving in rows of diamonds and using different sizes of diamonds. I would have done more with the royal if I'd had it but I like this runner so much that I just might keep it for myself.
Using the Odd Run fabric is not quite as comfortable for me to work on and I still do prefer the regular monk's cloth but this runner, which I'm laying at the end of a twin sized bed, was not difficult to handle. It looks navy in the photos but it's actually a grey that looks almost black in reality. The yarn is Caron's Simply Soft Harvest Red. I used only part of Christine Allen's Magical Mirrors pattern.
This runner is going in a bedroom/craft room that I have started to decorate in red, black, and white. I'm still looking for a white coverlet, preferably one with little red flowers on it.
I haven't been crazy about using the Odd Run fabric but honestly had no trouble at all on this project other than my usual difficulty in working on dark colored fabric. It's hard on my eyes and I can't imagine doing a whole afghan on dark fabric but it is a beautiful background for any yarn pattern.
I still have some of this fabric left and will use it all for table runners, just cut it shorter than the full width it comes in.
I'm not looking forward to it because the "oddrun" fabric is sort of flimsy to work on but it's the right color (dark grey that looks black) for my purpose.
I installed some really nice shelving from Ikea in the summer...white cubicles...in the spare bedroom where I keep all my craft items and loaded the open shelving with red canvas boxes (I'm not sure of the proper name for these). I also made a black quilted cover for the tote box where I keep my finished table runners. I've been trying to find a white coverlet with little red flowers for the bed thereto complete my color combo but I haven't found one yet. On the end of the bed I will place the grey/black runner.
The other day I pulled out the fabric and some red yarn for the Swedish weaving but wondered if I should add another color, too. Right now I'm thinking I'll stick with just the red but we'll see. I can change my mind if it doesn't look right.
One of the Swedish weavers who posts on Facebook showed a photo of exactly what I'll be doing and it looked great so I may be on the right track. Anyone who does Swedish weaving should follow the groups on Facebook because it is really informative. I learn from it every day!
I can't believe this is happening. The manufacturers of monk's cloth have said they'll discontinue producing it in colors other than white and beige and, apparently, there is a danger of it all being discontinued. I hope I'm wrong about that. It had seemed to me that Swedish weaving was only gaining in popularity as a craft and that's why I'm so surprised.
The price of the fabric has gone up drastically and maybe people are buying less. I don't know but I feel grateful I bought up all the colored monk's cloth I could when Walmart started to phase it out. At that time I was paying about $7 per yard.
I've been planning on buying a bolt of red monk's cloth when I get to Florida after Christmas but got very worried there would be none available by then so I had my daughter (American) order some for me. Shipping a bolt of monk's cloth to her was $20 so I can't imagine what it would cost to ship it to Canada. The order went through (on Ebay) so I can only hope it will be filled and waiting for me when I get to Florida. I want the red fabric to make Christmas table runners.
I'm now the proud owner of more darned monk's cloth than I'll ever use up in my lifetime but my plan is to leave it all to Faye and Donna when I pass away.
On the serious side, I obtain a true joy creating with Swedish weaving and I know many others do, too. My hope is that we'll somehow find a decent substitute for the monk's cloth if it disappears altogether.
This is "Holiday Star" by Jeanette Coffin. I used white monk's cloth and wove in the pattern with Caron Simply Soft Party in red sparkle and spring sparkle yarns. I also used Caron Simply Soft yarn in dark sage. This is one of my favorite Xmas patterns.
This is an old pattern from Avery Hill's first book that I'd never tried before. It's "Flaming Gorge" and every row is repeated so it's super easy to follow. The fabric is a burgundy (not purple) monk's cloth and I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in soft pink, and victorian rose. The shading doesn't show up properly in the photo but it's very subtle in reality. A little too subtle for my liking, though.
I loved working the pattern so much that I did it again but used sage monk's cloth with Caron Simply Soft yarns in persimmon and melon, and Bernat yarn in rouge. It looks a million times nicer than my photo. I've used this color combination of yarn before on an afghan and absolutely loved them together.
Like most Swedish weavers, I have my next project ready to go...white monk's cloth with variegated turquoise yarn.
When we seniors move from a house they've lived in for 40+ years, it's not easy to discard what we've accumulated...especially if you're a craft person and you have lots of fabric. You know you won't use it all in your lifetime and it's foolish to move it all from one place to a smaller place so you have to be strong and just do it. I had tons of fabric, including monk's cloth that was not going to be left behind. I gave bags full to a friend and then took bags full to the senior center to donate to anyone in the sewing classes. The fabric I couldn't part with was carefully stacked in large totes which I meticulously carted to my new apartment. Once there, they were piled in closets. Some totes, after 5+ years are still piled in the same spots and rarely, if ever, opened. You never know, I might still be crafting when I'm 110.
There was one large tote in my front coat closet that was always covered in toy trucks for my greatgrandsons when they came to visit. I thought it was filled with quilting fabric which I may get back to at some time. Maybe. Well, the other day I packed away one of the fans because it won't be needed till spring and I had to move the toy trucks over a bit. Printed on the top of the tote was "monk's cloth". OMG!!! I thought it might still be quilting fabric stored in a box that once held monk's cloth so I didn't bother opening it. But it was on my mind all night long!
Early in the morning I dragged the tote out of the closet and opened it. Angels sang! It was full of monk's cloth and even some sheets still in the packages. I tend to buy ahead. I was happier than a person should be who has just discovered more monk's cloth than I have room for but so what! I felt like I'd won the lottery.
I'm still smiling!
I just love this table runner! The border pattern is Christine Allan's "Paper Dolls" but the center is something I did on my own. The monk's cloth is sage and the yarns used are Caron's Simply Soft in Sunshine, Persimmon, and Bernat's Satin in Rouge.
When you place the Persimmon and Rouge side by side, they don't look like they go together but they do. Faye used those combinations one time a while back and I worried they'd clash but they look perfect together.
I love mixing and matching patterns and I see on the web sites that many other weavers like to do the same. I think it makes your project completely unique.
