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Sunday, March 24, 2024

What beauty

How can such small steps take so long? Friday I had the entire day to myself. No appointments to keep. Yet it took me the entire day to wind on four bouts. Part of that was the error I made thinking I could salvage the thread I tediously chained off from the back of the loom. I think, had I been my mother or grandmother, it could have happened.

The tangles and tedium did not frustrate me. I patiently combed out the mess, a turn at a time. Then I came to two broken threads with no matching ends. That did it. I admitted there was no using the old thread. It went in the trash; I set up the spool rack and turned on three of the four bouts by dinner. After dinner I turned on the forth and last, cleaned up the area and fell into bed.

Saturday I threaded heddles and sleyed the reed. I could have worked faster, but to what end. I ached all over. I left the weaving to today, after the laundry. And look what I have!


The pattern is named Whig Rose, and it is a lot of shuttle throwing. Here is the completed block:


I wondered if I'd put an extra petal in the first rose, and when I came out at the other end, I see I did. Oh well. It's not a mistake in the draft, it's a case of overenthusiastic weaving. I won't do it again, but it's quite harmless here.

The pattern is a two hundred plus year old coverlet weaving pattern. The Whig Rose is linked to the American Whig party of Andrew Johnson, which was a precursor to Abraham Lincoln's Republican party. However, the pattern did not acquire the name Whig Rose until the twentieth century depression. We won't go into the name of the party of Lincoln.

The pattern originally was called the Democratic Rose, and goes back to the seventeenth century British Whigs opposing the power of the monarch and attempting to increase the power of Parliament. King Charles II lost his head in the short lived attempt.

This scarf will be a couple inches narrower than my blooming leaf scarf. I'm looking forward to that; I want a narrow scarf. I also believe I've found candidates to model this version. Stay tuned.




36 comments:

  1. Quite lovely. I admire you're continuing dedication to you craft, well done, Joanne.
    It's a early spring in the PNW, daffodils are already mostly over, leaves are starting to show, cherry trees are in full blossom.
    Hope you're well.
    Mike

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  2. Beautiful. Worth the effort!!
    I have a Welsh carthen on our bed...eight heddled double sided weave..I will photograph it and put it on a blogpost for you to see.

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  3. Beautiful work, Joanne. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

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  4. That is gorgeous--both the pattern and the color! You are so much more patient than I am, Joanne. There would have been tears and swearing.

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  5. Oh my, that Whig Rose pattern is gorgeous!

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  6. Yiu mentioned this recently and now we're seeing it. Lovely, and the history of it, too! Thank you.

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  7. Hari OM
    Delightful! Slow and steady at untangling is something I was having to tell myself today, too... with a hank of yarn that barfed all over the place! YAM xx

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  8. I love to see your patterns come to life! I use the towels that you made every day and think of you each time I feel their softness. That scarf will make someone very happy!

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  9. Colour me awed. That is truly beautiful. Thank you for showing us the results of your perseverance.

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  10. there is no need for speed. things get done in their time and ours. I think a narrower scarf is more useful. and the extra row in the first row of roses is what marks this as a handmade product. I do wish we lived closer.

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  11. I love the Whig Rose pattern, and that shade of pink. It's beautiful.

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  12. Very nice work. The pattern and color is beautiful.

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  13. It is a pretty design, a wider version could be a table runner if such things were still in use.

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  14. That is so pretty. You are such a dedicated, talented weaver, Joanne. I'm always impressed with all you do.

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  15. LOVE the scarf! Such an intricate pattern. I love that you just keep on weaving!

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  16. That IS beautiful. It seems that weavers are not so different from builders. They both seem to be intimately aware of every single mistake they have made, mistakes so small that no one else would even know.

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  17. Amazing! I love the color, too.

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    1. And if you put a three petaled rose at the end of the scarf, it will balance the design, and seem like a creative decision.

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  18. Such talent and patience learned of long practice of your art. Beautiful colour too.

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  19. You are making history tangible!

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  20. So very beautiful Joanne. Weaving seems very popular in the US but not so much here in the UK. I wonder why.

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  21. It's gorgeous....and yes, unfortunately we have to work around our aging bodies. But carry on, you are doing great!

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  22. An impressive pattern and history.

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  23. It's a beautiful pattern, and quite the history. I am always astounded by the work of weaving.

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  24. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Well done Joanne.
    XO
    WWW

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  25. That is stunning! Love the history of the pattern. I'm surprised your kitty doesn't try to mess with the threads. Linda in Kansas

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  26. Your weaving strategy/procedures are way over my head, Joanne. But your scarf looks lovely. Creative work is not only uplifting, but good for the mind/soul and gives us a real sense of accomplishment. And I have to praise Kitty for not being tempted by all that thread!

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  27. So much dedication goes into your work and everything you make is so lovely. My granddaughter was 9 when I taught her to sew and mend things. Her mother, my daughter said it was a collosal waste of time to men things since you can always just buy new ones. Then, Layla, the child of my heart, very patiently explained to her mother that new things would not have all the love that went into mending for those you love. She told her mom that love was flowing through our hands as we worked.

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  28. Layla is 100% correct! I am about to teach my granddaughter to knit (for the second time, I might add) so that is a lovely encouraging thought which might help things along. Back to your new weaving design: really beautiful. Its history is a bonus. I previously thought that this type of scarf could not drape nicely - however, I tried wrapping one of your tea towels round my neck and found this quite enlightening. It is extremely soft and comforting, so I assume the scarf will feel the same.

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  29. A beautiful result for all your work and a pattern with an interesting history. I hope the aching has subsided.

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  30. That is a beautiful color for the Whig Rose pattern. Sorry it took you so long to get things going!

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  31. I called in to say Happy Birthday. Many happy returns Joanne. I hope you are having a lovely day. Rachel x

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  32. The Whig Rose pattern is wonderful. And thanks for the history lesson!

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  33. Happy belated birthday ...it is a pretty pattern,very early american looking to me, i knit and more often lately i find a big yarn barf (big mess) pulling out the beginning of a skein...i am beginning to realize it is not worth spending hours or days trying to untangle it only to find an unwoven piece , knot tied off or some glue from the label ...into the wastebasket..God bless.

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