Rag Rugs in October

Chenille Scarves

I just finished five scarves. I wove them on a four-harness floor loom intended for much wider fabric production. I called it my first date. The loom was built by a master loom maker Shaker named Henry DeWitt. I didn't want to "go all the way" across the full measure of the harnesses. This was a "get acquainted" project. I only used two harnesses, did a tabby weave, and brought in visual dazzle by using the technique much liked by the Shakers of weaving the warp and woof in contrasting colors.

Chenille Scarves
woven on the Henry DeWitt 1834 loom
at Hancock Shaker Village

Child's Red Shaker Cape

I recently created this cape.  A similar short cape hangs in the children's retiring room in the Brick Dwelling at Hancock Shaker Village (photo below taken by a student lizzie at HSV on a field trip). I have been wanting to make a similar one and was keeping my eye out for a good piece of red wool.  This is a medium weight Italian twill I found from fashionfabrics.com. I washed it on the gentle setting with Woolite and warm water, then dried it on low heat until not quite dry. It fluffed up and gained a more handwoven look, but did not shrink at all. What a fabric! I made the pattern, sewed it up, and it is now for sale in the gift shop at Hancock Shaker Village.

photos by lizzie: note red cape 

   see her blog: http://wanderingwrites.com/tag/hancock-shaker-village/

close up

front view

back view

Shaker inspiration

My other Italian wool cloak for sale in the HSV Gift Shop