Two Baby Blankets

The two baby blankets are finished! They've been off the loom for a couple of weeks but I've been pissed at them so finally hemmed them last night.

I usually don't weave with thick cotton (knitting DK weight)... I started the first one (with brown, no blue) and just happily used my normal heavy beat and happily wove along until I was about 1/2 way through and realized I was beating WAY too hard; so that one is a little heavier, and a little weft dominant. 

The one with the blue, I decided I better beat lighter, but I didn't beat heavy enough so it's on the edge of being sleazy (I've linked to it's weaving meaning, so go on and take a look). So it's lighter and a little warp dominant. I suspect the threads will eventually snag and pull a bit and it won't be as durable as the other blanket, but it's cuddlier...

If I'd put enough warp on for 3 blankets, the third one would be the Baby Bear blanket, Just Right.

Papa Bear and Mama Bear Blankets; 
I'll replace this with a better photo!

The other thing I don't like about the blankets is where I had to add more weft yarns. I was taught to overlap by 2-3 inches and just keep weaving. This works well with wool yarns, and thinner cotton yarns (I've had no issues with doing that to 8/2 and even 8/4 cotton). The DK weight knitting yarn is MUCH thicker and it interrupts the look of the weave and I don't think it's as stable. I asked about the best way to do this (albeit with thinner yarn) at MvdH's class and was told the best place to do this is always near the selvedge. I thought about this while doing blanket #2 but by that time it was too late to make it consistent.

Would I make blankets from this yarn again? No.  But overall, I'm happy with the blankets and very glad I made them. I like the way I chose to put the 4 different warp colors (scarlett, fuschia, light pink, and bright yellow), and I like my weft choices (brown and white, and blue and white). I had to buy the blue, and some white yarn to accomplish this but worked mostly from stash. 

Inspired by finishing something, I went looking for the other two towels that I wove in 2021. I cannot find them. So I sat down to finish spinning the 3 ply goat, and one of the footman on the wheel broke! I'd replaced the other footman late last year, and had a spare somewhere in the studio... After 30 minutes of searching I gave up but then found it after dinner. I should be able to finish up the plying this week, after my wheel Wrench replaces the footman for me.

CringeWorthy

I'm stuck on the stepping stone, and was debating whether to go on (it's just a stepping stone) or remake the part I don't like (circled in red). It's a plant. I'm unhappy enough with the red circled area to where I cringe when I look at it, so I'll be reworking that area. It's just a stepping stone, but it's MY stepping stone, and I want it right. I'll rework the design for the 2nd one.