Warp Speed: The Final Frontier

Just try to find regular, original unscented Dawn dishwashing liquid these days. There is super scrubber, antibacterial, special scents, and a special "natural" one with no dyes. But I needed the regular ol' Dawn, with its neutral ph-balance. I didn't know the ph of my green stuff or my Dr. Bronner's soap and wasn't sure I could trust random blogs on the internet. And my teacher said Dawn.

It's for washing the scarf, actually, fulling it, which is a step or so below the intensity of felting. And Woolite, apparently, despite its name, is too acidic for wool and silk. So, I washed my scarf in bubbles from a bottle of vivid blue Dawn, rinsing it until bubble-less, and then soaking it for a bit in white distilled vinegar to bring out the shine in the silk. Then I laid it on a towel and stepped on it--the kids' favorite part--and finished it off about 30 minutes later by ironing it.

And it was done. Softer and shinier than it had been before its bath, so much more like fabric. Beautiful. I took it to class and we all oohed and aahed over our creations, amazed that we had actually made these things from cones of thread and complicated loom contraptions we received at the beginning of class. I understand the process so much better than I did the first time around (even ace-ing the "final" exam!). And I liked the camaraderie of making the scarf, of weaving, with the other women, receiving the knowledge from other women, in this millennias-old craft tradition.

Best part? It looks glorious on Mama and she really likes it.

And so, I've ordered a warping board for my birthday and am deciding on yarn colors. Because this isn't the end of the weaving journey but just the beginning.