Projects for a New Year

Over the holidays I have been busy with family and friends and doing a little traveling. I have a few inches of a new scarf started on the 35 yards of rayon chenille warp for scarves on my 40" AVL folding dobby. I really like the new color I chose, a beautiful blue. Somehow I thought I had enough yarn to finish it, but after checking my inventory twice, I realized I had no more. I have a cone of space-dyed chenille in blue on backorder. I don't think I can wait to get that cone so I guess I will finish the scarf in greens. My daughter reminded me that some people only like a solid color scarf. Yes, I will weave a few of those.

Meanwhile I am making a sample warp  of 2/26's wool for the 60" loom for another project. I am going to try to weave a Civil War horse blanket as a possible commission for more of the same. I must say I have learned quite a bit about the provisioning of clothing and cavalry equipment for the Civil War. The blanket, according to well-documented specifications from the Civil War era, is large, about 80" x 80",  and it was probably made on a mechanized loom. This is wider than my loom amd would have to be woven larger and then washed and slightly fulled. It will be an interesting experiment because I either have to weave the blanket "double-width" (weaver's trick) or in two panels and sew them together. My biggest problem is finding the correct size wool yarn with the correct colors AND as a stock item, no leftovers or "mill ends". My sample yarn is a mill end and when it is gone it is gone. I also think the 2/26's may be too thin or light for a blanket. Even if I can't find the right yarn I am up for the challenge.

Here is a poor photo of a reproduction blanket that I need to copy, well-washed, felted, and full of holes,