I finished weaving the fabric for my vest a couple of days ago. This is how it looked immediately after being removed from the loom; The weave looked coarse and had the feel of light burlap. Not what you want in a handwoven fabric intended for clothing! But, because I had used the same yarn before, I knew the washing and finishing would result in a very different fabric.
After removing it from the loom I hand washed it, experiencing several minutes of near panic as I watched the water turn deep purple and the fabric turn very reddish. I hadn't tested the sari silk yarn to see if it was colorfast. Fortunately, I was using synthrapol (soap specifically formulated for textiles to prevent migration of any dye released during washing), and, after several rinses, the colors returned to their original state.
Above is the fabric after it has been dried and pressed.
And a close up showing how the fabric changes with finishing. The cotton in one of the yarns "blooms" and shrinks, drawing the threads of both warp and weft together and creating a soft, drapeable fabric.
Once again, a good reminder that when you weave; sample and test everything!
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