My Favorite Things Vest JANETTE MEETZE

RIGID-HEDDLE Project AND INKLE

Inkle weaving, rigid-heddle weaving, and knitting are some of my favorite ways to use handspun yarn. This project com- bines them all into a garment that I can wear with jeans and a T-shirt—something to wear for walking the dog on a chilly morning.

his vest was designed as a challenge to Tincorporate several of my favorite fiber techniques into one wearable garment. All the yarns are handspun except the yarn used in the inkle bands and braids. I blended the colors in the handspun yarn on the drum- carder to match the colors of the purchased yarn. (If you don’t spin, an equivalent yarn is available from Maggie’s Farm.) The 7" wide plain-weave panels were woven on a rigid-heddle loom and the inkle bands on an inkle loom. The collar, front opening, bottom bands, and back are handknitted with the same handspun yarn used in the woven panels. Most of the garment shaping takes place in the knitted edges, with the exception of the arm openings, which are tailored.

Notes Yarn Notes

Jeanette spun a 2-ply worsted-spun sport- weight yarn (1,100–1,200 yd/lb), designed to match the variegated colors in Berry Sorbet fingering-weight handspun purchased from Maggie’s Farm. Note that the amount spun was just barely enough to complete the vest. You might want to allow more.

©COPYRIGHT Interweave Press HANDWOVEN® LLC. Not to be MAGAZINE,reprinted. All rights2012. reserved. INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC. NOT TO BE REPRINTED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. handwovenmagazine.com 1 HANDSPUN YARN STRUCTURE 2-ply worsted weight.

EQUIPMENT Spinning wheel; drum carder.

FIBER Natural-color dark Ram- bouillet-cross wool, about 9 oz.; Corriedale wool, dyed in colors like those in Berry Sorbet, about 5 oz; Moun- tain Colors Targhee top in the Crazy Woman color- way, 4 oz.

FINISHED AMOUNT 1,320 yd (18 oz) of 2-ply yarn averaging 1,189 yd/lb.

WOVEN PANELS STRUCTURE Plain weave.

EQUIPMENT Rigid-heddle loom, 9" weaving width; 10-dent rigid heddle; 1 shuttle.

YARNS Warp and Weft: 2-ply handspun wool, DK weight (1,000–1,200 yd/lb, 200 yd/ skein; Maggie’s Farm), Berry Sorbet (variegated), 668 yd plus 800 yd for knitted panels.

WARP LENGTH 1 81 ends 4 ⁄3 yd (156") long (allows 4" for take-up, 24" for loom waste). MAKING THE YARN Z-spin each batt with a short forward draw Spinning your own yarn for this project is option- 2 (1½" per draw) at a 12:1 ratio. Ply the singles SETTS al. If you choose to use purchased yarns, yarn in- from two bobbins together to make six Warp: 10 epi. formation for the vest sections is given in the skeins. (Janette used 5 treadles per 10 to 12" Weft: 10 ppi. specifications. draw and a ratio of 13:1.) DIMENSIONS Tie skeins in four places and wash in warm water Divide colored fiber into twelve piles, begin- Width in the reed: 81/10". 1 ning with the Mountain Colors. Add varying with a little shampoo (Jeanette uses lavender), Woven length (measured amounts of the different Corriedale colors and soak for 15 minutes. Rinse twice using a little under tension on the vinegar in the final rinse. Squeeze out excess so that the distribution of the colors varies loom): 128". among the piles. Add an amount of the dark water, place in lingerie bags, and spin out remain- Finished size after washing water on the spin-only cycle of a washing ma- wool equal to the weight of colored wool. ing: yardage 7" x 112", for 4 chine. Remove from bags, snap and slap the Card each 1½ oz pile on the drum carder panels 28" long. into a batt. skeins, then hang to dry without additional weight.

COPYRIGHT HANDWOVEN® MAGAZINE, 2012. INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC. NOT TO BE REPRINTED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2 | HANDWOVEN weavingtoday.com INKLE BANDS (variegated), 270 yd. DIMENSIONS 8 yd; matching sewing holders; blunt tapestry STRUCTURE Weft: 5/2 pearl cotton Weaving width: 1½". thread. needle. (2,100 yd/lb, UKI), #116 Warp-faced plain weave. Woven length (measured Black, 67 yd. under tension on the KNITTED PANELS YARN EQUIPMENT loom): two strips, 72" AND EDGING 2-ply DK weight hand- WARP LENGTH spun wool, Berry Sorbet, Inkle loom with capacity each. STRUCTURE 2 warps, each 45 ends 3 800 yd. to hold a 3 yd warp; 22 Finished size: 2 strips, yd long (allows 4" for Garter stitch. inkle heddles; belt each 1¼" x 67" plus 30" take-up, 30" for loom SEWING SUPPLIES shuttle. for braided trim at one EQUIPMENT waste; loom waste in- end. Fusible tricot interfacing, Knitting needles U.S. size 4 YARNS cludes 32" for braided black, 2 yd; wide bias tape trim at end of band). SEWING SUPPLIES (3.5 mm), either straight or for armhole binding and Warp: Hand-dyed finger- double-pointed needles to cover inside woven ing-weight wool (2,200 Fusible tricot interfacing, SETTS (dpn) and circular needle edges, 8 yd; matching yd/lb, 250 yd/50 g skein; black, 2 yd; wide bias tape Warp: About 30 epi. with a long cable (47 to sewing thread; handsew- Wool Jewel from Mag- for armhole binding and to Weft: 10 ppi. 60"); stitch markers; stitch ing needle. gie’s Farm), Berry Sorbet cover inside woven edges,

WOVEN PANELS: KNITTED PANELS: The knitted panel forms the neckband, fronts, Using your preferred warping method, warp lower hems, and center back of this vest. It is knit- 1 a rigid-heddle loom with 81 ends of varie- ted as one piece in garter stitch, beginning with a 1 gated DK weight yarn 4 ⁄3 yd (156") long. provisional cast-on at center back neck. The left Center the warp for an 8" weaving width and half is knitted first, then the right half. The two begin and end on a slot thread. halves are joined at the lower back and knitted up to the back neck. (See diagram, Figure 1.) At the Wind a shuttle with the same DK weight yarn bottom center front and back on both sides, the 2 and weave in balanced plain weave for 128". corners are mitered using short rows. (See Miter- ing using Short Rows.) Remove the fabric from the loom. Machine Stitch: garter stitch (knit all rows) 3 zigzag raw edges. Handwash in warm water Gauge: 5 sts and 10 rows (= 5 ridges of garter with mild soap. Lay flat to dry. stitch) = 1". Needles U.S. size 4 (3.5 mm): bamboo double- INKLE BANDS FOR TRIM: pointed needles (dpn) or straight and circular needle with a long cable (47 to 60"). Adjust needle size You will need to weave two bands as follows: if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Wind 45 ends of the fingering-weight Berry Using a waste yarn provisional cast-on, cast 1 Sorbet wool 3 yd long onto an inkle loom. 1 on 12 sts for the center back neck and work (Put the first thread and all odd-numbered left front and side first. Use a locking ring threads under the top front peg. Put the marker or contrast thread to mark the right even-numbered threads in heddles and side (RS). Knit 24 rows (12 ridges) in garter place them over the top front peg.) stitch and, on Row 24, place marker (pm) at one side of panel for the shoulder line. *Knit Weave 72" in warp-faced plain weave, main- 1 inch (10 rows/5 ridges), and, on Row 10, 1 inside edge st at front neck, increase 1 st 2 taining a width of about 1½", leaving ⁄3 of the warp unwoven for the braided trim. Cut the with M1 (Make 1—lift strand between two warp close to the beginning of the weaving, stitches and knit into back loop). Repeat to allow length for the braiding. from * 12 times more, until there are 25 sts on the needle for the front neckline. Work even on 25 sts until piece measures 25" from Divide the unwoven warp at the end of the the shoulder marker. 3 band into three sections, weight the end of the band, braid the warp, and secure the end. Make a left-turning mitered corner, following 2 the instructions and beginning at the edge After both bands are woven and braided, marked in Figure 1. Place marker on last row 4 handwash them in warm water. Rinse twice of mitered corner. and hang to dry.

bind-off shoulder I I I provisional I 5" I cast-on I Beginning at provisional cast-on, I I work left side through the left I I back miter. OO I I Place sts onto holder. OO I I 13" Open the provisional cast-on and OO I I pick up stitches. Work the right OO I I side through the right back OO I I miter. OO I I OO Return stitches from the holder 13" I I to the needles and work the OO I I 25" OO back. Bind off at top of back. OO Right Side Left Side OO OO O I Increase 1 st

O Decrease 1 st

OO Decrease 2 sts 7" Begin miter at this point. Back * Join sts from holder * * * 5"

* 14" 14"

For the left side hem, work even in garter the needle. Work even until 25" from the 3 stitch over 25 sts until 14" from the last hem. Bind off. row of the first miter. Use an invisible join to attach the center Knit the second left-turning miter for the 8 back to the 2½" on either side of the cen- 4 left back. When it is completed place the ter back neckband. 25 sts onto a holder. Handwash in warm water, rinse twice, Knit the right front and side. Remove the 9 and lay flat to dry, blocking it to approxi- 5 waste yarn from provisional cast-on at mate shape. center back neck and place the live stitches onto your needle. Knit the right side neck and front panel as for the left, placing Mitered Corners: markers and working increases to mirror Both the left-turning corners on the left side image shaping on left side. When there and the right-turning corners on the right are are 25 sts on the needle, work even until worked the same way; the only difference be- the front panel measures 25" from the tween them is the position on the knitting shoulder marker. where they are begun. Left-turning miters begin the short rows on the RS of the fabric, Work a right-turning miter, beginning at the side that will be stitched to the woven fab- 6 the center front edge. After the last row of ric. Right-turning miters begin on WS, on the the miter, work even on 25 sts for 14" for side that will open along center front and form the side hem, then make a second right- the hem. (See asterisks in Figure 1 for starting turning miter for the right back. places.)

To knit the center back, move the 25 sts on For the first half of the miter, stitches are aban- 7 the holder back onto a needle and join doned one by one until only 2 remain. You do the right and left back (50 sts). Knit even not need to wrap when turning. for 7", and, on the next row, k24, k2tog, 24, Row 1: K24, leaving the 25th st on the left needle. (49 sts) . *Knit 1" and, on the last (10th) Row 2: Turn, knit back over 24 sts. row, make a double decrease (sl 1, k2tog, Row 3: K23. psso) at the center back (47 sts); repeat Row 4: Turn, knit back over 23 sts. from * 11 times until there are 25 sts on

COPYRIGHT HANDWOVEN® MAGAZINE, 2012. INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC. NOT TO BE REPRINTED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 | HANDWOVEN weavingtoday.com Continue short rows, knitting one stitch fewer ASSEMBLING THE VEST: every other row, until only 2 sts are knitted. Turn. In the second half of the miter, the previously Make knitted panels according to directions abandoned stitches are added back, one by one: 1 available for download at weavingtoday Row 47: K2; knit into the back of the next st. .com. Row 48: Turn, knit back over 3 sts. Row 49: K3; knit into the back of the next st. Measure and mark the woven panel fabric Row 50: Turn; knit back over 4 sts. 2 into four strips, each 28" long. Fuse tricot interfacing to the wrong side of the panels Continue short-rows, knitting one more stitch and then cut them apart. Machine zigzag every other row until all 25 sts have been knitted. along the cut edges of the panels. 1. Armhole pattern Scale up patterns for the front and back Cut edge at top of panel Cut edge at top of panel 3 shoulder and armhole shaping (Figure 1). Place two panels wrong sides together and pin the front armhole pattern to the top of Back Front the panels, aligning the straight side edge Shoulder & Armhole Shoulder & Armhole with one selvedge. Cut along the shoulder Shaping Shaping line and armhole. Remove pattern, separate panels, and machine zigzag cut edges. Place the remaining two panels wrong sides together, pin and cut back armhole pat- Selvedge Selvedge terns, and machine zigzag cut edges. Selvedge Selvedge Place each set of front and back panels wrong 4 sides together and machine stitch each shoulder seam, allowing a ½" seam allowance. Press seams open. Pin and stitch side seams, taper- ing seam allowance deeper at the waist to shape the vest. Press seams open and handstitch wide single-fold bias tape over the seams, trimming seam allowances as needed to fit under the tape.

1 square = 1". Enlarge pattern to full size on squared paper. Lay out at top of fabric and cut only lines inside the selvedges Turn armhole edges inside 3/8" and press. that mark the shoulder and armhole. (Do NOT cut at dotted 5 Handstitch bias tape around the armhole lines marking the lower edge of the paper pattern.) openings. 2.Vest assembly Butting edges together, mattress-stitch the Front Back 6 knitted panels to the woven panels along the 5" 5" 5" 5" shoulders, fronts, and back. At the lower edges, the woven panels extend behind the knitted Braid band to about 1" of the bottom for the pocket lining. To form the pocket, stitch along the top 10" of the knitted fabric for about 2", then stitch through both layers to the bottom of the woven layer, stitch the hem to the knitted fabric across for 5", and stitch up to the top of the knitted section. Continue stitching the knitted fabric to the woven fabric along side back, back, and back shoulder until the knitted pan- Ties 15" els are completely joined to the woven panels. On the wrong side, handstitch bias tape over the butted seams.

Miters Miters on Inkle on Inkle Beginning at the front shoulder seam on 7 the outside of the vest, pin inkle trim over Pocket Pocket 5" the seams between the woven and knitted

Inkle band and braid Knitted bands Woven panels

COPYRIGHT HANDWOVEN® MAGAZINE, 2012. INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC. NOT TO BE REPRINTED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 5 | HANDWOVEN weavingtoday.com panels, stitching miters in the trim at the At the back shoulders, tuck the ends of Interweave congratulates seam corners and arranging the trim so 8 the braid into the inkle band at the the Winners of the that the braided section covers 5" of the shoulder seam, and stitch closed. Cut a seam below each back shoulder. Tack 6" length from the remaining braid for center of the underside of the braided trim at the back of the neck. Secure the trim to the seam and then lightly whip- ends and then stitch it across the join Garment Challenge stitch it down on either side. Trim the where the back is attached to the neck- “Look Ma, No Sleeves!” inkle section ½" longer than the length band. Tuck the cut ends under the braid needed, cut the braid 1" longer than covering the seams. Best Loom-Shaped Garment needed, and secure the end. (Reserve remaining braid for the back neck trim Cut two more 12" lengths of braid for Bubble Wrap and front ties.) For crisp turns at the mi- 9 the closure. Knot one end and insert the by Karen Donde tered corners, steam the inkle band and other into the open section of the inkle press with a wooden clapper to flatten band at the waist. Stitch the inkle band the layers as much as possible. Hand- closed. Repeat for the other side. stitch both sides of trim to the vest except at the pocket opening, where it is To stabilize garter-stitch edges with a stitched only to the knitted panel, and10 knitted binding, use DK weight yarn and for an inch at the front waistline, where a very long cable needle to pick up one Best Project on a Rigid Heddle Loom the braided ties will be placed. stitch in every garter-stitch “bump” Stash Vest around the neck, front opening, and hem. Turn over and loosely bind off by Deborah Jarchow picked-up stitches.

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