I am planning to make a table mat for the Jewish Sabbath table. I played with this idea while doing the Canvas weave sampler. I like the idea of using linen, but prefer the Huck lace variations. Does Huck lend itself to the stiffness of linen? And, where can I find heavier linen to make this a stiffer mat?
Thank you.
Ronit.
Hi Ronit - JST carries a 16/2 Organic Linen that is heavier than 8/2 cotton and would be a wonderful weight for a heavy mat. If you are comparing weight with fine linen (40/2 linen - 7,000 yards per lb) and 16/2 linen (2700 yards per lb) - you will understand the difference in the size of the yarn. My personal favourite - and I've woven runners using - is Cottolin - 3,230 yards per lb and a 60% cotton/40% linen blend. Remember, you can change your sett to get a denser cloth - if that's what you are looking for. All have a wonderful range of colours to choose from, if you are looking for colour as well - AND - all will be happy being woven with Huck. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply. How would mixing higher and lower weights work with Huck or in general?
Thanks much.
Ronit.
In general - when I have mixed different weights of yarn - I've adjusted the sett for each yarn I'm using as I go across designing, threading and denting. For instance - 40/2 linen is often sett at 30 epi and 16/2 at 15 epi. If you don't factor the different setts into your design, your width on the loom might be off. When designing - I might try using the 40/2 as a background and the other linen as the huck - I'm thinking border or frame on the mat. Since this is an important piece for you and your family - I probably would do a sample first, to see if it's going to give me the look I have in mind. Keep us posted and we'd love to see a photo when you've finished it.