New project: network drafted/"orange peel" shawls

I’m starting work on my next project, a set of network drafted shawls using a fairly simple threading pattern: a pair of opposing elliptical arcs

48 pixels high and telescoped (sliced and overlapped) to 16 pixels high so it fits on my loom. The net effect is a double elliptical curve with “echoes”.

Then, taking the same elliptical curve, I transformed it into a ribbon, rotated it 90 degrees, and put it into the peg plan, producing this pattern:

…which appears as a moire cross when tiled across the fabric.

Flipping the ribbon 90 degrees the other way produces bullseyes:

And turning the ribbon  into a wavy line produces ripples.

Not content with that, I asked myself what would happen if you had TWO ribbons in the peg plan, and with different weaves.  I grabbed Photoshop, drew two crisscrossing ribbons, one in 3/1 twill and one in plainweave, and came up with this pretty little gem:

I’m planning to weave all four of these patterns and may make up a fifth if I can manage to squeeze it onto the warp.

I’m also going to experiment a bit with color mixing.  I’ve decided to use an orange silk warp as a base, and use five different color wefts to create five completely different looking shawls.  The wefts I’m planning to use are deep violet, royal purple, royal blue, gold, and black.  Those should provide nice contrast to the orange, and the deep violet in particular should really “pop” the orange out.  It’ll be an interesting experiment in color mixing.  I do plan to swatch before weaving an entire shawl.

So tomorrow I will finish off the tiger jacket, and start skeining off and dyeing the yarns for the shawls.  I think I will use silk for the warp (because it’s stronger) and a 55/45 cashmere/silk blend for the weft.  I may also use up some 100% cashmere yarn that I have sitting around (I tend to buy large quantities of remaindered cashmere yarn at very cheap prices, then dye it myself so I can work with cashmere without bankrupting myself).  I’ll be dyeing it with Lanaset/Sabraset dyes.