Re-sleying was the result of my musing. I think I have learned a valuable lesson in careful thoughtful sleying. For some reason, I am not sure, I had sleyed 2-2-2 in my 12 reed. This made the weaving width too narrow. Consequently, as I wove, those floats were too long and too floaty. Wet finishing helped a little but the floats were still too floppy for my taste.
Looking back at my project sheet, I had very clearly set the sett at 20. Why I sleyed 2 to a dent, again, I am not sure. Maybe I didn’t think it would make a huge difference.
But it certainly did. I will start weaving this afternoon but already I am sure the draw-in will be what I had planned – about 2 inches. Then an inch of shrinkage. I will end up with the final width I had originally planned for – around 15 inches. Not the 12 3/4 of my sample.
There! I’ve said it! Sample! I think I am new believer in sampling. Yes, yes, I heard it from all of you. But impatient and cocky soul I am, I didn’t think I really had to do it. But lesson learned. Without taking this piece off and finishing it, I would not have mused on why the width was what it was and why the floats were so floaty!
So with renewed vigor and enthusiasm I will begin my dish cloth series!
Centerweave 
August 11, 2008 at 6:45 am
Sounds as though you simply sleyed the wrong reed! I’ve done that before too. Which all goes back to sampling! Amazing how we don’t like to do it even though we recognize how valuable it is.