1st sample – 40epi
I began weaving with the ‘lipstick’ weft yarn in the main red warp area and yellow weft at the borders. I experimented with various methods at the join between the two weft colours:
3 pattern repeats with clasped weft between warp ends (~24ppi)
3 pattern repeats with wefts wrapped around a warp end at the join (~24ppi)
I then changed to the ‘new melon’ weft yarn and wove
3 pattern repeats using clasped weft-ish joins partway through the yellow border (~24ppi)
3 pattern repeats of ‘new melon’ from selvedge to selvedge. (~24ppi)

After hemstitching, I wove a two stick header and removed the fabric from the loom. The fabric was wet finished and pressed with an iron on “wool” setting.

I decided that the warp is too closely sett – the pattern is not obvious enough, there is insufficient weft colour showing. I decided to weave another sample sett at 35epi.

1st sample – 40epi	Pre wash	Post wash
Border width	5cm each	4.5cm each
Main warp area width	65cm	64cm
Total width (weft direction)	75cm	73cm
Warp length	9.5cm	8cm

2nd sample – 35epi
I unpicked the two stick header and resleyed the reed at 35epi (3,4 ends per dent in a 10dpi reed). After tieing to the front apron rod, the warp measured 88.5cm in the reed.
This piece of fabric used each weft yarn woven from selvedge to selvedge.
I wove 3 pattern repeats of yellow weft yarn (~24ppi).
4 pattern repeats of new melon (~26ppi)
4 pattern repeats of lipstick (~26ppi)
3 pattern repeats of iris (a beautiful purple) (same yarn as yellow and new red warp) (~24ppi)

After hemstitching, I wove a two stick header and removed the fabric from the loom. The fabric was wet finished and pressed with an iron on “wool” setting.

I decided to try spreading the warp a little further – I’ll weave another sample sett at 30epi.

2nd sample – 35epi	Pre wash	Post wash
Width at centre (weft direction)	84.5cm	81.5cm
Warp length	10.5cm	8.5cm

3rd sample – 30epi
Once again, I unpicked the two stick header and resleyed the reed at 30epi (3 ends per dent in a 10dpi reed). After tieing to the front apron rod, the warp measured 103cm in the reed.
For this piece of fabric all weft picks were woven from selvedge to selvedge.
I wove 5 pattern repeats of lipstick (~25ppi)
and 5 pattern repeats of new melon (~26ppi)

After hemstitching, I removed the fabric from the loom (no two stick header this time!). The fabric was wet finished and pressed with an iron on “wool” setting.

3rd sample – 30epi	Pre wash	Post wash
Width at centre (weft direction)	98.5cm	95cm
Warp length	7.5cm	6.5cm

Conclusion
I prefer the 35epi sample for a few reasons:
1) The fabric is slightly heavier which is good as this is to be a ruana.
2) The pattern is more obvious than on the 40epi sample and not so different from the 30epi sample.
3) I will not have to remove any warp ends as although the finished fabric is wider than originally planned, it is not too wide.
However, as this piece is a commission, I need to discuss the options with the client.

The client prefers the fabric of the 30epi sample with the width of the 40epi sample. So I will remove warp ends from the 110/2 tex red warp to reduce the width of the finished fabric.
I need to go from an in-reed width of 103cm down to about 77.5cm; at 30epi, this is about 915 ends. There are 16 ends in a pattern repeat, 57 pattern repeats gives me 912 ends. I currently have 1232 ends, so I will remove 320 ends (20 pattern repeats) from the right hand side of the red warp ends.