Finally Some Fiber!

Not much going on in the fiber arena here these days. I finished a pair of socks I was making for a friend (Lucy Neatby, Almost Saintly Socks), but I still have to graft the last toe, weave in ends and wash them. I finished my heroine jacket, but I still have to sew it together and full/felt it. Right now I have nothing on the needles and it feels very strange. I was thinking the other day that I should get out my wheel and do some spinning while I am at home. I don't like spindle spinning that much so it wouldn't be my take along project, but it has been ages since I was spinning anything. How did that happen?

At weaving class my sakori influenced vest is coming along along. Click here to see an example of the knitted vest that was my inspiration. (This isn't the vest I saw "in person," just a random blogger that happens to have a sakori picture on her website.) Here are a few pictures.
This is the full view. I am currently working on the front of the vest so it has the split in the middle. When I was weaving the back it was one full piece. Then, at the neck it splits into two pieces that are woven at the same time.
This is a close up of the right side. You can see the weft thread dangling here. The weft is a variegated rayon with slubs. It is brown and blue and the mixtures of the two colors create a subtle purplish color in spots. The warp is alternating cotton rug warp and shiny rayon in a warm pinky beige.
The stripe is indigo dyed and is a silk blend. I found it in the weaving room stash of yarns. It had been someone's sample skein for indigo dying. It was the perfect color for an accent. The indigo adds to the Japanese flavor of the vest and so does the silk fiber. (The assignment was to do work with a Japanese influence. I had not completed a previous assignment of a garment. So I put the two together!)
Once I finish the front, I will put in a spacer and then work about 4 inches of weaving (also split into two) that will be the sides. I will have very little sewing to do. Just sew the side strips on and hem. I am not sure whether I will embellish the edge in front or not. I was thinking a thin cording of kumihimo would reinforce the back of the neck. Don't know about that though.
I really like the weave structure. It is one of the canvas weaves in the Marguerite Davison book, but I can't remember which one and my notebook is in the classroom. It is just enough texture to enhance the Japanese look, but not so much that it detracts from the variegated yarn. Usually I shy away from texture if the yarn is busy.

P.S. The new banner picture was taken a couple weeks ago from the backyard! These two vultures made a pit stop in our cypress trees! It looked like they were sunning themselves with their wings outspread.