The Happy Hempist

Legalize it, don't criticize it! In case there were any doubt, let me say it:  I am a weed proponent. I approve legalizing marijuana, for any use. More, I dislike marijuana criminalization. I hope the laws against growing it, and using it, and imprisoning people for growing it, or using it, will change.  Even so, using the hemp to weave, was a bad trip for me.

My first, and long ago bad experience, involved a ball of knotty hemp macrame twine, created in Poland, I bought, hoping to make it work as a warp. I managed to form it into a small set of knotty rag potholders on my loom, and could, and did say, never again.

So I've been a doubter concerning hemp's popularity in recent years, until I saw Elisabeth Hill's (Plain Weave and Beyond) blog post about her waffle weave hempen towels, and the beauty of working with the yarn as warp. Never say never. I ordered some right away.

It arrived, a hunky cone of 7000 + yards at an economical price, to boot.  I have since built two scarfs with the fiber as warp, using my usual mix of linen, cotton, silk, and now hemp, for wefts, and it is lovely, and a lovely weaving experience. Thank you, Elisabeth.

The yarn looks a little hairy, but moves smoothly through heddles and reed, and its color and quality is linen-like, more than cottony. In the finished scarf it is soft, and comfortable to wear.

  You don't have to take my word for it--you can trust hers. Here is what Elisabeth said about hemp.  She is a weaving phenomenon in Western Massachusetts, where she just received her Master Weaver certificate.  Her weaving is beautiful, exploring many different weave structures, textures, and colors, with curiosity and imagination.  I have learned so much from her.