Weaving…….

Today's Ten on Tuesday's subject is 10 favorite sandwiches.  The two things that make me gain weight most are wine and bread, so I don't eat sandwiches often these days with summer looming ahead, but the links on Carole's page have some inspiring sandwiches…go take a look.

Today I thought I would talk a little about what I did this weekend.  Remember when I shared with you that I had ordered and brought a new loom home?  Well sadly it has sat in my studio unused.  There has been so much bathroom construction material in my shop that I was very uninspired.
It's strange.  I am ADD to the nth, but I really, really need my work space to be clean and orderly otherwise I have a hard time focusing on the work at hand.  So there it sat, all new and shiny…and undressed. 

Finally some of the construction material has moved out of my space and when the first day of Spring rolled around and I took all of the winter decorations down, I became inspired to weave again.
A few days of sun and a cleaner space was all it took, so out came the weaving books and I searched my weaving cupboard for some cotton thread for much needed dishtowels. This thread made me think of sunshine, which is perfect!  I decided to weave towels that I have successfully woven a few times in the past, as a gentle re-entry into weaving again with something familiar.

It's been a while since I have dressed a loom, so I went back and forth, do I dress the loom front 2 back, or back 2 front?

Ken had built me a trapeze which is a wonderful set up for dressing a loom back 2 front with proper tension for someone warping the loom alone, but it is buried under a stack of wood neatly along the wall.

However, after watching Madelyn Van der Hoogt's loom on dressing front 2 back, I thought I would give it a try again.  I know it's not a perfect video, but personally I do love holding the cross in my hand as I thread the reed comfortably at my kitchen table.  I also love threading the heddles,there is a quiet rhythm to it especially on a sunny day with some good music on.

  I have learned over the years that it's all a process and now I take my time and enjoy each step.  With almost 400 epi, I spent one afternoon threading the reed and 2 afternoons threading the heddles as I was dyeing yarn in my studio.

Next comes the part that I dread most….winding the warp onto the back beam because this can make or break even the best of intentions.  After making the commitment to dressing the loom front 2 back I decided to invest in a set of Angel Wings, which adds tension as you wind the warp onto the back beam and I will use slats instead of paper.  It's good to be familiar with both warping methods as each has it's place, but it's always nerve wracking for me.  The Angel Wings will be here Thursday, so I will beam the warp on Friday.  I'll let you all know how it goes.

As a side note, I want to say that the customer service from the folks at Purrington Looms is outstanding!