Totally Naked

Day 36: Naked! Completely starkers! Totally undressed! And you know what that means, don't you? There's a new warp waiting to be mounted on the floor loom, already measured and wound. The big loom seldom stands empty for more than a few days, and is generally used for more time-consuming projects than my smaller looms. For one reason, it holds more. I can easily wind on 10, 15, 20 yards of warp, enough to keep me occupied for several months depending on the weave. Although the loom is four feet wide, I usually prefer to work narrower panels if I'm making coverlets or blankets, sometimes joining as many as four panels in order to attain the desired width. Of course, this method requires paying strict attention to the number of throws per inch and as all weavers know, this is often dependent on mood. Don't weave when you're cranky! As gratifying as it may be to pound those threads against the fell, the difference in the beat may show up in your finished work. That said, the act of weaving is a meditation in its own right: the chatter of the heddles, the rise and fall of the harnesses, the rhythm of feet and hands and the growth of cloth advancing toward the reed combine to distract almost every sense from the chaos of worldly cares. No, my big loom won't stand empty for long. The geas of weaving is upon me, and I must obey its call.