First, Remove The Cat

Day 127: Several times, I've been asked to demonstrate how I sew handwoven panels together to make a tablecloth or coverlet. First, remove the cat. That will make the process go a lot more smoothly. Seriously, though...beating evenly and measuring each motif as the actual weaving progresses to be sure it's within tolerance is critical to making a piece from panels. I cannot emphasize that strongly enough. With 8/2 cotton and (for example) a 2" motif, I insist that the number of passes be +/- one thread or I pick out the motif and re-weave it. If the motif I have just woven is one thread too long, I'll beat the next one just a tiny bit harder so that it comes out one thread short. Then, when I'm sewing the panels together, I can ease the difference. That said, the actual stitch is a simple whip stitch, picking up the "bumps" where the thread turns at the selvedge. As a right-hander, I pick up the bump on the right panel first, then the corresponding bump on the left panel, and when I draw the thread through both bumps, I pull it away from myself (not toward my body), drawing the left bump into alignment with the right. With overshot, I only join the tabby bumps. As for the Russian Blue bump, he's sure I wove this tablecloth just for him. (Crackle-weave Fantasy VI, HPB green version, p. 196)