Warp Solo

Day 75: The rose-path scarf/table runner is off the loom, although I still have the fringes to tie, so today I started warping for another throw-rug project. I measured the warp yesterday, left it on the board to stretch overnight, and this afternoon, I mounted it preparatory to winding it onto the back beam. This is the part where I always wish for an assistant. It was so much easier when my husband was around to handle the chain, shaking out any tangles which might have been created in the process of transferring it. The job of the assistant is to maintain uniform tension on the warp as the weaver winds it onto the warp beam, a task better suited to an octopus. When done solo, the challenge is even greater. "Uniform tension," I say to myself. "What have I got six or eight of around here?" I've used an assortment of things over the years, but today all I had on hand were six bottles of Gatorade. Since only about a foot of warp can be wound before the weights hit the front beam, this requires being able to move the weights down the length of warp easily. I am tempted here to use that well-known "double positive" which becomes a negative: Yeah, right. Two hours later, I was done with the full twelve feet, although the ends still have to be drawn through the heddles and the reed before I can begin weaving.