Take A Shuttle

Day 217: A friend recently sent me a meme showing the original Star Trek's Enterprise with the caption, "Warp drive is for distance. Weft drive is for going back & forth. It's good for shuttles." I'd seen it before (several times, actually), but as a weaver, it made me chuckle nevertheless. Small wonder that I'm a huge Star Trek fan! I have enough shuttles to launch a fleet of my own. There are many different types, and some of them are interchangeable depending on the weaver's preference and budget, but others are fairly much dedicated to a specific style of weaving. Rag shuttles are a good example. While they could be used to hold finer threads, they are large enough to accommodate strips of fabric for weaving rugs. Others have a "knife-edge" on one side. These help beat the weft in place when using an inkle or backstrap loom. I tend to prefer stick shuttles for most of my weaving. They're relatively inexpensive and come in a wide range of sizes. The shuttle I use with the bonker loom is the shorty in the middle (wound with blue thread). It is easier than a traditional quill to manipulate and holds more thread. One thing is certain: I'll take a shuttle (or two or three or four) when I'm headed to the Loom Room at warp speed.