Inventive Solution

Day 160: Halfway through the complicated threading of "Norse Kitchen," I became aware that something was grievously wrong. I had counted heddles carefully, but I was coming up short for those on two shafts. I looked at the draft I'd printed out, and compared it to my calculations. They did not agree on the number of repeats in the center section. After much study, I discovered a second mistake. It was time for a major rewrite, and it had to be one which would allow me to use the warp I had already measured and rolled onto the loom. I took a "sanity break" before sitting down with the calculator, and once I'd made the adjustments, I saw that I was going to have to add nine more warp threads on each side. Now how was I going to do that? It meant I'd have to pull the four-yard warp off the loom, and I certainly didn't want to leave it in a pile on the floor, so I wound it onto my 16-inch rigid heddle loom. Merry got a little too helpful during the next phase and had to be locked in the bathroom for the duration, but by dinnertime, I had the warp wound back onto Schacht. If the Gods of Weaving are benevolent, they will reward me for my diligence today with a smooth and error-free threading process.

Undressed For Christmas

Day 72: Most people put on finery (or at least an ugly sweater) for Christmas. Max got undressed instead. I have been diligently plugging away in the hopes of finishing the "weftovers" (i.e., the remaining warp) following three tablecloth panels, a length of roughly five feet. I wasn't sure I'd make my goal, but with Merry's cooperation, I got it done. I had also thought I might finish up the towels on the table loom in the living room, but discovered I had more warp left than I'd thought. Even so, I will probably be done with that in time to have a "New Year's Weave" on both looms. It's funny how those little personal goals can motivate. The idea is to set them just far enough out that you have to push yourself to achieve them, but not so far that you defeat yourself with something which is impossible to attain (or nearly so). Max already has a new warp in waiting: "Friend Evelyn" (an overshot) in "A Handweaver's Pattern Book" in two shades of green. Schacht (the table loom) is earmarked for an experiment with halvdräll, a Swedish technique which is sometimes described as a simplified overshot. Halvdräll only requires four shafts, two for the pattern and two for plain weave/tabby. I have yet to decide if I just want to weave a sample the first time around, or if I want to warp for a complete project. I'm not really fond of weaving on Schacht because the jacks are operated manually, placing too much strain on my repaired shoulder. That said, Max will be tied up for some time because again, I'll be weaving a coverlet in three panels. In any event, I'm excited by the prospect of new projects, as always.