looming

Weaving thread just didn’t interest me — that’s why there are so many entries between the last time I loomed and now. I’m still weaving thread, but I have just decided to try to get it done. Enough, already. SO, talking to a friend who knows weaving about finishing, this is what I’m doing to speed up the process: I’m using the heddles where I can (couldn’t on the footer, below the beads I’d already loomed), AND I’m using the thread doubled for the warp. It’s all going to be folded under the piece, so shouldn’t be visible. And if the very edge is visible, you’d have to be very close to notice.

Here’s the header, doubled thread using the heddles.

Here’s the footer, single thread, no heddles.

And starting the footers for the next pieces. Looks like I’m weaving mosquito netting or something — there’s nothing to push the warp against to make it tight. I believe that when I have more of it, I’ll be able to tighten it up. If nothing else, I’ll be able to push it against the beads later, even if it is (doubled) thread by thread.

Okay, I’ve stalled long enough, and want to go on to the next part of this project, the next loomed pieces. I am a bit worried about only tying off slippery nylon threads without them slipping, and then sewing the piece to a background, so I thought I’d do a footer and header and turn it twice underneath, as I’ve seen recommended in several places. Sew it to itself is what I’m envisioning. I think I’ll still mount them as Laura Willits does, but these warps would be more stable. And, I can always take the header and footer out if I change my mind, right?

So, I’ve started on the footer for this loomed piece. Here’s the problem: I can’t use the heddles, so I’m weaving over-under-over-under with a needle. I’m using the thread I used for the warp, and I’ve only got a millimeter or two more than half an inch between the beginning of the weaving, and the bottom bar of the loom. I can’t rotate it up to give myself more room, because the warping bar is right there at the bottom too, on the back side of the loom. This is good in that it gives me more warp for weaving the next pieces, but bad in giving me a little extra room to work.

So I’m weaving over-under, etc, back and forth. I’m doing it flat (rather than standing on its feet), balanced on the table and my legs with two lights shining directly on it so I can SEE the over-under. To make it easier to go from left to right, I’m flipping the loom upside down every other row so I can always use my right hand.

Tonight, in multiple hours (3?), this is how far I’ve gotten. Twenty-four rows and 1/4″. To get the 1/2″ I’m aiming for, to be able to fold it underneath twice, I will have to weave essentially the same number of rows that the entire beaded piece is — and that’s only one side. I have the header yet to do too.

And since I can be a fool for details, I think I’m going to weave the header the same way as the footer, even though the heddles are on that end. Because this weft-faced fabric on the footer wouldn’t match the header, because the warp would show if I used the heddles. Even though it’s folded underneath. Looking at what I just wrote, that looks a tad nuts. I think I’ll at least try a few rows of using the heddles for the header. Sigh.

I would love to sit back and just admire the completed looming. Finishing it is part of the package, though.

I’m going to stall on finishing it — I have half the warp unused, the warp which is now on the back of the loom. I can loosen the tension, spin this around to the back, and have empty warp on the front to fill. It took a lot of time to warp this, and it only makes sense to make the best use of that time and effort. Right?

I have a couple of choices. I think I know where I want to hang this finished piece in my house, in a small hallway. A second loomed piece, related but not the same (maybe different size and shape, some changed color), would look good on the opposite side of the door where this would be hung. My other thought is that it would be fun to make a bracelet.

I’ll think on it.