looming

Now I’m 3/4 done. While discussing finishing this in an email, a friend told me that Laura Willits describes her process, including how she finishes her work! I’m happy, this will help me.

Half done. And now that I’m this far, I’m almost thinking more of how I want to handle 300 warps! I am not weaving them back in, I know this for sure.

Maybe 1/3 done? It’s taking me 10-15 minutes per row.

Okay, here’s how it works. I found a paucity of images of the process online, so if you’re curious….

First, change the shed, and made sure the warps are separated, one of each warp pair in front, and one in back. I tend to use my fingers between the warps to fix this. I have read that some use a ruler, or try to strum the warps to separate. They must strum quite hard!

Then I look at the picture behind the warp and see what the next bunch of beads are, maybe 10-15 at a time. This is all red, easy. I put the needle between the warps past where I think the beads I added will end.

Notice that they aren’t lined up like good little beads, I need to tweak them into their assigned spots.

Now I use my fingers to push them into place.

Now pick up more beads. There’s just a couple of each color, so I’m doing fewer beads on this needle. I go back in the warps at the same place where I came out, and continue between the warps past where these beads will fill the warps.

They didn’t go in their places automatically, so I push them in between their assigned warps.

And then push them down with my fingers.

I’m about one-quarter done with the looming….