Do you ever feel like you are just not making progress? Stopping bad habits and starting good ones can feel like that. Or, what about that craft project you meant to finish before Thanksgiving? The loom is one place where progress is visible. You can’t fool yourself; the cloth beam shows you how far you have progressed. I find it encouraging to see the fabric that has been woven. What starts with an idea shows up as cloth.
It all started with an idea and eleven colors of wool.
As we settle into the very end of this year, we know that time keeps rolling on. The warp keeps advancing. This is a great time to look at the cloth beam of our life and see the progress. Like this blanket, much has been accomplished, but there’s more work ahead before it is time to cut it from the loom.
Bottom layer is spread on the loom.Upper layer is spread on the loom; and the two layers are combined on the back tie-on bar. Two sets of lease sticks keep all the ends in order.Beaming on two warps at once. After removing the choke ties, I beamed on with the warping trapeze, slowly and carefully. I stopped every few inches to check everything, to make sure nothing was getting hung up anywhere.Threadingheddles.Sampling helps determine weft colors, as well as checking the sett and weft density.Sample is cut off and warp ends are tied in bundles, ready to re-tie to front tie-on bar.Sample piece, after wet finishing, air drying, and brushing.Fringe, twisted on the loom, goes over the breast beam as the body of the blanket is being woven.Progress is revealed. The beginning blanket fringe has reached the cloth beam! The fold edge of the blanket is in view.Dusk dims the colors, yet enriches them at the same time.Glad-hearted Christmas to all! The camel is this year’s new figure in the hand-carved Nativity by Steve Isenhower. Bound rosepath provides the backdrop.
May you enjoy reflecting on the progress you have made this year.
