Intimations of Things to Come

Today the first harbinger of my latest yarn order arrived.  I got a commission for not one, not two, but three table cloths from a customer in Calgary.  He was so sweet - when we were discussing designs he said "Just make what you like...what's ugly in this booth?  I have a sense of your design esthetic, I know you'll make me something nice."  I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist.  (blush)

How could I not take the order???? (Especially when he offered to pre-pay.  I won't take payment until I'm ready to start weaving.  If the money is being dangled in front of me, I work much better - something about carrots?)

He wants mostly neutrals with a little green, a little peach, so there is more yarn yet to come, in one of Maurice Brassard's bunny eared bags of goodness.

I am going to have to warp the loom up to it's full width (60") and cross fingers that the cloth will be the 54" I promised.  Needless to say, there is going to have to be a component of plain weave to whatever I do to minimize draw in and it will probably mean using a temple as well, just to keep things co-operative, but for 3 tablecloths it is well worthwhile putting the warp on.  I will no doubt put extra on and do a couple of 'tea cloth' type squares as well.  The warp will be nearly 2000 ends - that's a lot of threading, even if I am fast at it.  ;)  Besides, extra is good in case of some sort of disaster on the loom.....

The red warp for samples is almost finished.  I'm hoping to get to the end of it today yet.  It took me a while to generate an alternate tie up, hoping to increase the stability of the cloth and still have the chevrons she requested.  But bobbins are wound and I'm ready to go.....aaaaaand, she's off!