Aaaaaand, Next!

 

click on the image to biggify it

Just now finished the last towel on the warp and will begin on the next soon.  First I have some things to take care of, and given my brain power (or lack thereof) it seems like a good idea to do the next steps on the current warp before I go all gung-ho on the next.  There is no rush, after all - anything I get into the loom this week won't be ready for this year's Xmas sales.

So I will have a break, then go down, cut the web from the loom, cut/serge the towels, then repair the weft loops - or as many as I can find.

Because there are some.  I tried to fix as many as I could in the loom, but sometimes I just didn't spot them until I had woven far enough it would have taken longer to unweave, then re-weave, than to just needle weave the loop in later.  

I'm returning to a more 'traditional' design.  It's the same threading as the Snail's Trails and Cat's Paws, but woven in 'star' fashion instead of 'rose'.  (If that doesn't mean anything to you, never mind, it's just using the units/blocks in a different sequence.)

It still incorporates the curving lines, and I enjoy seeing those curves happening in the cloth.  The warp will be natural 2/16 unmerc. cotton, the weft 2/20 merc. cotton.  Given that the design kind of reminds me of Christmas ornaments, the weft colours will be red (two different shades to use) and forest green.  Nice bold graphic look to it.

I have woven this design before, many times, but usually in the STCP treadling.  Since I have some of that design in other colours, I thought I'd do this one, this time.

Tomorrow we will tear down the guild's pop up 'shop' and set up for the sale in the guild room.  I believe that will begin not this Saturday, but the weekend following, and continue on into Dec.  I may offer to shop sit the later dates because we usually don't get much of a crowd then, plus I have new N95 masks.

It's hard to believe that we are about five weeks from the solstice, but the other morning I was reminded how far south the sun gets this time of year.  Reminding myself that the sun will soon return meant I could give a nod to the low rising sun, say bon voyage, come back soon.

Winter is a great time to be weaving.  Keeping my nose to the fell means I can feel some kind of sense of accomplishment, of satisfaction, at the end of another day.

My plan for this week is to - get the current crop of towels mended, then wet finished.  Strip the thrums off the loom and clear the decks for the next one.  I need to remove a repair heddle with the eye tied too high, plus one of the leader strings on the sectional is too short and needs to be replaced.  

Tomorrow deal with the shop, plus attend an AGM (via Zoom), while running the towels through the washer and dryer, then get them pressed before I begin beaming the next warp.

And then, just because I couldn't stop myself, I pitched an article to a publication - just after saying on social media that I wasn't interested in writing for publication anymore.  (!)  Seems I was wrong.  Of course they may not be interested in what I have to say, so it may appear here...