Exploring

 

The above is the draft for the towels I just finished weaving.  I cut them off the loom yesterday, along with a different tie up/treadling to 'sample' the singles 6.

Just before I cut that section off the loom, I generated a different tie up and treadling, just to see what that would look like.  

As predicted, the pick count changed - quite significantly, actually - and I'm not sure I'm going to be happy with the resulting cloth, but it's interesting enough I will forge ahead and weave off the last bit of warp with the new set up and yarn.  It will likely be only two towels, and if they don't turn out, it's no biggie.  They are 'just' sampling - exploring - FAFO, as the young folk say.

But I will wet finish the last 8 towels of the above design and the sample I wove of the new set up before I begin weaving the 'sample' towels.

Ultimately I am simply gathering information - the FA - because this warp has 50% 2/8 yarn and the new warp will be all 2/16.  So it isn't giving me concrete evidence, but it will give an indication.  And if I decide to change the tie-up/treadling even further, I will have a stepping stone to stand on while I do the FO part of the equation.

My inclination is to further reduce the threading/treadling to make a smaller motif.  I'm anticipating some dimensional loss greater than the 'usual' due to the highly twisted (energized) nature of the weft yarn.  But I have large cones of the stuff and need to use it on something.  And it seems to me this is the most useful thing I can do with it - tea towels.  As long as they dry dishes, right?

Which is why I generally told my students to put a fairly long warp into the loom and then just get comfortable with throwing and catching the shuttle, being consistent in everything, and not pay too much attention to 'perfection', but focus on consistency.  What I have found is that the more you focus on perfection the less you are satisfied.  But if you focus on increasing your physical skills and being consistent?  Well, if you can't be 'perfect', be consistent...