Weaving, Weaving, Weaving

I got a commission to weave some pieces of fabric.  The problem was my big loom (Big Mac) has been tied up with the yardage for way too long.  (It was put on in 2009!  I have been weaving on the smaller looms...really.)  So I put in the time, a couple of hours after work every day...that's 2 hours of lifting about 10 pounds...my thighs have been really sore.  (A macomber loom has metal shafts and mine has 16, so I was lifting 8 each shot, for 30 shots per inch, for 4 yards.)

After working for some time I realized that the biggest time sink in the piece was the constant broken warp ends on the selvedge and how long it takes me to repair them.  For the last part of the warp I just decided to let them go, I saved about 20 minutes every hour of weaving.  The weird part was the way they broke.  Both selvedges ended up stabilizing with a big gap in the ends. 

It is so strange looking, and that was not the only doubled end.  The others just keep breaking.

Finally the knots came up on the back and I was able to finish the yardage.

Here's six and a half yards of fabric.  There are so many errors, I hope I can find enough good parts to cut out and make me a new shirt.  I will not be able to take the time to correct the errors yet, I have to finish the commission pieces.  So into the box it goes for a few weeks.

I got the first warp on the loom within 3 hours of getting the yardage off.  The piece was on the loom on the 14th and then off on the 17th.  Compared to the previous warp (yardage) that was really fast.

Here are the two pieces from that warp waiting for the fringe to be twisted and the wet finishing to be done.

And here is the second warp threaded up and ready to tie on and weave.  I thought I would get some weaving done tonight, but we decided on foil dinners in the canyon and so the evening was spent with the family and good times.

 Here is the yarn for the third piece waiting at the warping board so get mearsured.

 I used to weave tea towels for sales.  When I was cleaning out boxes I found some more of them.  Anyone interested?