I Emptied a Loom

I am so excited...I emptied a loom. Not just any loom but one that has been hanging over my head like the "sword of Damocles".  I started some linen towels as gifts, and was very pleased with the window pane check of gold on the natural towels.  I planned lace centers on the check and also in the windows.  It started out so well.

Nice lace and color pattern planned.

I chose some singles #10 linen and there were a few problems at the first, I had fuzzy bits that developed at the lease sticks.

I really started watching the cross.

The warp was about seven yards long and on the second towel, I started breaking the edge threads.  Not the very edge but the second or third thread in.  I spent a lot of time adding temporary warps, then when they broke, and I added the original edge thread back.  I tested several methods to keep the edges better, and wetting the warp and weft seemed to be the best.  

Dry edge, fine thread for hem, and wet edge

As you can see the wet edge and wet weft made a much better edge and the warps were breaking less.

Other things got in the way and I stopped weaving on this loom.  I think I was tired of the mess and repairing the warps.  The loom reached a sad state of affairs and became a place to put stuff.

At least I did not put anything too heavy on the warp.

The warp had been wound on the beam with cardboard so long that the warp had "crimped".

Crimped warp at the back of the loom

This week I "cracked the whip" and got myself weaving.  The first day I managed to finish one towel, it was number seven.  The second day, the second towel turned out to be just a square mat...but it will look good on my table. 

I ended up with some tension problems, which was probably part of the reason that I quit weaving and had a hard time getting back to it.  Because the lace was only on a portion of the warp width, those areas loosened up slightly and I'm afraid that my last couple of pieces will have some uneven sections once they are washed and hemmed.  I only did plain weave on the last two pieces just so that I could get them done.  

I you can see I only had inches to spare.

Anyway the towels fresh off the loom look good.  I need to repair, hem and wash them now.

I actually emptied two looms this week.  I finished the warp on the PCH loom...and I have another seven towels to repair, hem and wash.

The picture is much bluer that they really look

I really am happy with this week's work.  I probably should be ashamed, I looked up in the notes and the linen warp went on in December of 2013!  But I will not let that dampen the thrill of having it off the loom...!