Sun 24 Jan 2010
Those who say that weaving is fast are referring to the part that comes after all the threads are loaded into the loom. It’s true: the weaving is fast, but the warping is slow.
Four hundred and twenty pieces of string, cut into 6-yard pieces, must be wound through the loom and settled into place before the weaving can begin. Every piece must pass through two holes in the right sequence in preparation for the pattern in the fabric. Not hard. Not cumbersome. But slow and methodical. Patience and care come at the beginning of the project, before the making can commence. Careful winding and unwinding, avoiding tangles and knots.
An investment of time that will be paid back by the speed of casting a shuttle and turning warp into fabric.
As long as the rewards are worth the effort!
So true. And the reason why I have not taken up weaving during the small children/puppies part of my life 😉
I did a little weaving long ago. The weaver friend who helped me set up the loom insisted on making the strings at least 15 feet long, and I was glad of it, that’s for sure! I got 4 or 5 baby blankets out of one stringing.