John writes: <<It turned out very nicely, if I say so myself, and I hope to have some better pictures of it later this summer. The Baroness I gave it to has wonderful red hair and it looks really good on her. The Baron's comment was, "Wow! A gift you will actually use!" >>
Very cool--it's so nice to have one's work appreciated :) Do you know about the SCA Weaving list? There are some wonderful scholars who are very willing to share their in-depth knowlege about fibers and weave structures and equipment in use during SCA period. <<I didn't maintain an even tension while I was winding. <sigh> Hindsight being what it is I did notice that while I was winding and didn't think anything about it. >> Been there, done that :) On the plus side, the lessons learned the hard way are the ones you never, ever, ever forget or neglect! As to seeing B2F warping, are there any weavers in your area? That's the best. I volunteered to help a few more experienced weavers as a beginner and learned a lot from those experiences--sometimes what NOT to do with my own loom, but usually learned what works :) Oops, reading the next part I see you don't know other weavers yet--where are you located? Maybe someone on this list can connect you with other weavers in your area. Check at all the local fiber stores, even knitting stores--I know one knitting store that the local spinning group meets at, and virtually all spinning groups have at least a couple weavers. Google your state's weaving association. Join some more lists about fiber. There are weavers and spinners literally EVERYWHERE--I found my first spinning group, in Heidelberg, Germany, but putting a note up in the library--English speaking group--complete with a couple weavers! <<I've been looking at a trapeze as I'm single and don't know any other local weavers yet. A trap would make beaming by myself much easier. If I ever get out of my one-bedroom apt I'll get one. >> Without a place to stash wood and tools, it is a challenge to build a trapeze--but what about one of these friends you've been weaving for? As to the size of the apartment--the trapeze is designed to clamp to the loom, then you take it off when you're done and it's just a few pieces of wood that prop in a corner (or lie on a top shelf, or hang up next to the ceiling or lie under a bed or....) plus the clamps, a couple weights (which can be milk jugs easily enough), and some string. If you have a loom in your apartment, you can probably manage the trapeze components. Being single, there'll be no one to complain about the extra pieces of wood :) Definitely buy Kati's book, even if you can't get it from your local store. Virtually every weaver, even experienced ones, will find new tips to make every step of weaving easier and more fun in this wonderful little book. A reed is not ideal as a raddle, though with the warp under good tension and being spanked regularly it will probably work. The issue is that you've got just a few ends in each dent, so it's more likely that they will tangle right at the reed, possibly resulting in broken ends. So keep a close eye on the reed, and work out those tangles the instant they appear. Good luck on your test! I just heard from my son (his 29th birthday was yesterday :) that he's 'banned' from his Calculus test because he's done so well in the class. Probable As in his American History and and early English lit classes, too :) Holly
