On the Loom

My initial experiments on my new Harrisville 22” floor loom have been successful, by and large. At least I remembered how to dress the loom! The best part is experimenting with different fiber weights, compositions, and colors - it’s fascinating to see how they react differently as warp and weft, and how different combinations yield completely different appearance and feel.

Draft: Weekend Rug

Warp: 8/8 Unmercerized Cotton in navy blue

Weft: Suffolk Wool in denim (double-stranded)

Specs: 8 reed, 176 ends, 2-yard warp

Dimensions: 22” wide x 40” long

Draft: Wrapping Cloths

Warp and weft: Italian cotton/linen in slate

Specs: 12 reed (used 200 dents, 2 ends per dent), 400 ends, 3-yard warp

Threading: 11 dents (22 ends) + 1 empty dent (9x) then 3 empty dents on center, then repeat 11 dents + 1 empty dent (9x)

Finishing: hemstitched on the loom, trim fringe to 2”, cold wash delicate, hang to dry, trim fringe to 1/2”

Size: Two cloths 17.5” wide x 28.5” long before washing, 17” wide x 26.5” long after washing (.5” loss width and 2” loss length)

Draft: Lupine Wool Wrap (improvised)

Yarn: Plain weave with Harrisville Highland (100% wool)