Weaving Again! on the Wandering Vine Coverlet

Well -- I did make some definite progress on the set-up this weekend:

• Finished threading nearly 900 heddles
• Sleyed the Reed
• Spread the warp and tested for crossed threads (There were none!)
• Program the treadle beads (Only 76 treadle changes compared to 300 in the Mountain Cucumber coverlet!)
  

Choosing appropriate shuttles - What will work best for this project?   Then I have to wind bobbins ...  So far, I am using the same shuttles I used on the Mountain Cucumber Coverlet on the smaller loom.  The Hockett shuttles work nicely here, too.  A good weight, and they can travel the 1 yard distance when I throw them through the shuttle race to the other side.  Smaller / shorter shuttles seemed to stop mid-way through, and then needed to be rescued.

And there's still the experimentation phase / make adjustments.  Do I use 20/2 (photo 1) or 10/2 (photo 2) for the tabby?  I am still testing this.  So far it's inconclusive ...  I would have expected the 20/2 tabby to take up less space than then 10/2.  However, the 2 test blocks seem to have come out about the same length -- which surprised me.  I know part of it is how hard I beat it too.  So I am leaning towards the 10/2 for a more balanced weave.

I'm almost there -- the active part of weaving again!  Oh how I've missed it!  The clack-clack clack-clack of my beloved looms!

I am still figuring some things out.  There are 7 pattern repeats across the width of the panel.  Each block is about 5 inches.  I am trying to make the blocks square.

How far can I weave on a full bobbin?

Red

Tabby 10/2

Tabby 20/2