Weaving and more weaving...

My counterbalance floor loom has been sitting half-warped since last Christmas or so.  This week I finished warping the loom, and got started on the project.

The reason I procrastinated so long was that the warp was a mess.  I lost the cross, I ended up threading at least one part incorrectly and had to make up for it down the line (the colors are in a very specific order to create the pattern).  These are Roller Bird Towels, and it was a kit from Cotton Clouds.

I straightened and corrected the warp as I went.  First I tied on to the back beam.

Then I wound the warp onto the back beam, untangling and fixing the threads in the front as I went.  I use paper lawn & leaf bags as warp separators.  This keeps the threads from tangling, because the warp wraps around the back beam multiple times.

After it was wound on to the back, I had to tie on to the front.  I had to add and replace a few threads along the way, correct threading errors, correct tension errors, and weave a header (the first inch or two, to make sure the pattern is showing up the way it should).

I started weaving a few inches of the first towel, but I was having problems with my shuttle.  The thread was catching on a crack and a couple of rough spots on the shuttle.

I have two shuttles, so I took the bobbin out of the more worn shuttle and took some time to glue it and clamp it to minimize problems.  At this point I will use the newer-looking shuttle when I resume, and use the more worn shuttle for the thread between the towels, which will mean it is used much less.  I may also try to pick up a new shuttle when I get the chance.

After gluing up the shuttle, I retrieved my inkle loom project from the basement.  This is intended to end up as a guitar strap (I have guitar strap hardware for it.)

I am also looking into some card weaving.  I think I'd like to start a card weaving project, but I will need the inkle loom available to do that!  Another good reason to finish the guitar strap.  I'm hoping to order a Gilmore Wave Loom (the small size) in the future.  That one would work for inkle and card weaving projects, but it holds a longer warp than the inkle loom can.

And last but not least, yesterday I spent some time working on the Peeking Beads Scarf!  I'm getting close to the pink section of the sock blank yarn!