Threading the heddles

This is my next project in the throes of the threading process. It is going to be two baby blankets, in overshot - the pattern is "Wandering Vine", aka "Cat Track and Snail Trail", which sounds much more imaginative.

I've just worked out how to arrange the loom so that the threading and reed sleying is more comfortable and won't break my back like it normally threatens to. The shafts are now hanging much further forward, suspended from bits of string in a rather elaborate system of knots, and balancing on a couple of sticks. I'm terrified of making a threading error so I'm going very slowly and carefully as it's an awful trial trying to correct mistakes later.

Jo, a work colleague and neighbour, is expecting twins, so these blankets are for her and hers.

Look at these lovely flowers

The garden smells lovely at this time of year. I picked some of the roses, and what you see here is representatives of the Rambling Rector, Madame Alfred Carriere and Compassion (unless I am mistaken about the Compassion, the pinky-peachy one). Now the house smells lovely too.

Krokbragt - there was a crooked bag ...

There was a little bit of warp left on the loom after I'd cut the rug free. I used it to try out a krokbragt threading on three shafts. Luckily I could use the same tie-up as for the rug, and that meant that although shaft four wasn't used, I could lift shafts 2 and 4 together and thus make plain weave possible.

Anyway, I was so cock-a-hoop with the pretty little patterns that I sewed it up into a bag. (Sewing isn't really my strong point). And it has a lining, all sewn with rug wool, as is the plaited shoulder strap.

Some day I shall weave a rug in this structure, but mainly in plain-weave with the krokbragt as a border, or maybe isolated patterned stripes.

Making that long plait made me search about on the web for a quicker, easier way to make cords. I hit upon a cord-winder, and then got on to some ply-split web sites, which were fascinating. I think I shall have a go at ply-split braiding next and see what turns out. I just need more time ...