This project is an experiment in several ways. First, the heddles used (three of them!) are prototypes of a wider semi-rigid heddle than the "normal" ones -- these are two inches wider than standard -- and I wanted to see how they'd behave weaving a "cloth" rather than a warp-faced weave. Second, the 2.5 meter warp isn't longer than any I've woven with these heddles, but this is the first time I've woven a non-warp-faced weave with the warp stretched full-length and the heddles suspended on the warp.
The first experiment (trying the wider heddles for weaving "cloth") is a success! The heddles behave beautifully, and using a lightweight temple, it's easy to maintain an even width in the web.
The second experiment (weaving non-warp-faced on a long warp stretched full-length) is less happy. It's not bad maintaining warp tension over this length, but the warp sways while I'm weaving (in fact, it sways a lot) -- and even though that doesn't pose a major problem for the weaving itself, it's unnerving!
It's also not a lot of fun -- which is why it's been a work-in-progress for so long. This week I'll roll the warp and cloth onto sticks and finish weaving it with a backstrap. That should wrap things up nicely!
Postscript:
Moving the scarf to a backstrap setup was a great idea! The balance of the weaving was comfortable and pleasant, and the awkward feeling that I was weaving on a tightrope disappeared. Unfortunately, the "transition" between one way of weaving and the other showed in the final scarf -- but it was an experimental scarf, just for me, so it didn't matter!
There's quite a bit of yarn left over, so I may wind another warp like this one -- but this time weave the entire thing on the backstrap. It's not too early to think about Christmas, is it?
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