Weaving towels

Towel A and Towel B

Definitions:  warp=the long threads that are vertical on the loom;  weft=horizontal threads inserted by the shuttle.

Weaving with a table top loom is a joy for me.  The repetition is longer than knitting... Knitting is stitch, stitch, stitch, or some variation of that, while weaving is (1) select the shed (opening between warp threads), (2) insert shuttle and "shuttle" it through to the other side, (3) grab the edge to make it even, (4) arrange trailing thread (weft) in a nice arc, (5) close up the weft thread with the beater, and (6) admire....repeat.
This warp was put on the loom last June!  As you can see by the crazy pattern, it wasn't simple.  The edges are twill, and the middle is called Cottonwood Leaf. 
I wove the above towels, and needed a gift so I cut them off and retied. (That didn't go as easily as I had hoped...so, weaver beware!)  Towel A is hemmed and Towel B has fringe.  I like fringe...takes a little more time to sew the edge to lock in the weft.

Runner

So far, this runner is (only) the third piece on the warp.  It's a discovery that by zigzagging the twill (on the edges), another pleasing design appears in the middle.  You may notice there's a learning curve that I eventually mastered called "write it down, stupid".  This will definitely be a "handmade heirloom".  (Hmmm.  Heirloom.)  As I leave weaving for awhile, this runner is at the halfway point.

Towel A

Fighting boredom?  Sometimes, admiring the pattern you are creating isn't enough to entertain me for hours, but I've discovered time flies when I listen to podcasts at the same time.  AND there are SO MANY to choose from!  Radiolab, TED radio hour, and Wait, wait, don't tell me are some of my favorites.  Or you can choose knitting podcasts, of course...Good listening, everyone!