A New Craft, A New America

my new loom and some hand-dyed yarns

My loom came today! My boys were both home sick from school, but they were well enough to help me figure out the warping process, and actually helped me quite a lot! One managed the yarn ball to be sure that there were no tangles, and the other used the hook to thread the heddle. I haven’t had much luck getting the older boy interested in any of my crafty pursuits, but he showed a genuine interest in weaving. I cannot express how happy that makes me!

My first project is well under way. It is definitely a first project. There are skipped threads and uneven selvedges, but that’s ok. This is how we learn- and honestly, I think it’s the wonder of discovering and pride of learning a new skill that motivates me more than anything in my crafty pursuits.

the beginning of my first handwoven cloth

It was a lot of money to invest in something that I had never done before, but somehow I just knew that I would love it. And I do. I’m so glad that I found this hardly-used loom!

I’m hoping that by the end of this project, I will have mastered some basic skills. I’m looking forward to taking this project off the loom, finishing it, and then being able to observe the progression of my abilities from beginning to end. I’ll wear it with pride; skipped threads, loose selvedges and all, because it represents the time I spent learning this new, wonderful craft.

On another note- my boys and I watched the inaguaration today. I was overcome with a wonderful sense of pride of my country and hope for our future. Good on us, America!