Weaving OCD

I have some obsessive-compulsive behaviors – mostly obsessive. Or maybe it’s just a strong need for closure. In any case, I usually find it helpful, but sometimes it makes life a bit more difficult than it needs to be.

After reporting that my camera wouldn’t flash I did, in fact, google the problem. I’m sure not the only one who’s had the problem, but no one had any resolution. So I called the very helpful people at B&H photo video, where I bought the camera, asking if they thought buying and using an AC power cord would resolve the problem. Unfortunately, they didn’t think so. We talked for some time, and with the reality that my camera is 7 years old, their best advice was to replace it. It’s not like the camera cost a bunch of money when I bought it, so I used their recommendations to buy a new camera similar to my old one (which I really did/do like), with a projected delivery date of Friday.

Meanwhile I waited for daylight to combine with my pole lamp to take a photo of the shawl on the loom.

(Fair warning – a lot of weaverly stuff for a few paragraphs before I get back to my OCD behavior.)

From my perspective, another great concept that didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. I used black and silver rayon along with black & gray bamboo and 3 different colors of gray cotton in the warp, and ladder ribbon yarn to add some bling. I used an old 6-dent reed to make sure that ladder ribbon would pass through without difficulty, threading all at 20EPI. It did, but as you may be able to see in the photo, the ribbon is so squinched that it’s not showing itself well. Plus I clearly used too much of it, making the shawl cheaper-looking, in my opinion.

So after I wove that first shawl I cut it off the loom, pulled several strands of the ladder ribbon out and replaced them with rayon so I didn’t need to rethread the heddles. I did, however, rethread the reed, giving each of the remaining ladder ribbons their own dent, using 20EPI for the rest of the threads. I wove the other two shawls and they are better, but still not the look I wanted. Apparently I should have kept an empty dent on each side of the ladder ribbon. Or something. Before I try it again I’ll do some online research to see how other weavers have successfully used it, ‘cuz I’ve seen it used well.

(Non-weavers can start reading again here.)

So anyway, the yarn for my next batch of baby wraps was scheduled to arrive on Saturday. So on Thursday evening I did some planning for a run of 3 scarves. Friday morning I wound a warp using 2 colors each of rayon & gold. I think it’ll be smashing!

After I got it wound I went out and shoveled my driveway and walked the dog. When I got home the mailman had delivered my mail, which included all the yarn for the baby wraps. Here comes my dilemma – what will I do now? Weave those 3 promising purple & gold scarves or start work immediately on the baby wraps? Both were calling to me with about equal volume. Both were jumping up & down in my brain & saying, “Pick me!”

So I decided to beam the scarf warp onto the counterbalance loom and start winding the baby wrap warp. That way I could move the bar for my warping valet back to the Macomber loom and not have to move it again.

Meanwhile my new camera arrived, and of course I had to charge the new lithium battery pack. So I couldn’t take any pics of the sections of baby wrap warp I wound. And I have to wind this warp in 6 bouts instead of my usual 4 in order to fit all the length on my warping board. I’ve got half of it wound now, and will do the other half today. I should be able to get some good pics of them with the new camera.