First step is the hardest

Over four hours of work spread out across the whole day. 160 doubled warp threads in 40 tablets, plus 15 metres of weft on the shuttle. The most recurring thought of the day? “Why on earth did I get myself into this again?!” 😀

The loom made the process much less stressful, but it still took a lot of time. I also had to make the weights heavier. Based on my calculations, 160 grams should have been enough for the thin threads from two tablets – but no, I had to bump it up to 200 grams.

From that point on, though, it was pure joy.

This band has been waiting its turn for five whole years. First I had to finish other projects, then the loom broke, and then our eldest daughter was born… What really surprised me was that even after five years not weaving in double-face technique, the muscle memory was still completely intact. The number of tablets changed nothing. Originally, I planned to work in packs of 4 or 8 tablets, but the moment the pattern began, I naturally slipped back into my old method. I group the tablets row by row: the ones carrying light/background threads stay slightly back, while the tablets with dark/pattern threads are nudged a bit forward. I don’t fully separate the packs – theye overlap by about a third of the tablet’s width. That way I avoid tangling when threads catch on tablets from neighbouring packs. You can see the partly formed packs in the first photo.

After the first pattern repeat is done, I’ll be able to calculate the density of the band and adjust the design as needed to get the right final length.

Photos of the finished band along with basic information about it can be found in the gallery: band with names.