An Ashford 48-inch rigid heddle loom has shown up here, and I am broadening my weaving experience. I waxed it and put it together some time ago, and it happens to fit excellently in my closet squirrelled away when not in use, because it is actually a very simplistic streamline idea in loom design. But now I’ve set it up here for its first test weave, sacrificing all the cottolin thread I had on hand in order to learn the scope of it, and have worked only about a third of the warp through the reed, all to show for about three hours of set up; calculating basics, measuring and placing the tables for the pegs, which I’ve got spread out to section the warp, and actual warping, all which is so uncomplicated and easy compared to conventional warping. The direct warping method is brilliant, a loop thread is drawn from the spool, through the dent slot in the reed and around the pegs, which creates two threads, one which is often rethreaded later through the heddle hole, creating one thread in the slot, and one in the hole. However on this project I’m doubling up on threads which makes it even easier, although twice the initial threading through the reed to the peg, for then all the threading will be finished as soon as I make it across the full forty-eight inch reed (12.5 dent), with no additional threading after I reel the warp on to the back beam. Honestly, this is the method of methods, and I’m going to explore it extensively (a conversation with Bea comes to mind, about doubling up the threads in the reed.) : waves to Bea : Oh, and obviously the colors are much too bright for the room, and now that I photograph the set up in the house I realize now that I am going to need to get shade cards and be much more subdued with my color choices, but I am weaving this test run with all that I have on hand, and it is going to apparently consume a lot more yarn/thread than my Ashford Knitters Loom, which I fully expected proportionally. Its going to be so wonderful to have it around when I want to weave larger things, like table cloths, small blankets, curtains, etc . . . and besides, it is just the natural progression of things around here, pushing for new perspectives and experiences. In closing I’ll say that I have learned to weave standing, so working the stick shuttle through the shed, although going to take some wrestling with the reed, will be taken in stride, literally.