I finished weaving on Christmas eve, cut off the loom on Christmas day and in a chocolate induced moment of bravery I tossed it in the washing machine to wash, dry, and shrink. The day after Christmas I pressed, cut all the loose ends, hemmed it by hand, and am very pleased with my first tablecloth. I have been working on this cotton-linen table cloth since warping in November, at first not very often, as I had not developed a regular habit of weaving, but then as the weeks went by, and spending half hour of focused weaving several times a day in between chores. I even explored weaving spaces with the loom, having carried it up and down stairs several times, as well as back and forth from the tiny house a couple of times, and even hid it away in a closet out of sight with weaving in progress, while I cleaned up for guests on Thanksgiving Day. Sure a floor loom would be faster, but however slow this big rigid heddle loom is, slow and steady wins the race. I’ve learned how to handle the long stick shuttle while keeping the sheds relatively neat and clear, and to boast, there is less than 16″ of warp waste including tie-on and header,  I think amazing given that I calculated perfectly for the fit on the table. All in all, I’m very pleased with this first serious piece of cloth. I really LOVE the simplicity of this loom, and believe its colossal 48″ weaving width is manageable because I’ve learned to weave while standing.

♣   Weaving Notes  ♣

• Yarn: 22/2 cottolin (mostly Maurice Brassard) 60% cotton & 40% linen, 3360 yds / lb
• Loom: Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom 48″
• Direct warp method, 110 inches from apron rod to warp pegs, warping 2 threads in every heddle/hole, and dent/slot.  See the post where I am warping this project.
• Sett on loom: Warp = 25 epi and weft = 12.5 ppi / or, threads per inch
• Sett after finishing (shrinking) : Warp 28 epi and weft 14 ppi
• Reed: 12.5 dent
• Color Pattern: 20 threads alternating with 4 threads = warp, 48 picks alternating with 12 picks = weft
• Selvedge: Doubled up two outer most selvedge warp yarns, and used a temple to try to keep even.
• Finished: Machine washed and dried, hemmed by hand, hem to hem measures 80″ long x 42″ wide.
• Finished Weight: 540g, or 1.19 lbs. Total yardage of finished piece is 4000 yds.
• Note about loom waste : I weighed the left over cut yarns after all finished, which weighed 55g, and that would be about 403 y, so total yardage on the loom 4400 yds, and 600g before cutting off.