Weaving a Sampler

At weaving class today we worked on a sampler, a small woven piece meant to serve as a tester for different color combinations and weaving techniques. By alternating the loom peddles, called treadles, different affects can be achieved, and we tried a number of different colors and treadle combinations today. My first two classes were spent measuring, cutting, and warping the loom with the warp thread, which is the blue and white thread stretched front to back across the loom in the photos below. Today we added the weft (crosswise) thread using a shuttle, the wooden canoe like holder for the weft thread. As the weft thread fills in, the textile must be manually rolled over the front bars of the loom with a crank to expose more warp for weaving. By the end of the class I completed roughly 25 inches of weaving. The piece won't be used for anything -- it's just a tester and I made a number of mistakes -- but it was really satisfying to see how it all starts to come together. Hooray for my first day of actual weaving!