After finishing a small sample with my new 19″ Glimakra Emilia, I warped the entire width using Berroco Vintage. I used the direct warping method and the warping peg. Stretching from the back of my loom to the opposite side of my workspace gave me a 91″ warp–probably a little short for a shawl but an okay length for the likes of me. When I want a longer warp, I’ll have to move my loom into the dining room.

I used blues and browns, maybe finding some inspiration in the robin’s nest outside our door. Or maybe because I like blues and browns. (Pretty much everything I make is either blue or brown!)

The warping took about an hour and used up about 500 yards of yarn. I was a little worried, having only about 200 yards of blue left, and with good reason. By the time I ended the weaving, I only had about one yard of blue remaining. That’s cutting it close! Here’s a little video of the shawl coming off the loom:

I’m pleased with my first effort. My selvedges are okay for a first project, I think. I was going for a balanced weave, but when I measured a square inch here and there, I always came out with 10 warp strands to about 7 or 8 weft, so the shawl is a little heavier than I planned. I now know if I want a lighter shawl, I’ll need to use a little bit thinner yarn. It does drape nicely, though, and it’s warm.

Now, I need to think about finishing. I braided one side, but I don’t like it much, so I’m considering unbraiding them and just cutting it to about a 3″ fringe. I also want to hand wash it and press it to see what it looks like all finished. The beginning of a piece (warping, sleying, etc.) and the ending (braiding, washing, pressing) take as long as the weaving!