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I had almost given up the hope of finding in the public library an introductory book on weaving, since most people who can afford to own a loom are not likely to be put off by the modest price of a paperback guide to their chosen hobby. Imagine my surprise when a cursory tour of the 700 section in the Hyattsville public library yielded not just one, but two books on the subject! I checked out Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave and another book with designs for handwoven articles of clothing. From the latter book I got the impression that stylish fashion didn't need the intricate threading used in my kitchen towel project, but could instead be achieved with plain weave on an appropriate arrangement of warp threads. It was Chandler's book, however, that filled in the gaps in my knowledge of how to warp the loom. With these two references on hand, I set out to weave this simple length of fabric, which could have made a shawl with some well-placed hems and fasteners.
Rather than use multiple spools of warp thread to achieve the suggested sequence of ends, I unwound a single spool of multi-colored thread, which drastically reduced my time on the warping board. Following Chandler's lead, I eschewed the lee sticks and used four fingers of one hand to maintain the cross while sleying each warp chain through the reed. Further deviating from the tutorial my mother gave me, I took Chandler's advice and sat at the back of the loom when pulling the threads through the heddles, thereby reducing the back strain that usually results from this step in the warping process. Simple overhand knots secured the warp thread to each apron bar, although I made a mental note of the lash cord method as an alternative to try on my next project. The image below shows the completed project serving its decorative and protective purposes.
