You know that old rock and roll song, There’s a Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On? Unlike Jerry Lee Lewis, I need more than one take to get it right. Around here, it’s been a whole lotta learning going on. By the way, the link above takes you to an NPR program, and a really clear recording of the song. Get your energy level up!

While weaving the last piece, my beating seemed to be a bit off, like maybe 1/4 inch from one side to the other. I looked at the notches where the beater hangs and all seemed fine and good, both sides in the seemed to be in the same notch. So, I got out some string and attached to pieces diagonally in the frame. I made sure to mark exactly in equal places on both strings. When I untaped them and compared, they were exactly alike. This was very puzzling, but then I looked at the notches for the beater bar from the side. This is what I found.  You may be able to tell that the bar is not actually resting in a notch, but behind the notches. This is what it should look like.

In my ikat world, I am doing some cross shapes in varying shades of rust to be over-dyed. After making the cartoon, I remembered that I am measuring this in what will be 1/2 inches of weaving. Therefore, all the vertical elements of the design needed to be stretched. Added to the cartoon. Then I ran out of one of the rusts that I was going to use. I had some samples of rust that were exactly what I wanted. These are baby skeins that I had experimented with several years ago. This photo doesn’t do the colors justice. Anyway, I dyed some skeins in the same formula. Believe it or not, both photos are of the same yarns. You can see the tied part. Next to it is the skein that should match the left skein in the sample. So lots more dyeing had to be done. I think I’ve got it now, and have decided that I don’t care if I don’t. So there!