I have belonged to the Contemporary Handweavers of Houston for a number of years. My interests were (and still are) kumihomo and dyeing. But, unfortunately, I was not a weaver.

In years past, I tried felting (didn’t feel right to me), tapestry (that I’m still trying to work on) and I took a rigid heddle loom workshop. The workshop was interesting but I never really felt the ‘flow’ and never did finish my project. This never stopped me from buying the wonderful yarns I would come across; especially handspun.

This past spring the guild again participated in the annual Fiber Fest; winding, into balls, the skeins of yarn purchased by the attendees. I wandered through all the booths looking at all the wonderful offerings. One of the vendors has a shop not very far from our community and is well know by members of the guild. This was the first time I stopped to see her and the beautiful pieces she was making on one of her rigid heddle looms. She also happened to have some stunning yarn. She and I chatted and, of course, I was ready to dust off my loom. Bought some of the beautiful yarn and decided I had to make a sample with some scrap yarn of equal weight. The sample turned out not badly but I realized I needed more practice.

I pulled out some of the hand-dyed, handspun yarn I had. Warped the loom with a coordinating color (orange is pretty yummy)and started weaving. Pictured in my result. Not bad for my first ‘real’ weaving.

I have just warped and started weaving my second piece. After this one is done I think I’m going to be ready for my wonderful new yarn.