This variegated JCB Shhh yarn (80% acrylic, 20% wool, 19wpi) with the beautiful teal to light purple colours was demanding to be used. I wanted to try using it in both warp and weft, and then to embellish it with two wide stripes of overshot pattern.

I merrily did my yarn math for the 10dpi heddle, designed my pattern (inspired by my shower curtain, as glorious as that sounds), marvelled at the pretty colours as I warped the loom, grumbled only slightly when tying on was a bit of a sticky business, and laughed when I opened my first serious shed and got zip. No shed. It was too unexpected. This isn’t mohair! Then I stopped laughing. It just got stickier and stickier. Time to walk away and regroup.

My only hope was the 7.5 dpi heddle. Thankfully, my warp was narrow enough that it would still fit. Thus I embarked on my first reed resleying.

As time consuming as it was, it turned out to be a blessing. Yes, the warp was still sticky and the sheds were playing tricks on me, but it was manageable, and moreover, this EPI turned out far better for my overshot pattern - it came out pretty square. The pattern weft was the Stylecraft Softie Chunky in Cream (80% acrylic, 20% wool, and entirely non-sticky, 10wpi).

I was nonetheless relieved when this blasted thing was ready to come off the loom. Truly, a learning experience.

I twisted the fringes and it’ll make a pretty placemat. I won’t wet finish it. I don’t foresee that doing any good…

My strongest recommendation to other weavers: NEVER WARP WITH JAMES C BRETT SHHHH