So after 2 weeks in weaving class, I am finishing up my first set of towels. I am pretty stoked. I am learning about open & closed shafts, how to weave in ends, making plaids and twills. I think I can conquer the loom...

Oh how it is be 'sleyed'. Since this is a class loom, it is different to me. I am having to learn to go from the back to the front. Okay-I get it. Let's learn something new. So I draw my ends through half of the heddles and find out that I have gone backwards. So out I rip 4 inches of heddles. Luckily this is supposed to be a sampler of twills and is going to be less than 10" wide. I can do this. The Tourette's in my head is starting. One of the instructors is telling me how much she loves to sley the loom. I am thinking she might be a little kooky. She is telling me to find the zen of it. I buckle down. Finish the heddles, taking the ends through the reed. Now time to tie off. I can do this right? Oh no. I can't seem to get the tension. I am feeling the tension but not my project. After a couple of attempts, I finally get the loom done. It has taken my whole 3 hour class to get to this point. At noon, the teacher tells us that class is done. I haven't thrown the shuttle once. Luckily, I have a great teacher who leaves the studio open for another 3 hours. By the time I left at 3, I am almost done with the sampler. Oh yeah-who has 'sleyed' the loom!