Try and Try and Try Again

If you hit the target every time it's too near or too big.  

~ Tom Hirshfield

Last week I took my backstrap loom on a work trip and tried to add my supplementary weft patterning with bright yellow embroidery floss.  

Here is my first attempt:  

I was not pleased.  :(

It doesn't look anything at all like the pictures on this blog that I am following...  :(

Happily, it's easy to remove a supplementary weft pattern and try again.  

My weaving friend suggested that I try doubling the thickness of the embroidery floss.  

Here is my second attempt:  

A little better, but still not very good.  :(

My friend suggested that I try beating the weft tighter - or maybe use a thinner weft yarn.  She said that she could kind of see the pattern, but it was elongated.  

This time I pulled EVERYTHING off and started over from the beginning this weekend - with trying to tighten the warp threads evenly.  

It took several hours to tighten and re-tie all the threads - the result:  

I was happy with the half on your left, but not happy with the half on your right.  

So, I untied it all, tightened it all and re-tied it all - several more hours:  

Now, BOTH sides look bad.  :(

I do NOT know what is going on with this project.  :(

I've already put more time into this front panel than I put into the back panel, and it isn't even really started yet!  :(

People talk about "listening to your warp" and "it is trying to tell you something"...  

Apparently this warp is saying, "I hate you!  Die!"  :(

So, I don't know what I'm going to do...  :(

Wow, isn't it great that we have these hobbies to help us relax and enjoy ourselves?  ;)