Getting ready for weaving

In effort to reduce the amount of weaving stuff I have, I bought a new loom.

Crazy?  Probably.  But it means that I can get rid of three other looms, including a very nice but large floor loom.  I've been saving up for ages  years to get this loom, and I'm pleased as punch with it.

I figure that most of the things I weave or want to weave are about 2 feet wide.  So I got an Ashford 32" four shaft table loom.  Many people seemed confused that I didn't get the eight shaft loom, as the price difference is minimal.  But I've had 8 shaft looms before, and to tell you the truth, when it really comes down to it, I can only count up to about 6 when I'm weaving.  If it's a repeat of more than 6 (threading, treadling, whatever), then I get muddled, have to stop, check, recheck, forget where I was, recheck again, then go back to weaving... every 6th repeat!  4 is my comfortable number for weaving.  There are a lot of things you can do with a 4 shaft loom, enough to keep me busy for decades.

To celebrate weaving, I received some yarn from YarnStories.  Beautiful linen yarn, though I'm nervious to start weaving with it. I have a plan of what I want to make, but a few things stand in my way.  First, I don't know my loom yet, and second, 35epi + (that's more than 35 warp threads per inch of width), in linen (one of the more difficult yarns to weave with).  So I decided to wind a more forgiveable warp to test my loom and pattern idea.

The wooden device is a SAORI tool used for holding the cross down while warping.  The cross is that X shape in the pile of yarn that helps prevent the threads from tangling while you dress the loom.  This is particularly helpful when warping front to back, as you don't need lease sticks (my arch nemesis) and acts as a third hand so you aren't (literally) tied to the loom.

I don't know what kind of yarn this is, just purple wool yarn on a tube that came from a shop.

I'm almost done setting up my loom, then I get to start warping.  Very excited about this.