I’ve been weaving for nearly ten years now, but I’ve never had a lesson. Having a job that goes from steady to busy and back again, with overseas work trips, has meant I could not get to classes that go for several weeks.

Since I got RSI and gave up knitting, a determination to weave my knitting yarn stash down below 10 kilos means there’s been little incentive to try more complex weaving structures using fine yarns. Last year I decided it was time to stretch myself. First I finally attempted the Scary Tea Towels, using ‘proper’ weaving cotton. Then I bought the Katie Loom so that I could attend a class at the Handweavers & Spinners Guild.

The class seemed designed for me. Called ‘Intermediate Weavers Project Sessions’, it gives students the freedom to see a project through from start to finish with the help of an experienced weaver. There are just three sessions, spaced a few weeks apart, and the first one was held last Sunday.

I decided, with the teacher’s advice, to try my first overshot project. She suggested a draft she likes, and it reminded me of peacock feathers, so I selected a range of blues and greens. I was going to add orange, but she convinced me to use it as the overshot pattern weft so as to not muddy the warp colours.

By the end of the class I’d planned out the project and had the warp half measured. While I did the latter the cones were threaded onto a dowel which was suspended over a plastic bowl, which worked really well but swapping over every five threads to another colour was driving me crazy. So I wanted to make a cone holder when I got home. Maybe one that could be attached to the loom. Then I noticed the extra holes Paul added to the table loom stand so I could position the cloth winder wherever I wanted. I found a long metal rod that was the exact length. Five cones fit perfectly along it.

So I got winding and in no time the warp was done.

But that’s where I stopped. I want to thread the loom in class, so the teacher can cast an eye over my efforts, correct any bad habits and give me tips. As well as trying a new weave structure under guidance, that’s the reason I’m doing the class.