Warp faced table runner -Part 1.

I want to document this as I go along, so if I decided to do another I won't have to do all that thinking and researching again.

Well my daughters wedding is getting really close now, a beautiful march wedding in Fiji.
I asked her if she would like me to make the table runner for the wedding reception .
Its one of the biggest things I have attempted to date with weaving but I just love the challenge.
So of course I had to modify a stand that my hubby had made years ago for a large cross stitch that I had done and decided to make a sort of backstrap, mapuche, tapestry type loom to put on it.
I knew what I wanted I just had to get back out into the shed and start woodworking again .

Here is what I came up with

 I am pretty happy that it turned out so well.
The extra sticks are for the cross when I am warping up. I thought I may as well just warp it on the loom itself.
 I used a dovetail warp as I didn't want any sort of fringe on it. I am thiniking that I would like to maybe do some type of tubular edge on it when I am finished but once again I have never tried that before, but I will give it a go.

I want the size to be about 2 metres or a little longer because the island hasn't sent us table measurements yet , so a wild guess.

The warp is on below and I am making continuous string heddles for one of the sheds.
My design is my own except for the pickup part. I am using Ann Dixon's baltic pattern as my daughter and I thought it looked the most tribal.

I am actually on holidays for christmas and I am weaving in the annexe of our caravan. It was really hard getting that loom into the car. My hubby just shakes his head at me, but because we are away for 7 weeks going back and forth for work though it would be the end of January before I was back and that really would be cutting it fine.

Okay string heddles are made and I count my warps and I have 342 in total. 

I am using an eight ply cotton/acrylic from spotlight but I really would have loved a firmer cotton maybe mercerized as well. 

We chose to do an asymmetrical design as well in a in 3 shades. Natural, black and white.

Here it is so far.

I am really happy with how its turning out and I am trying really hard to keep those selvages straight as well. 

I am beating the weft very firmly as well.

I think I will do a small video of me weaving this as well as further record keeping for myself and anyone else that may read this blog. It may help.

Bye for now.