Contrasting Simultaneously 1

I finished threading the orange warp on Monday, and wove my first sample Monday-Wednesday. Here are some thoughts/observations I made while weaving. Some contradict each other but I'll list as many as I can remember because I think I need to reflect on them later:

• It's been forever since I've woven with cottons; I'd forgotten how much I like how the colors interact;
• Feels weird to be weaving a tied weave on the computer dobby; there is no control/spontaneity; 
• I can weave this sitting down; maximum width, and I have to weave slowly, but it's doable and probably better than a potential problem with the height of the air compressor pedal and a new footstool; 
• The thin 60/2 wefts are so fine I can't see them as I weave, a problem with "bubbling" at the selvedges; 
• The thin weft colors are so visible they're not just adding nuances but acting independently;
• It's slow weaving, but still faster than I imagined; instead of advancing the cloth often, I should push the reed position back for speed;
• Two shuttles aren't as much a bother as I remembered, but when I throw the wrong one, I can't tell by looking at the draft (on the computer screen controlling the lifting,) because the lifting is repetitive/regular, (as opposed to fancy twills);
• When I throw the wrong shuttle, sometimes I can't tell from looking at the fell because the thin wefts hide under the thicker 20/2s;
• When "many", (in fact, every other) shafts are up, weave with the thin weft; when the lifted sheds have more gaps, weave with the thick weft;
• Use the heavier end-feed for the thick weft and smaller boat for the thin weft;
• Pay attention to using the correct shuttle and to the selvedges, and use both hands and hold the beater closer to the selvedge, even if this all means no rhythm; 
• In the lighter, right half of the warp, the difference in the oranges is almost invisible; choose thick wefts that bring forward the contrast in these warp colors;
• I don't like the small color flecks (??) thin wefts make when they are not in harmony with the "paired" thick wefts, in hue more than in value;
• I prefer intense, saturated colors for thick wefts, and want to avoid whiter values especially. Though selecting thin wefts in hues/values too similar to the thick "partners" is boring, I don't want "contradicting" pairs; 
• I like the greens and blues in the weft; like the pinks and reds, too;
• I had intended to get three pieces but these are wide and should be long-ish; if I sample more and can get only two proper pieces, so be it;
• Fabric on the loom feels coarse; always a problem with this 60/2 thread;
• There are shot effect in some parts; I forgot how pronounced they are in these cottons;
• And so on. And on. And on.

 End of Tuesday, looking at the wefts I used already and contemplating which others to sample.

 This is the side I saw as I wove and, yes, it is that bright.

Forever a warp girl, I like this under/B-side better. However, I can't get rid of the feeling both sides has the appearance of the "wrong" side, anticipating a fancier (?) "right" side. More observations on this sample in the next post.

Oh, a freebie! You can weave a regular "polka dot" (although they are in fact small squares) I wove at the top of my sample on eight shafts.

Here's a base draft you can adapt.

If you want to play with the tie down part, modify the first five shafts.

If you have more than eight shafts, of course you could place the dots more randomly, and/or make the dots actually round. I might try this some day in the future.