In the Pool and on the loom. I am hanging in there with Master Swimming. I may still be the worst swimmer in the pool but I am also the most improved. I’m able to swim at least a mile already, doing the freestyle, without gasping for air, but still with a few cramps. I may grow to love this. As I learn to relax, I get the sense of floating in the pool. Just wait until I wear my handmade red bathing suit!

I decided I needed to make a few towels for gifts for this weekend. I haven’t been on the loom for ages! I set it up to make about six towels at once. It took 508 strands of 7.5 yards of cotton which ran through my fingers at least twice: when I measured it on the warping board; and when I threaded it and wound it on the loom. That’s more than two miles of thread.! My arms are tired this morning from swimming a mile and weaving two. I may even be getting exercise at the loom. My exercise ball is the perfect height seat when I sit inside the loom for hours fiddling with it. It took me at least eight and maybe ten hours to measure the warp and dress the loom. Then it took about an hour to weave each towel. Six towels may take 16 hours. But as with socks, there’s nothing like hand knit or woven.