What's looming

This week it's been a pleasure to finally get to weaving some dishtowels I promised to a friend in December.  (In my defense, there were other commissioned projects in the queue ahead of him!)  This friend loved the fact that the towel I had given him at Christmas was made from sustainably grown cotton in which the color is grown in the cotton boll; no dyes are used.  Much easier on the earth than conventionally grown and processed cotton.  And this cotton is grown and spun right here in the USA.  The yarn comes in five colors:  natural, two soft shades of green and two of brown.  The coolest thing is that the color deepens and the towel becomes even softer and more absorbent with each wash, especially if you put a little baking soda in the wash cycle.  (I have no affiliation with the producers or retailers, just a happy customer!)

You can see all the shades of the yarn here in this towel.  I put on an 8 yard warp so I should get 8 towels from it.  Two will be plaid, like you see here; the others will have lengthwise stripes but the weft will be a solid natural, brown or green.  Email me if you want to know more.
There's something very soothing about weaving a towel.  It's a humble, functional object.  Once your hands and feet learn the dance of the treadles and the shuttle, your mind is free to wander and plan other projects.  When I first learned to weave I swore I'd never weave something as ordinary as a towel.  Never say never. 
I was tickled to see in last Sunday's New York Times magazine T a full page touting "pieces for the home that bring elegance of form to the most basic functions."  There was a photo of some beautifully simple ceramics, and the caption affirmed that "Glazed pottery in soft colors, crafted by a person, not a machine, makes everyday acts special occasions."
Couldn't have said it better myself.