Weaving and Watching: The Olympics

The Olympics are coming up, and I am very excited—and not just for the events. While I am looking forward to the joy of watching all my favorite events, I’m also looking forward to all the time I’ll be able to weave on my pin loom.

Unlike most must-watch television, there’s quite a bit of downtime with the Olympics. All the time spent warming up and/or waiting for the judges to give their verdict means I can weave to my heart’s content without missing anything. Pin looms are, of course, my current portable loom of choice, but rigid-heddle, band, and even multishaft-loom weavers (provided your table or floor loom is in the same room as a TV) can get in on the fun.

Long-distance bicycle races are perfect events for getting some weaving in as you spectate. Photo credit: James Thomas

I do have some advice on how to go about this. First, make sure that you’re not doing a project that requires a lot of detail work and memorization. This is not the time for pick-up or complicated color changes. Stick to plain weave. This way you can look up to watch a full synchronized swimming routine and then, when it’s over and the judges are contemplating scores, you can go right back to your weaving without missing a beat.

If you’re using a non-pin loom, make sure to have your loom warped and ready to go before watching begins. For those of you who want to try tablet weaving while watching, stick with patterns that are threaded-in with a simple 4 foward, 4 back turn sequence. Finally, you'll want to have all possible weaving supplies close at hand. You don’t want to leave the room to grab your yarn snips and then find out you missed the whole of the 500 m sprint. If you do need to go on a supply run, save it for the heartwarming “about the athlete” breaks. Yes, they’re interesting, but if you miss a few minutes, your heart will not be broken.

These plain weave Double Crisp Linen Towels by Christine Jablonski get their patterning from a variegated yarn rather than frequent yarn changes or hand manipulation. They're an excellent choice for weaving while watching. Find them in the Spring 2023 issue or in our Little Looms Library. Photo by Matt Graves

I have also found that some events lend themselves better to weaving than others. Personally, I prefer watching longer-distance races—especially cycling—because it’s easy to glance up every once in a while and keep an eye on what’s going on while listening to the announcers for the exciting bits. (Speaking of which, the Tour de France is another great weaving and watching event.)

Diving is also great because there’s a good lead up and break in between divers, same with gymnastics and synchronized swimming. The opening and closing ceremonies are not so great for weaving—except perhaps during the part where all the athletes enter, country by country. Beyond that, you’ll want to put down the loom and enjoy the spectacle.

Frankly I can’t wait. It will be an exciting Olympics, and I’ve got some fun projects planned. I can’t wait to share them with you!

Happy Weaving!

Christina

Originally published 6/30/2022; updated 6/26/2024