Fiber Monday - Structo loom for the win

In my sessions for my action research project on mitigating sibling conflict, one of the tasks we do is try a variety of activities that promote emotional regulation. I have a mindfulness exercise, so some instruments for creating music, an activity that focuses on being in nature, and I bring out my Structo loom for the practice of creating something. 

At the end of the session, I always ask the participants what was hard and what they liked best. I have been surprised that using the Structo loom has been many people's favorite part of the session... even more so than leading a horse. I feel as though I am doing some very small part of keeping the art of weaving going by exposing a new generation to it. 

On my own loom is the hand painted warp that I am finally, over a year later, weaving into scarves. Here's a peek.

Looks cool, huh? I actually really like this view of this but. But if I just signed off now I wouldn't be telling the whole story. This is the underside of a small section. It's turned twill, so either side is equally viable. I just don't get to see this side as I'm weaving. Instead I get to see this.

I'm not loving it. Actually, I don't like it at all. I have learned a few things, though. First, color blocking is not my thing. Stripes in the warp are fine, but chunks of color in the weft are not. Second, when I dyed the weft, I was focusing too much on how they would look with warp and gave very little consideration as to whether I would like the colors together. (I don't.) Third, the next time I hand paint weft, I will be doing twice as much as I think I need, because I'm not sure I'll have enough to finish the ugly scarf. 

The good news is that the second half of this warp is a second scarf. I had already planned on using just the blue for the whole thing, so I should like it much better. I just have to grit my teeth and finish off this first one, though what the heck I'll end up doing with it is beyond me. Keep it around as a cautionary tale, probably.