My love of weaving began back at my old shul in Allentown when I helped women weave Tallitot for Bnei Mitzvot. In all the time I assisted with that program though, I never actually WOVE anything.
The first time I actually wove something that I was going to keep - was on my first visit back to the states after moving to Israel. I set up that I was going to weave Tallitot for both of my sons during my visit - so that I would have personal ones for them when the time came for them to become Bar Mitvah. That was back in December 2012.
Well - the time recently came that my older son turned 13. While the loom at my old shul is smaller than the one that I now own, and the maximum width of a tallit made on it was only 24 inches....my son wore his tallit for his aliyah on the Shabbat right after he was Bar Mitzvah.
I had woven the material all that time ago - but did not do the finishing work on it until a few days before it was to be used. Thankfully I have worked out many of the 'kinks' in the finishing process and it was fast and easy getting his tallit ready on time.
I am happy to share with you the first-ever item I wove....working under the watchful eyes of the wonderful ladies I once assited.
