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Now I Know

I don’t know about you, but for, talking about an issue helps me think things through & sometimes to solidify my thoughts, come up with the answer I couldn’t find silently. So I have long-suffering friends who are patient as I babble on.

When I was talking to Margaret, a non-weaver, about my loom decision challenge, she told me I would know when I had the answer, that it would become clear to me. I wasn’t so sure, and told her so.

Days passed with no clarity.

light bulb

And then on my morning walk, suddenly I realized I did know which loom I would sell. It would be the Varpa. This became clear to me only when I realized that, thanks to the folks at Weavolution, I had several possible solutions to the problem of the Mac pulling the weft apart, and I was willing to try any or all of them. Based on other people’s experiences, I had no doubt that one of would solve my problem. But that wasn’t really what made that little bell go off in my head — it was the fact that I was willing to try everything from newspaper and saran wrap to aluminum beam covers, replacing the breast beam to sanding and oiling. If I was willing to put this time, energy, and maybe money into it, it must mean I wanted to keep it.

So I said to myself, “I’ll sell the Varpa.” That felt ok. Then later on I said it over the phone to Margaret. That felt fine, too. No second guessing. It was clear.

Yesterday I took a mess of pictures of it and the accessories that would go with it. I pulled out my receipts for the loom, the books, and the Texsolv I had to purchase for it and added them all up. Then I posted it for sale with four guilds in the region. Figured that sometime this weekend I’d post it on Weavolution, Ravelry, & CraigsList.

Hah!

Within a few hours I got an email from a man who’s interested. This morning we spoke on the phone, and he’ll come in a few days to check it out and be certain it’s what he wants, but he’s pretty confident that it is.

I will not make a profit on this loom. In fact, I’ll be eating the cost of the van rental I needed to pick it up. (Well, not totally eating it; I will claim the cost on my income taxes.) But I still feel fine about it. Not one whit of seller’s remorse — another clue that this is the right decision for me.

Once it’s gone I’ll get the dining room table back in the house. Then I’ll just focus on what I need to do for a bit. If I’m supposed to get another loom, it will have to find me instead of the other way around. (Actually, I’d kind of like to have a small-ish folding floor loom I could put in the back of my little car & use for demos, if you know/hear of anyone getting rid of one cheap.)

So for now I’m weaving on my sweet, little counterbalance. I’ll put a warp on the Mac as soon as I’ve finished the first attempted fix.
counterbalance weaving
I feel good about it all.

4 comments to Now I Know

  • Popped over from Amanda’s blog……..I have the exact same Mac, and every now and then when I think about downsizing my 13 or 14 looms, the Mac is always the first one that I would keep.
    I love weaving on it, even though, yes, the harnesses get stuck on occasion. I love that foot bar. I am used to the noise. I love the loom.
    However….I bought a 48″ 8 harness Mac, and did not like it at all. WAY too noisy, treadles way too hard to depress.
    An old friend told me once, keep the looms you LOVE, get rid of the rest.

    • Peg Cherre

      Thanks for your insights, Hilary. So glad to know you’re getting stronger.

      For me, the first loom I will always keep is a handmade 4H counterbalance. That loom is as if it were made specifically for me. The perfect size. I love everything about it.

  • Judy T

    Hooray…Margaret was right… you did know when you knew… and how great it is when you know that you know!

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