Weaving A Gem Of A Life

New Year Looms, 2015

Every year Meg suggests that weavers post photos of their looms as they sit on New Year’s Day. I’ve played this little game for a few years now. Unlike Meg, who took some really cool, artsy-type shots of her looms this year, mine pix are very straightforward.

From smallest to largest:

My LeClerc rigid heddle loom. Here set up to do a log cabin weave in purple & white rayon. I think I only wove 2 scarves on it this year, but my little RH loom got to enjoy different sights, sounds, and people this year for the community weaving project.

My Missouri loom, covered with a sheet in my attic. Didn’t weave on her this year at all. I bought this loom specifically for something I could bring to workshops & weaving classes, but didn’t take any. If that continues to be true for me 12 months after I move to Rochester, I’ll sell this loom with no hard feelings.

My sweet little counterbalance loom, here with the leftover warp from the scarves I wove for my son and son-in-law for Christmas. (Oh, yeah, I promised to show you the gifts I made for adults this year. Soon, very soon.) Far and away my best weaving friend for years, this honey saw only a little use this year, since I mostly was weaving baby wraps. I can’t believe I’m even thinking this, but if the ‘right’ loom falls into my lap (I’m waiting for the universe to bring me to a 12+ shaft production loom), I will sell this sweetie. But only to someone who will give her a good home.

Last and largest – although still small in comparison to many floor looms – my 8H Macomber. We’ve become good friends in the past year. Really good friends. I can now dance with my Mac treadles in a way I couldn’t a year ago. She’s brought me lots of income and I’ve tried to treat her well.

Now go visit Meg’s post, then stop by the other weavers who’ve also posted. (Some have direct links at the end of Meg’s post, you can find even more in the comments.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! May 2015 bring you happiness and health.

Half Fast

Here’s where I made the transition from FB’s creme cotton weft to TP’s black cottolin. As I knew it would be, the difference is remarkable. Which do I prefer? I can’t tell till they’re off the loom and I can see both sides of both wraps.

I’m about half way through TP’s wrap at this point. I’ll be able to finish weaving it today or tomorrow and start CP’s short, ring sling wrap.

Last month Laura Fry did a post about her efficiency. I’ve read Laura for years and know that she would tell you that it’s not a contest. Efficiency is more about doing things well, conserving motion to save time, yes, but probably more importantly, doing things in a way that preserves your body. Weaving can be hard on lower backs, shoulders, and hands if not done thoughtfully. Just one of the many things I’ve learned from Laura is how to throw & catch my shuttle correctly.

In any case, in Laura’s post she tells how she decided to time herself, and all things considered, decided she was weaving roughly her ‘typical’ speed of….wait for it….48 picks (throws of the shuttle) per minute! Holy cow!! So I figured I’d time myself, too, which I haven’t done in many months.

I made sure I had a bunch of bobbins wound, got myself settled and into the groove, and started timing. I timed for 1/2 hour on 2 different occasions on the same day, and came up with the same results. Even though I thought I was weaving at about my efficiency, it was roughly 18 picks per minute – just over 1/3 Laura’s speed.

Now, there are many factors that impact speed. Laura’s been weaving for at least 3 times longer than my 7-8 years. The width of the fabric is a factor. If the photo on her blog is the one she timed herself on, I’d guess it was about 10″ wide. I timed myself on a baby wrap with about a 30″ width.

Laura was using her AVL loom, which is computer controlled (minimizing footwork on the treadles) and has auto advance. I was using my 8 harness Macomber loom with a 10-treadle pattern repeat. Although I’ve tried repeatedly to use Kati Meek’s live weight system with my baby wraps, I’ve not yet succeeded. I’ve resolved problems as they’ve presented themselves, but haven’t yet gotten the tension I feel like I need for my baby wraps. So every time I need to advance the warp – roughly every 2-3″ – I have to stop, release the tension on the warp, release the brake, advance the warp, and re- tension.

I can’t tell for sure from the picture, but it doesn’t appear that Laura had floating selvedges (I know she avoids them when she can). After having some issues with wraps earlier this year, I usually use floating selvedges on both edges of my baby wraps.

If I took all those loom & warp factors into account, would my speed by doubled? I rather doubt it. But here’s the real kicker.

I’ve had Laura’s DVD The Efficient Weaver sitting on my table for probably 6 weeks now, and haven’t yet made the time to watch it. How inefficient is that?!

Back on the stool

Every weaver has to find her own loom seat. What will adjust to the specific height she needs, fit close enough to the breast beam of her specific loom, and support her tush enough that she can sit for long periods without pain.

For me, that’s a stool. A drummer’s stool, to be exact. I found it at a local antique/consignment store. It’s infinitely adjustable for height so it fits both my Macomber and my little counterbalance loom. For the Mac, I screw it up to almost its highest point and it gets close enough to the beam without a problem. For the counterbalance, I can fit a leg between treadles 4 and 5 (the largest space) so I can be close enough, and I screw down the seat to almost its lowest point. I can change the height to make it easier to thread each loom – a different height than for weaving.

Yesterday I wrote out, addressed, stamped & mailed all my Christmas cards, and got them to the post office along with the toys for my new grand-nephew. (I’ve gotta tell you, for some reason that term makes me uncomfortable. Way more than grandma. Is great-nephew more correct? Will it make me feel any better? Is it acceptable if I just call him my nephew from now on, knowing that it’s not really correct? And why does this bother me so?) I also spent time paying all my bills.

I still had time to weave about 50″ on FB’s baby wrap.

Today I went grocery shopping, mixed up a batch of yeasted olive bread with kalamata olives, garlic, and cheese, then wrapped all my gifts going to Rochester on Christmas and put them in shopping bags to carry out to the car easier.

Then I had time to weave more than 75″ — all the way to the end of FB’s wrap! Tomorrow I’ll start on TP’s wrap. With a black cottolin warp, it will look very different from FB’s. I’ll shape & bake the bread, make 1 or 2 salads, and visit with my friend Margaret. I won’t be back to my blog till late Friday or Saturday.

Merry Christmas everyone!

2 Long Chair Days

I spent the last two days — looooong days — in my living room chair. Knitting. And knitting. And knitting. And then sewing things together. I now have all the Christmas presents made. Whew!

Here’s what I was working on.

The moon will accompany the little bird rattle for my grand-nephew. It took much longer than seemed reasonable, especially since I had to do a few parts more than once to get it right. Even so I’m glad it’s a baby toy ‘cuz it’s far less than perfect.

My grandson requested a cuddly panda. I had to order this yarn from England. I think it was perfect, even though it wasn’t fun to work with. To my mind, his head is too small for his legs, but I don’t think the little guy will point that out.

Here’s all the toys I made for Christmas all together.

After Christmas I’ll show you the things I made for adults.

Still not a single card made out – that’ll be tomorrow. I think I’ll still have a few hours at the loom working on FB’s baby wrap. Then Tuesday’s wrapping presents, grocery shopping & the beginning of cooking, finishing on Wednesday.

I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with my kids and grandson on Christmas day – just relaxing and having fun.

Productivity

Today was a productive day. That always makes me feel good. I got about 50″ woven on FB’s wrap. After the goof with the choke ties and the ensuing beaming difficulty, it was a pleasure to see that the warp is working well.

And now that I had that light bulb go off in my head about how to photograph the underside of the warp, I’m happy to show you both the ‘top’ and the ‘bottom’ of the right-hand side of this warp.

Now, for me, 50″ in a day isn’t something to write home about. But that’s not all I got done.

I also got the head of my next-to-last toy knitted – and I’ll knit some more during the next hour or two. I didn’t take any photos, so you may not see it till it’s all done.

I stopped at the library to pick up my next audio book for my book club – Unbroken. Compelling, for sure, but not the easiest thing to hear, or probably read or watch. I thought I’d be there for just a few minutes, but the director asked me to help her with what should have been a simple task but turned ugly and took an hour plus. I left her talking to tech support since the internet had gone down – beyond my ability to resolve, for sure.

Back home, I needed to feel better, so I planned a 6 yard warp for Christmas presents, got it measured, beamed on the counterbalance loom (this is why many weavers have more than one loom), threaded, and about a yard woven. Whew! I’ll probably finish weaving that tomorrow…it goes fast.

I’m getting the Christmas jitters. What haven’t I even thought about? When will I get the rest of the presents made, the grocery shopping & cooking done, the wrapping done, and the little things like stocking stuffers? And I haven’t even started my Christmas cards yet! Can someone push it back a week? Even just a few days? I’d really appreciate it. 😉

Weaving A Gem Of A Life

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New Year Looms, 2015

Half Fast

Back on the stool

2 Long Chair Days

Productivity

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