Loom up!

After a year of trying to figure out options that will keep me with two working looms for my shop, I finally decided on an Oxaback Lilla.  I knew I needed something versatile, but I wanted a small footprint so it could go along with us when we RV or settle in a skoolie as the kids get older.  Ultimately the option of a drawloom upgrade later sold me, although the aesthetics didn't hurt!  I was able to stop at the Woolgatherers in Fond du Lac on my way home from Rhinebeck this year, and got to weave on one of the Lillas set up in the store.  They're so traditionally beautiful!

Of course a snowstorm hit right after we got back, and we've had snow basically every day since.  After almost 2 weeks of this nonsense, I emailed them back and asked them to ship the loom.  It arrived Wednesday, and the next 24 hours were utter torture as we let the wood warm up, to prevent any odd expansion or contraction after assembly.

At any rate, Thursday brought us this!

The directions were unfortunately pretty difficult to understand, there are two pages of swedish instructions with a diagram, a page that is meant to be a translation, but only summarizes and refers back to the swedish.  It reminds me a bit of early English Lit classes, having to translate Beowulf and interpret at the same time, different bit of work for my weaving brain.  The slideshow is pictures after a bit is done, rather than how to do each step, but ultimately helped more than either set of written directions.  And we ended the day with the frame together, leaving me to do the pulleys and tie ups. This part is unfortunately more of a struggle, without clear instructions.  But I have a draft chosen, for the first piece, so I can set it up and configure it for my first weave in one step!

The end of the Bergman adventure, part 2

Eventually with some help from people on Ravelry, I was able to move my warp off of the Bergman and back on to the Nilus.  It was not fun, I don't know how I had the patience to stick with the project.  But I sort of got tabby sheds and put in lease sticks, and moved it and warped front to back.

Once the weaving started, it was done quickly and easily.  I was reminded by how very *reliable* my Nilus always has been.  I decided to invest in texsolv heddles to replace my breaking string heddles, and give it one more try.  I wound on some bronze 10/2 to make a handwoven cowl.  The structure needed a first floating selvedge.  It was a nightmare with the double back beam setup.  

I was able to complete the project just fine, but I realized that as fond as I was of the character of this loom, it was not up for the production kind of weaving that I needed it to do.  I ended up selling it as I finished up this scarf warp, and immediately replaced it with an 8 shaft Herald from Eugene Textile Center, and it came with a sectional.  A whole new thing to learn!

Flats challenge!

I'm finally doing it, after years of saying I would and chickening out.  This year, I'm doing the flats and handwashing challenge.

Run by Dirty Diaper Laundry, it's a challenge to teach people diapering with the bare necessities.  No washer, no dryer.  Simple, cheap diapers.  It's to prove that anyone CAN cloth diaper, regardless of income. 

So why, other than being crazy, did I decide to do this challenge this year?

1.  We sometimes use disposables camping.  I get intimidated by laundry without a washer.  I'd like to move past that, and this will force me to get comfortable with it.

2.  This will make me figure out a dryer-free routine.  The dryer heats up our house in summer and saving even one load will save on our energy bills in a bigger way.  Bonus!  This is forcing us to put up a clothesline and USE it.

3. It's a post-apocalyptic life skill.  Zombies coming?  I can outlast them WITH the baby.

Changing table is cleared up and ready!!

Pockets with flats for stuffing, for overnight or errands, flats in 3 different sizes for regular use.