A year of weaving

bluecowl4One year ago I aquired my first rigid heddle loom. Just to sate my curiosity, much like 3 years earlier when I made my own drop spindle to investigate whether one could really make yarn on a stick. Nothing serious like, just testing, yeah? And although I upgraded the stick to a spinning wheel three months later, I was pretty certain this loom would last me for a long time, getting my variation from colour play mostly. After all, I do still have the same and only wheel with no wish to upgrade, it does what I want.


rainbow_warp4Well, one year later, as already described in this post, despite being quite ill most of the time, I now own 2 rigid heddle looms, 1 big Glimåkra tapestry loom, a small 4 shaft Lervad countermarch AND the latest addition a Glimåkra 120 cm 10 shaft CM Standard. Yes, the huge M*F* Swedish floor loom that I swore I’d never wish for even if I lived in a palace… Nono, smart and compact, that’s me. Hobbit tools for hobbit peoples. (actually it’s not as huge as I expected after seeing a couple of real beasts out there)

after 2 washes and a tumble drier

The question has been, do I pretend I’m going to get really well “in a minute” or accept forever limitations and a harsh cut in number of interests? I waver, but you can see where I’m leaning… I keep saying to myself I can work with what I have, but still I’m driven onwards, what is it with that?!

I also know I said my itch was scratched only a week ago, and it was, but ONEHUNDREDANDFIFTY US DOLLARS for a piece of equipment that costs $3000 new. With extra doodads thrown in worth more than that in itself. That’s 1000 DKkr, € 135 or £ 100. Included small warping mill, spool rack, yarn, 19 weaving books, shuttles, 9 reeds (in not so good condition, but I’ll try to clean them). If I sold all this next month in parts I’d come out ahead, even having to buy all the new strings required to tie it up and weave, so it hardly matters if I find out I can’t use it. Except of course I’ll have spent quite a few “spoons” in the process!

saori14So essentially we got rid of the sofabed. As in, put it in the old train carriage out back for now. Nobody wants to sleep at our house anyway! So if I want to sit comfortably and ponder my next move I’ll now have to go downstairs or to bed, because there’s only crawl space left in the loom room.

I’d still have preferred the Ideal, which is the compact version of the Standard, 20 cm narrower and 60 cm shorter as well as a bit lower. Ideally I’d love a Louët 12 shaft Spring, but they cost as much as a small horse. And can’t be disassembled in 15 minutes and stored under your bed if need be. I also didn’t mind waiting for the Ideal to come up for sale, but… you can’t beat a good price.

And this loom can stand up to any kind of tension and project. That beater can pack a massive punch compared to the Lervad!

Won’t be using the extra 30 cm of weaving width though, my reach isn’t far enough and leaning repeatedly from side to side would be murder. And I’ve deliberately overrlooked any books and patterns on 8 shafts as well as I could, so now I get to dig up new info all over again!

I’m also beginning to think it doesn’t matter how I spend my days. When I’m gone it makes no difference whether I made meaning or not, being sensible or useful. If there is a purpose it’s not being revealed, so – not my monkey.

I’m done loom shopping now, for realz.

loomhoard33
Getting ready to assemble – which took me less than 10 minutes to get the whole loom up with minimal 2nd person assistance! (pics coming soon) Getting it upstairs took its toll, but that’s just the one time, right?

 

20 thoughts on “A year of weaving

  1. Pia,
    I think your purpose in life is to be a weaver and make beautiful things, We are who we want to be, no apologies. I often think we get hung up on thinking we need affirmation outside our homes( outside ourselves) to make sense of our existence. No more, done with that…….it’s too tiring. My house is filled with things I use to “make things”. Weavers collect looms, and spinning wheels, and more wool then they’ll ever have time to use. That’s what we do, again no apologies, people can sit anywhere!
    denise

    1. Well, I can certainly see that as being my path, chosen or given – and if we lean in the way of destiny, finding such a bargain could definitely be interpreted as a neon sign! The way my body is going and treating me, not so much.

      I’m not looking for approval, luckily, just a reason within myself to keep chugging along I guess. I’ve got all the motivation I need inside my head, but no control. I can just say please and thank you when I’m allotted a little time!

      The fiber hoarding – seems to be a natural thing among the likes of us, LOL!

  2. Yes they do tend to gradually become a collection! They are such lovely things you see a bargain and have to have it – they’ll come in useful even if you never use them!

    1. Well, it’s not like I’m having to give up anything for that amount of money, now it’s here, perhaps some day I’ll get to try it out too! 🙂

  3. Thanks! Actually a bench is all I’m lacking as well. And all the heddles and tieup, there are bags of hemp string with knots, also bags of very very short string heddles, but… It was definitely too good an offer to miss.

  4. Og så er der lige beslutningen om hvor mange søller og hvor mange propper der skal bestilles, og kan jeg nu finde ud af at klippe texsolven i de rigtige længder! Kittet koster ligeså meget som en hel rulle, og hvad nu hvis jeg har lyst til at bruge en anden metode? Hvilken metode har jeg nu lyst til? :mrgreen:

  5. I wonder if we really have a purpose in our lives, or if we are here to grow and develop and make our way through a forest of sorrow and uncertainty, guided gently by the light that is love. So many of our modern day cultures have such a focus on work, on doing, instead of just being. I’m glad you are dwelling in beauty and creativity. Whatever you create with your hands, you are also creating in your heart.

  6. Væve er som bøger. De formerer sig. Min ene rammevæv er nu blever til 4! Men så stopper vi også 😉 Jeg glæder mig til at se, hvor inspirationen driver dig hen. Det er så flot altsammen!

    1. Tak. 🙂 Dit blå stof er også blevet smukt. Er du ikke snart klar til en lille klapvæv? Den fylder såmænd ikke meget mere end en af dine rammevæve med stavær.

  7. Congratulations on your loom! And thanks for the link to spoon theory. I think the current economic order conveys a strong message that only the economically productive and valuable is meaningful. When I ask myself if my values turn on dollars (name your currency), it’s easy to see that I don’t accept this account of meaning or value. And having rejected it… I just keep re-taking the perspective that I won’t evaluate myself or others in this way. If you only have so many spoonfuls of energy in a day, I’ve always felt you should get to spend as many as possible doing things that you love.

    1. It is a very kind perspective on things, and one most have been conditioned against. <3 I must say, if I were wealthy or ablebodied I would not mind helping someone like me without equal returns, and yet now that I am what I am, I feel the unworthiness trying to push me again and again (alongside the impatience LOL)

  8. I suffer with Chronic Fatigue syndrome Pia and the spoon theory is so critical for me and I would rather be weaving and spinning with my spoon ful of energy!!! Glad some one else does too…. just had my first weaving lesson today and very addictive x I got given a floor loom how lucky am I !!! ( dont ask me what it is though LOL)

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