I'm still getting the loom set up. What started as a "Hey let's move this piece of furniture over here..." has turned into a house that's turned upside down. The kids and I have almost gotten things where we want them, and then I can get my hands back at the loom and see how well she/he works. It's a Herald loom, but I just can't bring myself to call it that. I'll have to come up with a name after I've used her/him a little bit.

I've also been thinking again about making things for an etsy shop. I have a few ideas, but it's scary thinking about starting something like that.

I own a what?!

How do I show extreme excitement without sounding like I'm 10 years old?

OMG!!!!!XXX27!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope, I can't do it. I have become a little kid and it's all thanks to my new 45" 8 shaft - 10 treadle floor loom.

Found on Craig's list, it was a deal I couldn't pass up. This loom came with 7 reeds (some have a little rust but should clean up), lease sticks, 2 cone holders, 4 boat shuttles (1 is a double), 2 ski shuttles, 2 net shuttles, a 14 1/2 yard warping board, a sectional warp beam (needs the mounting bars) extra heddles, and 53 cones of yarn. If I had bought all the extras through normal means (and it was all stuff I needed anyway except maybe the net shuttles and the sectional warp apparatus which is nice but not necessary), it would have come to a hell of a lot more than what I actually paid. It's kind of like getting the loom for free! As an added bonus she threw in 31 Handwoven magazines and 16 Weavers Craft magazines. The Weavers Craft are old editions that I was wishing I could afford months ago.



This picture came out too small to really see but, the cones are two deep in almost all the cubbies.

The yarn is all 1 to 31/2 pound cones of linen, chenille, wool, oodles of cotton, and 7 cones of perle cotton which I can't wait to start card weaving with. Please excuse the painting that needs done in this picture. Anyone want to lug a 7'x 4' solid hardwood bookcase outside so that I can paint it and the wall? No I didn't think so. My husband won't either.

The only problem with the loom so far, is that I'm missing one 3/8"x9" hex bolt, and 4 hex nuts. No one around here has ever heard of a 9" hex bolt it seems, so I had to order one online. It comes tomorrow, and then I can start weaving my little heart out. There is plenty of yarn to play with, so I won't feel guilty 'wasting' expensive yarn while I learn.


OMG!!! I own a floor loom!

WIPS

... or at least on the list of 'to get started'.

SPIN
- Dad's birthday scarf.
*Needs to be finished before 3-20-10.*
Progress – choose fiber, Make swatches, comb, card, spin yarn, ply yarn, knit scarf
.... update: There was no way I could get this all spun and knitted up in time. Instead I spun/knit a swatch (finished the morning before we left to visit him) and my daughter sewed it onto the back of a little stuffed lamb as we were driving to the hotel. It turned out kind of like a saddle blanket. It was a weird gift but kind of cute. I promissed him I'd have a real scarf ready for his 80th birthday. I should probably get started on that now. I only have 10 years to finish it.

- yarn for rugs
Progress - choose fiber, comb, card, spin.

CARDWEAVE

- 6- card woven dog leashes for mom.
*Needs to be finished by 12-25-11.*
Progress – make patterns, choose colors, buy yarn, weave leashes : Alfie, Pippin, Casey, Maggie, Bridget, Bailey, buy clasps, sew clasps and handles.

- swatches for notebook
Progress - buy yarn, weave, attach to patterns.

Fix loom
- make raddle
Progress - cut wood, sand wood, hammer nails.
- Add heddles
Progress - buy heddles, add heddles

Weave
- waffle weave dish towels for myself.
Progress - buy yarn, warp loom, weave, full.

- dishcloths for mom
Progress - buy yarn, warp loom, weave, full.

- start on weaving book projects.
Progress - choose yarn, choose colors, buy yarn, warp loom, weave, full.

Knit
- 2 1 more dishcloths for mom.
Progress - choose patterns, buy yarn, knit, block

- A's afghan
Progress - choose colors, choose pattern, buy yarn, knit, block.

- C's afghan
Progress - chose colors, choose yarn, choose pattern, knit, block.

SEW

- Purple quilt
Progress - cut material, wash blocks after cats peed on them GRR!, layout and re-cut what was damaged, piece, sew, quilt.

- Brown quilt
Progress - finish cutting, piece, sew quilt.

- C's skirt
Progress - choose pattern, buy material, sew.

- Sewing machine cover
Progress – make pattern, choose material, cut, sew.

- Printer cover
Progress - choose material, make pattern, cut, sew, embroider.

- Rag doll
Progress - make pattern, cut, sew, make pattern for clothes, choose clothes material, cut clothes, sew clothes, embroider face, sew hair.

Learn to clone myself so I can get all of this done.

progress - *************