About
Back in the late 70’s I was the macramé guy at a local yarn and fabric store. That’s where I got my start into the whole world of fiber. I knew everything about macramé, and taught classes in both the store and in a local public school. Necklaces, hanging planters, wall hangings, belts. You name it. We
made it and I LOVED it.
In the store, they also taught me how to weave. Beginning with a simple frame loom made from stretcher bars, then ring weaving, tapestry weaving, rigid heddle, and then to floor loom weaving. I’d only done a little work on a floor loom, but remember most of it in bits and pieces.
In the early 80’s, I had a beautiful hand made cherry wood rigid heddle loom. It was a great loom, but I could never find yarns in the city in those days. I did what I could, and then cut the loom down and made it into a beading loom, and used it that way for several years after that to do my bead weaving.
And, here we are, in the 21st century. I got into knitting to make socks several years ago. And then I began spinning my own yarn because I was still unhappy with the selection available at the local yarn shops here in Boston. Then, because I couldn’t find spinning fiber in the colors I liked, I learned how to dye wools and silks. That’s been consuming me now for a few years. For me, I can only knit so much.
And, the Lure of the Loom was still tugging at me. Now, weaving, mixed with all my years of crafting, sewing, hand dyed fiber and hand spun yarn, has so much more potential. I can do MORE with woven fabric than I ever could with knitted "cloth".
When THE BIG EVENT came up (my turning 50 years old), I want to do something memorable for myself. And the loom and weaving is what I wanted to pursue. It’s also a natural progression in my craft and fiber life.
So, join me as I take this journey into weaving using my own hand dyed and handspun wools and silks. It’ll be an interesting and exciting adventure!
This section below outlines some of my cherished fiber arts tools.
Schacht is a familiar name in the weaving community, and they produce a number of looms I like. Being short on space here in the city, their Wolf Pup loom seems like the ideal size. For Now. And a 4 harness loom should feed my needs. For now. And the fact that they are producing for the very first time a new model in cherry wood, that was the final deciding factor. There is a beauty to cherry wood that most other woods do not hold for me.
Cherry Wood Schacht Wolf Pup Loom Registry Info: 090908-WP-C-8
The newest edition to my arsenal of fiber arts tools is a Schacht Spindle Co Walnut Baby Wolf Loom. Schacht made a Limited Edition version of their popular Baby Wolf loom in Walnut for their 40th anniversary in 2009, and I was lucky enough to get one. An amazing work of art in itself. It features eight harnesses and ten treadles, and a high castle tray. Loom perfection.
Built on September 16, 2009, and is #1 on that date. Schacht Registration #091609-BW8-W-1.
This is the Bosworth Journey Wheel, which is what I use to spin most of the handspun yarn used on this site:
Journey Wheel Registry Info: #673, May 2007
Schacht Spindle Co Matchless Spinning Wheel, my other spinning wheel:
Schacht Matchless Registry Info: DT-040809-2
The newest addition to my arsenal of fiber equipment is a walnut Kromski Polonaise Spinning Wheel. it’s got the most beautiful turnings, and spins silently. I’ve been longing for a more traditional spinning wheel; and, having sold my Kromski Mazurka last year, I’ve been eyeing this Kromski Polonaise for some time. It’s being designated as my plying wheel, to be used solely for plying.
A very necessary tool for winding all that handspun yarn is the Heavy Duty Ball Winder by Nancy’s Knit Knacks. This is for serious yarn handlers.
This is a 20+ ounce ball of Aran weight wool yarn, and it’s HUGE.
This also includes those little "awards", where you have to post their banner on your site and nominate x-number of others, etc. My personal reason for this is that it seems rather cliquish and exclusive. Even though it’s not intended as such, it can make some bloggers feel left out or to feel that their blog doesn’t measure up. To me, blogging is about a sense of community, belonging and sharing. If you feel that you still wish to "nominate" me and my blog, please understand that IS appreciated and I am not ignoring you by not acknowledging your "award" by posting about it here. (And, if you know me well enough, you should know I am NEVER at a loss of topics to post about!)
