Today was spent having lots of fun and getting lots of work done at SCRaP in downtown Billings MT. We went to get some help at the awesome woodshop to repair and replace some missing and broken parts to an antique table top weaving loom and to convert a Navajo weaving loom I purchased at a garage sale into an adjustable size twining loom.
First the guys (hubby, with help from SCRaP resident woodworker extraordinaire David) manufactured a new leg piece (using the broken one as a pattern) that acts similar to a spring type clothes pin tightening on the roller to provide tension on the warp strings. Then they completely manufactured from scratch (with no plans and just a bit of brainstorming) a new beater frame to house the new metal 4″, 12 dent reed we ordered online from the Woolery. The beater and reed was missing completely when I bought the loom. They also made me a couple of short stick shuttles to use with the loom. I made some new ribbon attachments on my sewing machine and hubby tacked them on… and he was even able to salvage and reuse to antique old tacks! Yay!!!
The Navajo loom being turned into a twining loom needed an adjustable middle board cut, some metal rods bent into an L shape at the tip which we finished at the woodshop today… and it’s now awaiting the remainder of the work: eye hooks (to hold the metal rods), finishing nails (to hold the warp) and holes drilled on the side rails to attach the adjustable middle bar at different heights using bolts with wing nuts. Once it’s done I should be able to do twining style weaving as small as 6″x6″ and as big as 28″ x 44″ … everything from potholders, placemats, floor rugs and table runners 🙂
While the guys were doing their thing in the woodshop I did some volunteer work in the craft shop straightening the yarn room. Basically (my understanding) people donate craft supplies similar to how people donate things to goodwill, it gets placed on shelves for other people to purchase (at thrift store prices). Besides, recycling and art go hand in hand 🙂 … I admit I also had ulterior motives for volunteering in the yarn room lol because it gives me a chance to see what cool yarn is in stock and as I am straightening things up I get to choose some really nice yarns I want to buy for projects at home. Yes I dragged home a huge shopping bag full of really nice yarns for $20. So I’m super happy because those yarns are going to get used on my newly repaired loom tomorrow! Yay!!!
I really enjoy going to SCRaP, and having the ability to go use lots of crafting supplies and their equipment is incredible! They always have what I’m looking for (and then some!) lol
I might actually get around to staining the new wood to match the old wood someday… but tomorrow I’m going to weave! So the staining can wait. Besides it’s too darn cold to go outside (for ventilation) and stain wood… that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Even Conestoga Chuck and Lil Bit don’t want to go outside… and Lil Bit refuses to go out without her warm winter jacket! And I don’t blame her either! But it’s perfect weather to snuggle up inside with a cup of hot chocolate and do some weaving 🙂
Conestoga Chuck 