Small Floor Looms for Sale!

I have a new hobby that is competing for real estate in my house and I have to sell some of my smaller looms to make way.

I have the following:

1. Dorset 20 inch 4 shaft/4 treadle by F.C. Wood $400.00 Folds for transport - SOLD

2. Cherry Wood Dorset – 22 inch 4 shaft/4 treadle by Mr. Elbe of NC $400.00 Folds for transport – Beautiful loom. SOLD

3. Rare Counterbalance (Swedish influence) 18 inch – no manufacture – i have seen another on ebay – they didn’t know who made it either. I have texsolv heddles on this loom. $500.00 -

4. Newcomb Studio Loom  – unassembled – needs a little TLC – probably will need new heddles as they are rusty, lamm rodds, aprons, counterbalance cording, elbow grease! $200.00 All the original screws and bolts are there – it’s ready to be loaded in your van or truck.SOLD

I’m located in Michigan -

http://villageweaver.com/2010/loomsforsale/cherrydorset/

Blue Jeans & Blue sewing machine – Rag Rugs

A friend commissioned 3 demin rag rugs – she supplied the denim and after taking off the waists, zippers, hems and seams, I just started sewing the strips of denim I took from many pair of jeans. Once I stripped it, i sorted according to dark, mediumm and light. I then sew the strips together and put them on a swift until I’m ready to transfer to my shuttle.

I found this pretty little Jones Sewing machine at a garage sale in my hood. I was driving by, and the blue hit me first! I spent $12 – they guy wanted 30, i said 15, he said ok, but all i had in my pocket was 12.00 – so that was a done deal! I spent 60.00 converting it from the british plug and had it oiled and cleaned. Best 72.00 i’ve spent. I love this machine. It only does a straight stitch, but it is so nice to work on. I like the feel of the metal as I turn the wheel – so much nicer than the plastic on my other machine!

New Year, New Site!

Long time in coming – but I’ve finally finished redecorating my website – my old site had the snazzy shopping cart  but I was tied to the original design which was beginning to look dated. I’ve tried to lighten it up and I think you’ll agree that it’s not nearly as heavy as my last site. I did change from a shopping cart to Paypal – Even zappos does paypal!

I’ve been so busy building 2 sites since the beginning of December, I haven’t touched a loom! This afternoon, I’m going to my slave cave and begin weaving again. Here’s a peak at my new site.When you get into the catalog of product, make sure to click on the large picture to zoomify – it’s so close you can feel it through the screen.

www.villageweaver.com new website

Spiffy new tool

I love my gadgets – don’t look to me for fashion accessories, but when it comes to weaving tools, i have it bad. I recently acquired a yarn ball winder. The little plastic one was the bane of my existence. I hated it. The clicking, the tension, the lost center pull. I know many people never have an issue – I only had issues… Winding thread on my new to me Nancy’s Knit Knacks jumbo ball winder is a snap. The other day I had a brainstorm, and voila it works. It actually winds a stout ball of fabric strip ready to go on the shuttle! I sew my strips together, and as i’m sewing, i’m winding the long strip on my umbrella swift. Then I wind a center pull ball of fabric. I crack myself up!

Learn the AVL loom

What a dork I can be. I teach people to weave. I have small looms, medium looms and big looms. I teach all sorts of weaving things like warping, sectionally or with a trapeze. Today, it hit me like a bolt of lightning, “why have I never offered time on my AVL?!” Back to the dork thing, why didn’t i think of this sooner!

When i wanted to make the leap to a computer dobby – it felt like i was jumping off a very high ledge without the safety net.

If you have interest in maybe investing in this type of loom, but just aren’t sure, or if you purchased a used loom or even a new loom, here’s your chance to test drive one in real time – wind your warp, beam it and weave with a fly shuttle. On an AVL A-Series 16 shafts, 60 inches, single box flyshuttle, new auto advance and cloth takeup – CompuDobbyIII – All the bells and whistles….From start to finish. See my Learn to Weave page and scroll to the Private Retreat – AVL.

Dual shuttles

This was a first for me. This week, I had a student weaving a rag rug. While she was weaving, she commented that she would have to for her second project, weave placemats to match the rug. When she finished her rug, we noticed she had enough warp for an experiment. I took the warp and separated it in the middle. Opened the shed, and threw the left shuttle to the middle and out, then threw the right shuttle from the center to the right. Simple, easy breezy. Probably wouldn’t want to do an entire warp like this, but maybe next time, i will plain enough for at least 4 placemats to match!

Friday weaving classes – Starting up!

I’m offering Friday morning Weaving classes. I don’t have more than 4 students at a time. You can start 9/11 or 9/18. Class runs from 10 am to 4 pm for 5 to 6 weeks. $240.00. I supply the warp. Project is rag rug placemats, runner or cotton dishtowels or runner. Please read more about the opportunities on http://www.villageweaver.com/weaveretreat/index.html

Destashing – Loom – Wool Yarn

I have tons of WOOL YARN FOR SALE

The yarn is on ebay and some (because i wasn’t sure of fiber content) is on the page with my paypal button.

My rag rug carpet at The Henry Ford –

If you’ve been following my rag rug carpet story that I wove for the Sarah Jordan Boarding House in Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford, you might be relieved to know that she is installed!  The carpet was installed by July 4, and I went out last week with my husband to see her. We had lunch with the Textile Curator and some weaver friends from The Weaving Shop, then had a tour to see the renovated Sarah Jordan Boarding House. It was overwhelming for me to see my rug in this setting. I could not have anticipated the emotion I experienced. For me, making by hand is heartfelt, no matter what the project. I hope they get many years of service from this project.

Sarah Jordan Boarding House - wall to wall rag rug carpeting.

Colorful warp – colorful weft

I used a warping paddle and vertical mill to wind a multi colored warp. Here are the two rugs that will come from this warp.

Getting ready for Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix

I took off a 32 inch mohair shawl this morning and have finished labeling. I’m toying with the idea of putting on a couple rugs – there is truly no rest for wicked people! Here’s a peek of my mound of mohair – all hand painted by yours truly -

Weave a Rag Rug Class

I gave a private weaving lesson for 3 days this week and look at her hard work! She came about 3 weeks ago and we planned the project and determine her rag needs. Then she went to the quilt store where she found really nice fabric in the clearance center. I showed her how to strip the fabric and sew it together. At her home over the past couple weeks, she worked on her rag weft and brought it with her for the first day of this class.

Monday we made the warp using a paddle and horizontal mill, beamed the warp, and began threading. Tuesday she finished threading, sleying and tying on. Wednesday morning at 10 she started weaving. These pictures were taken at 5:00 pm. The rug is clost to 28 inches wide by 9 feet long!

She didn’t want to be photographed, but i was so proud of her beautiful rug, she’s letting me put it up sans face!

If you’d like more information on classes, please visit my website -

I have to give a shout out to friend and fellow weaver, Tim Rumbinas, for helping me with my cord issues on my Glimakra – he saved the day!

Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix this weekend!

The Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix at Castle Farms is happening this Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and July 26.

Close to 60 vendors with top quality products – If you go to this website, at the bottom, you can see a pdf with all the vendors and what they are selling.

http://www.castlefarms.com/Michigan-Festivals-And-Shows/event-calendar/Fiber-Arts-Festival/

If you come, please stop in and say hi – I’m booth 11.

It’s indoors

It’s air conditioned

Friends of mine came up last year for the first time and spent the entire day shopping! It’s worth the drive!

Hope to see you!

Mary

Hand Dyed Rayon Chenille

Just a quick pic of my hand dyed rayon chenille – it’s such a happy warp!

Working on inventory

Not the kind where you count things… makin’ things for my big show. I’m so far behind, but I’m going through with it, fewer items, but maybe i’ll go with a boutique feel this year -   I’ll be posting more on the show soon. Working on chenille and mohair. Here are what’s on the line today. (did you happen to see Sunday Morning on CBS with the segment of Clothes Lines? that’s a entire post after i’m finished with my inventory!!)

Think I’ll dye stuff tomorrow – i have 3 looms going at the moment – i’m pulling my hair out!