Troubleshooting and two new starts!

The end of my black warp brought about the need to troubleshoot.

I had miscounted while putting on the warp....

I could have at this point just cut off and thrown away the unused warp, but knowing me, I had to pinch some pennies.

This is what I did....

I cut off the short sections and tied them off, leaving the far left one that had some length to support the rug on the takeup beam.  Then I rethreaded the new outside 4 ends to match how I like my sides to be, and wove myself a tablerunner!

Then I was done! :)

Here are three from the final batch.  I had a couple of black denims like before, and a patriotic tablerunner.  This one shown is rug sized.  I've decided if I have the weft available, I need to make these as they were so popular last season!

 Here's the next warp on the Union - destined to be mostly denim 3x5 rugs.

And this one is on the Fairloom - it's tablerunner size.  New color for me in this one, I purchased a few gold cones and I like it with this combo.

It will be a few days before I have either one threaded and tied on, I've got lots of threading to do!

All for now,
JULIE

Maintenance

With these old looms, it always seems there is something to fix.

Lately the right side treadle has been being difficult.

I finally got serious about figuring out why, crawled underneath and I found this....

Somewhere along the line, two screws went missing and a third has come loose.  So basically being held on with one screw.

It took me a couple days to remember to stop at the lumber yard for screws.

Last night I put in 3 new ones...

The one on the top left went in a little crooked, but it's gonna stay that way - it's solid :)

The loom is acting a lot better now that these 3 little pieces of metal are in where they are! LOL


While I had down time with this loom, I finished up the last of the mug rug warp.

The short inaugural warp of 20 reps yielded 51 mug rugs.  There is a lot of waste of warp on these little buggers-  I need length between to be able to tie the knots....    Maybe next time I do them, I might explore a sewn hem...???

Even tho the short little fringes are oh so cute :)

Time to make a decision on warp colors for the table runner width warp I want to put on that loom next!

All for now,
JULIE

Problem child

This warp has sure become the problem child.

I think the weaving gods like to remind us to be humble on occasion :)

I came to another end that was floating around without a spot thru the heddle and reed. 

So I cut off the four smaller rugs I had woven and rearranged the warp AGAIN working that loose one in.  Means my rugs are a tiny bit wider with another warp in the lineup!

Here are the four newest....

 Cute colors on this one...

 This one is grays with a green print

 Leopard print knit bed sheets are in this one

And a mini that ends up reading basic black. 

Someone will have a small space that this will be perfect for!

I'm currently mulling over possible vendor events - new to me and even a NEW event - higher cost, so riskier for a tryout.  Not sure on whether I will apply yet or not.

I did send in 3 applications for events I was successful at last year.  There are others I will surely attend as soon as they open the applications for them, too.  

Always looking for the bigger and better event!   The small events are draining

                    - physically for the hauling heavy rugs in and out

                    -time suck - a full day gone 

                    - driving, mileage and gas $

If I can find an event that costs the same as 3 events, but sell the same as those 3 smaller ones, I'm saving time, sometimes gas, and physical exertion.  

Definitely reason to try to find them.

All for now,
JULIE

 

Little rugs and big rugs

Winter, winter, winter....

I'm on my second 'no work in town today' day.   Yesterday was windy and blizzardy - lots of drifting and poor visibility so the work boss said stay home and stay safe.  Would be a slow day there anyway - no incoming inventory and probably not many people moving around....

Today it is bitterly cold.  Negative 11 with alot of breeze.  I went out and helped a little bit with the frozen drinkers - and then as I came in I got the text from work to stay home and stay warm!  A little late for that, but OK!  lol  I then got a call from my mother that she needed to report to jury duty.... In 1/2 an hour.   So run to town anyway!

Yesterday I took four rugs off the loom.   Only four filled up the beam - 3 were longer runner type rugs -

Here they are...

Ive gotten to making the fringed rugs be shorter ones....  This one was end of the batch, I find I like to fringe the rug staying on the loom- I tie the knots while it's there and then it has a solid end that doesn't get loose.   The longer rugs I like hems as then they are better to step over when used the long way for a runner.

I used to have Cooper to "help" when I took pictures, now I have Jack.... He's very helpful :)

And now the little rugs -

The first batch from the Fairloom experiment. 

I've had to do some adjusting to get the loom dialed in.

I think this loom I'm going to have to find a chair or bench.

Standing, like I do with the Union looms just isn't working.

The breast beam is taller and the treadles are higher off the floor.  I will look for some type of adjustable stool for when I spend more time at this loom.  It's fine to stand for the little mug rugs as these are a fast weave.  I'm planning on using this loom for table runners, so I think I would probably be happier getting something to sit on.

The sun is shining, making the bitter cold a little easier to tolerate.

Some time at the computer for accounting type stuff, and more weaving is on the to do list for today.

All for now, 

JULIE

Finally some rugs....

Seems it's been awhile since I finished any new rugs!

Here is the first batch off the black, charcoal, gray and white random mixed warp...

 Black denim

 This was a southwestern style blanket

 bedsheets - light gray with dark gray strips

 more bedsheets

 twill pants - black and white

(This one was me trying to come up with a pattern by sewing strips in a controlled manner.  Didn't turn out like I thought it would, but it's cute anyway.)

 and this was curtain fabric - when it's a wild color, the black warp is usually the answer!

Fuschia and gold tan mostly

And more denim with hemmed edges - Jack thinking they are pretty nifty!

This warp there will be alot of the black denim rugs made - with a few random colors and textures thrown in to keep things interesting. 

I do have a show scheduled in March that I need to get some new stuff made up for, so best keep the nose to the grindstone!

All for now,

JULIE

 

Monochromatic, or Shades of Gray

In my neck of the woods, we have been having a run of gray days.  Overcast at best, heavy fog mostly.

This results in some dramatic hoarfrost.   Is that what everyone else calls this stuff?

Everything is very gray,  maybe with a slight blue color, or when you get close up to the trees, the green does come out....

It's pretty, but can be depressing after so long. 

Finally yesterday we got a little bit of sun after about 12 days of gray. 

At least it's not cold cold, or dumping snow on us!

I've been saving up to do blacks for quite some time, and maybe my timing is right, as I got multiple requests this last fall for gray rugs.

I will have a selection of blacks and grays at my next show!

This warp has been problematic since I started it.  I was very short of natural/white warp - even ran out completely while warping. 

Multiple times I ran out of warp on a cone and missed that it had happened so ended up losing that end.  I came across one the other day and worked it in by rethreading the sections to the left of that oops. I'm wondering if I will find more as I continue.

And then I had a really dumb moment.  When I count revolutions, I usually count to 50 and then count up to the next level, this time it was 30.   I counted to 50, and then cut off - as if I was done.    Dur.  I taped the section and continued on for the 30 and decided to wait to tie knots when I got to it.

I've been weaving and last night came to that area, so spent the evening dealing with that.  Had a waste of warp, but rather than trying to conserve, it was best for my mental health to let out and avoid all the knots...

Sometimes I don't know where my brain goes to....

I have rugs off the loom waiting to be end finished.  Pictures next post!

All for now,
JULIE