A peek into my world... my Loom Room Studio

Some folks on the RV chat last night were asking about my fiber tools ...

so I said I would make a little virtural tour of my studio in my home,

and the fiber toys I take along in the motorhome.

 

Yes, I am a confessed Fiberholic, I cannot avoid the urge to touch, create and collect fibers!    I am a helpless case, and there is no 12 step program that can help me. 

Looms find me, and call to me to take them home and make them work again.  Right now I have five big looms set up in the lower level walk-out of our home, overlooking the river.  I have a a few table looms here and there, that can go along traveling!  -- they like that --
(I will not show you the extra closets and storage rooms packed full of fibers, fabric, and unspun wool!) 

I work on rugs, blankets, throws, towels and tote bags on my looms.

I keep a constant supply of incoming fabrics, and then out going products are sold on my Etsy site:
http://kareninthewoods.etsy.com/

I like to position my looms facing out over the river, so I can look through both double wide patio doors over the woods...

Daydreaming adds to the Creative Process, dontcha know?

The non-camping winters are made bearable by this kind of view out the patio doors!

(although the caption says *this morning*
the photo was taken last year
amid winter doldrums)

I keep my laptop handy nearby when weaving, so when I take a break, I can check on emails or see what is up in my RVing world of buddies!

My aircard gets a weaker signal down there, so sometimes I am unhooked and don't even know it.  ARGGGHHHH

The fiber products roll off my looms into lovely rugs, mats, runners, totes etc.  and I am lost in the creative process.

My health does not always let me work at my looms as much as I want to, but I get done what I can, when I can.



When I am not down in the loom room working on stuff, you can usually find me upstairs, sitting by the fireplace in my chair.

I am either knitting on the antique sockknitting machine, spinning wool on one of my spinning wheels. beading a few bracelets, or knitting up something on regular knitting needles. 




Now.. of course I mentioned that I take along my fiber toys when we go traveling in the motorhome! 

The spinning wheel sets neatly into the closet, surrounded by my clothing to keep it from tipping over or getting bumped.  I take it right out by the campfire and relax to its mind-mesmerizing whirls.... 

I spin up sheep and lamb wool, llama, and alpaca .. sometimes dog fur, into luscious yarns to knit with later.

Some of my yarns are soooo pretty that I have entered them in spinning contests and won some ribbons....

I enjoy the soothing spinning process and it's something I can do without straining myself or my health.

This is my 8 harness table loom that I take along . It detaches from the little coffee table Steveio made, and store either in the basement compartment, or I fold in the front and rear beams and it sets right in aisle. Often I take it outside under the awning and weave in the lovely morning with green trees, blue skies, soft breezes and the steady whump whump whump of the shuttle and the beater....  ahhh Heaven!

Now, for the sockknitting machine!  (saved the best for last!)  This unique device is called a Circular Sockknitting Machine.  It is clamped to a table or a bench, turn the crank and out come socks!

Well, it's not THAT easy, these machines are finicky, futzy, putzy and frustrating!  You need a lot of patience, a good eye, and various kindis and types of wool.

Some days these machines work, and other days they jam up --- there is no end to the frustrations!


Mine was made in 1904 in Clearfield, PA by a guy named Gearhart.  It has served me well, and I have a few others too.  1894 being my oldest, and 1925 being my newest.
The process of making a sock can be complicated, but usually takes me about an hour to make a pair of socks.  It will also make mittens and scarves too. 
I cannot just sit and watch tv, my hands need to be BUSY... so this helps my creative juices flow, plus creates something that you rarely find anymore, real wool socks!!

I pack my sock machine along in a tool box, and clamp it to a folding stool when going camping.  It's portable enough to take along, and garners a LOT of attention when cranking in a campground.
Folks wander into our campsite to see whatever fiber tool I am working on, and many times they purchase items from me that I keep on hand nearby.  If I make $20 or $40 from a private sale, it helps towards our camping budget!   Otherwise they take my card or brochure and get to see the bulkier items like rugs and blankets on my Etsy site store.
Who doesn't need some cozy warm wool socks for camping or a new rug to toss in the kitchen of their camper???

Soooo that is a tour of my fiberholic toys and what I do with them.....

I hope you enjoyed this look into my studio and the stuff I like to create. 

Yes, I am a Loom-atic....

(a label coined by my sister many years ago when I started collecting looms)

Now she has 2 looms too, as do a few of my friends.

Be careful, verrryyy careful! 

This disease might spread....

to YOU!