Steveio is using some of Chris Gustin's lovely product called Howards Feed n Wax. She sells it in her shop in Indiana called The Homestead Weaver Studio
This is an 8 harness table that is about 70 years old.... boy oh boy does that do a HUGE difference! Just look at it .. wowzer....
(BEFORE- with wood all dried out and rugged looking)
(AFTER- once it all soaked in nicely)
It’s a nice loom with newly added texsolve heddles on all 8 harnesses. The table loom is from the WPA – Works Project Administration, built during the late 1930’s to the early 1940’s. I had a floor loom from the same maker years ago too.... The WPA was a government program back during the depression... The government had a division for the Federal Arts Program for teaching new skills and getting men back in the labor force. They learned a trade by either making looms or weaving on them. Some of the WPA looms were used to weave fabrics for drapes and upholstery to decorate the huge lodges in the national parks... This one came from a Joeseph Schant, and was made in Oshkosh, Wi.
Stamped on the crosspiece of the loom. See the intricate workings for 8 harnesses?
Next I wound a warp for it for some towels.. I need to run each strand of yarn around and around and back again to make long evenly tensioned threads all the same length. This cotton yarn is for towels and is 216 threads wide. After winding, I cut off the big sections of wound threads and put them neatly and evenly on the loom. *Dress* the loom is the term. Then I will thread and beam it up tomorrow...
Will weave a few towels on it to see if i like the loom enough to keep it first.. Otherwise I will sell on Ebay or to someone at a weaving workshop in the future.
Awesome! I used to work for a factory that made towels. It was interesting to go out into the factory and watch the looms.
ReplyDeleteGood Evening. I usually spend a little while on Sat. or Sunday evenings to read and catch up with new bloggers that I have added to my list. Sometimes..yawn..I have trouble keeping my eyes open. Not this afternoon!! I have truley enjoyed reading all about your early days of camping..and your love for weaving! I envy your talent. Your work is beautiful..I would order some socks except I am allergic to wool..hives..and I love the way wool looks!!:{
ReplyDeleteI too have had health problems..bummer..yet I think it makes us appreciate our lives more!! I was so sorry to read about your son's death. That is an area as a mom that I have not experienced. I am impressed that you have such a great focus on life. It's nice to see others aiming to go full time. I hope someday our paths will cross and we can sit down and visit.
Come by and check out my blog sometime.
Cindy from Texas
Sandra, that must have been an interesting job!
ReplyDeleteCindy, thanks for your kind comments! I just marked your blog and set as Follower. I will go back and read from the beginning on yours too, hopefully when the granddaughter takes her naps today. LOL It's our oldest daughter's first day back at work today after 6 weeks maternity leave, so it's gonna be an emotional one for her. Even though it's Grandmuddah doing the babysitting, it's still a tuff one for her.