Time to Relax

On Friday, I sent to print the winter issue of the magazine I produce twice a year and then promptly collapsed. All my plans to be productive this weekend just withered. But I do not consider this weekend to be a loss. I slept. I read. I puttered around and managed to get things put away where they belong. I got paint samples and painted small sections of different colors I'm considering for my studio so I can make a final color decision. I sang at church. I cooked a wonderful supper for tonight, which we shared with my son and his wife. Made enough to send them home with leftovers and we still have leftovers for later this week. So, no. This weekend was not a loss. It was much needed. As I told Larry when he asked me what my plans were for this weekend, "No, I really don't have any plans. I just need to not need to do anything.

Waiting for the Weekend to Start

I'm waiting for Larry to pick me up from work, so the weekend hasn't officially started yet. The crapvan is in the shop and I'm doing what I do best: fretting over what might be wrong with it and what it's going to cost. However, I am not going to let it stop us from our plans for tonight. We are heading over to Ikea to buy the laminate flooring for my studio. Ikea has a 10% off everything sale running this weekend. Since I'm heading to Austin tomorrow, this is our only chance to go and buy the flooring materials this weekend.

Once we get home, I hope to take another step closer on the studio renovation by getting a stereo system that's been stored in my studio room closet for the past few years out of that closet so Sara can take it with her to school. She's big into listening to music on vinyl and is as excited about having this stereo system in her house as I am about getting it out of my house. It's a win-win.

Anyway, it should be a good weekend between being getting things done at home on the studio, going to Austin and doing things with both daughters, then having a day off on Monday. I really need a 3-day weekend right now. And if I get all the Christmas stuff down finally, I'll really be happy.

My 'New' Loom

Thought I'd post a photo of the loom as it is right now. It's a Macomber B5 Add a Harness loom. Weaving width is 40 inches and it currently has 4 harnesses. I can add up to 6 more in the future, but for now I will settle for getting it working.

All I've had a chance to do to it so far is to vacuum off the worst of the dirt and debris, cut off the weaving sample that was on it and check it out. Here's what I'm going to have to do to get it into working order:

• Either replace the iron end piece on the cloth beam or replace the entire cloth beam. I'm hoping I can just get the iron part that's broken and replace that.

• Get the rust off of the reed, and various other metal parts of the loom. I've ordered some special rust removing blocks from a woodworking store for that task, though I'm sure I'll be buying naval jelly at some point for the reed. It's completely rusted. I'd just buy a new one, but I'd really like to have two different reeds for this loom which would enable me to vary the yarn I use. I like the idea of using a heavier yarn sometimes.

• Sand down the frame in spots. It's got some water damage here and there that needs to be addressed.

• Replace the aprons on the cloth beam and the warp beam.

• Replace the handle on the warp beam.

• Add more heddles.

• Replace the lease sticks. It only came with one.

• Purchase a raddle for warping the loom.

• Purchase or build an adjustable height bench.

As I get into this project, I may find more to do before it's usable. I still need to unwind and cut the old warp off the warp beam. It's a really heavy well-built loom (the original owner purchased it new in 1974 and I think it has a lot of life in it yet.

New Year. New Plans.

It is a shiny new year. Admittedly I've got a few unpleasant tasks ahead of me in the weeks to come (haul out the dead Christmas trees, do the taxes, file the FAFSA for my daughters), but I also have a few projects that I am looking forward to doing. Such as:

• Restoring the 40" floor loom I lucked into at Thanksgiving,

• Finally creating a studio space in my house,

• Taking a writing class,

• Creating things and maybe even selling them to people.

It's a shiny new year. Anything is possible.