Little Laila Loom

This is such a sweet loom!  It has 6 shafts (could make parts to make it 8 shaft) and is a true countermarch loom.  The back can be folded up to conserve space.

Salvage and Restore?

I have been asked to help with some equipment that was sitting in some moisture (a sewage break).  Upon first inspection the blackened wood seemed quite suspect, however after an initial cleaning with a mild bleach solution it looks like this might not be so bad.

The wood seems structurally sound although the product could not be sold by the owner without repair.  So weavers, if you can put your looms into rubber feet (as the countermarch looms and LeClerc looms usually are) it will prevent moisture traveling up the wood.  With some further tlc and elbow grease I may be able to restore the lower portions of the wood.

How Many Looms????

I have probably owned 30 looms.  As of now I own 5, I am thinking of selling the cherry Norwood as I love my Swedish looms so much.  My goal is to teach from home and weave. I love Toika looms (as anyone who has read this blog enough may gather).  I currently own 2 Laila looms by Toika - 26 weave width countermarch, AVL PDL 60 inch with 16 shafts and compudobby and a Glimåkra 63 inch loom for Drawloom weaving.  I am hoping to replace the Norwood with a Toika 48 inch Liisa.

Stay tuned as I hope to have lottsa weaving happening.  Currently working on an overshot sample in red and white, this will then be extended to the 60 inch AVL for throws.

Dawn

Catch Me On The Fly!

Glimakra single fly box on the damask loom

I have been straightening up my supplies, repairing and tinkering.  I finally got the pieces to the double flybox cleaned up and ready to use.  My first project is going to be an overshot blanket.  I like to weave wide and I like to weave fast!

The damask 10 shaft attachment is re-assembled and a warp ready to be dressed.

10 Shaft Pattern Unit - in the background you can see the 6 ground shafts with the buttonhole elastic used with the drall pulleys.

View from the front of the loom.

view from inside the loom

AVL double flybox

view from front

and the back

Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

I'm sure this has been done before, but I am quite "chuft" with my idea to solve the problem of releasing the warp beam to advance the warp on the "Starship Enterprise" size loom.
Here you can see the pulley that lifts the cord to disengage the pawl on the back ratchet.  It is normally attached to a long wooden handle that lifts both the cloth and warp pawls.  This loom has a ratchet and pawl on either side of each warp beam and cloth beam.  It is physically impossible to release the two opposite pawls at the same time.  I figured a way around it ~  as seen below, the cord is attached to the back pawl and through the pulleys to the cloth pawl.  I then looped an additional cord which travels through an eye hook underneath the beater support, and across to the other side where this is repeated.

 

Here the second cord is diverted through an eye hook and  accross the front of the loom.

Adjust the slack so that when gently tugged, the two back pawls release simultaneously.  A more severe tug will release all four pawls at once!  I love it!

Glimåkra 160cm Standard

This loom is not very old, but the wood was a little dry and dusty. I gave a wipe down with restore a finish, it does not affect the finish of the wood but gives a lustre and a little protection.  Then a light coat of feed and wax.  The result is a honey golden finish.

The loom is quite wide so a double flybox will be necessary at some point.  The beater to my AVL fits this loom so an AVL double box will do the job.  I plan to design an adjustable single box where the width can be adjusted.

As seen in the pictures I am installing the heddles.   I will put on an 8 shaft warp to set the height of the shafts and lams.  I am getting ready to install the pull board onto the front and extend the loom for damask weaving.

VAV arrived!  VAV is a scandanavian weave magazine translated to english.  This month's issue has a number or articles regarding drawloom weaving.  

TOIKA - looks like the Toika will go to a new home!  I am a little sad to have to sell but I will be kept busy with the two big gals in the basement.  

The Big Girl and Mouse Pooh

I picked up the Glimakra Standard today, a whopping 63 inch weave width!  It appears in very good condition, it is the model with longer lower lams and the slightly heavier beater.  It had been in a storage container so the mice decided that texsolv might be nice to take to the nest - hence there is a trace of "poop" that will need to be cleaned off.   I laid all the pieces out on the basement studio floor and it does not appear to take up as much space as I originally thought.

One thing I thoroughly enjoy is meeting the owners and hearing the story behind the loom.  People who weave or who are associated with weavers are quite interesting.  In this instance the loom belonged to the late wife of a gentleman who runs a spiritual retreat center located in NY.  Very interesting people and places!

So, now I need to strip the loom of all texsolv and heddles.  Heddles get tied in groups of 50 and soaked in a mild water and bleach solution.   Wood gets a Murphy's Oil Soap wash and then a rub of maybe a paste wax.  Re-assembly then will take place.  I will be building a single fly-box for this loom as the width is so wide.  I plan to do damask drawloom items, perfect for a one shuttle weave.  I am still researching adapting a design for a double flybox.

Keep weaving!

HOW DO I LOVE THEE? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS!

This could be a double entendre!  For one, I LOVE my Toika loom!  It is sooooo pretty, yes I know I have mentioned this before.  I also love my AVL, but knowing my Toika can be computerized I may be tempted to stray.   But more importantly, how do I love my dear hubby? and just how much is he willing to put up with?


I was up front, "I'm bringing a loom into our living room to show a potential buyer and I want to buy a Glimakra for drawloom weaving before I sell it, is that ok?"


Well, he was slightly irritated but agreed (I count that as one way that I love thee!)


So, the loom huffed and puffed up the 130 year old basement steps and is proudly perched in my living room (meanwhile the kids walk by and shake their heads along with dear hubby (count that as two.)


So now I move the 60 inch AVL to make room for the 63" Glimakra and think, oops, tight squeeze here,  I question my own sanity, then the devil on my shoulder says "of course you need 3 huge looms!"


Then I say, hold on, I can always sell my least favorite.  Problem? do I have one?


So, let me say..... To my lovely husband, I promise no more looms after this! and I will sell one big one at some point.  Thank you - even though you shake your head, grumble under your breathe.  I can think of many ways I love thee, but right now closest to mind are loom 1, loom 2 and loom 3.


An ode to a weaving Valentine


Happy Valentine's Day

Counterbalance loom is going to a new home!

Reluctantly - I agreed to let go of the mahogany color counterbalance loom.  It is going to a relatively new weaver who is jumping in the deep end and getting a nice decent size loom!  I hope she gets many hours of pleasure from this loom.  It has great tension and a wonderful shed.

Harrisville Loom Sold

Harrisville 8 shaft loom is sold.  I am now thinking of having to sell the Toika - which is SOOOO Pretty!  But in order to do what I need in the way of drawloom weaving I think it should go to a home well deserving!  I would HATE to drill into that beautiful loom!  If only I had room for just 1 more little loom.....then I could keep my lovely TOIKA......sigh...

Anyone interested in an 8 shaft like new TOIKA!  it can take the 16H/24H box, all texsolv, worm gear advance?  $2600 OBO?  Hmmm, maybe I'll change my mind and keep it.