Looms and Weaving in General

[Celia]

@Ploshkin have you seen these https://youtu.be/wiNAdQfUPhY. There are 2 and another promised.  I am still on my kitchen towel something called a mug rug has got in the way 

[Ploshkin]

Thanks @Celia
I have managed to get my new loom set up on the stand.  The quality of the wood is lovely.  I have a couple of things I'm hoping to make now that I have more weaving width but have also thought that it would be good weaving practice to replace my stock of tea towels that are probably all at least 20 years old!
Where do you get your cottons from?  I have come across My Fine Weaving Yarn but not had anything from there yet.

[Celia]

I used knitting yarn as mine were really kitchen towels rather than tea clothes.  This is what I used https://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-paris-all-colours.  I have also got some from Weft Blown and George Weil.
Can’t wait to see what you are doing, photo of the loom on its stand would be great if you have time.

[Celia]

Do I buy a floor stand for my 20 inch RH loom, @Ploshkin, how easy is it to put the loom on and off, I am concerned that if I have to leave it up my cat will use it as a bed   what do you think.  Have you got anything started yet?

[Ploshkin]

@Celia its easy peasy to put on the stand.  It is lower than I envisaged, I can sit on a normal height dining chair - I don't know why I thought it would be higher.
Frustratingly, I've not had a single minute to try out the loom but i have the yarn now for something and will hopefully get some weaving going by next week.  You can angle the loom which I think will feel comfortable.  I've just looked and between use you could change the angle to almost vertical without removing the loom from the stand or disturbing the weaving.  That would put paid to the cat sleeping on it ( though they can sleep in some precarious and impossible places!)
Ill take a couple of pictures so that you can see.

[Celia]

@Ploshkin thank you, I think it is definitely something in my future.  I have talked myself out of several purchases lately but I do think this could be a good idea

[Ploshkin]

@Celia Here is my loom on the stand. (I should have left the chair there).  It wasn't a cheap thing!
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This is as far as it tilts - not quite vertical but should deter a cat.  Also handy I would think if you wanted it to take up a bit less space.  It's just a case of loosening the 3 knobs on each side.
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[Celia]

Thank you @Ploshkin that does help me, I hope you get to use it soon.

[Renegade Sewist]

I think going vertical only changes it from a cat bed to a scratching post. At least with my wicked felines that is the likely outcome.

[Celia]

@Renegade Sewist Ooch I hadn’t thought about that    My trouble is the downstairs  of my house is open plan, well it is to the cat as the only door is to the kitchen but there is a big opening she can just jump through from the main room, think like a large hatch.

Might have to keep thinking, the knitting machine might be under threat

[BriarRose]

I have an upright Navajo loom. I hesitate to mention it since I might jinx myself, but thus far it hasn't been a target of cat marauding, perhaps because the weaving isn't solidly secured and doesn't offer the necessary resistance for good clawing, like a sofa or post. Be that as it may, I keep the kitties out of the loom room if I'm not there with them. My old girl who died last year never bothered it but I don't quite trust the others.

Almost done with my current project that got put on the back burner during gardening season. One or two productive afternoons should finish it then I can warp the saddle blanket to work on this winter. I'm also going to order mohair and see what I can do with the cinch loom my husband made me last winter. If I can turn those out pretty regularly, the local tack store will take whatever I make.

[Celia]

@BriarRose any chance of soMe pictures, I have never seen either of these types of loom and I am always interested in all sorts of fibre use

[BriarRose]

@BriarRose any chance of soMe pictures, I have never seen either of these types of loom and I am always interested in all sorts of fibre use

Sorry for the delayed reply, Celia. Been offline with a new grandbaby in an area with no reception.

I don't belong to any photo sharing site so apparently can't post my loom photos here, but here are some links to photos of looms belonging to other people:

Loom explanation

Scroll down

One more diagram

[Celia]

Thank you for the info, the patterns on the Navajo weaving look lovely

[BriarRose]

I don't get very fancy with designs. The twilled rugs and saddle blankets are marvels of skill but I'd lose both my mind and my eyesight doing twilling.

My loom is most like the loom on the left hand side of this photo of Weaving in Beauty in Gallup, NM. Mary Walker runs the place and she is a generous fountain of information and aid. I took an online course from her that was amazingly helpful. When I got sick on the third class, I called her to say I'd attend but wasn't well enough to weave. She told me she felt like she could catch what I had just from listening to me, for me to go to bed, and she'd let me start the course over when the new class began the next month. No extra charge, just turn up and start again.