Finally, an FO to report!

Here’s a teaser pic for Illanna, my Sockapalooza partner. These took way too long to complete because The Boss had me working so hard that my hands just couldn’t take knitting after 10 hours at the keyboard. Illanna was so patient, and I thank her. I hope she thinks they are worth the wait -



Full-sized pic after she receives them.

So, I now have a 46” LeClerc Nilus loom sitting in my studio. How did that happen, you ask? Well, I got a message on my machine from a woman who said that the library gave her my name and she had some weaving questions. I’m not a weaver, so when I called her back, I told her so. Turns out she had a loom that was in storage and it needed a new home, and would I be interested in buying it or know someone who would? I jokingly told her that she could just drop it off at my house, but I couldn’t afford to buy it. I directed her to the weaving guild in Corvallis, and put the conversation out of my mind. A few days later she called again and talked to M. He, of course, had no idea what this woman was talking about, but passed the message on to me. This loom was in a storage shed in Albany (where I work) and needed a new home, and would I trade $300 worth of wool for it? Am I stupid? Don’t answer that! I agreed to go see it and told her we’d talk.

I took a long lunch break and we met at her storage shed. The loom was there, looking complete, but covered with boxes. I asked if we could move them, and lo, and behold, sitting right beside the loom is an industrial sewing machine! I’ve always dreamed of having one, so I jokingly asked if she wanted to get rid of that, too. We’d been talking for some time and she gave me an appraising look and said that it needed to be fostered somewhere for a while. I’m sure she noticed the drool on my chin, but she kindly said nothing.

Final result? I have a new fiber friend (Nikki paints and knits and does various cool things with glass – her buttons are divine!) a loom that is perfect for the things I’ve always wanted to weave (light rugs and rustic cloth, although I’m sure it will do much more) and I’m fostering a sewing machine that will do anything short of building saddles. Am I a lucky girl, or what?!?

Of course, the addition of two rather large machines meant that I had to finally get the Wool Room and studio in ship shape before they moved in, so I busted ass to organize and clean and rearrange. Everything fits, and I was able to label all of the wool boxes and fabric boxes and generally get things organized. I can actually get out my ironing board, fabric and sew without tripping over myself! All in all, it looks like a real studio. I’m so happy! Pics when I can get enough natural light to get some good shots - March came in like a lamb and is going out like a lion, all blustery winds and rain.