Third Looms the Charm

Once upon a time, there were 3 looms. There was a great big antique loom, a medium size loom, and teeny tiny baby loom. An ambitious fiber artist wanted to learn to weave, and she thought the big loom would be awesome! But it had too many moving parts, and lots and lots of weird things connected to it. So she tried the medium loom, but it had too few parts and too many things that needed to be attached. Then she tried the baby loom. It was teeny tiny and had all it's parts already there, but no extras. It was a match made in heaven!

So while I wait to learn my complex, 4 harness antique loom who sits patiently in the corner holding laundry, yarn, and cats, I bought another loom.

Actually this would be the 3rd. In the closet sits a Beka 24" loom that I need to get a stand for. I bought it when a spinning shop went out of business quite awhile ago. But until I figure out a stand, and aprons and whatever else it needs it still sits there.

So then, I saw these little Schacht Cricket looms. They're cute. They're small, they're self contained! They have many many videos on Youtube showing things like warping and using the looms.. As it happened fate intervened and I ended up with one from someone who was selling it used. She'd never actually used it (imagine that, a loom and not using it!) so it was just sitting there. I jumped on it and assembled it the same night it came in the mail.



But then came the warping. I watched tons of videos on it, and one night, at 11:00, I set up the warping peg to warp it. Now I understood the process, and I had their guide as well. What I didn't count on was the Bella the cat helping me. I should have anticipated this, since she goes after the yarn when I wind it on a ball winder too, but this sent her yarn meter into overdrive. After disentangling her, and straightening out the warp threads as best I could, I managed to warp my loom! And then ensued the weaving.



Of course my nephew Devin is much better at it than I am, but after a few feet my selvedges (ha! Take that, an official loomy term!) are better and I made a little scarf that is actually wearable. Now I'm working on another out of worsted weight yarn, it's so cute.



Weaving is so much faster! And it's fun! And you don't lose all your work if you drop your needle. And you can't lose the needles.. Maybe I'll figure out the medium loom next. Wonders may never cease!



Obviously all the cats love it too.. What would I do without their help?