Wednesday, July 04, 2012

WOW, I am blown away with kindness

The Internet is an amazing thing. I acquired a Harris Folding CounterMarch loom, unassembled. I scoured the internet and found the original manufacturer who sold me the missing Flax Loom Cord. They (Elaine and Kevin) suggested getting a copy of LOOM MECHANICS, Monograph Series, Number 3 from the Handweavers Studio in London (www.handweavers.co.uk) [ kudos to Hillary who gave me much advise on the universal tieup ] Cord and pamphlet arrived from England a week later. It was magical. Then found a lovely woman named Suzanne (and Michael-for tech support) who is trying to sell the same loom (see below). She sent me these images that will be a huge help in tying up the treadles! WOW... this is so wonderful. 10 years ago this would never have been possible.

Suzanne's loom is for sale

33. Harris Folding Floor Loom

Four shaft, countermarch, Harris folding rug loom. Height 42", width 43", Depth 35". Weaving width 34". Includes 34" 8 dent reed, 38" raddle, 2 x 18" ski shuttles, 2 x 29" flat shuttles, warp sticks and cross sticks. Bought new and hardly used. £500 (buyer collects from Weymouth, Dorset) Contact: Suzanne Davies Tel: 01305 829 294 Advertised Since: Sunday 06 May 2012
I have (with the help of Mom) gotten the shafts tied up so far. To be continued. and for those who are looking for more information about this loom, I found this Midland Spinner who was kind enough to send me a copy of her assembly instructions and this fact-filled post with photos and diagrams on looms. There is a bunch of stuff on Google and YouTube. Harris Loom: Elaine Neil, Office Manager Emmerich (Berlon) Wotton Road, No 2706079 Ashford, England, Kent TN23 6JY Workbenches, Tools and Looms. www.emir.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1233 622684 Fax: +44 (0) 1233 645801

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Heady news!

I just received the GREATEST phone call from my niece Megan. She finished her first knitting project, a lovely headband made from the Cotton-Ease we purchased over the weekend at the Lion Brand Studio in NYC. I am so happy for her. The mother-of-pearl button came from my button box, a big beauty that has been a part of my stash just waiting for the perfect project. You go girl. Guess I better send the sock pattern I promised! She's on her way... look out world, here she comes.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Knitting on the Ferry

Oh, what joy knitting can bring. Megan and I had the BEST time last weekend. A knitting retreat in NYC! She came into Port Authority and our first stop was the Lion Brand Studio to pick up materials (yarn, needles, tools, patterns) and we were on our way! Next stop the Staten Island ferry. It was a PERFECT weather weekend and we basked in the sun as we stitched away.

Saturday was chock full of activities, knitting on the ferry again, heading to the Met to see the The Steins Collect, amazing and worth seeing (ends June 3). Then on to a shop 'til you drop at the Crafts on Columbus fair, we saw a lot of really fun stuff and shared a lovely afternoon. Megan found hairclips that WORK, and some beautiful clothes. And I found a GREAT hat! We laughed a lot.

Then on to the High Line for a walk from top to bottom along with what seemed like all of NYC. It was glorious and I am always amazed at the inventive layout and the amazing plantings. Kudos to the High Line, a unique and amazing NY experience. And then back home for a quite dinner and KNITTING! ;-)

Sunday morning we finally got started on a gauge swatch for Megan's headband. I pulled out my button box and gave her a beautiful old mother of pearl button that will make for a nice finish.

Nice memories, hope we can do it again soon.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Our Desert Star is Shining Brightly

Our dear sweet Tully is now free, he passed March 19, 2012 and our Desert Star now shines brightly in the sky. He blessed our lives for over 11 years with humor and love. Tully was a gentle soul. 

He loved peanut butter and bagels most of all, hopefully followed by us, his girlfriend Leslie, his baby niece Rennie, sitting in front of the fire in the winter, resting in the garden in the summer and napping just about anywhere. 

He marked everything everywhere he went and then had to check to be sure that, "Yep, that's me." 

He was a talker, and a moaner. The moan could mean anything in the right context.... "I'm hungry", "I have to pee", "I need the sandwich that you are eating". When given instructions, he often talked back. 

He loved riding in the car, hated the vet's office. His favorite blankie was a striped Mexican number that we got in Provincetown, MA on vacation (and also got ticks). He dragged us down the trail on Isle au Haut from the landing to Moores Harbor. He loved waiting for the mailman for a chance to bark, and took his job of guarding the house seriously. The front door window was his large-screen TV. 

When Rennie (a lively puppy) joined the pack, he gently accepted her and put up with all her annoying behavior, and the two of them became inseparable. Tully was the first dog we ever had that was too lazy to chew, and required dental work. As a result, he was missing about 9 teeth, making eating a very messy process. We had "snood time" at every meal -- which meant, finding the snood and getting it put on.... almost always a comical event. 

Tully flunked obedience, he could never sit still for the required 3 minutes. He LOVED to kiss. And always seemed so proud. Buddy (a.k.a. Tully-Bullie, Big Dog, Baby Boy, Delicate Flower, Boo, Willis), we will MISS you. There is a giant hole in the house and in our hearts. Thank you for the time we had together. We were blessed.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Knit for brains?

My artist husband is always finding ART on the web. This is a unique one --- knit brains -- "Soft Brains" by Sarah Illenberger, http://www.sarahillenberger.com/index.php?c=editionsshow&p=24... navigate to 6/25 (click the arrows to the top right)... very cool!!! Looks like a whole lot of iCord.