If You Go Out in the Woods Today....

You're sure of a big surprise!

If you go out in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise!

You simply must click on the pictures and see them larger. Check out the little dude with his 'hands' on the rail checking out the lawn mower.

Mama was teaching tree climbing lessons and using the big tree that recently died. Honestly, we have seen more birds and animals using that tree since it died than before when it was healthy. It's still has to come down though this fall.

Up?  Down?  Where are we going?

Mama is calling... ya, but what's up here?

Loud churring noises now are heard as their mother pressed home a point....

Then they were into the hedge... and gone.  Meanwhile Calli is barking  as she'd like to run over there and kill something.     Maybe she was after them when she went through the hedge at midnight last week?

Anyhow, that is not a fight she would win as raccoons are notorious fighters. Don't let the sweet face fool you a bit! They are experts at getting into garbage, compost bins and anything else you leave lying around. Besides coyotes, they are now the new urban guerilla's and exist quite well around humans.

We are heading out to go and collect the Megado Loom and will keep the camera handy for a blog report when we get back from this new adventure.     It will be a challenge as we are heading into a stretch of hot weather after a very cool and wet time of it for weeks. Where we are going is forecast to be heading to 34 degrees Celsius. The AC in the car has died too. I *hate* extreme hot weather...  The ferry is reserved and the dog kennel booked. Just have to get the back seat out of the mini van and we're good to go!

I'm also sad to report that the sale of the Woolhouse Tools loom has fallen through. The high cost of shipping it nearly 3000 miles was too tough to get by. I have no doubt that Esther will find another countermarche loom closer to home and weave beautiful things. In the mean time, it means I can carry on with the final steps to mark the new cords and plan a tea towel warp.  She will still be for sale, but she and I have a reprieve.

{Edit:  As of July 11th, 14 years to the day the Woolhouse Tools  loom arrived in my home, I've decided to keep the loom and we'll work out spacing to fit in all three looms!}

If the first few lines of the post looked familiar to those of you 'of a certain age', those were some of the opening lines to the Teddy Bear's Picnic. It must be my all time favourite children's song and one I hope to teach my new grandson Ethan in the coming years. Have you noticed that Mother Goose and old nursery rhymes are just 'so yesterday' now? (Unless you are a Hollywood film producer and make a movie from them.... talk about lack of original ideas!). Here's a cut and paste of all the lyrics for those of you who'd like more than the first three lines. There was no author to credit so a big thank you to who ever you are! 

Oh, I can't get this song out of my head so maybe sharing it will help!

The Teddy Bear's Picnic Song

If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily dance about.
They love to play and shout.
And never have any cares.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.

If you go out in the woods today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Every teddy bear, that's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of wonderful things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Hanging by a Thread....Literally!

So we got word today that the baby is getting a nudge to come out this weekend and Mum will be induced on Saturday. So either Saturday or Sunday will see a new little person arrive and join  the family. There are three great grandparents, three sets of grandparents, parents, as well as many aunts and uncles, cousins, and family friends all waiting to say hello! Geesh, no wonder they don't want to come out!

After tackling some spring window cleaning, my lower back told me to behave so I left the big loom alone and focused on the Louet Spring. I have (had) a tricky project on there and I decided to get it worked out and woven off.... and get it off the loom. {more on this project next post as its still being finished right now}  

I immediately prepped the loom for another project that has been sitting waiting for its turn.  I had to enlist Bruce's help to wind it on as the fine 40/2 linen was twisting on itself and I didn't have enough hands! Then the loom was hoisted up onto crates for its new tie up of twelve treadles for the twelve shaft project.

Past the half way point! 

Doesn't look very dignified does it? But it works well and sitting on a low stool keeps me off the floor.

The warp looks rather narrow. Its actually only 2.5 inches wide and is 48 ends per inch. Its a repeat of  the book mark project, but this time I'll be weaving 19 or 20 of them. Well, that's the plan!

I was feeling pretty good so thought I would weave off the last few inches of the receiving blankets on the big loom and also some samples. It didn't take long and they were cut off the loom.

I like to go around the loom after a project comes off and do a tidy up and vacuum all the lint and dust up. I had cheated last time and skipped the vacuuming part so I had the machine sitting ready this time. One really neat thing about having a loom with a 20+ tie up assist is that you can do this:

I'm able to pull up all treadles and then vacuum underneath with little interference....except for a certain 'Fur-face" who stuffs her toys underneath the treadles.  I also used the brushes on the loom to get all the lint, especially on all the cords.

Here's the view from the back in 'vacuum-mode'.  I know the cords look intimidating but remember I only use a small portion of them at at one time.  To use all of them I would be using all twelve shafts *and* all sixteen treadles. (Some summer and winter drafts could come close to this.) Anyhow, back on topic here... I was vacuuming the cords as they run along the top of the treadles and saw a big 'fluff ball' and aimed for it. 

It did not go up the hose. It stayed put. What the heck?    So I took a closer look.... O.M.G.!

I slipped a note book in to show the problem better. This is one of many, but it is the worst of the bunch! How I managed to weave off the receiving blankets is beyond me! Texsolv is one tough cord as that is handling the weight of the entire treadle, shafts and lamms!

How does this happen? Well, all my tie up cords run down from their spots on the upper and lower lamms and then travel through eye rings set in rows on the centre of the treadle. One eye ring for every cord and every cord has it own sequence.  

This older picture shows the cords in the process of being set up when we moved here four, nearly five years ago. Upper lamm cord goes down one side and lower lamm cord runs on the opposite. This is where all the rubbing is going on during the weaving! Pulling the cords to their extreme position exposes the damage. Somehow I'm glad I missed the vacuuming last time as it would have stopped me from weaving these receiving blankets. Since I did,  I'm grateful the cord hung on like it did!

Most of my projects use anywhere from eight to ten (or sometimes twelve treadles) and I normally use them centered under the loom, so the outer two or four on either side are rarely used. The centre bunch get stomped on time and again... and all are running and rubbing in the eye ring. What you saw was the result of many years of much treadling!  Moving parts will wear out. 

  A phone call later today with John at Woolhouse Tools and it was decided that it is best to replace all cords in the centre twelve shafts and twelve treadles so I'm working on a clean slate. The best of the older cords can be used for future repairs, which you know is going to happen at some point in time.

With the cords on their way, the loom will be stripped of all cords and it seems to me to be a good opportunity to clean the old gal and give her a much needed oiling and tune up. She's earned it.

Okay, that loom is now out of action.  I guess weaving 20 book marks using fine 20/2 cotton weft on the Louet Spring, and all that hemstitching won't exactly be a snappy project!

In the mean time I have some hemming to do!

..... and there's not a moment to lose!