You might remember this studio line up photo from a few posts ago? Well, this is all about to all change. I believe the Woolhouse CM loom has found a new home and so will be leaving shortly. More on that in another post okay?
This means this rather crowded space is about to open up. I plan to get the Megado relocated down to where the Woolhouse is now but that may have to wait until we have some extra bodies to help lift her over. The day light is better down there and where the cords have to run to power things will be out of the way.
I think the Louet Spring might just move over a bit so we have more elbow room. No new floor loom is coming so the extra space will be nice. I might just set up the table loom on its stand and show her off, rather than having her stuffed into storage.
Back to the Megado loom.... I have just ordered a fly shuttle attachment for it and also one Louet end delivery fly shuttle (plus pirns) which may come as soon as the end of August from Holland, or, if not in that shipping container then in the next in late October. There aren't any available in North America so its a wait no matter what.
This is what the kit looks like and the instructions look straight forward. If it comes in August, I hope to get it set up and give it a try before my knee replacement surgery on September 28th. I'm busy winding a twelve yard warp of 8/2 cotton to warp up before the operation so its ready to go later when I am. The one treadle has a light action and so I hope to be able to weave with one leg, while the other rests on a box or some other prop.
Its the Louet Spring that will be all dressed and ready for double leg action, but will be waiting until I can bend the knee and move it. I hear this can take as long as six months so its a good thing she is very patient! Actually, the table loom on its stand is also a good option too. Hhhmm, better plan up a good warp for the Jane too. Nice to have all your options open!
This Louet picture shows the fly shuttle in place so you can see where having the extra room in the studio will come in handy. The catch boxes do sit out like wings and I suspect colliding with one of those could be expensive to fix. Loom placement will have to be well thought out!
Again, a Louet picture of their EDS shuttle. I do have some AVL shuttles and I'm fairly certain they will work in the shuttle race. But what if they don't? I think it would be awful to get the fly shuttle all set up and then have no way to weave and use it. There would be another two month wait! So I'm hedging my bets.
Most pictures show the shuttle sitting well back in the catch box and its only viewable from directly overhead. I found this image on line that shows the shuttle clearly (but I suspect it sitting on the flyshuttle cord doesn't normally happen when in use). The shuttle has synthetic rollers underneath so its scoots along quickly!
Here's another Megado (32 shaft model) with the catch boxes in place. My loom is quite golden in colour now being an older model from 2001 and the new parts will be very blonde. Hopefully they will show up clearly to any persons walking around the studio!
I'm quite excited about the new 'toy' coming, and also for the extra room. I'm not a big fan of clutter and find it distracting. I must also keep on sorting and weeding out my equipment and books and carry on with the downsizing. You can't do it all, or take it all with you so that will be ongoing.
Surgery: yes, I just had one and yes, I'm having another. (To be truthful, there will even be a third down the road as well.) I have been in touch with two women who have had full knee replacements, one of which is a weaver and her (sweet) day job is at Glimakra USA ! What they tell me jives with what my surgeon has said and that its a tougher operation to bounce back from. Its basically double the time for a hip replacement and a lot more intensive in the physiotherapy department. It will take a full year. Well, I don't have much choice in the matter so it is what is....
I will have to get very creative writing posts for you!
Its been a very warm and dry summer here on the south end of Vancouver Island so far and only two days of rain and clouds. Today things got a bit more exciting when a brush fire started just south down the road of our property. The breeze brought the smell of smoke into the house and soon after we could hear aircraft doing water drop runs over the fire zone. Fire trucks everywhere, and the road was blocked off. We later heard that the trucks came from three or four different nearby communities to help as the local firefighters were also fighting a grass fire near the golf course west of us too. I started putting together a grab and go bag of our valuables and paperwork just in case!
Strange weather times we live in now.... they are predicting another mild, almost snowless winter for us later this year. 2016 will be another hot long summer. I really hope they got it all wrong....like they used to do back in the good old days!
