Tuesday, March 11, 2008

I had a dream...

...that I was weaving on a loom. I woke up, and thought 'but where would I put it in my office?'

I'm doomed.

-... -

Am quitting try number two at finding a drug that works on the nerve damage in my wrist (it fires off signals at random - itchy, hot, cold, pain, weirdness). It's a fine line between 'nerve damage muffled' and 'zombie', because of course anything that muffles the nervous system is a sedative. And apparently I'm sensitive to them, into the bargain; for the last two or three days I've been falling asleep every time I sit still, and that is NOT a good thing with a two year old in the house.

On the other hand, I've done a good bit of dyeing and spinning, finally producing a spun yarn that's nice enough I'm willing to charge money for it. I desperately need to get my Etsy shop up and running, if for no other reason than to get rid of some of these piles of yarn sitting all over the house. (The husbeast has been amazingly good-humored about the whole thing, but then with the amount of tools and gear he's got packed in the garage, he knows he's got no room for criticism.)

Gasoline here is climbing toward four dollars a gallon, and I'm thinking of only shipping for my shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays.... does that sound reasonable, or do you expect your yarn put in the mail immediately?

-... -

I'm planning to get a book on tapsetry weaving this payday. Doomed, I tell you, DOOMED.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm more than happy to have stuff shipped when you're able.

LOL on the loom!! You can make a loom-futon cross.

Trish

Bells said...

I think that's reasonable. Next day postage always surprises me because I don't expect it, unless it's from a big business.

Donna Lee said...

I think two days a week is often enough. No one will die if they have to wait for yarn. And as far as looms go, don't they make one that folds up? You could just push it against the wall and call it art. And when my husband asked where I would put a spinning wheel, I took him to the garage and pointed to the power tools that take up the space where the car should be and under the bed to the containers of computer parts. He has no room to talk either.

roxie said...

If you plan on weaving fabrics, I would reccommend a floor loom, because a table loom will play hob with your shoulders. They do make a variety of small floor looms that fold up. I made my living for 12 years as a design handweaver at Pendleton Woolen Mills. If you have questions, please ask.

NeedleTart said...

Attach the loom to pullys on the ceiling. One of the first issues of Threads magazine had an article about tapestry weaving. If you want to know which one just ask.
Mailing twice a week is perfectly acceptable.

Anonymous said...

Fortunately, tapestry weaving is on a very small, vertical loom, so at least it won't take up too much space. You could also try tablet weaving, which makes long narrow things (and if you do brocaded, is plenty finicky).

Alwen said...

Floor looms are great, but there's no denying they take up floor space.

Table looms are best if you get or make the right-height stand, which should basically turn them into a small floor loom. If you put them on a table, the way the name implies, they end up too high, and then as Roxie says, you're lifting your arms and messing up your shoulders.

Tapestry looms always look so tempting, but I don't love hand-beating the weft in, myself. YMMV

Schacht Spindle
http://www.schachtspindle.com
makes nice (pricey) products. My mom has a Baby Wolf.

I was talking looms and new weavers with a friend a while back, and she was lamenting the drop in the number of new weavers. The "good" weavers' shop I learned at is closed. A new loom costs the freakin' earth. My loom, which was about $300 (cough cough) years ago, retails for over $1700 now!

It's no wonder people who want to take up a fiber art turn to knitting. Even Addi Turbos are so much cheaper than the smallest loom.

Amy Lane said...

Ouch--I feel you on the falling asleep--my life went to hell enough just from going to the bathroom!

I'm with bells--I think the two days a week is reasonable.

(today's password? kugkvuum I'm not sure what it means, but it's long and weird...)

Anonymous said...

I think it's completely reasonable to ship twice a week as long as it's clearly posted. After all, stores do get to set their own hours.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't mind waiting a few days extra for a yarn shipment.

I can't help it though, Americans talking about gas prices always make me smile a bit. The current gas price over here (in the tax-loving North) is about $2/liter, so the perspectives differ quite a bit, I guess.