Post #2099: Partying like it’s…..

So my birthday was yesterday, and contrary to the title of this post, I did not party like it was 1999. Instead, Brian and I rode bikes to Granville Island (16 km round trip), ate healthy and awesome lunches at Edible Canada, and then had a nice seafood dinner to cap off the day. Some spinning, weaving and crocheting took place – because it was that kind of day (a really great one!)

I’ve taken the whole week off work – because I really felt like I needed a break on my own, to make things and organize myself around that for a few days. Work has been a real drag lately and I had a lot of banked vacation time – so I figured I would treat myself and take it. Yay!

One of my main goals this week is to the get that loom pictured above from Coquitlam to my home in East Vancouver. That’s my other big news from the weekend — I bought myself a floor loom!

This is an unbranded loom, built in Nova Scotia in 1973 (year of my birth!) by a draft dodger and his wife who were back-to-the-landing and trying to make a go of things in general. The woman I am buying from has had the loom since she was a young woman, and is now downsizing after a lifetime of weaving and some fibre business she ran on the side. In addition to the loom she threw in three garbage bags of merino roving and worsted weight yarns. I’m trying to get rid of the roving (it’s way more than Brian could ever spin in a lifetime) but the yarn I’ll use for practice weaving once I get the loom. I’ve bagged everything in ziplocs for the time being so as not to risk moth infestation… and tucked it all away in the hopes that some fibre artists will take the roving off my hands shortly (I’m giving it away, so that helps I suppose).

I have to admit that I am a bit afraid of this loom – it’s so big and solid! I can’t really imagine getting it set up and weaving on it. On the other hand, I’m ridiculously excited to get going. I’ll probably just set up a very simple sampler first thing (I’ve got *so* much practice yarn) to get accustomed to all the moving parts and the challenge of dressing it – but then I want to make all the things!

I’ll post more pictures once it’s actually in my home and set up – but for now I’ve got some other making to focus on…. and my sewing room is calling.