Sunday, April 15, 2007

The episode in which Ann and Chris go to an estate sale and much madness ensues.


Look! It's Chris! What's that in front of him? Whatever it is, it's too big to fit in our ancient Volvo named Mulva. We must enlist the help of Dad Bergh and his truck.


While it looks like an organ, it is actually a LeClerc loom that weaves things up to 60 inches in width! And the people running the estate sale are offering it, along with a crate of vintage knitting magazines, a few boxes of mostly-crap but some wool yarn, glass bottles of vintage buttons, vintage ribbons and trim, books on weaving and embroidery, a few random books including a "POCKET GUIDE TO GERMANY" that is actually WHAT WAS GIVEN TO OCCUPYING AMERICAN GIs IN 1945 IN NEARLY PRISTINE CONDITION NO KIDDING!!! for, well, a song.We (okay, they... Chris is a trained mechanic and his dad works as an engineer in a lab at 3M) got it collapsed and into the truck. It is now in our basement where it can be set up.

I have no idea how to use it. Today we went to Barnes and Noble to look at weaving books. There were a few, but they were all about taking a few palm fronds or bamboo shoots and creating home accessories with flair. I told Chris that I couldn't find anything with a title along the lines of "So Now You Have a Loom in Your Basement," and he suggested I check the Impulse Purchases section of the store. No luck. However, there are classes offered at the Textile History Museum, so I'm investigating. Suggestions?

5 comments:

hannah said...

what an amazing find, i am so jealous. webs (out in north hampton) is pretty much weaving supply/information central. also all of the art schools in the area have weaving classes (i've taken intro to weaving at massart in the summer, and it was a great course). good luck!

- hannah (from windsor button)

Bambi said...

this is furniture...full of potential for good things, I think. The SIZE!
THE SIZE!!

Miri Mack said...

Tres cool loom! I don't have the first idea about weaving, but there's got to be something in your area.

weaverknits said...

Hi Everyone! I found weaving classes with a lovely woman named Margaret Russell just west of Boston. She'll teach me one-on-one for a very reasonable rate, beginning in June!

As for materials, I see myself making a trip to WEBS before my lessons begin! Thanks for the input, everyone!

nicole said...

What a wonderful find!!! I can't wait to see the beautiful things that will come off of it!

My grandmother was a weaver. What I would give to have her loom (sadly sold off a long time ago...)