Weaving rugs 2021

Hand woven Shetland roving rug, natural colors

A few years ago,
a friend loaned me a little child's loom.

It would weave about 5 inches width--
but through those 5 inches,
I fell down the rabbit hole!

I need a bigger loom,
I said. 
New ones were pricey
but
there was an antique one in pieces.

You know which one I chose.

Now that it's home, how do I assemble it with no instructions?? 

Internet not helpful---

off to the library!

 Found an old weaving book with pictures:

  

Have been weaving ever since! 

Scarves, shawls, 

table runners, dish towels, 

a baby blanket and soft, squishy rugs.

Meanwhile, the sheep just keep making wool.

some recent wool rugs:

    

Rugs available in my Etsy shop!

Recipe for a wool filled quilt

Poppy and DeNozo

 

1. Start with a few Shetland sheep.  Add green grass and sunshine. 

2. Stir in some late summer apples.

they love apples!

3. Add generous amounts of hay during the long Maine winter. 

waiting for spring

4. Shear in the springtime!

Gibbs' fleece

DeNozo and Gibbs after shearing

5. Gently wash the fleece by hand in buckets, spread out in the sun to dry.  

a good drying day

6. Clean the fleece by picking and then carding into fluffy batts.

drum carder ready to roll

batt weighing in

Stash of batts

7. Spread out cotton fabric on a table, and layer the wool batts over the cotton.

unbleached muslin & wool

8. Lay the top fabric piece over the wool, measure and tie by hand. 

tying a small muslin  lap quilt

9. Finish the edges. 

I use a 1919 Singer treadle machine!

10. Ready for a little nap!

small muslin lap quilt, or "nap quilt"