So I'm Weaving Along...

...on this pattern, that weirdly, doesn't look anything like the image...which is quite possibly a threading issue--I'll have to try this again when I get to the end.  You know what they say--it's not a mistake, it's a new pattern!



...and something goes wrong.

The tension bar on the inkle loom that I've been using for 20 years finally died...the threading inside the wooden bit was not lined with a metal fitting; it's just wood.  So after 1000 yards of trim or so, it stripped out.



I tried to use my cheap-n-scuzzy "surfboard" loom but the tension was unreliable and the bolt chewed through one of my threads.  It was time to move ahead to the next plan.




Not wanting to waste time, I went ahead and built this in two days:



While it's not quite finished, it might work well enough for both tablet weaving and rigid heddle weaving with a few minor alterations.  In fact, I have an idea for a temporary improvement...ooooo....

In the process of building, I had a few set backs during the build...was locked out of some areas of the wood shop...




...but hand-held power tools were available and I made full use of them!

And on the third day...



...I added the front and back bars (only one pictured here, along with, for some inexplicable reason, the broken tension bar from the inkle loom).  I attempted to warp up the card weaving on the loom but didn't have any luck doing so.  Eventually, I gave up because the tension was not consistent.

My dear husband went to the hardware store and in about 90 minutes had fixed the tension bar for the inkle loom, so now I am back in business!  It took a couple hours to re-warp the card weaving onto the loom, then had to take it apart again to adjust the tension again to accommodate the shortened length--this loom really needs TWO tension bars for card weaving.

I still have a quilt commission to finish and a bunch of uniforms to repair, but...you know... I'd rather be weaving. :)