Last weekend, I went up to the front bedroom, which we call the "rug room", and I worked at getting a warp off the Union Custom. I've had an order pending for months, and I needed to put a new warp on for it.
So I wove 4 or 5 rugs, three of which sold immediately. Win, win, right?
Not so fast.
By the next morning, I knew that what I suspected was true. Groin pain, deep, throbbing groin pain.
It happened the last time I wove on that loom, but I pooh, poohed it.
This time, not so much.
It's Friday, and my hips (groin pain) are on fire. Still.
The problem is, for those of you who don't weave, is that old rug looms have treadles that are quite a ways off the floor, attached to the back of the loom.
It requires one to lift the hip with the knee bent, to put your foot on the treadle, over and over and over.
So, I have ruminated about this all week. The bottom line: I have enough pain....I can't do something that is going to give me more.
I emailed the lady who was waiting for her custom order, and told her no......I won't do it. I am sorry.....but no. I found a couple of weavers on FB who are going to contact her.
L did offer to do it, but to be honest, it does the same thing to her. Repetitive motion/arthritis/getting older/you name it. We both have it.
I don't know exactly what I am going to do yet, but after 20 years of weaving on the Union Custom, my FAVORITE rug loom ever, it might be time to say good bye. Ah, change, you keep on coming.
A while back, my neighbor came by with an old doll house, that had been languishing in her friend's attic for years. It was about to be thrown out, and instead, it was gifted to me.
When my 5 yo grand girl saw it, she asked about it...I told her it was something I was going to fix up.
Fast forward, last week, when she was leaving she saw it on the inside porch.....she turned to me with a quizzical look on her face, and said, "Mimi, you haven't finished that YET?"
Well, that was all it took to get me moving.
The dining room table is covered in newspapers, and the renovation has begun.
I have a hand dyed organic cotton/bamboo warp on the AVL.
I really love this draft.
,And while it is stunning in black, I really love the pale pink weft.
Today was cleaning day. The studio has been getting messier and messier. I cleaned and organized, and will probably continue it this weekend.
I also decided it was time to organize under my kitchen sink, so that when you opened the door, everything didn't fall out.
A friend of mine has started an account for her photography, which is stunning.
I invite you to check it out, she really has been to some amazing places in the world, and she
shares her experiences through her photos.
www.vickystephensphotography.com
This is Fremont Lake in Wyoming.
I broached the subject, to DH, tonight of swapping out the pellet stove for a gas stove at some point.
I was kind of surprised that he is not opposed to it.
He;s probably sick of hauling pellets, if I had to guess.
So I managed to get myself to Hobby Lobby, to look at what they had for dollhouses.
I had a 40% off coupon, on my phone, so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been.
But I can definitely see that this may be a rabbit hole that I am about to go down.
How often can you use those 40% coupons??
I know that the look on her face will be worth every penny.
5 comments:
You will be #1 Grandma for sure.
I use the coupons all the time, to all the big box hobby stores. Why pay full price when they give you another option.
I have a friend whose mother wove until well into her eighties. She always had a tall bench and sat with her feet on the treadles. She didn't have to lift up, merely push down.
On the other hand, I'm sure you have tried every solution known. I've only woven occasionally on a rug loom, either a Union or a four harness.
My little doll house has a rug you made for it :-) You will LOVE furnishing and holiday decorating that house with your grand - worth every penny indeed. And so many things can be made for it by hand too - lots of fun.
I had a wonderful doll house when I was little, it was called Rose Cottage. Sadly I have no idea what happened to it, my mother probably gave it away. I still have some of the tiny furniture tucked away.
I had the very same problem last year, it was terrible, my hips felt like they were vibrating! I wonder if one of the Rio Grand walking looms would work better for you? Right now, I have a 60 inch Leclerc Nilart, that I use standing up, it helps with the hips and I can reach the edges so much easier than when I tried to sit at the loom.
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