Finally....

I got Thelma, a 4 harness Nilus LeClerc, over a year ago. She's kind of been around, built during the 1970s and has been used alot. She still is in great shape!! However, she had a sectional warp. The way I weave, a sectional warp doesn't work well. I've spent alot of time trying to decide what to do about the sectional part. Winding my warp onto there, trying to avoid the sections, became a huge problem where it took 3 of us to put a warp on since the warp had to be held tight while someone, DH, would stand at the back flipping threads to the sides when they hung up on the metal. DD would have to wind the warp on because the brake system is an older style and I couldn't do it and hold the warp tight.

So, finally this past week, I got the placemats off the loom and before I put another warp on, I decided enough already!

 I unscrewed all the screws on the warp beam and removed the sectional parts.

 DH helped me hammer the nails onto the apron that we put on the beam. I was going to help him hammer them in. However, couldn't find my hammer. Years ago my Dad gave me his old tackle box with tools in it. Since the box is in my studio and always in the same place, tools disappeared. A year and a half ago I made DH buy me more tools so I would have my own and just dared him to touch them. Somewhere down the road, I guess my hammer was tempting. So he had to nail all these nails himself without my help. I have no clue where my hammer is. I think I'll go and buy the pink ones next. Problem is, he isn't intimidated by pink. sigh!!

 Now I could get a warp on by myself and Thelma is part of the regular production now. I've got black, blue gray and hot pink on her. She's going to be a dream to weave!! Besides, the sectional parts are still here. I can put them back on. The screws are in a baggie and will be stored carefully. Also, I've got another warp beam I can attach to this loom. She came with the other beam and instructions but not attached yet. But, that's a problem for another day!

 Nilus has black, light gray and caribe on him.  Nilus is a really sturdy loom. Maybe because we added the 4 harnesses back when the add 4 came out so he's really sturdy and great for rugs. I wove all the rugs on him.

Having 2 looms like this is great. So Thelma will probably continue to be a production loom and Nilus will have rugs on him every so often!!
I also spent part of the week figuring out a bunch of warps to weave using as much of my stash as I can. I've got about a dozen projects ready in office depot boxes. I did have to order some yarns, especially weft, for them but they're ready now for me to continue weaving. Once the yarn arrives, I can grab a box, wind the warp and get it onto the loom to weave. There's a good feeling knowing that I've got a few months worth of projects ready there for me. Sure, I will throw in a warp or two of something else that I want to do, but knowing what I've got to weave is there waiting for me is a good feeling. One loom will always have a production warp on it.
I do still have a loom or two that's not warped and I have plans for them......maybe next week?
Happy weaving!!
Carol