I Have a What?

A million, zillion public thanks to L & J for coming over today and ID'ing my floor loom! This, you'll recall, is the loom my friend IV gave me about a month or so ago, just before the new semester (and the associated insanity) started.

It seems that I possess a "counterbalance loom." It also seems that counterbalance looms are more difficult to use than the typical jack looms (naturally) and that mine has a few bends where no bends should be (which may require DH's newly-acquired metalsmithing skills to repair, a possibility that tickles him no end). But I'm so excited to finally have some information on this and some ideas of how to proceed with fixing it up and weaving on it. J & L, you rock!!

Aside from J's wonderful weaving advice, L also showed me how to spin long-draw, a skill I'd never been able to get the hang of myself. What a difference an in-person demo makes! I can't wait to pull out my lovely new alpaca roving and spin it up long-draw. Let me say it again: J & L, you rock!!

L also brought a boxful of toys with her, including half a dozen gorgeous spindles. We compared Bossies and I realized that I'm not totally insane to think my Moosie, while gorgeous, isn't necessarily the best spinner...L has found something similar with her Moosie. I still wouldn't trade mine -- it's so pretty to look at! -- but I don't know that I'll get much actually spinning done with it. At least I feel better now that I know it's not just me.

In fact, I'm so "fiber-inspired" that I can hardly decide what to do next. Do I start that alpaca before my fingers forget the feeling of long-draw? Do I warp up the RH loom and make the throw I've been planning as a gift for friends? Do I keep working on my alpaca dickey and try to finish it off in the next day or two? Decisions, decisions.

All I know for now is DH needs the computer, and if I want to get anything done tonight I'd better stop blogging and start fiber-ing. Guess I'll just head out to the living room and see which project calls the loudest....