Cracking on (and cracking up?)

Well, I've been rather busy.

I've gotten my hands on a Dryad Rug Loom courtesy of a fellow member of the Glamorgan Guild of WSD. I nipped down to Cardiff in a van driven by a family friend who had no idea what he was picking up (or indeed - where precisely we were going!) It is slightly bigger than I anticipated - and I was glad I went in a van as it would most certainly not fit in the car!

Most amusing moment  of moving it?As we were trying to get it out of the room - the now-previous owner wondered if they took the door off when they put it in there. I suddenly envisaged spending the night in her house getting the loom out rather than a 10 minute job! Fortunately with a bit of manoeuvring - the door stayed on and the loom was safely placed in the back of the van.

Having got it home (and it almost didn't fit through the front door!) I've had a check over of what the condition of it is. It does need some work and I need to replace a few parts, and it needs a sanding down (hello splinters!) and an oiling. Or two. Or ten. We'll see.

That is, however, put on hold whilst I focus on my Masters - my draft chapter is due in shortly (next week - yikes!) and until that is written, edited and submitted - the loom will sit in the dining room, waiting for its moment. It also has to take a back-burner to me job hunting. Alas, it appears that this time my contract will not be renewed. Fixed term contracts can be very frustrating - but I have enjoyed my time in my job and I do not regret signing on for a fixed term in any way.

In other news I demonstrated at the Model House in Llantrisant for Michelle Griffiths new 'Resist' Gallery space, along with other members of the Glamorgan Guild WSD. It was a lovely weekend being able to demonstrate weaving on my knitters loom to everyone who came in. I also purchased some lovely material from one of the other exhibitors there.

I also bought a book from the book sellers.

What was it?

A book on Rug Weaving printed by Dryad Press - with a picture of my monstrous new loom on the inside cover. Clearly it is my destiny to get my loom up and running asap!