Weaving...the final frontier...#2.

Well, I went to my weaving and spinning group today, empty loom in the back of my car, and confessed all. Yes, I told the truth...except, of course, I couldn`t bring myself to say I was relieved that I didn`t have to do any more. So Ayli (not Eileen as I`ve been calling her all this time...she`s Swedish and it always sounded like Eileen to my uncouth Scots ear) was terribly, terribly nice....and offered to help me warp up the loom again there and then.

I told her my nerves were too shattered by the experience to be able to think of starting again just yet.

She said that it was all obviously her fault because she started me off on something with such a fine yarn. Perhaps something more chunky this time so that I could get my confidence back? (She is SO nice.....)

I said I couldn`t quite bring myself to think about it just yet. (Very true, actually!)

She said it was such as shame as my piece (my tiny, tiny piece) was so perfect....

I said...oh, to cut a long story short I finally agreed to bring my elderly roller loom (yes, I own a loom, I bought it off Ebay when I thought I might like weaving) to the group in a couple of weeks time and she would put a nice chunky warp onto it for me, so that I could weave with strips of roving or very chunky natural handspun. Ulp.

Oh well...how could I say no? She`s so nice. I didn`t want to make her sad.

I thought some of you might like to see where the Haddington Spinners and Weavers group is based. We meet every Tuesday morning at the Poldrate Mill in Haddington. It`s a restored grain mill dating from the 18th C, but there`s been a mill here since medieval times. It`s partially used today by community craft groups which is why we`re here. I think it`s a wonderful setting for a group of spinners and weavers.



The mill wheel is still operational, btw...it does get run sometimes. East Lothian has big heritage open days when many otherwise private or restricted access historical sites are opened to the public.

We occupy the room directly behind the mill wheel. We share it with the mill machinery. It`s behind a barricade, of course, for public safety.



Beautiful room but with one huge disadvantage...the stone floor. And it was -5'C today in Haddington, and of course you can`t fill heritage sites with modern heating systems. It was cold. Note how all the spinners are still wearing jackets or double layers of sweaters.




Where am I? Well, that`s my Mazurka bottom left of the picture. The small looms are off to the left, the big looms are upstairs in the grain loft, which is a lot warmer but also houses the upholstery group so we can`t have the whole space. Bah. We`ll have to build a fire in the middle of the floor if it gets any colder.