The truck came, we scrubbed, we conquered…

I’m off to California tomorrow for the CNCH 2014 Fiber Conference in Oakland, a bit worse for the wear.  But really really happy with what we, actually that should read, what WE accomplished late last week.

Thursday the moving company arrived at William Paterson University and these amazing guys hauled a bunch of Macomber and a couple of Leclerc looms, ten in all, down from the second floor, into a moving van, and I only had to dismantle one of the Leclerc’s that wouldn’t fit through the door of the textile studio.  Those Macombers were sort of like small pianos.  And with all the peripheral equipment and a spinning wheel thrown in for good measure, (which I put in the back of my car for safety) we all took off for western NJ and Peters Valley.  They were loaded in an hour and a half, and were at the Valley by noon.

My lovely wonderful textile buddy Carol was there to help oversee  and by the afternoon, we had everything reasonably in place and mostly unpacked.  I headed back out to the Valley on Friday where the most amazing crew from the Jockey Hollow Weavers Guild met me with rubber gloves, buckets, and a gallon of Murphy’s Oil Soap.

Meanwhile, Gary, a huge supporter of Peters Valley, and an amazing woodworker, showed up with his truck of magic tools and took seven of the worst of the Leclerc benches out onto the lawn, and proceeded to do some major surgery.  I understand all the sides that were cracked in half were biscuit joined and glued and then years of gunk and dye and detritus were sanded off.

Inside the studio we scrubbed, and polished, thanks Jenny, Sally and Betty (though I seem to not have a photo you).

And another marvelous member of the weaving guild, Bill, became my trusty brake man…

It seems that there was a box, unknown to anyone, way in the back of a closet at the textile studio at the Valley, that had a large amount of Macomber metal parts, enough to repair and/or replace all the hardware that these looms seem to be missing.  It is one of those mystical coincidences that all the missing parts of looms that were 60 miles away, seem to be hiding at the place where they were destined to end up. There are no words.

On Saturday I picked up Elisa and we headed back out to the Valley and did more scrubbing and waxing, Howard’s Feed and Wax is an amazing product.  Between Howard’s and Murphy’s Oil soap, the studio has never smelled so good.

And so, still needing some minor tweaking,  and all new aprons, which I’ll start on next week, I’m flying off to California with some very happy looms, in a very happy place.

Please come out and see how wonderful these three rooms of  looms look at Peters Valley’s annual open house, Sunday May 4th! All of the yarn should be unpacked and up onto the shelves.  It will truly look like a weaving studio.  I’ll be there demonstrating and playing the role of proud mom!  I feel like I gave birth!

Stay tuned…