Recent content by humblebumble

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    Voyageur/Mertis Sash. Where to get, who makes?

    cool link John. I wasn't aware that's what people meant by finger weaving, cheers! :-) Boy is that labour intensive, i wonder if the same effect could be created by kumihimo, it definitely looks like a kumihimo band in the finished stage. Though for a wider band I suppose we'd be talking about...
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    Voyageur/Mertis Sash. Where to get, who makes?

    i didn't have any problem viewing the link as originally posted, maybe it's a problem for people working behind a proxy, like if you're viewing it at work or college or in the library?
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    Voyageur/Mertis Sash. Where to get, who makes?

    Hi Chris What exactly are you looking for? I search Metis Sash, and I find a sash as worn by american indians, which appears to be of a 2/2 twill loom-woven structure. The first of mary's links, i'm not sure of the structure of the fabric, but it looks like by fingerweaving they maybe mean...
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    Stew: You've hit it right on the head. Damn fine idea. I wonder if I can get this organised for the week after the end of term.
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    oh, it says where i am on the top of my post. so you don't have to guess. silly me
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    Ahh, yes, I know the term greasy. Also, grey goods, greige, loom-state cloth. I worked in Hawick briefly, but only as a shopworker in a wee offy. I've more recently worked in Peebles at Robert Noble over the summer as the design department's dogsbody, measuring tiny pieces of yarn to a...
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    aaaah, these aren't hattersley's. These are 20th century George Wood Dobbies, and a slightly motley collection of much older looms, which date back to the founding of the College back in the days of lore. The dobby boxes I think are generally more modern, but the frames of the looms and the...
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    That is a very good idea Mary. I have already been teaching all the 1st and 2nd years how to oil the moving parts (we were never shown). I think we need more than one oil can though. Last year I got a little water on my beater bar by accident and realised that what I had assumed was the built...
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    so, now veering away from the DIY topic, what could cause someone's excema to flair up in relation to work?
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    thank you all mr ferret: I am in final year and the technician is retiring next year. I have so far been the main person that's been pushing through changes. I had all the old cotton tie up cord replaced with Swedish Texsolv (fantastic stuff) and spent so much time complaining about the state...
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    Skin problems caused by working with old wood and steel

    Wasn't sure where to put this, so I'm putting it here, as I suggest any possible solutions may come from the realm of craft rather than medicine. Here's the issue. In the weaving room at my college, we have about 50 old looms. Very old looms, some of the frames are 200 years old. The metal is...
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    How do you make fine string?

    oh yeah, link http://weave4fun.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/doubleface-card-weaving-is-actually.html
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    How do you make fine string?

    doubleface card weaving is actually considerably simpler than it looks, by a good long measure. The basic principle is that you warp your deck up in two colours, with one colour in 2 adjacent holes and the other colour in the opposite holes. Say it's white and black. You then set your pack with...
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    How do you make fine string?

    Aah, long draw. Not got that figured yet. Next time I'm up north I'll have to go see if I can swap long draw spinning for doublefaced card weaving
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    How do you make fine string?

    Aaah, lovely stuff :-) You've reminded me I've got a bag of combed tops I borrowed from the big bin by the terrifying carding machine at college. Happy days Can you distaff spin from wool tops or is it just for vast fibres?