Tree and a Cricket

It was time to plant a tree for The Bug, so we headed out to Chambersville Tree Farm Friday with Craig's dad.


He works out there and helped us pick out a lovely Desert Willow 'Bubba' for the front of the house. (A couple of rose bushes may have also snuck their way into the truck.) Thanks, Clint!


All the sunshine and fresh air must have been too much for Big I.


But when we got home there was a package at the door. I found a super good deal on a little Cricket loom a few weeks ago. I thought it might be fun to let people borrow or for the boys if they wanted to try some time. Oh boy! it had arrived.

I gave it a coat of paint right away and then to my surprise Big I declared he wanted to make a scarf 'All by myself!'. He decided it would be a scarf for Daddy.

So we picked some colors and warped it up. And to my great astonishment, he went to town. (The nap must have helped.)


Daddy even got in on the action.

And not to be outdone...


P.S. The new tree also made it into the ground, but it was late and there was no light. Perhaps photos later.

A little warped

Look what followed me home yesterday.


Yep, a loom. A Glimakra Ideal, to be exact.

I had no idea what kind of loom my friend had to give me, but I'm tickled it's a 'real' loom that actually has an existing company and customer support and supplies. I've already contacted Glimakra and they've been wonderfully helpful with some parts info.

Speaking of assembling, it was ridiculously easy. Really. I did it with a picture off the internet and less than 30 minutes. No tools or real instructions required. Big I 'helped' of course. It is missing a couple of minor parts that I should be able to replace from the hardware store. Now we just have to untangle all the treadles and lamms and shafts and get it all hung up.

I have no room in the house for it, but the price was right (read: free) and did anyone notice the price of a new one on that link up there? Yeah. You'd take it too.

Big I's already figured out how to use the ratchet to wind the warp beam and apron and then release the pawl to let it all unroll down to the floor.