Handmade Backstrap Loom Kits

So what is backstrap weaving?  Well, the art of backstrap weaving is practiced by many artisans in the highlands of Guatemala and have been indigenous to this region for generations....  According to Maya myth, backstrap weaving originated with Ixchel, the Maya goddess taking numerous forms, Moon, Water, Weaving and Childbirth.
Okay so now you know the history and how ancient it is.  It is one of the most beautiful things I've seen...watching someone use a backstrap loom to create the most wonderful works of art.
Well, I could I resist ...:)
So here is my first backstrap loom set and the next one I'm still working on getting all the parts.
I'm including with my little kit the how kit and caboodle :)
So with my set you get all this!!!!  The new set will be 6 epi Heddle and able to use worsed weigh yarn for the warp.
1 - adjustable backstrap
1 - Band Lock
1 - 8 dpi heddle - 1/8" thick solid walnut, approx 7x4"
1 - Sami Yarn shuttle (one side has been sanded thin for beating)
1 - warp comb
1 - back beam
2- warp sticks
1 - cotton carry bag

So here is my first kit

And here is the set I'm working on.  Need to make the band lock and back beam and it will be ready to sell.  Update Here is the Lg Steampunk Backstrap Kit.

Loom's on the Go just in time for Christmas

I'm getting so excited about Christmas!  Are you?  Well, I've been racking my brain trying to think of something new for my shop that would be perfect for children or grand children of weavers!  Teaching someone to weave, well that is my all time favorite thing to do or to hear about.  So I've got a new loom in my shop....and it's perfect for little weavers (and big ones too).
Here they are....Little Loom on the Go!

Cherry

Walnut

and Large Loom on the Go

Progress made on my new Handmade ski shuttles.

So in between orders I've been working on my ski shuttle design and here she is.  One day I'm going to make that steam box so I can get a better curve on the ends of these but for now this is as good as it gets.  These will be for sale now and I will continue to work on the design as I get user input but I'm feeling pretty good about these.  YAAAAAAAAAAAAA  :)  These will be 16" and 13" long and 1.5" wide x 1 inch tall.  This one is made from black walnut.

Handmade Ski Shuttle

Wow, it was a beautiful weekend.  The weather was a cool 80ish and breezy.  I don't know about you but I long for these sort of days and I wish we had more than one or two a year!  Anyway the weather was so nice I spend the entire and I do mean entire weekend in my garage filling orders and oh yes...designing new stuff!  Oh and how fun is that.  So I wanted to find ways of using that totally expensive (for me) laser machine and I've created several files to test out to see if they will be worthy of laser cutting.

The first thing I set out to try to cut is 3/4" oak with a mirror cut.  Well unfortunately this did not work.  The oak is just way to hard.  So I tried the same file (heddle stands for my looms) on some pine and wallah it worked like a charm.  I'm not sure I want to use pine for the heddle stands but it might work since they really don't get any stress.

So then I moved on to making a new shuttle.  Oh yes a new shuttle!  This one has been in my mind for some time to make.  A "potential" customer has been nagging "sort of" me for a ski shuttle for months.  I told her when time permits that I would give it a go.  Well finally I did.  This is the proto type it is 1" tall x 1" wide x 16" long.  I'm going to change the width to 1.5" so more yarn can fit onto it and I'm also going to do a 13" version.
Well without further ado here is my first ski shuttle.  These I made from solid mahogany.

As you can see from the bottom I need to work on the file so the tabs come all the way through to the bottom. :)  These will be in the scratch and dent section.

 

Backstrap loom with shuttle.

You might have noticed my post about my new laser machine.  Well it's taken a super long time (at least for me) to get it all figured out and actually make something with it.  My goal is to make rug shuttles, heddles and other items I can dream up.  So I thought I'd post an update.  Here is my first project that is for sale.  :)  I have made other items and will take pictures soon but this one is ready and I'm super pleased!