Wet-finished

I got up early this morning and wet-finished the yardage.  It took me three hours to wet-finish, two of which were spent standing over it, giving it a hard press with a handheld iron.  Three pressings total, two on one side and one on the other.  (I really should have given it one more press on the other side, but I just couldn’t face one more round of pressing.)  This process is every bit as boring as it sounds, unfortunately, and it has to be done all at once, so I was quite relieved after declaring victory on the third press.

Here is a shot of one section of yardage, on the ironing board:

I will do a “beauty shot” and fill out my application today.  I’m also thinking of sending in my cashmere-coat yardage, which I don’t think I’ve submitted before (I think the only requirement is that the yardage not previously have been shown at CNCH).  It’s not the best yardage I’ve ever woven but it will provide more interest to the gallery display, and it is pretty!

Meanwhile, in new-homeowner land, the plan for today is to build the platform for the loom, and set in pavers to give a firm foundation for my dye sink.  We’ve already dug out the area, except for some large lemon tree roots which we deliberately left in so as not to traumatize the lemon tree.  (One of them is very large and is probably one of the main roots for the tree.)  Fortunately, the roots don’t run directly beneath the sink-to-be, meaning we can install pavers and still have some hope of keeping the surface stable.  I’ve already ordered the sink – it’s an 18″ x 18″ sink basin plus a drain board on the left side, which will be handy for setting down dye pots, jars, etc. that need washing.  It will be wonderful having a dye sink near my working space!  (Not to mention lots of shade, courtesy of the lemon tree.)

The platform for the loom is going to be a 4’x8′ sheet of three-quarter inch plywood held up by lengths of 2″x2″ running down the long side of the plywood, spaced 6″ apart.  I’m putting a rubber mat 1/4″ thick on the platform, and will hold down the edges using double-sided carpet tape.  I figure the rubber mat will help keep the loom in place (nonskid, textured surface), show pins clearly, be easy to clean, and also help muffle any noise from the loom.  I plan to build the platform today, but the mat won’t arrive until next week, so I’ll install it then.  After that I can move my loom any time.

The two other large items are installing more electrical circuits and a dishwasher, both of which are mostly Mike’s department, since he has the patience, precision, and expertise for cutting up cabinets and installing electrical conduit.  I may dig up the garden area, though, so it isn’t all weeds.  (The previous owners didn’t keep the lawn in any sort of condition, so it’s 90% weeds, front and back, with very little grass.)  We’ll have to decide on irrigation, etc. before I actually put any plants in, though.

What a lot to do!  It’s a bit intimidating, but also really exciting.