I got up early this morning and wet-finished the yardage. Â 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. Â Three pressings total, two on one side and one on the other. Â (I really should have given it one more press on the other side, but I just couldn’t face one more round of pressing.) Â 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. Â 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). Â 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. Â 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. Â (One of them is very large and is probably one of the main roots for the tree.) Â 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. Â 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. Â It will be wonderful having a dye sink near my working space! Â (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. Â I’m putting a rubber mat 1/4″ thick on the platform, and will hold down the edges using double-sided carpet tape. Â 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. Â I plan to build the platform today, but the mat won’t arrive until next week, so I’ll install it then. Â 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. Â I may dig up the garden area, though, so it isn’t all weeds. Â (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.) Â We’ll have to decide on irrigation, etc. before I actually put any plants in, though.
What a lot to do! Â It’s a bit intimidating, but also really exciting.