Twinkle toes

Foot rest on my 56" air dobby

The foot rest or foot rail or the B4 and B5 Macomber Looms has a very specific purpose. The treadles are hinged at the back of the loom - this is what gives the Macomber such good leverage and ease in lifting multiple harnesses for complex weaves. The foot rest allows you to leave your foot (when in the resting position) at the same height as your treadle. Then when you are ready to use that foot to engage with a treadle - you simply slide it towards the back of the loom and step down.

This photo is of my 56" which has the air dobby and thus the treadles are covered with a protective box. The other picture is of my 40" - a more typical foot rest set up.

There's an update on the treadle detecting device called TempoTreadle. Dawne has added many new features to the software and says she never will weave without it now! Check out her website and let her know if you are interested in giving one a trial.

40" with foot rest

Lastly - my newest community art project "Well Used, Well Loved" is fully launched. Eight hand-woven towels have traveled to households from London to Oregon. Kozo paper has traveled from Florida to Maine, to Texas and Washington, to North Carolina and New Hampshire. About 50 people are engaged in a compelling conversation about age and beauty. We have a close FB group for our discussions - but a public blog. Please check it out.

Happy weaving to all ~ Sarah




hand-woven towel getting well used and loved



So clever!

Every now and then I have weavers share with me something that they have built to help with either weaving or warping their loom. This blog post will highlight two inventions that assist weavers to be more efficient warping alone and more accurate with  long treadling sequences.


The first adaptation is a device built by local weaver Dawne Wimbrowe and a colleague - she calls this device Tempo Treadle.  Here is a quote from her blog that helps explain what it does for weavers - "TempoTreadle is a very unique solution for hand weavers with traditional looms who want just a bit of technology to help make the weaving process more enjoyable, without fear of treadling mistakes.


Here is a link to Dawne's blog that will help explain it all! Please it check out!

The second adaptation called Trapeze Warping - is  especially for those who find warping long warps alone a challenge. I think this set-up has been around a while -  but it is new to me! Check out the above link to Weavolution for the discussion on this style of warping that uses weights and distance to create a steady tension for warping on your loom. There are also videos on UTube and books on this topic.


The trapeze set up here is on loom in Holliston, MA. The cool thing is that this trapeze was built from recycled parts - including the boom from a small sail boat!


Both of these adaptions might be beneficial for you and your weaving! Let me know what you think! Meanwhile in my own studio - I am back from my solo studio time at Hambidge. What an amazing experience - I think that subject warrants its own blog post!


Since I have been home I have been working on launching a new community art project called "Well Used, Well Loved" - a project that explores age and beauty via hand-woven dishtowels.

Eight dish towels ready to be used and loved.

More soon!
Sarah