Continuing the discussion from Dallas Makerspace Show and Tell - April 2017:
It was suggested you āseeā me because Iām coordinating the fiber arts in general, and specifically the table loom in this case.
As @uglyknees mentioned, this is NOT a one-person tool. Itās due to the slow nature of weaving and the logistics of tool usage at DMS. We have come up with specific logistics in order to accommodate using it for a wider number of people in a class setting.
To answer your question, thereās nothing to post other than āfor class use onlyā. It has nothing to do with personal tool reservation.
For anyone that would like to weave on it, we will be having regular classes with varying focus, interest levels, and shared warps. We hope you can join us and give it a try.
Anyone have questions on this, I will be happy to discuss with you.
[edit to add]
For folks curious about how classes will work, hereās a good example, the description of the class we just had a couple days ago, and Nicole posted her sample from above.
https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/2129
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Thanks bunches for splitting this off @LisaSelk! I didnāt want to derail the show and tell thread, but obviously some folks are curious how the new loom is gonna work with DMS tool usage logistics.
We had a thorough discussion re logistics before purchase, then again in the last CA meeting, but obviously not everyone would be privy to that.
And Iām happy to go into mind-numbing detail with anyone that wants the deeper explanation 
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So training is required.
As with ALL fiber tools except for crochet hooks and knitting needles.
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Hey. At least in woodshop I get to use a few things that need to be plugged in without training. (I am trained, though.)
Training is a way of limiting access when you donāt have anything that creates a safety hazard. This subjective training issue is one of the biggest bummers of DMS. I think @AlexRhodes was working on a matrix, but I never saw it come to be finished.
I can understand demanding training to limit liability if something might kill you. When you limit training to stuff that doesnāt even plug in, itās because of a sense of ownership.
Lulu is, at best, a six person per year tool. How much did she cost?
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Actually, all it takes is a tiny bit of coordination with one of the fiber trainers and a few minutes to learn the āsecret handshakeā (AKA the way that tools have to be set up in order to function) and basic how-to if youāre not familiar with them.
This is what you have apparently missed in Jeannieās detailed description. This is the kind of tool that is for learning. Not sure how you arrived at āsix people per yearā as 10 people used it in class on Tuesday.
She was $300
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Weāll see. Folks might weave much faster than I do. Sharing bits for a class is much different than working a project.
So when will the details of using this loom be posted? Or are they only conveyed with the secret handshakeā¦ I guess Iād like to know the availability before committing to a class.
I believe @AlexRhodes and others are working on a safety matrix not a training matrix.
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Oh. So thatās my misunderstanding. Except I thought the safety matrix was to determine which pieces needed a training versus a video training or maybe even no training. But I could be completely confused by it all.
Copied directly from @kyrithia in the Fibeeholics Facebook group (if you plan to use any DMS fiber tool I highly suggest you join, because thatās our primary method of communication.)
Heads up to folks interested in weavingā¦
Let me introduce you to Lulu, our new 4-harness table loom for Fiberarts. Specifically, her pedigree is a Dorothy LeClerc. She seems friendly and eager to please. I think weāll enjoy having her around. We have some upcoming classes planned so we can all get to know one another.
IMPORTANT:
I mention this now to give you a heads up if you want to bring your own yarn to weave the first sample with, because the first class in a couple of weeks is going to be a taste of weaving. Folks interested will do a smallish sample off of the current blue wool warp in the pic. Learn simple reading of weaving draft patterns, play around.
***You can bring your own thread for weft (like is the white yarn in the pic) or use something from bin (likely acrylic).
I say this NOW in case you wanna spin some (hinthint for you spinners, especially since you only need a little smidge)
Or buy some.
#flimsyexcuseforyarnshopping
#flimsyexcuseforroadtrip
#sorrynotsorry
Made/bought/whatever yarn, good candidates are around sport-weight and not extremely fuzzy/texture/eyelash/art so it wonāt obscure pattern. Weight can go from sock to worsted/afghan, but sport is probably the closest to what would be balanced. Specific color of warp in pic inset below
You probably donāt need a lot. This is an 80" warp with part already woven, plus tie-on and loom-waste, divided by who wants to weave (I capped the class at 8). So Iām thinking resulting samples from this, maybe 5-8" woven if we have all 8 spots used. Bit more if fewer people. You could make a little pouch or bag or whatevs from it, or keep as sample. Future projects will vary. This is just what was on it already that weāre weaving off.
ALSO, another slight change:
We will occasionally be changing up Tuesdays so theyāre split, 7-8pm weaving class, 8-9pm Fiberfrolic. Itās a logistics thing I can explain in person if anyone is curious.
BUT if you have no interest in weaving, you are still welcome to come frolic starting at 7pm as long as the volume/distraction doesnāt interfere with the weaving class.
And Iāve mentioned in person, and will say it here in case you missed the discussionā¦Iām structuring the weaving classes to accomodate different levels of interest. I recognize some folks want the whole tamale and all the delicious deep details, some might be interested in playing around just weaving a little but no interest in how the sausage is made, and some will have zero interest all together. Then we have the logistics of one loom, multiple people, time-consuming to use, a mountain of knowledge to convey to those interested, and the special quirks and rules of the Makerspace ā¦
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I saw that. Iām interested in the details as to how this tool will be shared under the mystery rules. Thatās the missing info.
Maybe the deal is no one gets to use it for a personal project and itās classes and the instructors only?
Come to her class and ask. She hammered these rules out with @uglyknees , and my interest in weaving was fulfilled for now with the amount I wove on Tuesday, so I spaced on the specifics.
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Oh please understand. Iām not just asking for myself. To hint of rules but not offering the rules is a control issue and not in the spirit of DMS.
Just pop the rules out on the wiki or a new thread for this new $300 purchase, and life is good.
Lulu has been on site for approximately 48 hours. Itās going to take a minute for our amazing volunteers to get the info to someone who has the time and inclination to mess with the wiki and then for them to update it.
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So, a few thingsā¦
No, itās not ātraining requiredā in the normal context of DMS tools, HOWEVER, usage is limited to actual class instruction and whoever signed up for that particular class.
Our three training required fiber tools are categorized that way because either you can hurt them or they can hurt you if used improperly. (Drumcarder, wool combs, spinning wheel). The loom isnāt in that category. Itās limited access for logistical reasons.
BUT because of the logistics of DMS tool usage intersecting with the lengthy time it takes to set up a loom and weave the projects(s) off, weāve come up with a good compromise that allows many folks to use and learn. The offset of that is that it IS NOT available for personal use.
Details of logistics we had to work around:
- canāt leave the space
- canāt leave personal projects
- loom takes hours/days to use for a single person
- the come/go timeframe (barring some sleepless super-weaving marathon) that we can potentially wind up having one person tying up one piece of equipment for lengthy times plus it essentially āstoringā a project on equipment while being woven
And most importantly,
5) the POINT is to TEACH weaving to lots of people
The compromise is we are using a common shared warp with varying focus, in a classroom setting with the registrants for that particular class given opportunity to weave off their portion. They learn.
**LOTS of folks get to use it, not just one person tying up a piece of equipment, which doesnāt fit into DMS tool usage culture.
You said:
" To hint of rules but not offering the rules is a control issue and not in the spirit of DMS."
I think I said as simply as I could in the original post (I invite you to go back up there and re-read it) that the loom is for class instruction not personal use at this time, so that it makes it available to the maximum number of people.
No secret rules. No control issue. Simply you need be part of a class. Since you keep digging at this, I elaborated on some of the reasoning behind it. Youāre creating an issue where there is none.
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And we got a wonderful deal on her, I think new one are around $1,000
And we would need more storage room,
Cindy I intend to be around tomorrow and I need to do my sample
weaving on it, There was not enough time the other night for me
to get a chance to weave. Those of us that were members, allowed the
non members to weave first, I have done a little weaving on 4 shot
talbe loom before, so I felt I could handle it on my own AFTER I took
the class
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Close, new of those looms are $750-800, plus we had a couple tools come with. Still a very nice deal.
Yes, Tuesday worked perfectly as Iād hoped. Better actually. In the description, Iād anticipated not everyone would fit into the weaving time that night, but that if we had the non-members that could only be there during a class go first, then members as time allowed or whenever they were next at the space before next Tuesday (when deadline is that Iāll cut off the warp)ā¦it worked great.
Everyone was gracious, all the non-members got theirs woven, and several members. I think itās mainly @Cairenn_Day and @wandrson left to go (your wound bobbins are in the bag with the shuttle on the shelf by the drum carder, and the purple folder with the drafts is in between the weaving book and the magazine file box in case your copy isnāt handy). **note, when you pull the loom down, I put a couple pieces of leather under the front legs for traction in case the cabinet got jostled. Please be sure to replace them when putting it away.
**TO ALL, once Cairenn and Walter are done, there MIGHT be a little warp left if anyone wants to stop by on Tuesday nightās Fiberfrolic and give it a go. TALK TO ME FIRST please since the registered students have priority. And Tuesday night only, not before. But if ya wanna try it out, and are around, stop by and Iāll see what is available.
Btw, if anyone missed this last class, Iām putting in a new warp with a different focus pretty quick and will post then.
Also, for you folks that like the technical side of things or interested in the whole tamale of weaving knowledge, I have a class on the schedule a couple Tuesdays away on understanding weaving pattern drafts.
As Iāve said elsewhere, Iām deliberately structuring the weaving classes to accommodate different levels of interest. Deeper detail for those interested, and just sit down and weave without all the thinky bits for those that just wanna make something.
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At some time I would love to see it warped, but I know that
that is a very time consuming procedure and I wouldn t
even to expect you to do that until after Faire
And I think that we need to understand more or the nitty -gritty
first to fully appreciate it,
BTW, when we have a group of folks trained, I think it
would be fun to develop our own plaid It would be fun to
design it and them to make a small piece for all those
that help on it, But that is in the future
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Yeah it does take hours to warp, but itās something I think some folks are interested in learning.
Logistics on this (besides my very crunchy schedule the next two months)ā¦
Iām thinking of approaching teaching warping two ways:
-
at some point, an actual warping class where we do the full process start to finish. For that to work in only a 2-3 hour class, I figure we could do a narrower warp with bigger thread. Thereās a cool supplemental warp project we could combine with it as a dual-lesson. I need to test-drive how realistic it is to squish this into that size time-frame on my loom at home. Thatās where weāre starting to double-dip on my very limited personal play time right so Iāve got to figure that outā¦
-
in the meantime, i AM planning on keeping a warp on that loom most of the time for one class or another, OR have a warp that is āopen warpā to all of DMS, like just come and weave (I need to cobble a handout FAQ, more timeā¦) but I think if it were structured like a person can weave up to X inches, deadline for cutting warp (Iām thinking a couple weeks), possible pay X amount per woven inch to CA tribute box depending on materialsā¦anyone totally new to weaving can swing by on a tues/thurs night for quickie lesson (5-10min) on basic mechanics then do it when they feel like.
Anyway, Iām THINKING of putting on something like that next Thursday if I can gather up materials. Give folks a couple weeks to weave it off. That will time out for the next focus subject (a weave structure or color in weave effect probably) I want to put on and have a class.
Soooā¦if the planets align and Iām not crazed with renfair related commitments (custom orders are lighter at beginning so fingers crossed) then I was thinking Iād post here on Talk and in fb Fiberholics and anyone that wanted to wander in and out while Iām putting on the next warp, I can explain what Iām doing and they may can do a little if wished. Think of it as a multi-hour demo. If it happens, Iāll likely time it for later afternoon and into evening so itāll be something interesting in CA during tours.
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