MEET HARRIS - My new Countermarch 4 Shaft foldable loom.

My wonderful family helped me to buy and collect this lovely Harris 4 Shaft loom.

I am absolutely thrilled with it.

As there has been debate in Facebook groups as to if it is a Countermarch or Jack Loom I post these instructions which came with the loom.

  

Jacks at the top holding Y strings 

  Most of the tie up strings were in such a mess - I suspect tied again for transit, but knots on top of knots and knots ontop of slip knots.  

So thanks to Facebook groups Weaving chat UK   https://www.facebook.com/groups/837532146389660

4 Shaft Weaving https://www.facebook.com/groups/4shaftweaving

Harris looms https://www.facebook.com/harrislooms

Harrisville design loom users  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1075073089246302

I was given a lot of support and advice.

Most people sort the tie up out by lieing on the floor - that was not an option for me or Mike in our current state of health but with the help of our neighbour we were able to fold the loom and lift it onto a substantial oak table. 

This made access so much easier albeit it was such a mission to sort it all out. 

Mike was a star and helped enormously.

 

 

No need for words the pictures say it all, but don't show the frustration trying to do this with a left hand which has lost some fine motor skills due to brain lesion. 

Finally ten hours work after starting over two days we have two workable shafts with which to do plain weave. 

1st left treadle 1 and 3 heddles 

2nd left treadle 1Y string 

3rd left treadle 1 and 3 heddles

4th left treadle 2Y string

5th left treadle 2 and 4 heddles

6th left treadle 3Y string 

7th left treadle 2 and 4 heddles 

8th left treadle 4Y string

That will be an excellent start, for now. Yes maybe it should be tweeked a bit more but think for simple playing around it will be fine until I put a proper warp on for a rug as per my previous post 

https://orangecottagescrafts.blogspot.com/2022/10/inspiration-weaving-thick-chunky-rugs.html

My spinning wheel is going to be busy also spinning up thick Leicester longwool fleece ready for my first rug project on Harris. Waiting for a Jumbo flyer.

Today I washed two black Leicester longwool shearling fleece they are wonderful fleece from Yew Tree Farm Seighford  https://www.facebook.com/YTFSeighford

 and have two white ones to wash later in the week.