A New Sheep Friend

I picked up my new Schacht loom, donated to me by the former Bullthistle Rag Rug Weaving program, sadly disbanded due to budget cuts. I hope to get my students weaving with it one day. The loom is gorgeous, and it came with lots of equipment and a lovely bench. I'm a bit overwhelmed and want to use it ASAP, but I really have to brush up on my weaving skills. I've wanted to weave for years and years, and even attended Swedish weaving camp in the Berkshires for a week before moving to this farm, but I'm kinda rusty on things like warping, etc. The Bullthistle people were teaching the homeless and unemployed to weave rag rugs. I finally got to meet Kathryn McMahon, who I learned about from Dr. Cindy Carter in Hamilton. Kathryn has a sheep farm in South Otselic and even shears her own sheep! She raises Percheron draft horses and hopes to harvest hay with them someday. We shared the same grinding anxiety over hay and scrounging around to get enough of it to get us through the winter. She will set up a weaving studio in a church around the corner from the former Bullthistle site and teach weaving. I will certainly be one of her eager students someday soon. I know, I know, in my spare time. I rush home to the farm after school and still don't get done with chores until 9...but where there is a will there is a way. I just poured almond soap and the aroma is wonderfully intoxicating, but I am reeeeaaaally tired. Have to get outside with the doggies and do some skywatching, pull my night gown on and make my chamomile tea with honey. The morning will come way too soon.