My new boat shuttles have arrived from Bluster Bay Woodworks!!! The front one is leopardswood and the back one is curly walnut. They are both end-delivery shuttles which I have no experience of. But I hear such good things about better selvedge and faster weaving that I lashed out on these two and a dozen pirns. I just have to learn how to wind a pirn properly and get the tension right. Well actually I just have to warp up the Megado with 34 sections of 41 threads each. I have printed out the threading from Fibreworks at one section to a page. As I do each section, I will identify the correct colours for each thread and write it on the print out. Each cone is already marked with the identifying number from Fibreworks. I can see this being a slow process.
I don't have to have much encouragement to buy another shuttle from Bluster Bay. I have five ordinary ones acquired over the years. I also have three other boat shuttles of different makes. The Leclerc is okay but the two roller shuttles are a real pain with fine silk. I was very taken with a recent photo in Handwoven - see Page 34, bottom right in Issue 147. This shows Robin Spady's collection of boat shuttles. My first reaction was 'What does she do with them all?' My second reaction was to realise that I was green with envy.
They look absolutely beautiful, the shape and finish calls for them to be picked up and used. I shan't look long or I will have shuttle-envy myself! However, I do look forward to learning how you find them in use.
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