Looking for crafty people...

[nodressrehersal]

...or people with connections to crafty people. I'm cleaning out a storage unit of a hoarder, and there are a number of items I'd like to identify and, if possible, get an idea of value. One thing is a big loom that folds up (maybe they all do, I don't know) but other things are a complete mystery to me. I'm putting lots of pictures behind a cut. I

Comments

[ecosopher]

You might try puppetmaker40. I think her expertise lies mostly in puppets but I know she also makes costumes, so is probably pretty textile-savvy. She's flat out with preparations for DragonCon right now, I think, but she might be able to give you some thoughts?

[sahlah]

I googled Lily loom and that bottom thing is a table loom - perhaps even vintage. Here is one on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Lily-Table-Loom-Lily-Mills-Company-Shelby-NC-1973-5-Instruction-Books-/271038498545?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1b2746f1#ht_4274wt_1190... )

[nodressrehersal]

Your research gave me the jump start I needed. I just found my way to The Weavers Guild of Buffalo: http://www.weaversguildofbuffalo.org/index.html - I'm going to send an email to them and see what I hear back. Thanks so much for gettin' googly for my!

[sahlah]

Excellent

[nodressrehersal]

Your research gave me the jump start I needed. I just found my way to The Weavers Guild of Buffalo: http://www.weaversguildofbuffalo.org/index.html - I'm going to send an email to them and see what I hear back. Thanks so much for gettin' googly for me!

[sahlah]

Follow up information - looks like Ravelry has a market as well - perhaps good for your needs?

Did your horder have yarn as well? Of course she did - is it in good shape?

[nodressrehersal]

"Of COURSE she did" is right! I have no idea if it's in good shape. I have about 4 large garbage bags full of all types of yarn. There's another huge lot of loom-weaving-type yarn/thread stuff, too.

How do you determine if yarn is still good or not? This stuff has been in the storage unit for at least 8 years as best as I can figure, but based on a lot of the magazines and clippings I'm finding, some stuff is from the 70s and 80s.

[sahlah]

Are the skeins still with their labels? Sort by fiber content - that's how knitters like their yarn.

We can research the yarn after you get it sorted. It's hard to say if the yarn is still good - if it's wool - and not attacked by moths - it might be able to be washed and rewound into fresh balls of yarn. For the right price a knitter will take the chance and take the lot of it from you. Stash acquisition is a sickness.

If the yarn is acrylic - and doesn't smell - it probably is still good even after all these years. It is acrylic after all. Smell would be the enemy - you'll never get it out of a man-made fiber.

And the final test - if you don't like what it feels like - get rid of it. It will not feel any better knitted into a sweater.

[nodressrehersal]

Great advice, to sort by fiber content - fits with the organizer's mantra: Like with like! I haven't seen any sign of buggy visitors, but I haven't looked closely. As far as smell, it's mostly lack of fresh air. I'm bringing stuff home to my garage. I edited my photos above - one thing is a "warping board" and looks like they go for about $100 bucks.

[kabuldur]

That's a beautiful spinning wheel! And my the sounds of it (thanks Sahlah), it is real.

It's a pity people don't always get the chance to tell people what all these things are before they pass on or go to the next stage of their life :(

[nodressrehersal]

Actually, the hoarder is still living. But she doesn't want to know what's in the storage unit, in order for her to be able to let it all go. I agreed to empty it for her in exchange for any money I could make selling the contents. No matter what these items might be worth, it's not a money maker for me, but it's the only way I could think of to help her move forward. So I can't ask her about these things...

[bookglowwurm]

So cool! I see that you have lots of help here figuring it all out but I'm happy to report that I can identify most of the equipment. The Weaver's Guild is a good place to start.

[nodressrehersal]

I just heard from my 1st choice auctioneer, and he's passing on all this, so tomorrow I've GOT to get someone in the Weaver's Guild to talk to me; if I send it to my 2nd choice auctioneer, I doubt I'll get much for it, but still- it all needs to go.