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I started to write a little thank you to Claudia for the creation of LESSON ONE: PRIDE IN THE PROCESS AND PERSONAL FORGIVENESS I am new This started out to be a little thank you to Claudia for her skill PRIDE IN THE PROCESS AND PERSONAL FORGIVENESS Where else in the world can you get these life lessons and not have Take care and thanks again to Claudia, Sue In a galaxy far, far away, where only serious bead artists dare to I was so intimidated by statements of tedious and unsuccessful So, just exactly how did I overcome my fear? I got up before anyone So, my friends, if you are still in Mirrix Virgin Wonderland, fear no Warp power to the people! Sue
Just wanted to introduce myself briefly and say hello. I live in Vancouver Canada and have I bought it and also purchased a video called "Bead Weaving Featuring The Mirrix Loom Setting up the loom did take some time with lots of back and forth watching the video and Needless to say I love love this loom and dream about all the great beaded projects I want My first project was to make the Bead Soup bracelet from the package of beads I ordered I've posted a couple pictures in the Photo section so you can see what I made. Hope you Sorry this post was rather long but I wanted to share my excitement and to encourage any I look forward to meeting you all and sharing ideas. Betty, February 2008 I have been doing loom work, and embroidery work for many years. Hi Claudia, I am so happy with my 16" loom. I followed the video, step by step, Sincerely, Donna Douglas I am greatly flattered that you took the time from your busy schedule to Sincerely, Rene Turner My tip for other beaders who are contemplating purchasing a Mirrix Loom . . . DON'T let the naysayers sway you by complaining about the price. You get what you pay for and it's cheap at the price...any size. Pat Welch Hi Claudia, What turned me around about my Mirrix was first and foremost your willingness to answer every question I had and to work with me. That kind of assistance is rare and precious. Second, through use, I learned that my warps were spaced too far apart to use the shedding device without wanting to cry. It was the single most frustrating experience, made more so because the word out was how easy it was supposed to be. I was using Delicas with what I thought was 16 dpi that turned out to be 14 dpi. I also found that purchasing the extra warp kit and bottom spring kit really helped enormously. I love my looms now. They are the best made, the most comfortable on the neck and back. There is no loom out there with better tension- bar none! (I'm speaking strictly as a bead weaver) And, the looms come with YOU. That's the major selling point, right there. (and I mean that sincerely.)" Natalie Rice Barnes If you are a loom weaver, this site is the portal to the nirvana of all bead -The Bead Fairies Page A tapestry grows as an artistic idea is transformed and shaped through craft ideals. Well-crafted tools enhance the creative experience of making a tapestry. The Mirrix tapestry loom combines the simple elegance of a portable frame with a modern invention. The loom's strong metal elements withstand the extreme warp tension so important to a tapestry's quality. Its clever solutions for warping, set control, and shedding are logical and precise. Best of all, the Mirrix stands vertically: the preferred perspective of a tapestry-in progress and the optimum position for bashing down tapestry wefts. A graceful synthesis of traditional weaving methodologies, the Mirrix tapestry loom is itself an example of fine craftsmanship. Carol K. Russell Author of The Tapestry Handbook Quick note to let you know I am really enjoying your loom. Boy, once you get the weaving surface lit well and your splendid self sitting comfortably, it's an absolute pleasure to weave on--very stable and solid to work against. I really like it, and I'll tell anyone just how much. Anne in Chicago The loom you sent me is just beautiful! The sleek materials are quite handsome and convey the attitude of "seriousness" I prefer in my tapestry tools. I was especially impressed with the loom's balance and stability as it sits on the table. Carol Russell, leading tapestry writer and educator, NJ I purchased a Mirrix loom this past fall and absolutely love it!!!! I've never been able to control tension the way this baby does. No, I don't sell; I just love it. Debbie Bednarek The loom arrived this afternoon. I am so impressed! It is wonderful, everything one could want in a small loom! & I am really enjoying weaving on my wonderful little Mirrix loom---the first time I've actually enjoyed weaving a small piece. Always before I've gotten frustrated with the equipment. Kathy Spoering, professional weaver, CO I recently purchased the 38 inch loom and it is amazing. I was using a frame loom and doing Navajo style weaving on it. I actually ended up transferring a piece that was half finished, dowels and all over to my new Mirrix. Yea, Claudia, you were right. It's working wonderfully. And a lot faster. I love the shedding device. Jo I have to second those who have endorsed the Mirrix looms. I love my 22 inch loom, and, if I had more room in this house, I'd get a bigger one. I almost bought a Hagen (the owner was selling it to buy a Mirrix, which kind of told me something). I just fell in love with the aesthetics of the Mirrix. My DH is an engineer. This was the ONLY piece of equipment I have ever bought that he told me, with great enthusiasm, was worth every penny I paid. Carolyn D. The superior craftsmanship, portability, stability, and ease of use with the shedding mechanism makes the Mirrix tapestry loom a delight to use. Julie Allen, WI I love it! Absolutely wonderful thing. So easy to work on, beautiful, great shed changing system, and the coil on top is ingenious. Jori, tapestry weaver in Switzerland I purchased the Mirrix Tapestry Loom for my sister for Christmas. The loom is wonderful. I looked a all the looms before buying, and this is the sturdiest, best constructed, most logical, and easiest to use. Holds tension perfectly, and there is never a problem with "sagging" . . . the rows stay absolutely straight. I suspect I'll buy myself one for Christmas next year. Joy-Lyn Blake, NH Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you your loom is terrific. I have always disliked small looms because they seem "fiddlely"--you feel as though your fingers are always in the way or too big and can't get any rhythm going. Your loom is so well designed. I just had to write to say the loom is fabulous. Everything is so well thought out. Joan Griffin, VA I love this loom. It is amazing. It IS a work of art. A satisfied customer I love my Mirrix Loom. Weaving on it is truly a pleasure. I want to explore all the wonderful things I know it will allow me to do. It IS a work of art, as well as a precision tool. Ann Dillon Claudia tells a story about backing her van over a box with Mirrix Looms inside. Well, the Postal Service managed to that to one I was shipping to a customer a few years ago and while the tire tracks on the box were pretty ugly . . . the loom itself was fine once it was washed and polished. I am lucky enough to have an engineer perfectionist in my life who also happens to have experience with the type of machinery that is used to create the components of the Mirrix . . . generally he looks at new equipment and says something like "If it makes you happy I suppose it will do." When he saw the Mirrix and asked the price he said: "that is probably the first piece of fiber equipment you have bought that is REALLY underpriced." One last thought, and this is strictly my experience: Even though the Mirrix has been "out there" for a number of years, I have yet to see one turn up in any of the many used equipment sales venues I often visit. That means not only are people buying them, but they are keeping them. Wheat Carr I received my loom from you yesterday and was very impressed. It was much more substantial than I had imagined. Having been a shipfitter on nuclear submarines, I feel that I can recognize quality and substance in a product. Yours has both. Alden Butler I wanted to tell you that in my workshop at Convergence last year there were several of us in the class that had Mirrix looms. By the end of the workshop five people had offered us money - right there on the spot - to buy our looms from us. We said no, but did give them your name and address. I hope these five people have become customers...I wouldn't trade/sell this loom for anything! (In response to the question: 'If you could only have one loom, what would it be?") I would have to say my 16 inch Mirrix if I could only have one (heaven Sharon About the Mirrix Video: Book Review by Mary Timme When I first watched this video I was totally struck by how different it was from what I had expected. Of course, I couldn't say what I expected and all I knew was that it was different. When I watched it a second time, I was struck with how much information was in the video. This video doesn't waste a lot of time talking about things the bead weaver doesn't care about. It gets right down to the necessary tools for making a bead weaving. One of the really nice sections at the very beginning of the video covers the definition of such things as: Warp--the vertical strings attached to the loom, Weft--the string you put the beads on to weave between the warps, Etc. Claudia Chase invented the Mirrix Loom and a friend who is an engineer helped to bring it to fruition. Then comes the first project: a Bead Soup Bracelet. Again you have to listen carefully and listening with a note pad and pencil isn't a bad idea. This video isn't the one you need to get your warp strung (that is the video that comes with the loom), but there are finesse points about tension and warp choices that you don't want to miss in this video. Also, Claudia talks about the dents or spaces in the springs for different sizes of beads. Most important of all, she shows how to hold the beads in the "V" of the shed and then slip them down. She explains why the first and last row must be needle woven and how to do it. One tip I really liked was tying the first weft thread onto the left side of the loom side to keep it out of the way and still have plenty of thread to make a strong ending tie off to that thread. Or it is conceivable you could have a really long thread left after the tie and store that in a little plastic bag until you were ready to make the footer? And what is a header and footer?, you ask. In fiber weaving this is used all of the time. Because Claudia comes from that background, many of the techniques she uses in beading are from her fiber background. I had heard of the "fiber endings" from my students, but hadn't seen one in beading. Well now I have. It is an archival way of securing the ends with no glue. You'll want to see how to do and try it. In the second project, "A Bead Soup Purse," Claudia uses different colors of the same size beads. Much of what was covered earlier is gone over again. This time the piece is wider and there is demonstration and discussion of what to do when you think you cannot control a bead string that wide. Because heddles and a shed are used in both projects, there is a lot of information just on bead manipulation in this context. It is good stuff. Stuff you need to know and see. I'd always felt that I was working too hard to get a project done. Now I know I'm not. Watching Claudia fiddle with the beads in the first shed rows (always the hardest part of a project) made me realize I'm doing what needed to be done. That's powerful, ladies and gentlemen! There are also examples shown of using a fiber and bead cord and how to put it on. There are demos of picot edging, how to use a bead spinner, where to use a doll making needle, and so much more. The best part of the video is the last project, "Weaving A Pastel Cartoon." In this section, Claudia talks about learning to see colors--for example, staring at tree bark for a long, long time until you see the colors actually present in the bark--and then learning color theory. She talks about the freedom of using a cartoon in the gestalt of creating a weaving and she talks about series and how to have freedom within the parameters of the series. And more, so much more is covered. An hour and 45 minutes seems like a long time when you first read that on your video holder, but this hour and 45 minutes is chock full. The camera work is good. The quality is good. I highly recommend this video for people interested in possibly purchasing a Mirrix Loom. This video is well worth the price plus shipping. Hi Claudia ... that's a great deal; but this is really more of a note to the rest pf the group I bought a 22" Mirrix a few years back and then purchased the stand. I use it to weave I am not affiliated in anyway with Mirrix ... just a completely satisfied weaver who finds the I too have a large 64" wide floor loom that I am currently refinishing. It weaves 2 harness I just finished a 35" wide tapestry on my larger Mirrix. I decided to check the time it took I wax poetic ... but then I just wanted to let everyone know that if you're thinking about the Tony in NY |
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