In Silas Marner, when had he sought comfort before from this same source?

Silas Marner had always sought comfort from the same
source: His loom. When he weaves he is able to concentrate in one thing instead of
letting his thoughts and emotions go astray. When he lived in Lantern Yard, he was
engaged to a woman, best friends with a man, and a church-going and good neighbor. When
his best friend falsely accused him of stealing, took his fiancee away from him, and
stained his name all through Lantern Yard, Silas had no choice but to leave town and
start over in his ancient profession of weaving. He turned to weaving both for
subsistence and for emotional balance doing something he is completely familiar
with.

Now, weaving had been in his family for generations.
This is not only his job but, like the story says "his vocation". When one has a
vocation one immediately connects with the duties that it requires with love and
patience, and we make them part of our life. In not so many words, when one invests time
in a vocation, rather than a job, the job becomes your pleasure, and your comfort
zone.