Tri Shawl

Jul30

That didn’t take long! Fast to weave and I found an interesting way to assemble that also added about an inch to each seam so makes the shawl a bit bigger for my single ball of yarn. Found this purple in my stash for the trim and like the way it looks. Took 15 triangles. I left the tip off as I really don’t need an arrow pointing ‘there’.

The join, in case you’re liking that, is a 5 stitch dc shell. Since I used the 14″ Tri it worked out this way: On the short side: 2 sc, skip 1 loop, *shell, sk 2, slip stitch, sk 2* but you’ll need to adjust for your size. It’s the same basic thing so not a problem how many you skip or don’t skip. To join, work the same thing but dc 3 then slip your hook out and into the center stitch of the opposite shell and draw the loop though, then dc two more to finish the shell. Try to keep the right side up, which I failed to pay attention to at first, but it really doesn’t show much in the shawl unless you really look for it. I finished the shawl edge with a row of sc and a row of reverse sc in the shawl yarn and the top edge is just dc adjusted to lay flat.

My shawl measures 62″ wide by 30″ deep. My yarn, a soft merino, had a lot of draw-up so my tris are about 11″ on the side. Yours will likely be larger depending, of course, on your yarn and weaving tension. The shell join adds about an inch to each seam.

Okay, your turn. A quick project for summer to have you ready for fall!

Home again

Jun25

We’re back from Black Sheep Gathering, in Eugene, Oregon. Had a wonderful time with Jane Grogan who came all the way from Wisconsin to teach weaving in Oregon. She wore her vest woven on the 4″ square Multi. which I didn’t get a close up of. 😦 But here we are in the booth where we got to weave together when she was “off duty”.

I also like her hat with the diamond top and the rolled brim. Hers was two dark colors so the diamonds stood out more than on mine where the colors kind of blend everything together. I’ll use more contrast on the next one. But I like it anyway.

Yesterday was spent going to town to pick up the cats from the ‘motel’ and get a few emergency groceries. Today is shipping orders and catching up on the laundry. What fun! lol and Friday we’re off to Medford for the month’s grocery shopping and for lumber so Randy can get busy filling orders again. This year we are going to be at the California Wool and Fiber Festival in Booneville which is in September. We have not been there since it joined the Mendocino County Fair so it’ll be a new experience for us. If you are in that area I hope you’ll come by and say hi.

Meantime… Back to weaving. Hope your summer is off to a great start!

Looking for the next project!

Apr15

I liked my new top so much that I went out to Le Shed this morning and rummaged into the bins and found some potential yarns for summer tops. I bought this stash (most of an 8×10′ shed) from a knitting lady who retired and moved so there is a lot of stuff in there that I am not familiar with. I found these four that look like I may have enough for a project. There is one more, a thick and thin linen that looks nice but is heck to weave with on this type of loom. I’m not sure how these are going to do, either. I’ve started weaving a swatch of one. It’s pretty and very summery. It claims to be cotton, mohair, and poly something or other. The one at the bottom of the photo. It seems to be do-able but it will be slow going. Should be a lovely fabric if I can get them done. I am working on designs. We all know how well that worked this last time! But I have High Hopes! And even if the last one didn’t quite work out as originally planned it still worked out so this one probably will too. Check back now and then to see how it’s going. I’m still looking for ideas for that other pile of squares, too.

Finished

Apr14

Got it finished and done and wearing it. This just goes to prove my point about evolving projects. It is pretty much nothing like what I started out to make but I am delighted with it! I ended up not using the pattern for anything but some sizing and there is absolutely no cutting or machine sewing in this one, either. So if you were expecting that ‘lesson’ I have to apologize but I’m sure I’ll get back to that one of these days, too. Now I have to figure out what to do with that other stack of squares I’ve woven up!

But if you have some lovely soft yarn in your stash, I encourage you to make something for yourself. Most of us have too many scarves and afghans already. This top is so lovely and soft against even my old hide that I don’t want to take it off! I started posting about this one on March 20 and had a few squares woven at that time so it has taken me a bit under one month to complete this project. Since I remade the other shirt in that same time period, not to mention taking care of the rest of life as we all must, I don’t think it really qualifies as a long-term project, either.

So here it is… ta-da!

Still at it. I am starting the assembly but…

Apr2

Meantime, the hall closet has reached critical so I had to undertake that task today. I’ve sorted a lot of it for goodwill but there are some things I just can’t see going there. One is this collection of crocheted doilies. My grandmother, & mother’s work mostly, and some of mine. I kept the ones I just can’t bear to part with but there are more and they will never be used again here and my kids don’t want these things, they really don’t mean anything to them. I was wondering if any of you might do lace crafts and could use them. I have seen everything from Hostess aprons, vests, and blouses, to lamp shades made using vintage doilies. I am never going to have the time to use them myself and I would love them to go to someone who could appreciate the work that has gone into them and give them new life. They could, of course, be used as doilies but I know not many modern homes use those anymore. Still, if you would like this bunch of handmade lace, I would be happy to send it to you, just let me know soon.

The doilies are gone to a new happy home!

Still weaving…

Mar27

But meantime I thought I’d chat a bit about ideas. I have a picture file on my computer under Weaving Clothing called Ideas. When I see a picture of a garment- sewn, knitted, whatever- that I think I could possibly make with the looms, I save it in this file. Of course, there are many more ideas than I’ll ever have time to make so I thought I’d share a few “Inspired by” here to give you an idea.

Here’s a couple for you with the big shawl looms. I’m pretty sure this first dress could be done but it’s a bit difficult to sketch here. I’m going to have to get out the paper towels and work in the round for this one. But I’d love it if some of you put your minds to it and came up with a plan! The second one, the shawl with sleeves, or whatever that might be called, is easier. I have thought about making that one for my daughter who likes drapey things. Trouble is, as always, the time to do it. The sleeves could be knitted in, of course, but also woven with the smaller squares or triangles. I made some prelim sketches just to keep the idea in my head. You never know…

And there are lots for the smaller looms. This one would be pretty easy. If it’s your project, I have to thank you for the inspiration, I don’t remember where I saw it. It was Multi woven, the 4″ I believe, but if you have a big dog it could also be done with the 6 inch or one of the Quilt Weaver squares.

If you’re looking forward to summer and have the ‘figger’ for it, here’s a pretty simple top for hot weather. Your teen could wear this. The woven blocks should be a fairly tight and modest fabric but would still be lighter and more comfortable than this crocheted version probably would be. Something like a soft cotton or one of the bamboo, silky yarns might be good.

Just something to think about while I am weaving for this tunic. Make your own file, & teach yourself to think in squares and triangles while looking at clothing. Get out your stash of already woven squares and spread them out and get inspired!

Fall in Coffee Creek

Oct27

It has been an exceptional autumn here, nice sunny reasonably warm weather, and gorgeous colors with the oaks competing with the maples for the brightest! Set off by poison oak and dogwood in reds against the perfectly blue mountain sky.Hope you are enjoying beauty where you are getting the wood shed full and the garden put to bed. Time to dust off your looms and start finding the perfect yarn for winter projects!

Another new dress

May5

This one has the detail in the top of the skirt, which in this white color does not show very well. It had a strapless top (but you could add straps. i didn’t like that so gave it a bodice and the pattern called for crocheted edgings. I knitted the bond off at the neck line but the sleeves and skirt ‘hem’ are crocheted.

New dress

May4

I found a “new” doll named Hitty. I have ordered her book called, “The First Hundred Years” so you know she’s not really new, only new to me. But I find that she is about the same size as Mini Molly and so this Virginia Larkin pattern (5G) fits her just fine. I used fingering yarn and #00 needles for this one. I added the flowers and the picot bind off. I am knitting another pattern for her but using lace yarn #1 yarn for it. Time will tell. I am planning some woven outfits for this little lady as well.