June already!

Jun15

Sorry I have not been back here in a while. It’s been a busy month already. Black Sheep Gathering coming up next weekend, too. Jane Grogan is on her way west to teach a couple of classes there. If you want to be in her classes you’d better hurry to sign up. I don’t know if there’s any space left but you can check. she’s doing something with the 4″ Multi’s and has a Quilting class using the tiny Weaver Set. That’s going to be interesting. Wish I could join but I am going to be busy at our booth. Sis is coming up, too, and she’ll be looking at white fleeces, being the spinner of the family.

I’ve been weaving squares but have no project in the works just now. But once we get back I’ll be able to settle in. The garden is in now and growing so that project is pretty self-sustaining for a while. This is some mohair, I think it’s some Sis spun with colored nubs. Not sure what it’s going to be…

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!

Class Loom

Mar10

This is the class loom. there are 18 of them but more can be made if you might need them. They have a 3 1/2″ weaving area and the nails are spaced at 3/8 th inch. They come with instruction for weaving diagonally. You can get them with or without the weaving hooks.

These small looms are very suitable for children. They are small and quickly woven so the children can finish a square in a reasonable time, before their interest can wane. I have a few projects for making their own toys that I will include with the looms., my grandson models one popular project.

In the samples below, the upper one is woven with a double strand of worsted yarn and the lower with a single strand. Bulky hand spun is also a good yarn for this loom.

An invitation

Jan23

I am issuing an invitation to anyone interested to join us on American Girl Knitters for a WeaveALong to make a dress for an 18 inch girl doll. She doesn’t have to be an AG. I will be using the 4” Square Multi Loom but you can also use your weave-it or the Tiny Weaver Square or any other loom you have that will make a 3 1/2” to 4” square.
As a little bonus, I am offering 10% off the 4” Multi loom for weavers who would like to join in but don’t have a loom. (Sorry you missed the sale but you can still get your hand crafted hard wood loom at www.hazelroselooms.com )
This is a great group for doll lovers of all ages and we’d be delighted to have you join us. The WAL will start
February 1 so you have time to go though your stash, find your looms and yarn. I will be using a variety of yarns, mostly sock yarns but any that makes a nice fabric on your loom will do fine.
No age limits, either direction! Come play with us!!

Samantha is modeling the dress we’ll be making but I have several other patterns to share with WAL Members!

Lexi’s shorts set is one of the extras. Made with the same loom as are all the rest of these dresses!

Here is Samantha and Addy all ready for the holiday parties.

This peasant girl skirt can be made as full as you like. Mine may not be quite full enough. I guess Molly hasn’t spun up enough sock yarn! lol

And there are more, once you see the possibilities with small looms, there’ll be no stopping you!

Here’s a couple of the fancier ones I’ve made, some using more than one loom. Well, you get the idea! Even tho the layout of these pictures is getting weird on me you can see that you can do a lot with your little loom. You don’t need to knit to make a great wardrobe for you doll! But come join us and learn how easy it really is. And how much fun!

A New project

Jan8

Well, now that the holidays are over and things are more or less back to normal, I’ve gotten out the lovely, huggable alpaca yarn I bought at the Fiber Mania in Grants Pass, Oregon this past November and am weaving some replacements for the Hooded Scarves I sold there. I don’t usually sell my weavings but people kept asking and I decided that I needed to make some new ones to show at the fiber events anyway, so I gave in to a couple gentlemen buying wife gifts. lol
I’m weaving this one on our 14” tri loom and assembling them side to side. I have not yet decided if it will have a fringe. This hand spun alpaca seems a little fragile and I don’t know how a fringe would handle being washed. I may leave it plain or maybe crochet something.
I’m using an old fashioned stitch called fagoting to assemble the triangles. It give the scarf a bit of a lacy look while still being plenty warm. Because this is a thick & thin soft yarn of varied color I wove a plain weave, letting the yarn show itself.

I use the needle to hold the loop while I adjust the length of the stitch.

Once it’s blocked ( I block most things after assembly) it will look something like this.

Rope again…

Nov29

I tried it again, and I did ‘card’ it some tho mostly that just made a mess of my hand cards. But I think it did help some and I made little rolags… sort of… from the results. So this is today’s rope. It is finer, tho still rough. Part of that is that the fiber is still not entirely fiber, some is still needles. I need to further process it without breaking up the fiber too much. But it’s better!. I spun this on my thigh. Our local Indians did not have spindles, they were hunter-gatherers so the ropes they made were probably made this way. I haven’t gotten any cedar bark yet.

Top is first try, bottom next try, and better.

Rope!

Nov28

I’ve seen bark rope in museums and I think I have finally figured out how the Indians did it. I’ve tried this before without luck, both with pine needles, green and dry, and cedar bark. Nothing but disappointment and splinters. But I found this wad of fiber in the road and discovered that it was pine needles, rained on and run over many times by passing cars. An epiphany! Of course I could not find my drop spindle so I remembered a more simple way and hip spun a bit then attached it to a hook and off I went. This sample is plied back on itself. It’s also very rough and shaggy but it’s rope! The fiber was not completely processed, there were still some nearly whole needles in it which ought not be there but I did this in a hurry. I’ll gather more and see if I can card it a bit better so it can be drawn out more evenly. And I’m going to hunt up a bit of cedar bark and lay it in the driveway!

Hazel Rose

My Life in the Country

Archives