Tag Archive | hand woven

Trying again…

May6

Not only am I not techy, I think I have the Anti-techy gene! But I’ll keep trying! I think I have figured out how to do this… maybe.

It’s springtime so we are doing all those springtime things, garden, cabin, jobs for Himself, garden, project writing for me, spring cleaning, garden… lol You know how it goes! I have several projects going on the looms and am trying to Organize, Wow! That’s a huge word for me. Always has been but even more so these days. I just find that I really don’t want to, I just want it to all go away and leave me alone! I guess most of you can understand these days. Mostly I’m okay as long as there is no deadlines. You’d think that at my age the only deadlines I’d have would be those I give myself but that hasn’t worked out for me for some reason. Probably goes back to that word- Organize. Should have taken care of that a couple decades ago. Ah well… Time to quit bitchin’ and get on with it.

Garden seems to have come up most in the above list. Climate and weather warming up early so naturally the gardening bug hits. Still too early tho for most things. Got peas growing- slowly it seems to me. If they don’t hurry they’ll get caught in the big heat before they’re ready. And the tomato plants are outgrowing their temp pots before it’s time for them to go in the ground. I think that’s going to be next week- ready or not!

The iris are blooming up a storm now. These were the first ones but there’s more colors now and the morels below were a bit of a surprise! I think I counted about 26 of them in the lawn. I don’t plan on cutting them. They’re welcomed to do their thing. Everything seems to be blooming  very abundantly this year even tho we are in a drought, the state tells us. I guess fire weather has already impacted some parts. It’ll be here soon, too. Meantime yard and woods are all blooming and lovely.

Weaving is making progress, too. Have several projects done or in the works for publishing and have started swatching for my cardigan.  I have a bunch of nice wool, I’ve knit and frogged a couple cardigans already and am now determined to weave another one like my raggedy orange one. I over fulled (felted!) my 2nd swatch. Too much time elapsed after the first one so didn’t remember what I’d done to get that one perfect. Got another square woven so will try again today. Once I get that right I can get an estimate of how many squares I’m going to need. I still have another knit sweater I can frog if I need more yarn.

Been playing with pattern stitches for the Quilt Weavers. It is more difficult to get them for that loom than for the Multi for a couple reasons. One- it is woven diagonally and it is a much larger/wider set. The diagonal edge needs special attention so that it stays woven to make a selvage edge.  That leaves less room in the center for the arty work.  And a lot of stitches are lacy which makes the sett even more important. Too loose and you have no definition, it just looks a jumble. Too tight and the opposite makes your lace disappear, makes it look solid. And the tightness is partly the yarn you use as well as your tension and stitch. Does that help make it plain? lol

Here’s a couple. Lacy but not very stable. Both using a heavy yarn. They’d very likely be more stable once stitched together, but both need some work.  My cardigan uses a  simpler pattern. More a texture stitch than a lace.

The right is the fulled one, the other woven of frogged knit yarn, unblocked. I’m going to try machine fulling it as I think that’s what I did to that first one. Should have taken notes, hummm?

Well, I think that’s enough for today I need to get some work done. Have a lovely day!

Happy St. Pat’s day!

Mar9

Here we are in March again! St. Valentines day is gone and Easter is coming. It was spring yesterday and today started with winter white! St Pat’s day is right in the middle. I started weaving this little project awhile back but time got by me and now it’s nearly here, But this one is a quick one so go ahead and start!

Have a happy March!

Shamrocks 

© HazelRoseSpencer 2021

Small HazelRose SweetHeart Loom

100% wool worsted weight yarn, green.

Weaving needle

Notes:

You can weave this with man-made fibers but it will be bigger as it will not felt. You’ll need a washing machine to felt this. These are useful as well as decorative. They work as a doily under a tea cup or soup bowl or as a mug rug to protect your furniture from drips. They are quick to make and make nice little hostess gifts as well.

Felted they will measure about 5″ or 12.5cm across.

 Instructions:

Weave four hearts.

Weave in tails leaving about a half inch of yarn hanging out. Once these are felted you can clip these ends. This helps make sure nothing comes undone.

Sew two hearts together on one side. Twice.

 4.Sew the two sets together.

Crochet a double chain* to make a stem.  Connecting it just off the underside edge, weave in ends.

Felt. I put these in a small laundry bag and washed them in hot water with a couple bath towels. Smooth them out when washed and lay the flat to dry. I did not put them in the drier. When they were dry I steamed them flat and trimmed the ends. These are sort of felted to the back so you would not have to clip them but I think it helps them lay flat.

 

 Crocheted double chain:

Pull loop though to the back, chain 2.

   

Insert hook into stitch on the left and pull a loop up. Chain though both loops on hook. Repeat until your chain is as long as you want it. Fasten off and weave ends into chain to hide.

To use as mug rug, using a good fabric glue & glue the Shamrocks to a piece of non-skid backing. Cover the top with a bit of saran or foil and place a moderate weight, like a book, on it and let it set for at least several hours. Cut around the non-skid, making the backing just a little smaller than the wool so that it does not show from the front. Check your glue label for washing instructions. The saran is to keep any glue from accidently getting on your weight.

February again. 2021

Feb6

We did have some winter, 30″ of snow almost two weeks ago and bits and inches later which mostly melted off as fast as they fell. We still have 10 or so inches of that first one left on the ground.

I send in my seed order early as the companies are advising us to. And plants which I had set the ship Date at the end of March. Got my onion plants the day after the snow storm. What the heck? Not shoveling out the garden so I can plant onions in February! Lady at the seed company apologized, said their shipper thought we lived in south California. Isn’t that was zip codes are for? But she ordered more to be shipped early April and promised to hold the rest until then also. Hope so. The garden this year will be almost as big but different. Cutting back on tomatoes for one thing.

We go to town today to get or virus vaccinations. We’re luck to live in an area where there is not much of this plague so are comparatively safe. We do wear our masks and maintain social distancing. We go to the Grocery and the gas station and the hardware store, that’s about it. If we need anything else, there’s Amazon. I can use stash yarn for the nest 20 years and not run out so am good there, too! lol

I have been weaving on the large SweetHeart loom. The plan is a cowl using Crochet to joining and fill out a bit tho I have yet to discover if this will work. Maybe this way.

  

 

 

Summertime…

Jul4

The livin’ may not be easy for everyone, but up here in the boonies it’s not too bad. The garden is thriving. I picked peas this morning. There is something so satisfying about shelling peas. The one chore I actually look forward to.

  Shelling peas.

Big bowl full

The zucchini are in full stride too, of course! Tomatoes growing, beans- bush, climbing, and lima- blooming. I’ll be sweating away in the kitchen with the canner soon. Not a chore I really look forward to, but the results are satisfactory.

I am weaving, too, a couple projects I intend to offer to magazines so won’t show those yet. But I was doing some stuff with Log cabin that turned out pretty well. They’ll make nice coasters or, well, about anything else you might want to make!

  Diagonal weaving on the weave-it loom. Plain and log cabin.

Same thing in Green. This one done of the Multi 4″ square.

Still hoping to make it up to Sis’s this year, but will be a couple months yet, it seems. I’m getting a new knee middle of this month and then there’ll be some visits to the Torturer to learn how to use it, but I hope to get though that part quickly. I go in the 13th to get my lecture from the surgeon on being too heavy, but I have actually been losing. We’ve been walking up the hill every morning. Made it to the top again with only one stop to pant , this morning!

So I hope you all have a sense-able 4th of July weekend. I want you to all stay safe! Both heath-wise and fire-wise. There’s been a lot of air traffic around here this morning that I am hoping is just precautionary. We can save our fireworks for New Years when there is snow on the ground. They look even prettier then anyway!

Meantime…Happy Birthday USA-I hope you are around for another one!

I think it’s springtime!

Apr19

Did I say that before? Well, I think it really is this time. Our lows have been in the 40’s and the garden is already growing. the early guys anyway. Flowers, too. And the trees are leafing out. All but the oaks, but they are always last, not really trusting kind of plants. Kinda like my Pop, he said don’t plant out until the Oak leaves are as big as squirrels ears. Yes, for most things but the peas like it early! And the daffies have been blooming, they never want to miss the last snow!  But the tulips are now blooming on my new bulb bed, too.

    

And Grandmother’s favorite wild flower. She said they look so cheerful in the lawn, the first to bloom in her yard. They always make me think of her. She was Randy’s grandmother but we cared for her in her last 20 or so years and I was closer to her than to my own grandmother so I just leave the in-law part off. A great lady. Too bad the new owner does not like them and has killed them all off, along with the wind flowers and English daisies. Only hawkweed left out there now. I suppose it is pretty too but way too invasive.

And The PUD says the power will be out from 8am to 4pm on Tuesday so I am designating Tuesday as Weaving day! Got my bins ready!

 

The Mystery Weave Along using the 3.5″ Quilt Weaver Square and a couple projects for patterns I’m writing up. I think it’ll be enough to keep me busy all day!  But weaving today, too, working on some color designs for the big triangles. And I badly needed a haircut so I figured I may as well re-dye it, too, as I cut most of the pink off. Himself & dog have gone firewood cutting, you’ll see why I like to do this when everyone is gone! Now, while the Kool Aid is doing it’s thing, I’m going back to weaving!

Happy New Year!

Jan1

I do hope you all have a safe and comfortable start to a prosperous and reasonably happy 2020! A little verse we should keep in mind.

 

But now is the time for Resolutions! Right? Like maybe changing a few, well, shall we lay less desirable habits? Like being a little more Organized. I know that it is not literally a 4 letter word, but has been pretty much in that category for me for most of my life.  Looking for a loom this morning, I found this stuff in the basket by my chair. All but the jar of Ricolas, the new Territorial seed catalog & His shoes and newspapers. Needless to say, the loom was not in there! Not in my loom case, either. So I guess I’ll start this morning putting all this in it’s proper place. If I can find that place. Trouble is they are not projects., just experiments. I think he gave me a new shoe box, I suppose I can label that Weaving Experiments. Then that leaves me to find a place to store the box. Hopefully where I can find it again when I need it. Like I apparently did not do with the missing loom!

Ah well, I guess the other fun thing I get to do on new years Day, is bills. Oh well, it’s my 1st of the month job. He does the taxes and is a great wood worker but he really sucks at financial matters beyond that.  We all have out strong points and he is Very Organized. It’s rare that he can’t find something no matter how long ago he had it. I, on the other hand, have to rely on luck when hunting something.

But there you go. I think the weather wizards are using the same system for forecasting the weather. And Mother Nature is using a roulette wheel to decide! We go from a huge surprise snowstorm right before thanksgiving, I mean nearly 4 foot, to rain ever since! Temperatures have run from 14 degrees F to nearly 70! And it’s raining this morning and 38 degrees on Jan 1. I don’t even want to think about Australia while I am whining about our weather. I would happily send them our rain and the foot of snow that’s left if I could.

Well, on the brighter side, trying to heed the advice picture I posted above, we are looking forward to adding a new loom to our line up this year. It is our 20th year in the loom business! It’s has been an interesting 20 years! We’ve met some wonderful people and done more traveling that we ever thought we’d do. It’s been fun for the most part and we’ve both learned a lot! Our only disappointment is not being able to interest the kids in the business. Well, they have their own lives, our parents were not delighted with our choices, either, but we all manage to make it work to our best comfort. Anyway, keep an eye out for our anniversary announcement sometime later this year!

And I hope your year is starting off the way you wanted it to! Best Wishes!

Hazel & Himself

Just the two of us!

First 12″ square Multi project… and a little more.

Sep8

I finished my 12″ square project, I guess you can call it a sort of sampler. I’ve always thought this was a cute saying  so decided to use it here. I think this is going to stay on the 12″ as it’s frame for the time, at least. If I decide I need it again I’ll come up with something else. Or have Himself make me another one! 🙂

It took me most of the summer to weave the square, not because it was hard, but there were just too many other things going on. Then between trying to chart it out (no, there is no pattern!) and doing the actual embroidering, there went another month. But it’s done now & I’m hunting a place to hang it.

So now it’s back to garden and  weaving for my sweat pants, another long term project. This time because it needs so many of them! I have about 24. I’m afraid to calculate how many I’ll actually need, but I am on my first skein and still have quite a bit of that one left. I knew this would take awhile but I wanted to do it and I have the yarn for a top to go with when I get the pants done. Maybe I should challenge myself to lose weight while I’m weaving these and lessen the # of squares I need as I go! Good idea, I wonder if it would work?

But today I need to take care of this stuff!

I’ll be loading the dehydrator this morning. I make veg soup mix for winter use. Very handy and can be used for other things, too. The cherry tomatoes will be juiced. I will probably pick this many again tomorrow to add to then. The garden has done well this year. Probably more than we need for two people. This time of year I start thinking we’ll do less next year and then comes January when the seed catalogs start coming in… well, you know how that goes. Sort of like yarn sales. No, I don’t need any more yarn but this is a great price and I’d really like to make this project etc etc. next thing you know … 😀 Well, I only planted two zucchini this year! Next year I will try to restrain myself and stay at one! The peppers were an accident, really. I wanted a six pack but when I got home from the nursery and went to plant them I found there were two plants in each little ‘tub’.  So I could plant one and kill the other or plant them all. What would you have done? I couldn’t bring myself to kill a healthy looking plant. Besides I like peppers so it was a bargain really! And the beans! They have been producing from early on! They are ratty and bug eaten plants but still blooming and making beans! It’s disgraceful! I have canned and eaten and am now reduced to putting some of them in the dehydrator as well. It’s like that 70 some year old woman I read about who just had twins. Just not respectable at her age or the age of these beans! They should be retired by now! I have even thought of euthanasia, just pull them up, but could not bring myself to do it.

And there’s some pretty stuff out there in the garden that I’ll add just for that reason, too!  They can keep blooming, I don’t have to can them!

Marigold and borage. It’s little blue stars don’t photograph very well but the bees dont’ have any trouble finding them! There’s  gloriosa daisy in there and the chard in the back ground. That’s keeping us in greens for the long term, too!

The zinnias. There was a butterfly in there but I can’t find it in the photo.

I just like this picture. I have no idea how many of these little pie pumpkins are hidden in there. It’s big patch!

Hope your summer is cooling off and you are getting ready for a lovely autumn! See you in Oregon at OFFF soon!

 

 

 

A Sunday off.

Aug19

Yesterday we took a picnic lunch & with dog, headed up Coffee Creek road to Mt. Meadow. The dirt road is 14 miles and dead ends up there but it took a good hour to drive. It’s in pretty horrible shape (county had no $, same story all over) and not advised for vehicles with low clearance. Not that that stops them! It’s the trail head into the Alps and hikers and packers love it. There were Prius’s at the trail head! And it was going home day for hikers and for the resort up there so the traffic was heavy and I guess those guys don’t value their cans all that much. On the ONE lane road as they were driving like it was paved! We tooled along slowly, more or less enjoying the bumpy trip and watching out for on-coming as most of them don’t know how to drive roads of this kind. Their idea of passing on a one lane road is to stop when they see you and let you figure out how to get around without climbing the bank or going over one! But we made it and I hope all them did too. Oh yes, there was another factor in the back woods ‘freeway’ traffice- opening day of bow season. These two photos might give you an idea of the road. But no photo can really show it.   

Off the edge. That’s Coffee Creek way down there.

But before the trail walkers started coming back to their cars the campground was totally delightful! The quiet so thick it was almost tangible.  Sis is right, it is not so much just the lack of noise as it is the lack of background noise. The noises we all have grown so used to that we don’t really hear until they are missing. The distant traffic, the lawn mowers & leaf blowers, the electronics and appliances in our houses, we just don’t really hear them anymore. But when they are missing it is very noticeable! The quiet falls softly on your ears. Talk about stress relief! It’s amazing. I just sat and listened. Once in awhile there was a bird chirp, and a breeze came up later adding a soft whisper above. Then around 1pm, as we were were finishing lunch, the hikers stared coming out of the woods. But even with added people noises it was still a lovely day.

We took a walk about the camp ground & down to the meadow. Most flowers were already done and the little  patch of aspens have not yet started to turn. But it’s still pretty. Looking up to the resort & the old historical cabin.

Then while Randy and dog walked down to play in the Salmon River I sat at the table and got out my loom.

Weaving in the Wilderness

I don’t trust my bad knee on that very steep trail but He took pictures. Used to love wading the the stream. Dog enjoyed it!

  Salmon river,

Salmon river, down stream it gets a bit more rugged.

And the view across the meadow into the Alps is just beautiful, anytime of the year. You can see there is still snow up there. The hikers told us there is a lot more than shows here on the sunny side of the hill.

And there are still some flowers blooming in the first meadows.

But now it’s Monday. He’s back to deck building, I’m canning plums, peaches, and zucchini relish. I managed to fit a peach pie in there, too! Dog is snoring in her bed, staying out of the heat & dreaming of that nice cool stream for wading!

Hope you’re finding some cool too!

Black Sheep Gathering!

Jun28

We’re heading off pretty soon for Albany, Oregon and the Black Sheep Gathering. We’ll have the booth all weekend, of course and I’ll have beginning Pin loom weaving class Sunday afternoon, if you know anyone in the area who wants to learn. After that we head to Viola, Idaho and the Grazing hills Fiber Arts Festival. This is a new show and the ladies have worked very hard to make this a good one. I’ve offered two classes there. The same beginning pin loom class and also weaving a dishcloth on the 10.5″ Quilt Weaver square. Check them out.

Black Sheep

Grazing Hills

 

A WAL/DAL

Jun10

It’s finished. I’m writing all this up with pictures and will save as a pdf and post of the web site, probably. I’ll let you know. Madelyn is thinner so the shorts are a bit blousey on here but you an see that it would also make a nice skirt. I’ll try to find a live model for them.

It starts here …

That’s weave along or design along. I’m calling it Keep Your Pants On! I’ve been getting suggestions to do a WAL to make pants. It’s going to be Along, too, as I will be weaving with you! I hope a few of you will be interested in the project. We’ll start with a pair of shorts and some kiddy pants for those of you who want to start small and have a small one to wear them. I’m going to be posting to the Pin Weaving Support Group on Facebook. and to the Ravelry Small Looms group so you can join in & share in any or all of these places.

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Here’s one of the kids pants projects  as a start. A pair of shorts for a toddler boy.

So here’s what I have so far. I tried several yarns on both the Quilt Weaver and the Multi loom and didn’t find anything I liked. I was thinking cotton but the cottons I ave are either too small to make a nice fabric with the Quilt Weavers or too heavy to make it on the Multi Looms. sock yarns were a little too light for my liking on the multi as well. and I wanted a yarn that would not stretch to leave holes once they are on the moving body. I finally ran across this box I got from Lion Brands 10 for $10 sale.  Had no idea what to do with it when I bought it but it was a ‘deal’! It weaves up very nice on the 7″ Quilt Weaver square. A snug weave without making a stiff fabric.  It’s Lion’s Pride Woolspun, 80% acrylic, 20% wool. A Bulky Woolease.

And then I went thought my box of adult patterns and found a pants pattern that I think will work. I folded up the legs and pinned the front and back together. I don’t seem to have one of those ‘one size fits all’ kind so am making my own this way. You’ll need to be sure to measure your hips, usually at or just below your belly button. That will give you the widest measurement. You’ll probably want to add an inch or two of ease for sitting, too.

Here’s my layout for one side. This is 18 seven inch squares. None of my squares are stitched together just yet but I think this is going to work.  I will sew these together  and then stitch and cut to get the crop correct. Did I mention that you are going to need a sewing machine to do it this way? I have a layout that does it differently  but I think this will make a better fit. I’ll share the other way of doing it as well, tho, if you want to try it. It’s basically the same way  that the kids pants are done but with a larger insert for the crotch.

This is Charlies, Pants, done with the 3.5″ Tiny Weaver Square. You could use your 4″ multi but be sure to check the measurements. Add squares top or side to get your fit. This would be for a child. your going to need many more squares for yourself, no matter what size you are and if you are using the 4″ make your crotch insert with the 6″.

Okay this is the basic idea. Decide on your loom. Start asking questions! Start swatching yarns and look for a pattern if you want to do it my way.

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Measuring the skirt and play suit results in a rather small size for both, reminding us again that you do need to measure yourself.

The skirt was made to fit my mannequin, Madelyn. A very slim model. The skirt, made with the 6″ Multi loom, measure 26″ at the waist and 36″ at the hip. The skirt was three rows of 7 six inch squares and I took darts at the waist. It was also lined.

The Play suit, a version of a Weave-it  project was even smaller, measuring 26 at the waist and 36 at the hip. This way of doing it has no darts but is tiered as in chart. And you’ll see in the chart that the squares are Not square, This was to show that they are eased in to fit the previous row. It does not look gathered if done carefully.

Take your measurements, from waist to hem and also around your waist and hips. From there you will be able to determine how many squares you need to fit yourself.  The crotch square is recommended to be larger, you can try the 4″ or the 6″ & decide which you think works best. Also you might want to make that one a double to give it a little extra strength. The waist band is knitted k2, p2 ribbing. If you do not knit you can crochet it, if you don’t do neither you can just weave an extra row of 4 in squares , sew together in a waist length row,  fold them lengthwise and stitch it on as a band.

Now as I have had questions about how to assemble this crotch, I’ve changed my mind about how I’m doing it and will do it the flat way. My square measure 6″. So laying them out with 3 squares will give me a 36″ waist. But if you have a 36″ waist, you are not likely to also have 36″ hips.  Well, men might but women aren’t likely to. If I manage to ease in one more square it will give me 48″ hips.  That also makes the leg opening 24″ which may be a little loose for shorts. All these things have to be adjusted by your size and your taste. This is where the design comes in! And do remember!!! You are not weaving squares… you are weaving Fabric! You can treat it like any other coarsely woven fabric. You’ll need to sue some kind of stay, whether iron on backing or just sewing a stay stitch, before you cut. I am going to start assembling these shorts today and will take photos of inserting the crotch gusset.

Next Day:

I’m not really happy with the way this is going. The project, that is. This yarn makes some nice sturdy, yet soft fabric but trying to ease in an extra 6 inches isn’t going smoothly. I’m going to go ahead with it, bit I think I won’t weave in ends just yet in case I have to frog it later. A lighter fabric wouldn’t be a problem, I think, so don’t be discouraged by my comments. I’ll post another comment & a photo once I get the next tier on.

I guess it could be cute. We’ll see. I have not yet added the 3rd tier, which I’ll try to get done today.