...and look what he left for me!
It's a two foot triangle loom from Hideaway Homestead. A few weeks back, I knew I'd end up with a triangle loom, but just like I always do, I decided to try to make one myself, even after the mess I made trying to create a 4" square loom. This time, though, I decided I'd try it with cardboard. It doesn't cost a thing, and believe it or not, talented people can actually make looms out of cardboard and then create lovely shawls with them.
I'm a not one of those talented people. My loom looked okay, but I didn't have any pins so I decided to cut notches on the top, or the hypotenouse. Believe it or not, this worked, but it made the weaving so slow that after a few hours, I gave up, and followed the sage advice my dear husband had given me after he stopped laughing when I showed him my failed 4" square loom... "Leave it to the professionals."
So, I emailed Hideaway Homestead, an off-the-grid loom maker from Arizona, on Friday evening, ordering their 24" loom from Etsy. And guess what? I was opening the box on Tuesday morning! Hooray!
My loom is lovely. The pins are straight and the oak is smooth. The two foot size is just large enough to weave a triangle in about 30 minutes, plus you don't need an easel. And, just like the 4" Hazel Rose Multiloom, I find I can do one short project and then turn around and begin another right after. There's no setting-aside-to-finish-later-which-turns-into-a-year-later syndrome, if you follow me.
Last night, I finished two test triangles, one in an older Yarn Bee blue I had lying around, the other in Lion Brand Homespun. If these had fringes, they'd make cute shawls for dolls.
Because the loom was so economically priced, I was also able to saunter into my favorite yarn store and purchased $20 of stunning yarn, Berroco Peruvia Colors in Herb Garden. My plan is to weave about nine tris and stitch them together for a shawl. I'll then felt it a little, but I'm going to do a test one first to see how much it'll felt.
Merry Christmas!
I made this cowl by using two strands of Cascade 100% Merino Wool yarn and the round, yellow Knifty Knitter loom. It's a very loose neck warmer than hangs in folds but can be pulled over your head if you need a little extra warmth.
The first time I started this, I used the regular e-wrap and one strand of yarn, but I didn't like the ladder-effect I was getting, so I frogged it all. The second time, I switched to using the mock crochet stitch, but it, too, was becoming too loose and airy, so I frogged it again. The third time's the charm--using two strands gave me the perfect thickness, but the stitch is more interesting than the normal e-wrap.
Here's a simple pattern I wrote up:
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Mock Crochet Neck Warmer
- One skein yarn (Use two strands of worsted weight yarn or one strand of a bulky weight yarn.)
- Yellow Knifty Knitter
- Knitting tool
Cast on using your favorite method. (I use the cable cast on.) Start the Mock Crochet Stitch and continue throughout the entire project. Knit approximately 10" to 12". Cast off.
______________
There you have it! It's easy! Mine took approximately four hours from beginning to end.
You can find the strangest things on youtube, like this video of a knitting machine powered by a windmill:
And this old-fashioned sock knitting machine. It's mesmerizing to watch. (Okay, it's mesmerizing to watch if you like watching vintage sock knitting machines.)
Current project: I'm making a cowl on the yellow Knifty Knitter loom. I started it by using the pattern found at the Ben Franklin site, but after about 15 rows, I decided I didn't like the look of the plain e-wrap stitch. I was using just one strand of a Cascade wool in blue, and it was looking very ladder-ish. So, I frogged it all and began again, this time using the mock crochet stitch (instructions here). It's a very easy and pretty way to vary your loom knitting.
I finished this hat a few weeks ago--on election night, in fact. Since this was my first finished Weave-it (Weavette, Wonder Weave) pattern, I'm going to cut myself some slack. Also, I was listening to election results while I sewed it up, so that may help explain why I misjudged the need to stitch the rim of the hat correctly. I was so excited about the election! Plus, stitching all those little squares together is very tiring.
As a result, the rim/hem of this hat isn't matched up very well. It's a little bit crooked.
Nonetheless, this is a very cool retro hat. It looks good on people who wear cool, retro hairstyles, like a Louise Brooks bob.
It doesn't look very good on me, but that's beside the point. Who cares! I made my first real Weave-it pattern!
These thirteen squares practically flew off my Wonder Weave loom. Good thing I had cats around to point out when I almost missed a row...
...and it's a real good thing the cats were there to keep the squares on the table. Those little squares have a way of flying off the table at the oddest times. But not with these cats on duty.
When I saw this posting and instructions on the eLoomanator's blog, I knew I had to try to make these two dolls using just one 4" woven square apiece. Barbara Giguere created these dolls using her 4" Weave-it loom. I made mine with the Wonder Weave, which also creates a 4" square.
I selected three colors of Dale of Norway/Falk 100% wool and threaded the loom with the neutral beige. I used the same color to weave six rows for the head. I then swapped to my second color, wove six more rows, and finally swapped to my third color, weaving six more rows. Once off the loom, it's pretty straightforward to finish the dolls. Simply sew up the back to make a tube, use the extra yarn to draw in the neck and stuff, then gather the top. Stuff the body, tighten the waist and sew the feet. I liked how Barbara stitched in some arms and on the boy doll, some legs, so I followed the same idea.
Doll hair is still difficult for me. I don't quite know how to stitch it so it covers the head and yet can't be pulled off by a child. These two dolls have hair, but it's pretty loose--one good tug and it'll come off. I'll need to research hair for future dolls.
These two dolls are just four inches high. Aren't they sweet?
After a disastrous attempt at making a 4" loom on my own using a tiny picture frame and a whole lot of glue and nails (maybe, just maybe, I'll post a photo of someday if I'm brave enough), I decided to leave the construction to the pros and I purchased a Hazel Rose Multi-Loom. I bought the 4" size so I could follow Weave-it patterns. An added bonus is that you are able to use three different weaving styles to create your square.
I wanted to get an original Weave-it, but found that everyone else seems to want them, too. When one pops up on ebay, it's certain to sell for a decent sum so after watching a few sales, I set aside that idea. I don't like bidding. I'd rather purchase something outright, even if it's a few dollars more.
The truth is, I already have a 4" loom--the Wonder Weave! I love using my vintage Wonder Weave. I can make a square in 15 minutes, but it's an old loom, and 40+ year old plastic makes little creaky noises that make me nervous. One "snap" and it's all over for the Wonder Weave. This led me to purchasing the Hazel Rose loom. They come in all shapes and sizes, BTW, and they're quick to deliver! My order was placed on a Sunday, and I picked up my loom in the mail just seven days later.
So far, I've only woven four squares on my Hazel Rose loom, two the "normal" way where you wrap three sides and weave the fourth, like the Weave-it, and two using the diagonal continuous weave method. I like both ways because they give two distinct looks. This picture is of me weaving my first diagonal square, using sock yarn so I can follow what's happening.
Future project ideas with 4" squares: yarn bag, stuffed animals, scarf...
I found a great small loom at a thrift shop--the Wonder Weave! It came with instructions, two books of patterns (copyright 1964), a needle, and a finished square someone attempted, maybe 40 years ago. The Wonder Weave makes 4" squares or 2"x4" oblongs. I've had it two days, and I'm only three squares shy of making that hat I wrote about last time.
I was so happy with my $6 find that my husband helped me make a video tutorial:
I haven't been blogging--or knitting--very much lately, but just recently I've become interested in small, handheld looms, like the Weave-Its on the Eloomanation site. With them, you weave small squares, and if my eyes aren't dececiving me, you can actually make a vast array of woven creations with them. (I'm hankering to make a hat, like the one in this PDF pattern book from 1936.)
Because it's fairly hard to get a 4"x4" loom (they were popular in the 1930s and '40s) unless you're willing to bid on ebay, I decided to start off cheaply by buying a potholder loom from Wal-mart. You remember these guys. We all probably tried to make potholders with those nylon loops when we were children. But, instead of using the loops that came with my $5 plastic loom, I followed the tutorial by Noreen Crone-Findlay that is posted on Youtube (part 1 and part 2).
Making one square takes about 15 minutes. I chose some Moda Dea yarn, wove about ten squares, and then sewed them together. I highly suggest reading up on sewing techniques because I didn't, and my seams are a little clunky. Oh well, live and learn.
The result is a pretty nifty scarf, if I do say so myself.
