Today, I thought… I should use that pattern to make a shuttle!

Then I remembered that I had a piece of an old ruler from my husband’s Dad in the studio.

I don’t know what he used the other half for, but I am pleased as can be to have this half!

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I traced the pattern onto the ruler.

Because I promised my friend, William, that I wouldn’t use power tools until my eye is completely healed, I used simple hand tools.

My eye is really not there yet, so power tools are definitely off limits for me still.

But, I can’t stay out of the workshop, because it is such a pleasure, even when I feel wonky/wobbly.

Luckily, we have hand tools.

I have a fret saw that I just love- it’s great for fine cuts like the ones needed for this shuttle.

• I bought mine at Lee Valley tools. Fret saws are surprisingly cheap, and do a fab job. Great value for money!

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I clamped the ruler to the bench to make sawing easier.  So, add a spring clamp or two to your ‘must have’ list of tools.

And, I drilled a couple of holes so I could put the blade into the area that I needed to cut out.  A small hand drill is also a ‘must have’.

AND…. A set of small files in a selection of shapes, are essential!  I use them all the time for shaping in my woodworking.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

After the shaping is done with files, I need to polish with sandpaper. Sandpaper is good, but I like sanding sponges more.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

As I was working on this weaving shuttle, I thought… Duh! Why didn’t I do this ages ago?

I was struck by how similar the netting style weaving shuttle is to the tatting shuttles that I make (even though the inspiration for the tatting shuttles came from a totally different direction- amazing how things converge, isn’t it?)

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I just love this shuttle!

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I load the shuttle so that there is thread on both sides of the shuttle.  (By the way, the rainbow band behind the shuttle is an inkle band that I wove years ago. )

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Mmmm… it weaves like a dream.

I asked my daughter-in-law and daughter if they would like me to make them one each (they are both weavers), and they both said, YES!

Luckily, I have exactly enough of Dad’s ruler left to make them each a shuttle…. how perfect is that?

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photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Today, I am embedding the second half of the tutorial.

In this half of the tutorial, I give all kinds of helpful hints and tips that I have discovered over the years, as I have been weaving with yarn on the potholder loom.

One tip: What if you have a ‘plain jane’ kind of a yarn?

You can make it more of a designer yarn by combining it with strands of thinner yarns, and threads, which is what I did with the yarn in the photo to the left.

Also, see how there’s a pleasing checkerboard pattern?

That’s because the main yarn was a self striping yarn.

When you weave with self striping and variegated yarns on the potholder loom, you will end up with really neat checks and plaids. Kewl, yes?

and, now for the second video:

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project design and photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

You’ll need to get out your potholder loom, and your spool knitter  and less than an ounce of yarn in wing colors and less than an ounce of black yarn for the body.

If you haven’t seen my video on

how to weave a triangle on the potholder loom

then, click on the link  above, because you’ll need to know how to do that.

For this butterfly, I combined a strand of variegated fuzzy yarn, a strand of rayon variegated and a strand of rayon in lavender for the wings.

I held them together throughout the weaving, as if they were a single strand.

The butterflies are great on their own, but  they can also be combined with crochet or knitting or weaving. They can be sewn to pillows, bags, curtains – whatever your imagination and inspiration come up with!

I have plans for this butterfly…. and will post updates on where it’s going and how I am going to be using it, so stay tuned.

I’ve made a video of how to make the handmade, woven and spool knitted Nifty Butterfly:

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Well… I LOVE it, and design lots of fun and neat things with it.

BUT… you have got to forget about those looper things…. ugh.

Yarn is good.

Yarn is everywhere! It’s got color, texture,

and is a pleasure to work with on the potholder loom.

photo and video by Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

Everyone thinks that you can only weave squares on  the potholder loom.

Not so! I have figured out  how to weave a triangle on the potholder loom,  and have just made a video that shows how I weave triangles.

I love ‘multi-tasking’ with my tools, so it’s great to be able to weave more than just squares with the potholder loom.

When you are weaving a triangle with yarn on the potholder loom, it’s best to work with the loom sitting on a table  or in your lap.

You need to put a little tension on the loom, so that’s why it needs to be anchored and not held up in the air.

I asked my husband to play his guitar while I was weaving, so bless his heart, he did.  When I was checking the upload at YouTube, the first little bit of the video sounds really chittery. The original video doesn’t do that, so I am not sure if that’s going to resolve itself – hopefully it will.  YouTube is wonderful, but sometimes, it has it’s challenges!

Here’s the video tutorial:

Happy Weaving!

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You’ll need: A ball of pink yarn (I used Bernat Denimstyle in Weathered Rose)

A Potholder Loom,a weaving hook, a chopstick,a crochet hook,

a 4 peg spool knitter, a loop lifter,

a craft needle, a ruler, a dime, scissors, about an ounce of polyester stuffing,

about 10 inches of red yarn, a paper punch for circles, a paper punch for the heart,

or cut it out of junk mail freehand, thick craft glue, a bee button (ONLY for older children – NEVER use buttons, charms or beads on any toy or doll that you give to any child that is under the age of 7 years old), about 2 square inches (5 cm) of black felt for eyes.

Weave one square on your potholder loom, using two strands of yarn held together.

Spool knit the following  cords with all 4 pegs, using only 1 strand of yarn:

For the ears: 2 cords that are each 4 inches (10 cm) long

For the paws: 4 cords that are each 2 inches (5 cm) long.

Now, click on the video, and make yourself a Springtime Plushie Potholder Loom and Spool knitted Bunny!

All images, text, video and layout are copyright.  Video and photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

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She decided to make her a hankie with simple tatted edging, and asked for input.

I thought…. ooooooooh how neat…. I have a collection of vintage lace trimmed hankies that I love,

so it seems to me to be the perfect timeless and heartfelt gift.

I looked on the net to see if I could find some entry level tatted edgings,

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

but didn’t find any.

But, I did find 2 sources for linen hankies to add the lovely lace to:

mielkes farm

and

lacis

I looked at a heap of sites, and decided that it was easier to just do a quick tute here,

since the request had been for an entry level edging,

and all I saw were somewhat more advanced ones.

I also decided, that since I didn’t have any blank hankies, that I would

make  a bookmark instead.

I decided that I’d show 3 different quick and easy edgings.

I wove 3 little squares with crochet cotton

and my  little old Weave It

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

2 inch square loom.

And stitched them together.

For the first short edge, which is the edge at the bottom of the bookmark,

I decided to use a version of the same simple pattern that Itopped my socks with:

Starting at the lower short edge of the bookmark:

Tie the shuttle and ball of thread to a corner stitch,

ch 7 ds;

make a ring of: 3 ds, p, 3 ds, p, 3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, close.

Turn, ch 7 ds. Join to next stitch on bookmark or hanky.

Repeat the  green colored pattern along the first short edge.

Working along the long edge: Still working with shuttle and ball:

Ch 3 ds, p, 3ds, join to next space or stitch on bookmark or hanky.

Repeat purple instructions along the long edge.

Second short edge: This is the top of the bookmark: Rings worked with shuttle only:

(I took the ball thread across the end, joining it to each loop of the bookmark,

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

but it could have been cut and rejoined for the second long side)

First Ring: 5 ds, p, 5 ds, p, 5 ds, p,5 ds, close.  Leave a space of about 1/8 inch,

join to next space.

Second and remaining rings: 5 ds, join to last  p of previous ring, 5 ds, p, 5 ds, p,5 ds, close.

Leave a space of about 1/8 inch, join to next space.

Repeat orange instructions across second short edge.

Repeat purple instructions along the second long edge.

Weave in any loose ends and trim.

I stitched bits of sample tatting and a tatted butterfly onto the bookmark to finish it.

I used a ball of really old mercerized tatting cotton size 100 for the edging.

I bought it in a second hand store in my youth, long ago and far away….

It is such a pleasure to use old tools and threads, and to give them new life.

Who knows? Maybe someday, someone will open a book and this little bookmark will fall out……

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I was startled-

How on earth did she know what was on the cover?

Aha!

Amazon.ca….

wheeeeeeeeeee!

There it is!

and they are taking pre-orders…. yay!

So, I thought that I would check Amazon.com to see if it was there, too.

Nope….. not there.

Instead, I was asked the question:

‘Did you mean: “The Women Big”?’

Well, once I wiped the tea off my computer screen, I politely declined to look for

“The Women Big’.   Thanks, I’ll just wait for The Woven Bag.

Image Source: Photo by F&W Media copyright

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I gave The Cricket Loom a rave review and showed a bit of the healing/prayer shawl that I wove for my sister in law.

She’s been terribly ill and has scared the bejabbers out of us….. She had an abscess in her brain, which was life threatening and harrowing. She’s had surgery and it was successful.

Weaving a healing/prayer shawl for her was very soothing for me.

It allowed me to pour my love for her into every stitch…

I hope that it will bring her comfort. I love to think that she is wrapped in my offering….

She is surrounded by love, and we hope that she will soon recover.

To weave the healing / prayer shawl, I wove it twice as long  as I wanted, then folded it in half and stitched a seam up the center.

I wove this one for one of my sister in law’s dearest friends.

I folded the ends into points instead of making fringes.

Remember that weaving on narrow looms doesn’t mean that you’ll just be able to make only narrow things.

Stitch the narrow sections together, and you’ve got something truly wonderful.

Weaving healing and/or prayer shawls is a meditative and contemplative process.

The shawls are healing, both for the weaver and for the person receiving them.

It’s also a lovely  way to bless a loom!

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

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Tottie Tomato began her life here on hankering for yarn.

And, she’s undergone all manner of transformations.

Such a busy life for a little tomato!

She now has her own blog in which she and I share our love for spool knitting, crochet, tatting, knitting, small loom weaving, sewing, doll making, puppets, wood working, recycling and eco crafts, to name just a few.

She’s just getting started, but do check her out: Tottie Tomato

Image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

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Grace’s fascinating article in Weavezine is here

and Fred sells the gorgeous looms he builds here

Awesome!

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