If you live a yarn-centric or yarn centered life, chances are good that you enjoy working with more than one yarnie technique.
Crocheters often weave.
Weavers often knit.
Knitters often embroider.
Embroiderers often crochet.
Tatters often crochet.
Spinners use their yarns in
all kinds of ways….
Some of us love to
explore all of the above.
And why not bring all  these strands together  in one piece? This is often called free form work.
I call it  a ‘Cross- Currents’ approach to the fiber arts.
This photo is the back of  a Cross Currents Jacket
in which I used handspun yarns,
with crochet, weaving, knitting,
embroidery, spool knitting  and tatting.
How do you pull together all …read more

Happy Almost Earth Day!
I hope you have had a wonderful day that included lots of lovely green living
and eco projects, and that you are going to do something special for Earth Day tomorrow.
We are going to plant some baby trees.  That’s them in the pic to the right.
The Spool knitter is one that I made from a chunk of old wood that we found in Jim’s Dad’s workshop 10 or so years ago. Jim’s Dad was a champion recycler.
He would upcycle stuff in the neatest ways…. nothing much got thrown away around Mum and Dad’s house. If it could be …read more

Today, I was asked a question about working with copper wire.
The questioner had just gotten a fab deal on 24 gauge copper wire and snapped it up.
When she experimented with crocheting it, she found it to be not very pleasant to work with.  24 gauge is pretty energized, and fairly stiff.
Crocheting with it is mighty tough on the tendons.
She had seen that someone else had asked me to make them sturdy spool knitters for spool knitting wire and wondered if  the 24 gauge could be spool knitted.
Why would you spool knit wire?
Because you can make absolutely gorgeous jewelry with it!  …read more

It’s spring! And, even though I may be too late for Easter with this bunny, I hope that you will have lots of fun weaving and spool knitting a darling Springtime Bunny.
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 …read more

Upcycling, recycling, reclaiming, re-using, re-purposing…. whatever you call it – it rocks!
I have several little loop lifters that came with red plastic spool knitters. They are really uncomfortable to work with, as they are too short and have a sharp sawed off end.
BUT… today I had a brainwave!
I often use sponge brushes in the studio.
I use them until they give up the ghost and squeak and crumble into tiny woebegone little bits.
I never throw away the wooden handles, as that would be a terrible waste, wouldn’t it? 
The handles pop off quite easily, as, luckily, they are not …read more

For months now, I have had a cap sitting in the studio, whining at me to finish it.
I have carried it around in bags, moved it from table to desk and back, taken it out, put it back, taken it out again, sighed, and put it back …. and  just haven’t been able to finish it.
Why, why why, I snivel? It’s a simple little cap!
Alright.
Yesterday, I read a note about March being crochet month. I even joined a Ravelry group in celebration of Crochet month!
I decided- this is it!
Crochet Month is here- I am gonna finish that cap in honor …read more

I love ‘cross pollinations’ in which I can bring together my various yarnie passions.
Crochet, tatting and spool knitting are so dear to my heart and VERY harmonious to combine.
I really enjoy making flat multi-media dolls to embellish garments and accessories.
Here are a few of the flat dolls that I’ve made with tatting, crochet, spool knitting, using everything from handspun angora  to wire:

They’re stitched to a tote bag that I bought at a second hand store. (love it) *G*

My last posting was about some spool knitters that I am very fond of.
I’ve just become acquainted with some wonderful new spool knitters:Crystalite French Knitters from Susan Bates. They’re 4 and 6 peg spool knitters and are very sturdy.
I really like them! They’re solidly made and are very nice to work with.

One of the things that is really neat is being able to see the cord while it’s still inside the spool knitter. They come with a wonderful little tool (Sylvalume Handi tool) that has a hook on one end and a point on the other.
Definitely thumbs up on these …read more

About 10 years ago, I was thrilled to bits to see a very special spool knitter on eBay. I have always loved spool knitting, but until then, hadn’t seen a spool knitter that looked like a doll.
I was so excited to see a spool knitter that was painted to look like Little Orphan Annie. I bid on her and won the auction.
Boy, was I ticked off when the seller decided that the price hadn’t gone high enough and refused to honor the auction. Humph!
I was really annoyed. But, I always figure:
Why get mad? Why not get creative?
So …read more

What on earth does Jane Austen have to do with Panda Bears?
Here’s the scoop – I have been working on a new Jane Austen spool knitter for weeks now.
It really hasn’t gone well. I have drawn the face at least 7 times, and each time, I have ended up sanding it off the spool knitter. argh.
I ended up painting layers of gesso on the spool knitter and just leaving the white ‘ghost of spool knitter future’ sitting on my desk.
I asked Jim to turn me another Jane Austen and he looked significantly over at the verrrrrrrrrrrry blank one. Oh …read more