In ‘Time To Weave’, she has a project (with variations) that uses a peg or stick loom.

She made her weaving sticks by cutting lengths of aluminum tubing.

I was pleased to see that she had included the stick loom in the book, as it’s a small loom that has lots of creative potential.

Seeing her version of the stick loom reminded me that it was something that I had been exploring about a year or so ago.

So, I went and dug out my version of the stick loom.

(Well, to be perfectly honest, I tore the studio apart, because I could only find half of it.

The search for the other half was VERY rewarding so it was a big win-win, even though I had a minor fit at not being able to find it at first).

Anyhow, I found it (and some other really good stuff) and all is well….

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I am a dyed in the wool ‘gadgeteer’…

and I am fascinated by the potential of

working in a ‘cross currents’ kind of way….

using a tool in multiple ways to create

interesting textiles.

One little tool that is a great multi-tasker is the Clover Hairpin Lace Tool, with 6 extra pegs or pins, for a total of 9 pins or sticks…

(Yes, I know, there are only 6 pins in the photo…. the other 3 are in the box)    I know that someone would look at the photo and scratch their head, thinking: Um, can’t Noreen count to 6? Why is she talking about 9 pins? 

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Okay, now that that is settled…

To buy it with all 9 pins, go to Lacis.com

and  type ‘ Stick Loom LF 82 ‘

into their search box.

They are the only vendor that

I have seen with the full 9 pins.

Joann’s has a 3 pin version.

Lacis also has the more usual stick loom with dowels.

Basically, the stick loom holds warp strands, as tails, and you weave the weft on the sticks,

then slide it off the sticks and down onto the tails.

I am working on a set of placemats, and am playing with different ways of trimming the edges.

It struck me that stick loom woven bands would be a great way to finish an edge, so I decided to experiment.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Years ago, I wove with a bunch of darning needles

held together as a stick loom.

I thought… hey! I have 6 plastic weaving needles….

why don’t I try weaving with them?

So I cut lengths of warp strands

and threaded them into the needles.

and filled them up with weaving….

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

It seemed like a good idea at the time….

but…

the great big eyes

on the needles

turned it

into a very bad idea.

Erg.

I had to squeeeeeeeeeeeee, honk and

scrape to get the weft off the needles.

So… scratch the plastic weaving needles with big eyes. One of them has a nice slender eye. The weft slipped off it lickety split. The others clung to the weft like there was no tomorrow.

Darning needles with inline eyes work great especially if you can find somewhat longish ones.  But for now….

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

It’s back to working

with the Clover Hairpin Lace loom.

This time with just 3 pins,

as I only want the woven band

to be about an inch wide.

Insert the warp strands

into the eye of the pin,

bring the ends together and

tie a knot. Repeat across.

Now, go back and forth, under over the pins, weaving yarn onto them until you have a couple of inches woven.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Then, pull the pins

out of the base,

and slide the weaving down

the tails of warp,

until you have all the

weaving slipped down

off the pins.

Insert the pins back into the holes in the base.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Tug the warp ends

gently to bring

the weaving to the base.

And there you go…

carry on for the desired

length of your

band.

When you are done, tie or braid the ends.

Voila! a nifty woven band on the stick loom!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

She has written about what it has been like for her to do the sewing of the memorial textiles (called antependia) that we have co-created in memory of her Nana, my precious mother in law….. we both found it to be very stirring to put huge effort into creating a loving memorial to a marvelous woman who was central in our lives.

Here’s her entry: Chloë  and the memorial textiles

Here’s what I wrote about this process:

1] Starting the weaving 

2] a not so stellar moment…. 

3] weaving…. 

4] weaving a metaphor

5] my part finished…. 

Sunday morning, we’ll be participating in the dedication of the altar cloth,  pulpit banner and  table runners.  Jim’s trio is going to play, and a friend of ours, a fabulous singer, is going to be singing. It’s going to be wonderful….

I’ll take some pics and post them……

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

I’ve written about it before – memorial textiles 

For the last few days, I have been deeply immersed in finishing up the bands so my daughter can take them and stitch them to the ‘antependia’ (sacred textiles).

There’s nothing like knowing that if you don’t get your part of the project done, then the project doesn’t get done! eep

So, weave weave weave…. I’ve woven miles of bands…. and now, I get to pass them to my daughter, for her to make her magic with.

She’s good.

She’s REALLY good!

She’s her grandmother’s granddaughter for sure )

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Chloë wrote today about her part of the Memorial textiles that we are working on in celebration of the life of her grandmother/my beloved mother-in-law.

Chloë’s doing a fabulous job on them, and it’s a HUGE project, all driven by love.

Jim took some pics of me working on my part…. the weaving of the narrow bands that are trimming the banners and altar cloth and side table runners:

When I was first approached about weaving this memorial for my precious mum-in-law, I envisioned something much bigger.

I got WILDLY inspired and came up with a really exciting concept.  It’s a huge and exuberant idea for a wonderful weaving project!

So, the seed is planted for a project that I KNOW is going to see the light of day- sometime…..  it’s gestating – and I know it’s going to be fun!

BUT… there was a VERY firm nudging that kept coming up for me. It was a prompting that  I believe was coming from Mum, saying: Keep this simple!

And judging by the ‘deer in the headlights’ look in the eyes of the memorial committee  when I proposed the very high energy (lotsa people involved) project, that inner prompting was right.   THIS  memorial project does need to be elegant, minimalist and simple.

Simple ain’t easy, though… Chloë  and I are working our butts off on it.

And, it is just SO RIGHT!  It seems to me that women have found ways of remembering each other and making connections in and through their threads since the beginning of time.

We are all weaving a tapestry of life that carries our memories and love in every one of the precious threads we spin each day.

Here’s to the tapestry!

What are you weaving into the threads of your life?

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

It’s taken awhile to get all the details sorted and everything approved, but now things are on fast forward.

Turns out what the committee wanted was to replace the worn out  navy blue velvet  with new velvet ones, to have me weave decorative edging.

Sewing velvet is one of my least favorite things on earth, so my wonderful daughter has taken on that part. (Bless her heart!)

She’s doing all the sewing by hand, which is a LOT of work.

And, she can’t do it until I get the bands woven…. so….

Today, I got out my bobbin winder and filled a paper quill with a heap of white thread…….

and my inkle loom, and then I got warping……

and now…. weave….. weave….. weave……..

 It’s going to be a touch slow, as pickup weaving is done stitch by stitch…..

and – there’s love in every stitch.

Post from: Hankering for Yarn