Andean Pebble Weave

Here is my first andean pebble weave band.
I used no 10 mercerized cotton dmc. I feel that it was a bit thin to show up the beautiful patterns.
These are designs from Lavern's 1st book .
I really feel I could have done better and since then I understand things alot clearer since I did this first band.
I am happy enough though even though they are not perfect. Dropped warps due to not separating sheds properly , selvages uneven,  and warps sometimes twisted. These are the errors that I have noticed.
Never Mind next one will be so much better.

These are all 8 Revolution patterns out of Lavern's monograph first book.

Thanks for looking.

Woven inkle strap red and black comb design

Just thought I would show you an inkle strap that I wove before going away on my inkle loom.
I love the combination of red black and white. I designed this in loomybins software as a plain weave. It was so easy and mindless really.
I would like to make a storage bag for my inkle shuttles , so I may have to do another so I can make it wide enough. This turned out to be about 2 inches wide.
Here is the actually woven band.

and below is the pattern I used.enjoy.

Warp faced table runner -Part 1.

I want to document this as I go along, so if I decided to do another I won't have to do all that thinking and researching again.

Well my daughters wedding is getting really close now, a beautiful march wedding in Fiji.
I asked her if she would like me to make the table runner for the wedding reception .
Its one of the biggest things I have attempted to date with weaving but I just love the challenge.
So of course I had to modify a stand that my hubby had made years ago for a large cross stitch that I had done and decided to make a sort of backstrap, mapuche, tapestry type loom to put on it.
I knew what I wanted I just had to get back out into the shed and start woodworking again .

Here is what I came up with

 I am pretty happy that it turned out so well.
The extra sticks are for the cross when I am warping up. I thought I may as well just warp it on the loom itself.
 I used a dovetail warp as I didn't want any sort of fringe on it. I am thiniking that I would like to maybe do some type of tubular edge on it when I am finished but once again I have never tried that before, but I will give it a go.

I want the size to be about 2 metres or a little longer because the island hasn't sent us table measurements yet , so a wild guess.

The warp is on below and I am making continuous string heddles for one of the sheds.
My design is my own except for the pickup part. I am using Ann Dixon's baltic pattern as my daughter and I thought it looked the most tribal.

I am actually on holidays for christmas and I am weaving in the annexe of our caravan. It was really hard getting that loom into the car. My hubby just shakes his head at me, but because we are away for 7 weeks going back and forth for work though it would be the end of January before I was back and that really would be cutting it fine.

Okay string heddles are made and I count my warps and I have 342 in total. 

I am using an eight ply cotton/acrylic from spotlight but I really would have loved a firmer cotton maybe mercerized as well. 

We chose to do an asymmetrical design as well in a in 3 shades. Natural, black and white.

Here it is so far.

I am really happy with how its turning out and I am trying really hard to keep those selvages straight as well. 

I am beating the weft very firmly as well.

I think I will do a small video of me weaving this as well as further record keeping for myself and anyone else that may read this blog. It may help.

Bye for now.

Twice Knitted Jumbo Needle- knitted lap blanket.

Update on knitting page.
My daughters lap blanket. Knitted in two shades of white.
Click on the knitting/crochet page to see.

Leaving you with a pretty picture

Looking for a weaving book

I have been wanting to borrow from the library or buy Small looms in Action by Elizabeth Jensen.
I have emailed her and received a reply that it is no longer in print and she can't help me.
I have put a wanted on Gumtree hoping that someone that no longer weaves would be willing to sell their book. It was not an expensive book just interesting for me.
I am after plans for the wee winnie inkle keel loom .
I am going away in March and would love to take a small project with me , as I love to have my crafty things with me at all times.
If anyone reading this blog perhaps would know of anyone with the book or would be willing to sell their book could you please contact me.

The book is called Small looms in Action by Elizabeth Jensen. It is of course an american book.
Ebay does not have it I have been checking for over a year now. My library nor interlibrary loans have it, elizabeth jensen no longer has one to sell, so I just don't know where else to turn.

My Email address is cutienmedesigns@gmail.com.

Backstrap weaving update

Read the latest on the links above.

For Stephanie

Hi Stephanie ,
Here are a couple of youtube links for spinning that I found. You are always welcome to bring your spinning wheel around to my home if you can't get the tension thing right.
ashford tradional spinning wheel how to
how to adjust your brake band for single drive wheels
These links will help you to get started spinning and making sure your wheel will work well for you, also it will lead to many many more video's on spinning.
Here is my spinning on my ashford traveller which is a single drive wheel.

Below is the tension knob

 and here is the brake band with the spring going from the tension knob through the eye over the wheel and around to the other eye. I don't have it with much tension at all.

Above is merino wool being spun and below photo is of alpaca fibre.

My alpaca fibre that I am spinning on my ashford traditional double drive wheel. Mine can also work as a single drive as well.

Andean Pebble Weave update

Well here is the update on my Pebble Weave LARGE project.
Faults and all. But learning and making mistakes is what it's all about.
With the kind help finally from Laverne I seperated the warps into pairs .
I did have that one right, right from the start so that was good to know. I just double checked it.

Further reading  on my update on my Backstrap/Inkle Weaving Page here

weaving page updated

I have updated the weaving page with more Rigid Heddle scarves

Large scale Art backboard

I painted this artwork for a backboard in my entertainment area as a backing for a fishpond.
Entertainment area has not been completed yet but thought I may as well put it on my blog as well as just another thing I can do. I may have inherited my ability to paint from Dad as he was an artist, signwriter, ticket writer. I spent many hours watching him paint and talking away to him when I was little.
This backboard is 1.8 m long.

knitting crochet page updated

I have just put some photos up on the knitting crochet page if your interested in having a look.

Quilting

I have just put a new page up on my quilting adventures over the years. Lots of nice photo's to look at.
These are all my own designs so please don't copy them but feel free to admire them.
Thanks for reading my blog and feel free to comment if you want to.

New Page for Backstrap, inkle and tablet weaving up.

I have just made a new page for my newest adventures in backstrap weaving, tablet weaving and inkle weaving. Just go to that page link along the top.
Also new photo's of my woodworking

Welcome to my blog

Hi and welcome to my blog.
I am writing this blog to document and keep reference to all things knitting, weaving, spinning and a touch of woodcraft related to my crafts.
I hope you enjoy looking as much as I love creating them.

Click on the pages above in the navigation bar to see more about me and my obsessions.

Thanks for dropping by.