New Starts for the New Year

I'm attempting to get all my looms dressed in time to ring in the New Year. I have some vague recollection that a dressed loom is supposed to be symbolic of great potential for the new year -- 'er somethin'. Maybe I made that up? Anyway, sounds good to me.

First up is the Saori loom, now dressed in a multi-textural warp in natural colours. No specific end product in mind, just "yardage" to tame the overflowing stash box of natural coloured yarn bits and bobs.

Next up is the larger of my two Inkle looms. I have warped it for a white/black/grey-silver band that I'll use a portion of for my growing collection of interchangeable bands for my medical alert information tag.

Now being wound for my Woolhouse Tools Carolyn is an 8/2 cotton warp for dish towels. These will be woven in a 2x2 twill. They are another stash buster project, this time using up small amounts of various blue cottons.

If I somehow find the time between now and the New Year I'd like to also put a short warp on my wee little Windhaven Ukulele inkle loom. Maybe a tubular band of some sort? The little Dorothy could use a scarf warp too. We'll see how far I get. Not much time left in 2022!

Making a Statement

 A couple of days ago I took the online "Make a Statement" class taught by Gwen Lafleur. It was a mixed media class and besides basic jewelry/beading methods it also went into layering and using special mediums like embossing ink. I haven't yet gotten to Michaels in the next community, so I worked with what I had on hand.

The central medallion is one that I embroidered last June. I also made the tubular Inkle band at that time and put it together in a simple pendant style. Unfortunately it had a tendency to spin when worn and often showed the backside rather than the front. The problem was the way I had attached it  top and bottom from only one central point.

Now that it has beaded additions and is attached to the Inkle band on both sides it will stay put. 

Gwen Lafleur seemed to refer to "statement" as something containing a personal affirmation note. I would be more inclined to define statement jewelry they way Brittany's Fine Jewelry does in this quote:

"Statement jewelry allows both men and women to express themselves and their personality through jewelry. Statement jewelry is unique and bold and helps the wearer portray who they are through their outward appearance." 

When I portray who I am through my outward appearance I like to be seen as creative, unique, and a truly "one of a kind" fibre artist. I think this piece of wearable art says that quite nicely.

The 7th York Pinafore

Yet another York Pinafore, my seventh! What can I say -- with the forgiving fit and large pockets they are *that* comfortable and practical to wear.

I also wove a detachable Inkle band that matches for my medical information tag.

For anyone interested in weaving Inkle bands here is the pattern I created using the generator at raktres.net

Put To Good Use

At the end of this month the Chilliwack Spinners and Weavers Guild is saying goodbye to two valued members. Both ladies are moving to new communities where they will be closer to family members. We will miss them here, but wish them well in their new adventures.

As always seems to happen with a move, some downsizing and purging is done. I was the recipient of one departing member's destashing of some cotton yarns. I'll put them to good use! I made the above fringed cowl using a lovely cotton/linen yarn that was part of that destashing. It was put up on bulky large core cardboard tubes and I felt the best way to store that was to not store it at all, but to use it immediately.

I'm going through the smaller remnants of cotton with a similar thought, making up mixed colour warps to empty as many of the cardboard cores as I can. The first warp is for a run of plain weave towels in colours I'd not likely want to use for clothing.

I also pulled a few colours that happen to coordinate well with the floral print of pinafore I sometimes wear. This Inkle band will be made into another interchangeable band for my medical information tag.

Thank you ladies for the time you've spent with the guild and the service and friendship you have provided. You shall be missed.

Maker's Tote

I recently completed this Maker's Tote using Saori fabric I had woven a long time ago and put aside for future consideration since it was so wild I didn't know what to do with it at the time.

While looking for a way to transport an Electric Eel Wheel 6.0 e-spinner to spin-ins I came across a sewing pattern for "The Maker's Tote" by Noodlehead. The fit looked like it would be good so I decided that the time had come to cut into that wild handwoven fabric. 

I already had the handmade bias binding leftover from a project completed several years ago. 

I made an Inkle band with the intent of using it for handles and a cross-body strap. The handles ended up being enough though so I scrapped the idea for a removable cross-body strap that would require additional hardware. 

The wild floral lining, with colours in keeping with the rest of the tote, is from the remainder of a thrifted sheet. I had enough to make the abundant pockets, inside and out.

I did have to buy a sturdy separating zipper for the top closure and also some foam stabilizer to give the bag some structure. 

I'm very happy with the finished bag, but it likely won't be used to carry the e-spinner. I'll use it for knitting instead. I've found a second hand wheeled Zuca bag that will allow me to trundle the e-spinner, all the fibre I need for a day's spinning, and any other stuff I want to take along. The great thing about the Zuca bag is that it can be used as a table to set the e-spinner on once I arrive at my destination.

101 Sheep

Having missed out on 2 big fibre related events, and more cancellations coming in yet because of the mandated social distancing, I decided to buy an online course to learn "Turned Krokbragd on an Inkle". I'm very pleased with the course. I was not only guided step by step through the setting up and weaving of an interesting technique, but I also picked up several tips that will be helpful weaving any sort of bands.

I'm pleased about that, since I've been on a bit of a band weaving kick lately. Here's some of the regular, plain weave bands I've woven lately. These were all woven on the wee "Ukulele" I purchased from Windhaven Fiber and Tools. Windhaven makes such great Inkle looms and tools that they have a hard time keeping up to demand! They are well worth the wait.

I had to drag out an older, clunkier Ashford inkle to learn the Turned Krokbragd on though. There isn't enough room up front on mini Inkles to work around the supplemental heddles that must be used for the technique. 

The sheep band, done in "Rainbow" brand 8/4 cotton, is about 1" in width and I finished with 101 sheep. Not sure what I'll use this band for. It was just for practice. The narrower, 15mm bands I'm weaving on my Windhaven Ukulele will be used to make bracelet attachments that will hold my medic alert information.

Wee Walnut Windhaven

This beautifully handcrafted Inkle loom arrived yesterday. Isn't it a cute little thing? It's petite size means it can be used in one's lap and will make a convenient portable loom for away from home use.

It was made of beautiful walnut wood by Miss Maggie of Windhaven Looms.

The loom comes with a narrow stick shuttle, a laminated quick reference card showing the warp path, and a well laid out instruction booklet with several pretty patterns to start you off.

I was up and weaving the same day and I'm very happy with the results.