Lots of Weaving

This past week has been about weaving.

I finished my first card weaving piece. This was really easy, and enjoyable to weave.

I ended up with about 1.5m of braid. It is made from 8/2 unmercerized cotton in 4 colours.

The design is created by turning all the cards at a time. The top design is turning the cards 4 times one way and then 4 times the other way while weaving. The bottom design is 8 times each way. I believe this type of design is called a threaded in design. There are many other ways to card weave, and I look forward to trying out some other designs. The braid is quite thick and strong, because it is 4 layers of thread. The reverse side of the braid is a different pattern (it's visible in other the photo).

I also finished weaving the boucle towels (before washing).

Since some of the towels needed a loop, I wove a small band. This is the first time I have woven boucle cotton on the inkle loom - I was surprised it worked, but it was a bit hard to weave.

This is the fabric, and braid after washing. The white line on the fabric is a thicker cotton, where I cut the towels apart.

Nine towels - all hemmed, and ready to use (each one is different).

Nice and bright, spring time towels (although it is very chilly outside, -33ºC this morning).

I also finished spinning another skein of yarn. This one is a merino/tencel blend that I dyed. It is chain plied, so the colours wouldn't be too blended.

Photos from around -

Molly's frosty face from digging her ball in and out of the snow.

The little white house was moved to a new location this week.

All the best!♥︎

Another Type of Weaving

I have been wanting to try out card/tablet weaving for a while, and since there is a New-to-You Make-Along happening on Instagram I thought this was the perfect time.

I watched a workshop on Long Thread Media - Tablet Weaving Made Easy with John Mullarkey (he really did make it look easy). I cut up some old playing cards, punched holes in the corners, labelled them all ready for weaving. I am using the inkle loom.

I think like weaving on a regular loom, getting everything ready takes the longest amount of time. It should be fun.

I am up to towel #5 on the floor loom - this one will be all navy, then I will try out some striped towels.

I am working on the heels on the handspun socks.

I think she was hoping I had put some food on the floor.

I spun up another skein of yarn for socks.

We are still working on basement renovations. We had enough leftover flooring that my craft room storage room was able to get some nice flooring (it was just rough painted cement before).

Much better!

 

All the best!♥︎

Some Dyeing

This past week I did some dyeing-

This is all a Blue Faced Leicester and nylon blend for socks.

This is the first bundle that I decided to spin - I tried some different colours for this one, and wanted to see how it would spin (I used Jacquard acid dyes in the colours Russet, Teal and Golden Yellow mixed with a bit of of Jet Black to make lime green).

The three bobbins ready for plying (I like a 3-ply yarn for socks).

The finished yarn.

I really like how the colours came out.

And this is how it is knitting up (toe-up, two-at-a-time socks, with 56 stitches, on 2.75mm needles).

The colours on the fibre seemed so bright, but they really muted down after spinning - the colours are on opposite sides of the colour wheel.

I am almost half way through my weaving project - #4 out of 9 towels, each one is a different yarn colour so far, and then I will make some with stripes.

Photos from Around - 

Look away Mom!

The cat brought a live mouse in the house for the first time.

My son took this picture - I was up on the counter texting my husband that we would have to move.

We eventually got it to leave the house. The cat isn't too fond of mice she prefers voles.

My oldest son finally received all the parts he needed for a new project for his business,

and this is the main part - a laser.

This will all be a CNC laser cutter for wood, leather, plastic etc.

All the best!♥︎

A New Year

I feel like I don't have much to say these days, but I would like to get back into posting weekly about the things I have been working on.

The past little while our basement renovations have really progressed. I was able to unpack most of my sewing space! It is so nice to see things that have been packed for over 2 years.

I now have a really nice work space - bright, with lots of room for everything, plus a nice storage room for supplies. 

One of the first things I am working on is some more boucle hand towels. The loom now sits in a little nook, so it can just wait, ready for weaving.

I think I am finally through my knitting hats with leftover handspun and mohair phase. I finished two more hats (four altogether). They are all so soft, and very warm.

Photos from around - 

There has been some amazing hoar frost lately.

Sunrise.

My son made a fire pit ring (he recently built a jig to curve sheets of metal).

There are more pictures on his instagram.

We discovered that the cat loves musicals

(the Sound of Music wasn't the only one!).

All the best!♥︎