Category Archives: gifts & easy to make gifts & presents

How to weave a boho or hobo bag on the triangle loom

My daughter sewed me a couple of gorgeous triangle shaped bags that got me thinking….

‘Hmmmm…. could I weave a triangular shaped bag?’

And, the answer was so obvious that it was a palm to forehead moment!

Duh! Use the triangle loom!

So, I did, and here’s the result:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
http://www.crone-findlay.com

The easiest bag ~ever~!!!!

These bags are so comfortable to use- they hug your body!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

I designed it so there are 2 pockets on the outside for glasses, cellphone, business cards, lip gloss etc

I wove mine on the 3 foot configuration of my Dewberry Ridge Triangle loom LINK to their site.

But, you could weave it on the 6 foot configuration, too, if you prefer.

Demonstrating with the full size triangles was too hard to get into the screen of the video camera,

so I used triangles woven on my 14 inch triangle:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

The finished bag is about 24 inches from the tip of the handle to the base point and about 18 inches across:

It’s such a fun and easy bag to make, I know that I am going to be making a whole lot more of them!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

Here’s the video tutorial on how to make them:

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Knit Red a book for the heart

One of the pleasures of blogging is when a lovely book shows up in my mailbox for reviewing.

Today’s book is one of the most beautiful to come along in a long time:

Knit Red: Stitching for Women’s Heart Health by Laura Zander published by sixth&spring books

Knit Red is a gorgeous book. The patterns are for knitters who are at least intermediate skill level.

 

There are 30 red, heart health-inspired patterns and personal stories from well loved designers- with beautiful photos and excellent charts.

It’s a compendium of gorgeous fashion accessories, with most of the patterns featuring either cable or lace work.  Luscious!

As well, there are heart healthy living tips, resources and recipes- a feast for the senses. :)

Knit Red is part of the Needlearts industry’s national heart disease awareness campaign, Stitch Red (http://stitchred.com/default.asp), and a percentage of it’s proceeds will support The Heart Truth®.

This is one book that would be a perfect gift for the holidays, or even better, a treat to yourself to help you make exquisite gifts from the heart!

Happy Knitting!

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Two more pouches for the Soumak Pouch Weave Along

I’ve been shooting videos for the weave along  that begins on September 2nd.

As I was shooting, I was weaving along on a couple of pouches.

Here they are:

A Stripey one, with some beads and other embellishments:

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and the back:

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I wove it with Lion Brand Bonbon yarn- cotton for the body of the pouch and metallic for the embellishment.

The size 8 beads along the sides are from Mirrix and the bone beads at the lower edge were in my stash.

The medallion on the back of the pouch is one that I snitched from a box of stuff that my daughter in law was going to give away.

(She gave it away, but to ~me~ instead of giving it to ‘anonymous’ :)   I can be shameless when it comes to pretty goodies! )

My daughter in law grinned at me when she saw the finished pouch, and said: ‘This one is yours, isn’t it, Mum?’

‘Yes! but how did you guess?’

She just laughed.

I guess it’s because I adore these colors and use them all the time!

I was concerned about this pouch:

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Why?  Well, because both my daughter and my daughter in law declared that they loved it and would love to have SantaMamma leave it in their Christmas stocking.

I didn’t want to make two pouches that were exactly alike, so I had to have a big old think about it.

And, I came up with the perfect answer!!!!!

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TADAH!!!!   I wove it up in the same colorway, but using the drop dead luscious wool yarn from the Mirrix kit

[LINK to purchase]

(and, please note,: I don’t profit by raving about the delicious and gorgeous yarns I am using for these pouches, but I am just tickled pink with them, and VERY happy to say: WHEEEEEEEEEEE about them and to say: Yup… thumbs up, order and love ‘em, too) :D

Here’s the back of the woolie pouch:

Kreinik supplied me with the gorgeous embroidery thread and edging cord for this pouch.

Here are the links for them:

The edging is 3/8 ” trim:  # 170 Natural Pewter
http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/product.php?productid=17023&cat=0&page=1
The embroidery thread is: Ombre: http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/product.php?productid=622&cat=0&page=1
1000 – Solid Silver

I love the combination of the soft loftiness of the wool with the sparkle of the metallic embroidery floss.

By the way, the embroidery thread is soft and lovely to work with. Some metallics can be barky and sharky.

This is soft and nooshy.

!AND! 

Happy dance!

and   ~whew~

My daughter in law (who happens to be an incredibly gifted and talented handspinner, so she is naturally inclined to be more drawn to wool),  likes the woolie pouch -

HURRAH! SantaMamma is so relieved!

My girls will have their lovely pouches in their Christmas stockings, and they are ‘sister pouches’…. similar, but each unique!
 

Alright… time for me to get back to editing video…..  :)

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A gift of love-A heart and hands scarf

I wanted to wrap my daughter in love, so I decided to weave her a stole or scarf that has the hand prints of our near and dear.

And in the hand prints, are little hearts that I wove on my heart loom. LINK for how to weave them.

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I wove the triangles on the 14 inch triangle loom from Dewberry Ridge looms LINK

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And showed how to do the chain stitch drawings: LINK

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And, how to weave the flower from hearts: LINK

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Because the scarf/stole/shawl will be seen from both sides, I stitched a heart to each side of the stole :o )

I plan on crocheting an edge around it eventually, but am holding off on that until we are sure that we don’t want more triangles added to it.

I love being able to pour my love into a special gift- with love in every stitch! :D

In every stitch is a wish for happiness!

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Filed under gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Heart Loom, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

How to make a butterfly from woven hearts

I have been weaving up all kinds of sweet little hearts on the Dewberry Ridge Heart loom.

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You can use the butterflies to embellish all manner of things: Toys, dolls, scarves, stoles, shawls, hats, bags, stitch a pin on the back to wear it as a pin, stitch it to a pillow, towels, blankets, throws, wraps…. etc :)

Here’s the video tutorial on how to make the butterflies:

Happy weaving! Happy butterflies! :)

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Filed under gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Heart Loom, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, weaving & handwoven

How to weave a tiny heart & make fun projects with them

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I have been having so much fun weaving tiny hearts!

I have been designing all manner of fun projects with the Dewberry Ridge Heart Loom-

What have I been using the hearts for? Well… things like a prayer flag:

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and amulet bags:

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and I fixed a placemat that had a frayed corner:

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I also made darling butterflies from the hearts. See this post: Link for a video tutorial on how to make them.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

 You can use the hearts on stuffed toys, bags, hats, scarves, shawls, stoles, mittens, socks, sweaters, vests, placemats, curtains, towels, stitch a pin on the back and wear it as a pin, weave them with handspun wool and felt them and wear them as earrings – there is just no limit to the things you can do with the sweet little hearts!

I’ve made a video of how to weave heart using the Dewberry Ridge Heart Loom:

The link to buy the looms is: HEART

 

Happy hearts to you, and happy weaving! :)

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Woven Bunny free pattern

I designed a bunny for Lion Brand, using the Martha Stewart loom (which I love) :D

and, the bunny pattern is now available, freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee on the Lion Brand website.

Here’s the link: Bunny pattern

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Happy weaving! and happy bunny fun! :D

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Nifty ‘V’ and ‘U’ shape scarves to weave on the potholder loom

For this last year and a half, I have been designing up a storm, but not getting the designs out into the world.

I made a promise to myself that I am going to get as many of the new designs up and released as possible before this year ends.

On that note, I am happy to announce that I have finished another pattern- Whee, whew and yay!!!!

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The Viva ‘V’ and “U’ shaped scarves are so comfortable to wear!

The clever shaping means that the scarf stays in place without a lot of extra yardage.

It can be made in several different ways. It can be a ‘V’ shaped scarf or cowl, or a ‘U’ shaped scarf or cowl.

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It’s a wonderful way to showcase art yarn, and other special hand spun yarns.

Instructions are given for how to weave all the different shapes using regular weaving with yarn techniques on the potholder loom,

AS WELL AS: How to weave with bulky yarns on the potholder loom.

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Instructions are also given for how to make big arty buttons from dead branches.

The lightweight version works well as a ‘keyhole’ scarf – one end pulls through an opening in the other end of the scarf.

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Adding a spool knitted edging is optional.

There are soooooooooooo many ways to express your creativity with this nifty scarf!

The best part is that it is so quick and easy to make, and a real delight to wear!

The pattern can be ordered from: http://www.crone-findlay.com/Crone-FindlayCreationsPotholderLoomWeaving.html

Happy Weaving! :D

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“Keep Calm and Carry On” Banner to weave and spool knit

During the second world war, the British people were encouraged to hang on in a challenging time by posters that said: ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.

Keep Calm and Carry On Banner by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c)

Well, times are challenging again, and the advice to ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ is still worthy!
So, I decided to weave a banner with these notable words emblazoned on it.
I made a pattern with lots of photos and step by step how-to’s. (It’s what I do well :D )

Keep Calm and Carry On Banner by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c)

I think that it would make a wonderful gift. And it’s fun to make, too!
I wove it on a beautiful hand made potholder loom from Hazel Rose looms, but any loom that gives you a 6 or 7 inch square would work just fine. (Including the Martha Stewart Loom).

If you are not a fan of spool knitting (although, in the pattern,  I show how to quickly spool knit on 3 pegs) then you might want to buy yourself an ‘Embellish Knit‘ spool knitter from Bond.
The pdf pattern can be ordered from my website:
Crone-Findlay Creations Potholder Loom Weaving

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Filed under gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, potholder loom, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting, Uncategorized, weaving & handwoven

Monster dear and snuggly bunny on the Lily Speed-O-Weave loom

I am a dyed in the wool doll maker. No matter what loom or fiber arts tool I am working with, it doesn’t take long for me to wonder how I could use it to make a doll.

So, it’s no surprise, that as I was designing projects for my new book on the vintage Lily Speed-O-Weave loom, (that’s a link to my website to see more) I had to come up with some fun dolls and stuffies.

Lily-Speed-O-Weave-monster-designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay (coppyright)

Monster Dear was inspired by a book that my daughter loved when she was a very little girl.

It was about a monster who was afraid of the dark. She loved him, so of course, I had to make her one.

This is a new version of ‘Monster Dear’.  I think he’ll chase away bad dreams!

And, a ball of squishy soft yarn inspired me to make the snuggly Bunny dolly:

Lily-Speed-O-Weave-Snuggle-Bunny-designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay (coppyright)

I’ve always loved rabbits and bunnies, so I’ve designed and made countless versions of them over the years.

These two fuzzy friends delight me.  Ah, the joys of yarn- it’s endless!!!!

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Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Loom & looms & small loom weaving