Tottie Talks Crafts Blog » tutorial & how to

How to weave a heart motif on a pin board loom

tottietalkscrafts — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:52:50 +0000

Hearts are one of my most favorite design motifs ever.

I decided that I should design a tiny little woven heart motif as a project for the ‘Stitch Red’ heart health campaign, and also work as an embellishment on a special ‘I love you’ scarf for my daughter.

Here’s the link to the previous post about using tambour crochet to embellish the scarf: Link

The yarn used in the heart motif is from Koigu, made specially for the Stitch Red campaign. Link

Here is the pattern to make the pin board loom to weave the heart:(Note: Print it out so the pattern is 2 inches by 2 inches)

Materials and equipment: a square of foam (I upcycled some packing material) that’s about 4 inches square by an inch or so thick.

34 pins or 1 inch fine finishing nails. (You may need a nail file to file rough edges off the tops)

A 3 or 4 inch square of clear plastic from a clamshell package or other recycled thingie.

Knife to cut the foam, scissors.

2.5 mm crochet hook

small tapestry needle

Instructions

1: Copy the pattern, and trim to fit the size of piece of foam.

2: Place the piece of clear plastic over the pattern. Push the pins into the dots.

Warping: The right hand arch of the heart is held vertical and the left hand arch is horizontal.

3: Tie 2 strands of yarn together (Note, you need to be working with fine yarn, like a sock weight) and place over the pin at the point of the heart.

4: Skip 8 pins, go around the next pin and down to the lower edge, and around the pin to the left of the pin at the point.

5: Go up and down across the 5 pins at the top and their mathcing pins on the lower edge.

6: Take the yarn up to th emifpoint pin (there are 3 empty pins above it) and down.

7: Go up and down across the next 5 sets of pins. There will be 3 vertical pins/nails left empty. Make an ’8′ around the last set of nails to bring the yarn back down to the lower set of nails.

8: Weaving

Row 1: Weave hook from right to left: Over 4/Under 4 between the 1st and 2nd pins.

Make a loop of yarn and place it on the hook, then draw it through the warp strands. Place the loop on the 2nd nail on the right hand side.

Adjust yarn.

Rows 2 & 4: Weave Under 4/Over 4 across, pick up the loop of yarn, ease through, place loop on nail/pin.

Row 3: WEave Over 4/Under 4 across, pick up loop, ease through, place on nail on right hand side of loom.

Rows 5 & 7: Weave )ver 4/Under 4/Over 4/Under 4/Over 4… make loop, ease through, place on pin on right hand side.

Note: on Row 7, the yarn passes by 5 pins before it’s woven in.

Rows 6 & 8: U4/O4/U4/O4/U4 make loop, ease through, place on pin on right hand side.

Row 9: Working with top 3 pins only: U4/O4/U 4 make loop, ease through, place on pin on right hand side. (It already has loops on it, but not to worry).

Finishing:

Wrap the yarn around the circumference of the heart 2 1/2 ties and snip.

Working in a counter clockwise direction: Thread the yarn ends into a darning needle and lift the stitches off, one by one, stitching through them.

Some nails have 2 sets of threads on them, so lift the sets of yarn off one at a time.

Stitch over the long floating threads to capture them.

Stitch twice at the tip of the heart.

Untie the beginning knot and weave in the ends.

Adjust the circumference stitching to shape the heart, and stitch through the outside edge again if desired.

Weave in ends and trim.

The hearts can be used to embellish or trim scarves, hats, mittens, gloves, cowls, hair ornaments, bags, stuffies, dolls, toys, blankets, shawls, stoles, vests, coats, wall hangings, cellphone and tablet covers. The sky’s the limit!

Here’s the video tutorial on how to weave the heart motif:

I think that people might like to have a heart loom in wood, so I asked Donna and Gary McFarland of Dewberry Ridge looms Link if they would make them, and they said yes, so if you want one, drop them a note.

PLEASE NOTE: All content of this blog, including video, audio, written and photographed is the sole work and property of Noreen Crone-Findlay, and MAY NOT be used without my permission. Thanks so much!

Woven Bunny free pattern

tottietalkscrafts — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:06:57 +0000

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

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

Here’s the link: Bunny pattern

Happy weaving! and happy bunny fun!

How to make Edward Bear’s foot

tottietalkscrafts — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:12:04 +0000

A lady on Ravelry is having trouble making Edward Bear’s foot, so I am going to show some step by steps on how to do it:

Here is Edward Bear with his head and one leg stuffed.

His foot is turned up and the stitching is started along one side of the foot.

Here’s a closeup of measuring the foot- Stitch the edges together around the fold to stitch the foot to the leg- around the sides of the foot and across the top of the foot.

Hope this helps!

Video tutorial-How to shape fabric by pulling the warp strands

tottietalkscrafts — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:58:37 +0000

Yesterday, I posted a blog entry about a shrug that I sewed from my handwoven fabric. (LINK)

And, then, was asked- ‘Yes, but what does it mean when you say: Pull warp strands?’

So, I have made a video tutorial, showing how to pull warp strands to shape ruffles, like the lower edge of the shrug,

or the upper edge of the ‘Woven Woman: Butterfly Prayer” LINK (to see the full piece)

Or, you can pull and ease the warp strands into a more graduated curve, like the yoke of this tunic:

Here’s a closer look:

And here’s the video:

How to spool knit without a spool knitter

tottietalkscrafts — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:52:38 +0000

You can use spool knitted cords to decorate and embellish your crochet in a million different ways.

One way to do a thicker spool knitted or i cord is to use several strands of yarn held together.

And, if you don’t have a spool knitter, not to worry! You have your fingers!

I have made a video tutorial on how to make a spool knitted cord on just 3 of your fingers.
It works great!

Here’s the video tutorial:

Video tutorial on how to pick up knitting stitches with crochet hook

tottietalkscrafts — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:44:52 +0000

Today, I was working on a new design for knitted clothes for Edward and Anastasia teddy bear.

It struck me that it might be a good idea to get a little bit more specific when I say: ‘pick up x number of stitches along this edge’.

So, I wrote out how I like to pick up stitches – which is with a crochet hook.

And, then it struck me that showing how to do this is probably even better than just writing about it.

So, I made a video tutorial, demonstrating on how I use a crochet hook to pick up the required stitches.

This technique works equally well for knitting flat or knitting in the round.

And, here’s the video tutorial:

Can Edward and Anastasia Bear be knitted with thicker yarn and larger needles?

tottietalkscrafts — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:04:47 +0000

Yes! They can!

Edward and Anastasia Bear are 2 little bears that I have designed for ‘Your Knitting Life’ magazine (formerly known as ‘Knitting Today’), and they’ve been in each issue of the magazine since it started.

They are small… they’re 6 inches tall, and are knitted on 2.75 mm needles using Regia sock yarn.

Recently, on Ravelry, someone asked if Edward and Anastasia could be made larger, and the answer is, ‘You betcha’!

The humungous Edward Bear in the photo is 18 inches tall. If you knit with 8 or 9 mm needles and super bulky yarn or 2 strands of medium weight yarn held together, you will get one very large Edward Bear! Stitch through the hips to make them bendable.

The pattern for the basic Edward is available for free from the ‘Your Knitting Life’ website: Edward pattern link.

You can see pics of the all Edward and Anastasia installments here: Pics

Can you weave tapestry on potholder loom? why, yes!

tottietalkscrafts — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:32:35 +0000

One of my Ravelry buddies just shared photos of a lovely little tapestry loom that he’s built.

He then commented that Noreen would probably say that you can weave tapestries on her beloved potholder looms.

And, of course, I chirrupped up: “Funny you should mention that, but Y E S you can! “

Last year, after the devastation of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, I was very upset, and sat down with my sketchbook.

I did a little drawing that made me sit up and say: “I could weave that!”

So, I whipped out my Harrisville potholder loom (Link to Harrisville) and cut a square of cardboard to fit inside it.

I made a cartoon of the basic elements of the drawing: A circle inside a square, and taped it to the cardboard.

I decided to use all Harrisville yarns and fibers in this piece, so I warped up with warp yarn from Harrisville.

I used a table fork to beat the weft strands:

When I was finished, I wove an inkle border on my Schacht Inkle loom

I saw how the circle could become a face, so I warped up, again, and wove this:

And, this face made me think of the sun, so of course, I had to weave a companion,

‘Song to the Moon’: woven with yarn from my stash

Normally, I dislike fringes, but this piece demanded them, so I faithfully added them.

I was intrigued by weaving the expressive little faces (remember, the potholder loom yields a woven piece that is 6 inches square)

so…. with handspun yarn and stash yarn, I wove this little tapestry:

I have been meaning to block these little tapestries, but have been busy with so many other things that I haven’t gotten around to it.

But, when Misha joked about me weaving tapestries on the potholder loom, I thought…

“Well, they’re not blocked, but so what! I’ll post a note about them anyhow!”

So, when my ‘to do’ list calms down a little, I ~~will~~, um…. I might get them blocked!

Until then, keep on weaving! I am….

And, don’t forget to check out my other potholder loom weaving on my website: LINK

Please remember that this post is copyright protected, so please don’t copy the images etc! Thanks so much~!

Free pattern for a woven elephant

tottietalkscrafts — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:56:52 +0000

The pattern has gone live for the
Woven Elephant that I designed for Lion Brand on the Martha Stewart loom
HERE’S THE LINK TO IT

She’s a cutie!

I love elephants…..

happy weaving!

More little looms from recycled stuff part 2

tottietalkscrafts — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:24:31 +0000

If you are teaching a child to weave, or just want an impromptu, no cost small loom for sampling yarns and colorways, this little loom is very handy.

The project on the foam food tray loom is a bookmark, but you can weave amulet bags, rug mugs, small dolls and toys, doll house rugs or squares that you stitch together to make larger projects.

It’s great for traveling, as it’s light, and if you use a plastic darning needle for weaving, it’s fine to take through airport security.

Yesterday, I posted part one of the recycled and upcycled looms: Here’s the link: PART ONE

I think that one of the most accessible looms for beginning weavers is the weaving stick loom.

I am doing a lot of designing for it – here’s my post about the mermaid to weave on the stick weaving loom: LINK

Happy Weaving!!!!