Last autumn, my nephew and his bride asked me to weave them a blanket as a wedding present.

Hmm- there were so many options on how to weave the blanket.

I settled on using my triangle loom that had recently arrived from Dewberry Ridge looms.  Link

I set it up to the 5 foot configuration and started weaving:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I decided that 4 triangles on the 5 foot configuration of the loom, stitched together with the hypotenuse of the triangles forming the outside edge of the blanket, would work best.

I wanted to try giving it a bit more texture and interest than just plain weave, so I went with Over 2/Under 2, and loved it.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

The yarn is gorgeous Kertzer wool that has been discontinued. It took 12 balls of

Kertzer Rejuvenation, 100% wool, 100 gm/3.5 oz, 200 m/220 yds, color # 8006 to make the blanket.

I used  2 strands of yarn held together to weave the triangles for the blanket.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

To stitch the 4 triangles together, I laid them on the dining room table and stitched 2 triangles together (remembering to have the hypotenuse on the outside, and not stitched), then stitched the other 2 triangles together.

Then, I stitched the long center seam together.

I used the ‘V’ or ‘Baseball’ stitch to do the stitching.

This video shows how to do it:

After I stitched the 4 triangles together,  I spool knitted about 21 feet of spool knitted cord for the outside edges.

I stitched it onto the blanket edges….

Here’s a video that shows how to do that:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I thought that loops at the corner would be pretty, so I added them

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

It was a crazy amount of work to make the blanket.

The weaving took 12 or 13 days of full days at the loom, and  the spool knitting, fulling, stitching etc added several more days.

So, this is NOT a quick and easy project.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I hope that my nephew and his bride like it, and if they don’t, I gave them my permission to give it away, so that someone else can enjoy it.

No point in having it fill up a cupboard and not be used, so hopefully, it is keeping someone warm and cozy!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

woven-heart-by-noreen-crone-findlay

One of the things that I have figured out how to do with the Martha Stewart Loom, is how to weave a heart shape motif on it.

It’s a little tricky, so I have made a video on how to do it.

I felted some of the woven hearts, and they are really neat…. the do get smaller as you felt them!

woven-heart-by-noreen-crone-findlay-5 (c)

What can you do with a woven heart?

They can be used as placemats on their own, (especially if they have spool knitted cord stitched to the outside), or they can be stitched to bags, scarves, stoles, shawls, pillows, throws, wraps, afghans, blankets, jackets, vests, stitch 2 together as a toy….

Hearts are the symbol of love, so perhaps, you can just weave one for the love of it!

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 )

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

A lady on Ravelry was having a hard time with wonky edges on the Martha Stewart loom, when she wove with more than one color. How to fix this?

2 color weaving on Martha Stewart loom by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c

By the way in the photo above, I couldn’t resist including the yummy cupcake my daughter made for her little one’s birthday – I don’t recommend eating while weaving!
Here’s the link to the video tutorial that shows the nifty trick that I have figured out for making lovely edges when weaving on small looms.
And yes, this technique works great for potholder looms, too!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I just couldn’t summon the courage to weave her face…

The metaphor or pun is, of course: I couldn’t face her.

Well… I decided yesterday, that I am going to finish weaving her before this year is done.

So, I got out the lovely new sketchbook/journal that my daughter gave me for Christmas, and the gorgeous aquarelle watercolor pencils that my son gave me, and started sketching:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

That was exactly what I needed to break the barriers I had set up between the tapestry and myself.

Then, under the close supervision of Ms Kitty, who settled in on her usual perch: I wove the face four different ways.

I kept tearing it out and re-weaving until I was happy with it.

Tapestry weaving is wonderfully forgiving: You simply go back and pull out what you don’t like and weave again until you find the solution.

It’s fascinating, because, as I weave, I become aware of all the running chatter that flaps through my mind.

I have to consciously work at stilling the negative voices and work on letting just the appropriate stuff through.

So, weaving is a VERY Zen process.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Just ask Ms Kitty.

She knows all about Zen.

And, she also knows all about weaving.

She’ll be happy to tell you about it.

Or perhaps she’ll just smile sweetly at you and wink.

but I do have a couple of things that I wanted to share with you….

The first is a pic that I just love… it’s me, dancing with our sweet grandbaby a few weeks ago, while Jim’s trio was playing.

I love how Jim is peeking over my shoulder!

copyright Clancy Harder

The second thing that  I really wanted to share with you is this poem by John O’Donohue…

It expresses my feelings so perfectly!

May you have days and nights that are beautiful, happy and blessed!

A Blessing for the New Year

by John O’Donohue from

‘To Bless the Space Between Us”

On the day when

The weight deadens

On your shoulders

And you stumble,

May the clay dance

To balance you.

And when your eyes

Freeze behind

The gray window

And the ghost of loss gets into you,

May a flock of colors,

Indigo, red, green

and azure blue,

Come to awaken in you

A meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

In the curragh of thought

And a stain of ocean

Blackens beneath you,

May there come across the waters

A path of yellow moonlight

To bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

May the clarity of light be yours,

May the fluency of the ocean be yours,

May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And, so may a slow

Wind work these words

Of love around you,

An invisible cloak

To mind your life.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I am working on an ongoing series of woven tapestries.

(In amongst working on a new book and a million other things… never a dull moment!) 

I love weaving on frame looms, and find them to be a joy for tapestry weaving.

One problem with frame looms – especially a BIG one like my Goodwood (no profit in saying how much I like their work, just a happy customer) 13 inch frame loom (actual dimensions are close to 16 inches wide by about 32 inches tall) is that it’s waaaaaaaaaay too big for working in my lap.

So, I went out to the workshop and made an easel for it.

I get the heeby jeebies at the thought of drilling holes into a gorgeous loom.

But, it was essential to have holes in the sides for attaching the folding stand.

So I got Jim to drill the holes! LOL

While I was out in the workshop, I couldn’t resist making myself a couple of small tapestry beaters and some funky tapestry flat bobbins.

Why do tapestry bobbins need to be round and turned on the lathe?

They don’t.

I saw a photo of a flat tapestry bobbin somewhere on the net, and had a huge ‘aha’ moment!

And have discovered that I really quite like the little one of a kind carved ones.

They are slow to make (which is why machines are used to whip out the commercial ones) but are a treat to use.

And, will I be selling them? Nope…. too much work to make them.

Will I continue to make more for myself?

Intermittently…. I am deep into working on my new book, and there aren’t enough hours in the day…..

I have a tiny beater that I use for the miniature tapestries that I have been working on, but haven’t been able to find my full size beater.

So, it was a good excuse to play with some lovely walnut wood that we were given years ago, and make myself some Goddess shaped tapestry beaters.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

The new beaters and bobbins are a treat to work with.

The tapestry is moving along nicely, although the ‘hours in the day’ issue is a hard one to get around!

One of the other tapestries that I am working on is on ‘wait’ mode…. but I hope to get back to it soon.

But, the new book is first and foremost, so that’s my focus right now.

As I make progress on it, and as we get the technical problems we’re having resolved, I’ll post more about it.

I have been having a very frustrating time with technical problems on my blog lately, and we have spent a ton of time trouble shooting. I haven’t been able to upload pics, so have spent hours and hours fiddling around with deleting old posts, in case that is the issue…. hopefully, we’ll get to the root of the issue soon!

All material on this blog is copyright protected and may not be used without permission from Noreen Crone-Findlay

copyright Perry Lowell

Recently, I have been featuring a group of artists who came together to create a book of freeform fiber art pieces based on the theme: Somewhere in my world.

Perry is one of the contributors to the book,

and I am so pleased to feature her work here-

I think you’ll love her felted pieces, too!

–

My questions are in GREEN and Perry’s answers are in black.

copyright Perry Lowell

1. Can you tell us a little about your piece for ‘Somewhere in My World’?

My piece is entitled Jungle Thing, and the text that describes it is “Somewhere in my world… if you claw your way through the jungle, you may find that it obscures a fall of crisp, cool water, under the blazing sun”.

It consists of two panels, one is overlaid by the other on a wooden hanger that has two rods.

The outermost panel is a collection of freeform vines and leaves in various green textures. The innermost panel is a somewhat stylized view of a waterfall under the sun. It requires the viewer to put their hands on the piece and manipulate it so as to get the entire picture. All of my work is meant to be felt by the viewer… none of my fiber art is untouchable. –

copyright Perry Lowell

2. What was your inspiration, and has it lead to further explorations for you?

The inspiration for this piece was the last year of my life, where things looked obstructed and difficult to get through.  It wasn’t actually until I had finished the piece that I recognized the significance of what it was saying to and about me.

Jungle Thing celebrates the perseverance required for passage through the tangles and seemingly directionless progress to an end.

–

copyright Perry Lowell

3. The International Freeform Fiber Artists Guild is primarily focused on crochet, but includes so many other fiber techniques. Do you do other things other than crochet, and if so, what are they?

I primarily do felting, both wet and needled.

But I also spin, weave, tat, embroider, knit, crewel, rug hook, hairpin lace, bead, do mixed media and various textile art, and I’m learning to quilt.

I haven’t yet met a craft that I don’t want to try.

Or one that I don’t have the stuff for in my studio, waiting for me to try. (My studio is very very very full.)

copyright Perry Lowell

4. What part of creating your piece for ‘Somewhere in my world’ was the most challenging for you?

Finding the time. I work full-time, and my studio is about 3 miles away from my house, so I really only get to my fiber art on Saturdays from 10a until 3p.

–

copyright Perry Lowell

5. What part of creating your piece for ‘Somewhere in my world’ was the most inspiring and fun for you?

I loved making the jungle vines and leaves. It was fun to go through my stash and find all of the various greens, and then even more fun tangling them into vines and making leaves.

6. What triggers your creativity?

An idea that flits into my brain, a piece or technique by another artist, a beautiful view… mostly something visual that I just HAVE to interpret in fiber. There is the everyday stuff that I plug away at, and then there are the inspirations where the idea strikes at my very core, I see exactly what I want in my mind’s eye, I’m driven to do it and obsessed until I complete it.

7. Which of the fiber arts speak most deeply to you?

Needle-felting. I just love the repetitive nature of it as well as building texture upon color.

8. Does where you live influence your work in any way?

I suspect that everywhere I’ve lived influences my work– I’ve lived mostly in rural and semi-rural areas, surrounded by nature in its glory. Most of my pieces celebrate nature in one way or another.

copyright Perry Lowell

9. Is teaching the fiber arts a significant part of expressing your creativity?

I don’t teach, formally, but I really enjoy turning someone on to fiber and getting them hooked (so to speak). Any Saturday at my studio is “open house”, and my friends drop in to try their hand at something artsy.

10. Do you have a blog, etsy shop, ravelry shop or website? If so, what are their urls?

I have a blog at: smalladdictions.blogspot.com

Right now most of my work for sale is carried by the Danforth Museum, or available through me directly via my blog or at saxonvillestudios.com where my studio and Gallery 2B are located.

copyright Perry Lowell

11. Do you have a crafting or arts community that influences you and is important to you? (online or ‘real life’). Is it important to you to be in touch with your peers?

I follow many, many art groups on Yahoo, and they’re critical to supporting me and inspiring me. Although I’m more of a lurker than a participant, I feel like I know all the folks so well. I’ve gotten so much encouragement from my online friends, including Noreen, whose creative energy I wish I could tap– she’s indefatigable. My fellow artists at Saxonville Studios are very important to me for inspiration, motivation, the creative atmosphere, and being mentored (thanks, Lynette!).

12. Is there anything that I have missed that you would like to share with the readers of Tottie Talks Crafts?

One of my wet- and needle-felted pieces, Time Passages, was just selected for a juried exhibit at the Danforth Museum of Art’s “Off the Wall” show. The two jurors were the senior curator of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts in

Time Passages copyright Perry Lowell

Boston and the curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. The patrons’ opening party was 6/12 and the artists’ reception was 6/18– I was humbled by how many of my friends came to the reception, and the exhibit will run through August 8th. This is my first juried acceptance, and I’m very excited to have this external validation of my fiber art. www.danforthmuseum.org

Pirk posted the link to the Zentangle website: Zentangle (a delightful  system of creating spectacular doodles based on working with constructed patterns.)

and a link to her flickr pics of her Zentangle drawn doodles and how she has interpreted them as crochet scrumbles (freeform pieces).  Pirk’s links:  Flickr and Blog

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Doodling has long been

an important part

of my design process.

In fact, for lots of years

I taught workshops

about using doodling

as inspiration in doll making.

I even included a whole

chapter on the importance

of doodling, in my book:

Soul Mate Dolls: Dollmaking as a Healing Art.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

This doodle doll

is a collaboration

between my husband

and myself.

We made it 4 years ago.

He turned her on the lathe

and I doodled and burned the

patterns onto her.

I love using twigs

for arms and legs on

dolls.

I didn’t realize how much

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

influence the doodled lathe turned doll was having on me,

when I was working on

my newest Doodle Doll.

After making the

Doodle Doll with

spool knitted arms and

legs for this post:

Link to first Doodle Doll post,

I assumed that I would

be spool knitting the arms

and legs for this Doodle Doll,

who I have named: ‘Potentianna’

(in honour of new possibilities)

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I was just so

wrong about

spool knitted arms and legs

for Potentianna!

I spool knitted several

cords, with different colors,

different weights…

but, nope.

Potentianna simply refused

them.

I tried tatting them.

I spent hours spool knitting

and tatting.

To no avail.   Same response.

A polite but firm, ‘No thank you!’

She was very firm about what she wanted, but it took me awhile to hear what she had to say.

What she wanted was: Twigs.

Yep. Twigs and only twigs. Thank you very much.

As soon as I , pardon the pun, ‘twigged’ to that, things went swimmingly!

Same thing with her hat. I was sure that she needed a crown.

No way.

Several color combinations and different thread versions later, I finally got it that all she wanted was a little piece of something natural.

And, a fragment of abalone shell was perfect thank you very much.

And, so, Potentianna is now happily completely herself and is hanging on the wall of the studio, beckoning me to pick up my pens and start doodling her some sisters and friends and family….

Oh yes! speaking of friends! I need to mention some other friends who are seriously into doodling….

My friend, Margaret Bremner and I went to art school together a million years ago, and she’s just wonderful in every way. Her art is meditative, contemplative and just plain gorgeous: Link to Margaret

Margaret is so delighted with the Zentangle system of drawing that she is about to become a certified teacher.             How neat is that?

And, one of my Artsy Blogger buddies, June, is also a champion doodler… definitely check out her beautiful work:

Link to June’s blog (and I REALLY do mean beautiful!)

So, whether you like to freeform in your doodling, or use your doodles for dollmaking, like I do,or your crochet, like Pirk, or your mandalas,  or are intrigued by the delightful possibilities of the Zentangle system, I encourage you to pick up you pens and pencils and get doodling!

Happiness awaits…. it’s right at the tip of your pencil….

Look who’s having tea with Jane Austen?

It’s Susie Spool Knitter!

Susie has just moved into the doll house, so she’s feeling a little shy and rather tired-

Hopefully she’ll settle in soon…. all the other spool knitters are welcoming her heartily!

Susie Spool Knitter is feeling a little jet lagged, as she has had a long flight across the continent from Conneticut (sp?) and was very cold in the airplane.

Besides, she’s not as young as she once was, so she feels the cold.

Luckily, her friend and namesake, Susan, wrapped her up all cosy, which Susie Spool Knitter appreciated sooooooooo much.     (Thank you, thank you, Susan for this little darling!)

She really needs that cup of tea now, so perhaps, I had better go pour it……

[Images and content of this blog are copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay. Please do not copy without Noreen Crone-Findlay's permission. Thank you]