Monthly Archives: February 2014

I have been experimenting with the Schacht Zoom Loom, and figuring out how to weave more shapes with it than just the square it was designed to weave.

In previous blog posts, I’ve shown how to weave small squares Link and rectangles Link.

I also posted some hints about how to embroider on the squares that you weave on the Zoom loom: Link

One of the most important shapes to be able to weave when designing with small looms is the the triangle.

And, so, I’ve figured out how to weave perfect triangles on the Zoom Loom.

It was actually quite tricky to do that figuring, but it was worth it, and I made a video tutorial on how to do it:

Happy Weaving!

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Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as hand woven, how to weave a triangle on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Schacht Zoom Loom, small loom weaving, triangle, weaving techniques, Zoom Loom

February 19, 2014 · 10:49 am

How to weave a rectangle on the Zoom Loom

I am always intrigued by figuring out ways of maximizing the potential of small looms.

Just because a loom is square, why should it be limited to weaving just squares?

Rectangles are important in the design process, too!

And, so, I figured it out… and here’s a new video tutorial showing how to weave a rectangle on the Zoom Loom.

There are times when you need to have rectangles and narrow strips to finish a design, and now, you can weave them on your Zoom loom.

This makes the loom even more versatile :o)

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Tagged as hand woven, how to weave a rectangle, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, video tutorial, weave a rectangle on the Zoom loom, weaving techniques, woven, Zoom Loom

February 17, 2014 · 11:35 am

Tips for embroidering on woven Zoom Loom or pin style looms

In my previous post, I showed how to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom.

That’s because there’s a fun ‘Weave along’ on the Zoom loom group on Ravelry- all about weaving dolls on the Zoom loom.

I’ve just embroidered the face for my ‘Winter’ doll

I thought that I would make a little video, offering a few tips about embroidering on the squares that you weave on the Zoom Loom.

These tips also work on any other pin style loom or potholder loom, or many of the small looms that are available nowadays.

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Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as 4 seasons dolls, embroidery on small looms, hints and tips, how to embroider on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Ravelry weave along, video tutorial, weaving a doll, woven doll, woven dolls, Zoom Loom by Schacht looms

February 12, 2014 · 3:27 pm

How to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom

There is an ongoing Weave Along on the Zoom Loom group on Ravelry.

Here’s the link:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/zoom-loom-club/2841435/1-25#13

I love weaving dolls, so I was hooked on the idea of weaving one doll for each of the seasons, using the Zoom Loom from Schacht.

I sketched my thoughts about the ‘Winter’ doll, and always in all the sketches- pockets showed up.

It was essential that my Zoomie doll have pockets. After all… Winter= Cold= Gotta have pockets!

So, I had to figure out a way of weaving tiny squares on the Zoom Loom (it’s the Zoom Loom weave along, so no cheating by crocheting or knitting the pockets).

I figured out a nifty way of weaving wee little squares on the Zoom Loom and have made this video showing how to do it.

I think that the 4 seasons Zoom Loom Doll Weave Along is going to be great fun.

By the way- I love the little Zoom loom and I don’t profit by singing it’s praises.

The weave along is going to continue all through out 2014, so do join in.

I am just a member of the Ravelry group, and not a moderator or anything, so if you have questions, join the group, and hop right in.

I’ll be posting more tutorials as I make them, showing the unusual ways that I am using the Zoom Loom.

Happy Weaving!

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Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

Tagged as 4 seasons doll weave along, hand weaving, hand woven, how to weave a doll, how to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Weave along, woven doll, woven toys, Zoom Loom

February 5, 2014 · 2:55 pm

New woven vests February 2014

Vests are one of my most favorite garments to design, weave and wear.

I have just finished two new vests that both have something that I believe to be essential: Pockets 🙂

I didn’t use a pattern to make the vests, but I was inspired by design #51 for a jacket, in the Saori weaving book that has a black cover.

I don’t know the actual name of the book, as it’s all in Japanese, but if you contact your local Saori dealer, I am sure that they will be able to sell you the book. The Saori books are all fabulous beyond words, and are all treasures!

I wove the fabric for the red vest on my Saori Piccolo loom, which is a joy to weave on. The fabric for the turquoise vest was woven on my 4 harness table loom.

The warp for the red vest was 10 inches wide and the warp for the turquoise vest was 17 inches wide.

They were both woven at 10 epi.

They both work well worn open, or pinned shut with a brooch, or tied with a belt or sash.

When I was weaving the fabric for this vest, I was playing with the fibonacci sequence, and also playing with numbers in other ways… in a way, I was coding messages of love, good health, happiness and abundance into the fabric as I wove it!

Weaving is so meditative, and it’s fun to deliberately figure out ways of ‘weaving happiness’ into my fabric 🙂

I love shawl collars, as they make me feel so cozy:

And those oh so important pockets! I wove the fabric for the pockets on my 4 harness loom.

I used a wool cotton blend for the weft when I wove the band at the top of the pocket so it would shrink and pull in to shape the pocket.

There are so many neat ways to shape garments, and using threads that you know will shrink is a ‘secret tip’ that works well for getting sections of your weaving to pull in and gather after the fabric is washed.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.crone-findlay.com

I’m trying very hard to not get too attached to these vests, as I am going to be offering them for sale at the maker’s faire that I am participating in this weekend… (On the Spot Maker’s Faire at the Boyle St Plaza in Edmonton AB on Feb 8 & 9).

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Filed under craft shows and makers faires, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as hand weaving, hand woven, hand woven garment, hand woven vest, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Saori, Saori Piccolo, Saori weaving, textiles, vests, woven clothing, woven vests

February 4, 2014 · 2:14 pm

Circles everywhere

This is me, looking like a bug:

Because, I have been cutting circles out of mdf and masonite…. and when I forgot to put on my ‘looking like a bug’ safety gear, the sabre saw blew sawdust up in my face and made me shut my eyes and jump back- thereby creating a VERY wonky looking circle!

If Jim or one of my kids had merrily started cutting away without appropriate safety gear, I would have given them royal ‘whatfer’s’!

So, ahem…. I took my own advice and put on my ‘looking like a bug’ stuff, and it was so much more comfortable! 🙂

See the wobbly-omg-the-sawdust-is-blowing-in-my-face circle? oops.

A humbling reminder to ‘bug up’ and be safe!

So, why on earth am I cutting circles and circles?

Well…. Marissa, Jasmin and Michael, the organizers extraordinaire of the ‘On The Spot Popups’ have come up with the neatest new way of presenting the On the Spot maker’s faire-

They are working with the City of Edmonton in collaboration with the spiffy new Boyle Street Plaza, and are totally changing up the way the maker’s faire works.

There are ‘eco systems’ and mini stores and kids crafting areas and fashion shows and all manner of fun stuff.

It’s going to happen on Saturday and Sunday , Feb 8 & 9 from 10 AM to 4PM at the new Boyle Street Plaza, 103A ave and 95th st in Edmonton.

And, why the circles? Well, the community league that is part of the Plaza has round tables, so they will be part of the way things are presented. To harmonize with those, I decided to re-build my displays so that all my tables (and a couple for my daughter, Chloe Findlay-Harder, too) will now be round.

Oh, yes…. better go get some round tablecloths cut out…. and, I need to get back to my looms, too, as I am weaving up a whole lot of awesome for the event…..

🙂 I love being part of maker’s faires and artisan’s markets!!!!

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Tagged as artisan markets, makers faires, Noreen Crone-Findlay