Monthly Archives: September 2015

September 29, 2015 · 7:17 pm

Introducing Star loom and Dragonfly loom

I am hopping up and down with delight!

For the last couple of years, I have been working on the designs for 2 new small looms: A Star and a Dragonfly.

I’ve done dozens and dozens of variations and iterations, and now, they are the Bee’s Knees. Poifeck.

I took my designs to Donna and Gary McFarland of Dewberry Ridge looms and asked if they were interested in making them as part of their ‘Lil Weavers’ series, and they said, ‘Yes, indeed’.

Gary is working magic with his CNC machine and I love how he is building them.

We’ve decided to not show the front, working part of the loom, because, to be perfectly honest, we’ve worked so incredibly hard on them that we don’t want to be ‘scooped’ on them. It’s happened in the past with other designs, so we’ve chosen to be more circumspect about these ones.

Instead, I’ll show you the back of the looms and the dragonflies and stars that you can weave with them.

You can use yarn OR wire to make the niftiest dragonflies and stars:

The stars and dragonflies are somewhat challenging to weave, so I have made really detailed step by step instructions with full photographs.

To order the looms, please send Donna an email: donna@dewberryridge.com

The looms aren’t quite up on Donna and Gary’s website, but when their internet issues are up to speed, the looms will be on:

http://www.dewberryridge.com/collections/lil-weaver-looms

I am thrilled… I hope that you’ll love them, too!

Every year for Christmas, I make our family and friends a new Christmas ornament.

This year, I’ll be weaving stars and dragonflies for them! 🙂

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Filed under Dewberry Ridge looms, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as dragonflies, dragonfly, Dragonfly Lil Weaver Loom by Dewberry Ridge looms, Dragonfly loom designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay, hand weaving, hand woven, how to weave, looms, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, small looms, Star loom designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay, Star loom Lil Weaver by Dewberry Ridge Looms, textiles, weaving techniques, woven, woven dragonfly, woven star motif, Yarn Crafts

September 14, 2015 · 12:07 pm

A Visit to the Carousel Horse carving workshop

I’ve always loved carousel horses, and have made tapestries of them, but have never been inspired to carve one.

I much prefer to carve small dolls 🙂

A couple of weeks ago, my family and I went to Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton Alberta.

We made a beeline to the Carousel, which has been gloriously restored by volunteer carvers.

I took Hitty Tennie and tiny Bessie Gnome with me.

It was quite a challenge to take the photo one handed, as we really clipped around, and the up and down motion was ~really~ up and down!

As soon as we got off, I pleaded with my family to have another ride, but they were interested in checking out other things. Sigh. (It really was wonderful!)

We went over to the wood carving shop where the volunteer carvers create the spectacular beauties for the large carousel (that we rode on), as well as the smaller carousels:

Signs told humans that they were not allowed to climb onto these particular horses, but I figured that small wooden dolls wouldn’t cause too much havoc.

The Hypocamp was exquisite, and the woman who was in charge of the wood carving shop asked if the girls would like to sit on it.

Oooh, yes, please!

Tennie and Bessie enjoyed looking at all the woodworking tools and templates.

Afterwards, two sweet volunteers who were dressed in 1920’s clothing, held them for a photo op at one of the small carousels:

Sweet summer memories!

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Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, wooden dolls

Tagged as carousel horse carving, carousel horses, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, Fort Edmonton Park Edmonton Alberta, Noreen Crone-Findlay, wooden dolls

September 1, 2015 · 1:35 pm

Two of my hand carved Story Door Dolls for sale

I am selling two of my hand carved ‘Story Door’ dolls.

They are each 6 inches tall.

They are fully articulated and stand independently without doll stands, although they are known to play dominoes with other dolls and all fall down without giving notice.

Each of them comes with her hand woven dress and a hand woven shawl.

They are $150.00 each plus postage.

This is The Arbutus/Madrona Tree Story Door Doll:
Her head is tilted up so when she looks up at you quite winsomely.