I was so touched and grateful to my friend, Gwen Blakley Kinsler for her lovely review of my book, Crochet Stars ❤
Thank you, Gwen!
Here’s the link to it: https://crochetqueen-royalramblings.blogspot.com/2024/07/book-review-crochet-stars-by-noreen.html
Filed under book review/book/books, crochet, crochet stars
I have worked with my dreams all my adult life. I use the images, stories, and themes that happen in my dreams to shape my art and artisanship.
After my beloved son in law died suddenly from a heart catastrophe brought on by Covid, I had incredibly powerful dreams in which I was able to talk with him and listen to his new stories about his journey after this death.
He told me that I absolutely HAD to write a book about finding my way to hope and grace in living with the all encompassing grief unleashed by his passing…..
I was also having many dreams about Star Babies….. I have been dreaming about Star Babies for more than 30 years… I dreamt, over and over, about how the Star Babies were the most amazing experience of joyous, innocent, contagious and delicious laughter. Dreaming about them and their new adventures was incredibly healing. They lead me to keep finding references to how the stars offer us laughter and connection and hope, which I felt was synchronicity working it’s finest magic.
I was finding so much comfort and solace in my crochet, and talked with my wonderful editor at Stackpole, Candi Derr. We agreed that we can heal our broken hearts with lovingly creating small, but significant things that wrap up our love. And as we talked and I designed, and crocheted, crocheted, crocheted, it became clear that stars were meant to be the metaphor, and pardon the pun, but the STARS of this book.
Of course, I had to begin with the Laughing Stars that evolved from the Star Babies, and that seeded this book, Crochet Stars-
And then, I found all kinds of ways of creating more and more stars….
Some of which act as frames to embrace the memories of those we love, but who now dance among the stars-
And some of whom crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but still live on in our hearts….
I added a little lace to the pupster’s pics, and played with colors on the back of the stars:
It’s lovely to think of them all playing and laughing in amongst and with the stars, and the Star Babies, too!
Crochet Stars is now available from all the online book sellers! Yay! Happy Crochet! ❤
Filed under book review/book/books, crochet, crochet stars, grief, personal stuff
I love making my own jewelry.
Earrings and shawl pins are 2 of my most favorite things, so of course, I had to make them for the Crochet Star book. I wear them all the time!
‘Crochet Stars’ is now available to order online.
Happy Crocheting and may Crochet Stars bring delight to you!
Filed under book review/book/books, crochet, crochet stars
It’s such a joyful moment when a box appears on the porch and it’s my new book!
I was thrilled last week to see Crochet Stars up on the online book sellers, but, to have the book in my hands is pure joy!
Crochet Stars is so dear to my heart- it is a small book – a new format with my wonderful publisher, Stackpole, which feels just so right on so many levels.
Writing this book was a journey of healing on the path of grief. It is full of so much love and is all about finding healing and laughter and hope through the joy of making small but sweet and precious things with our hearts fully infusing our hands as they create gifts of connection and love!
This little Laughing Star is based on a series of delightful dreams that I had over many many years, and it is, in a lot of ways, for me, the ‘Star’ of the book…. but then, I LOVE all the stars that I designed for the book!
Stars are such a powerful metaphor for the light of love, laughter and healing that flows through our lives.
I deliberately designed several very small stars so that people can give them freely and happily as gifts to say to people: Thank you for being here, and I appreciate you and oh my goodness! You matter! ❤
Joni Mitchell had it so right when she sang that we are stardust and we are golden.
I hope that this book, Crochet Stars, will bring golden stardust to life in so many ways! ❤
I have been meaning to write a review of Rebecca Mezoff’s awesome Tapestry Book since it came out. Sorry that it’s taken me this long to finally write a note about it.
Anyone who weaves tapestry already knows that this is the most wonderful, comprehensive, beautifully written, excellently photographed book and that it’s simply the best.
If you haven’t begun tapestry weaving, and you want to start, then I HIGHLY recommend this book.
And, I plunked my beloved little Chloe loom from Mirrix on the book because it’s such a joyful little loom to weave tapestry, and tabby and beads on.
The Chloe loom is just completely wonderful. The Mirrix team have hit it out of the ballpark with this sturdy incredibly versatile little loom.
What a winning combination- perfection.
I saw a woman on the news who said that if a reviewer was too enthusiastic about the product that they are talking about, don’t trust the review. Ummm…. that made me think that I should write a sedate and somehow un-enthusiastic review of these two things I love.
And, then I thought, awww phooey, if I don’t like something, I don’t talk about it.
BUT- I love Rebecca’s book and I love the Chloe loom. And, that’s the truth.
And, don’t we all need things that make us happy? I do.
Weaving on a little loom that I adore and being able to refer to the absolute Bee’s Knees of a ‘How to Do This Thing Really Well’ book is totally happiness inducing.
Like I said before: And that’s the truth.
Filed under book review/book/books, tapestry, weaving & handwoven
After I carved and wove 3 dolls that didn’t fit the doll furniture that I already had, (see Brown Paper Yarn Dolls) ,
I decided that I had to build them each a chair.
And so I built them each their own little chair with a seat woven on the Mirrix Saffron Loom, using instructions from my book: Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom.
HERE IS A LINK TO THE BOOK AND SAFFRON LOOM KIT that is available on the Mirrix website. LINK
The Chairs are not in the book, but the weaving patterns are. See pages: 68, 50 and 45.
Here are the dimensions for the wooden parts of the chair:
The wooden pieces are all 1 cm thick and 2 cm wide.
Pieces A are 24 cm long (cut 2)
Pieces B are 20 cm long (cut 2)
Pieces C are 11 cm long (cut 2)
The Dowels are 1/4 inch in diameter:
A: Cut 2 that are 11 cm long
B: Cut 2 that are 9 cm long
C: Cut 1 that is 13 cm long
The Seat: Weave a piece of fabric that is 20 cm long by 7 cm wide and stitch through the end of the warp loops, over the top dowel of A and the front dowel of B.
The finished size of the chair is:
Height: 20 cm (8 inches)
From front to back: 18 cm (almost 7 inches)
Width: 13 cm at widest point (about 5 inches)
The dolls are very happy in their new chairs!
I have made a video, showing how to build the chairs- but please note that I forgot to show how I sew the weaving to the chair.
Oops.
I simply lifted the weaving off the loom and stitched through the warp loops with 2 strands of yarn, going over the dowel.
I hope that you will have fun making doll chairs for your dolls and teddy bears, too. ❤
Here’s the link:
Happy Chairmaking!
Oh my goodness! I am thrilled!
My editor just sent me a note of congratulations, saying that it is very special to be reviewed in Publisher’s Weekly….. wow…..
Here’s the link:
In the previous post, I shared a video about the clothing in ‘Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom’, my newest book.
Here are 2 more little videos that show glimpses of the projects in the book:
And,
And, this video tells the true and poignant story behind the apple tree twig handles on one of the knotted lace market bags:
‘Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom’ is available from all the online book seller websites, and you can order it from your local bookshop.
It’s available worldwide.
Happy Weaving! ❤
Here’s a peek at the clothing that you can weave using frame looms- all the instructions are in Innovative Frame Loom Weaving 🙂
The book is available worldwide on all the usual internet book sellers, and can also be ordered from your local bookshop.
I am so thrilled to have received the box of my copies of my new book:
Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom.
It’s such a delight to hold this book in my hands- what with the pandemic and all it’s awfulness, I didn’t know if it would actually make it out into the world.
Welcome to the world, book!
It’s available worldwide on online booksellers and can be ordered from local booksellers.
I’ll do some videos to show you what’s inside….
But first, a cup of tea is needed and a moment to savor the happiness of all the hard work bearing its fruit! 🙂
Noreen Crone-Findlay, designer and author
Tottie Talks Crafts Blog 