Day 40 of #100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms- Kindness Loom weaving for Springtime and Easter
For the first part of my 100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms I have focused just on spool knitting- and I have lots more spool knitting to share. But, with Springtime arriving for some places (not so much for us… still cold and snowy- ugh) and Easter coming I wanted to feature the Gentle Bunny
and Tiny Baby Birds woven on the Kindness Loom.
They are part of my ‘Weaving Kindness Project’. Why not make yourself the Kindness Loom and weave up some tiny treasures for Springtime and Easter?
I have designed a tiny loom for weaving little projects that are the epitome of kindness, hope and delight. All the links for how to get the instructions for everything, from making the loom to a ton of delightful little Woven Wonderfuls are here:
The ideas flood in, but it takes time to work my way through them all… and some of them are Happy Dancing Lttle Winged Beings that make my heart sing and some of them scuttle away like Nasty Elusive Nopetapusses scritching and scratching and scowling all the way to the dark nether regions.
A couple of days ago, I experienced wonderful synchronicities of messages of HOPE appearing like little green shoots bravely unfurling through grotty old snow. Brad Montague, artist, writer and hope-meister extraordinaire (follow him on The Enthusiast and @bradmontague) wrote a wonderful post on his Substack page that introduced me to Alexandra Rowland’s statement: “The opposite of grimdark is hopepunk,” which felt like an explosion of delight and yes-ness. (Thank you!!!)
And, the other wonderful uplifting thing was my brilliant niece, @josephinecrone being interviewed by Anita Vandenbeld for her podcast: New episode of Democracy in Conversation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EtrWeqXAso&t=10s . Josephine is a powerful advocate for the power of hope to change lives. She has survived Stage 4 Lymphoma and is in remission. She is adamant that hope drives action forward and that cynical behaviour is deadly. She gives me so much hope…. and I am so gratefu!
For me, living with chronic illness and a bunch of other challenges, means that hope is an absolute life line and is essential to my very being. That’s why I focus on invoking hope and beauty and sweetness in my work as an artist and a designer.
I had such an ‘aha’ about ‘Hope Punk’… that’s what I am aiming at with my whole spool knitting project and that, oh yes! Is what my Well Well Well Spool Knitted Dolls are absolutely ALL about.
Please stay hopeful! We need our Hope to light up the darkness!
The pattern for the Spool Knitted Well Well Well Dolls is available in my etsy shop:
Day 24 of #100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms- Well Well Well Spool Knitted Dolls
I designed the Well Well Well Spool Knitted Dolls as a wish that everyone, everywhere, would feel well, and that our precious planet would feel well, and that anyone who makes these dolls will feel well, and happy, and safe and hopeful and live in peace, and equanimity.
As I made them, I asked myself: What does JOY look like today? What does peace and safety look like today? What does this doll want me to know? How can this doll feel like hope or sweetness today?
I invite the doll makers to play with drawing their own unique, one of a kind faces for their Well Well Well dolls and have made a video tutorial to help them do this.
I hope that these joyful, playful, happy dolls will bring all good things to the people who make them, and if the Well Well Well dolls are meant as a gift that they will bring love, light, laughter and hope to those who receive them.
The pattern includes links to 3 video tutorials for how to make your own larger spool knitters as well as videos on how to spool knit in the round, and how to spool knit flat panels as well as spool knitting 2 peg/nail cords.
The pattern has complete step by step instructions for making the Well Well Well Spool Knitted Dolls with yarn and with fabric strips too.
Day 23 of #100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms- A video tutorial for making a tiny upcycled sketchbook and easy ways of drawing simple faces in it
I made a video tutorial that shows how to make an upcycled tiny sketch book and then how to draw simple faces in it as an ongoing daily practice.
That’s because I am going to be releasing a new pattern tomorrow for wonderful spool knitted dolls and I want people to be able to draw unique, one of a kind faces for their dolls.
I have found that using tiny upcycled sketchbooks to practice drawing faces is a lot like practising a musical instrument.
Daily drawing is the way to build creative stepping stones.
A little bit at a time, all the time.
Large gorgeous sketchbooks with expensive paper can be really hard to work with, but tiny ones that fit in a pocket and are humble paper make for carefree drawing.
Hmm, someone messaged me asking me what I was doing with my 100 day project andwhy?
Well, first- I have adored spool knitting since I was a little girl.
Spool knitters feel innocent and sweet and oh, my word! Those feelings are desperately needed nowadays!
And, second: Some Family stuff: My nephew, Kieran is autistic and is really good at doing woodwork with his Dad, my brother, Jonathan. (@distinctivewoodworking) who carefully mentors him with the lathe.
So, bringing those elements together: We decided to co-create some nifty stuff, and it’s kind of challenging but inspiring & wonderful, too!
(BTW I’m working on tutorials on how to make upcycled spool knitters, too, because that feels important).
I’m having a blast designing vunderbar goodies for spool knitters & exploring intriguing small looms!
The 1st spool knitter in this series is my wish for us all:
May you be well
May you live in Peace.
May you be happy,
May you be safe
I find her very comforting
.
Of course, this project is also about making stuff with spool knitters.
These Simple Tiny Spool Knitted Angels are quick & easy. I love them.
I have been working so hard in my studio for the last year, finishing this large body of work (some elements of the show have taken 10 years to complete!)- I call it ‘The Oracle of Stillness- Weaving Coherence in the Chaos’.
It’s a collection of 50 mixed media Woven Women based on dreams, meditation, sacred geometry, connection to the Feminine Divine and synchronicities in response to navigating intense health issues, grief, parodoxical uprisings of joy- all in the midst of extraordinary chaos in the world around us.
The techniques that I have focused on to create the Oracle of Stillness Woven Women are: small loom weaving, tatting and other lace making techniques, crochet, beading, wire work, painting and more. I designed armatures for the pieces and my husband welded them for me for almost all the pieces.
The exhibition opens on October 17th and my Beloved husband, mentor, guide and dearest life friend and partner Jim Findlay will be playing gorgeous music with his wonderful Trio for the Opening.
When I was a little girl, I adored one of my grandmother’s best friends, Mrs Wall, who was kindness incarnate. She was the perfect Granny, exuding comfort, sanctuary, and gentleness. She taught me crafts from her childhood, which made them a precious legacy. I was thrilled when she taught me how to make ‘Yarn Babies’.
When I was designing Tiny Angels for the Weaving Kindness Project, I decided that they needed to be made using wrapping and stitching and not weaving as an homage to darling Mrs Wall, and all the kind people who make the world a better place.
Happily, I have figured out how to use the ‘Yarn Baby’ technique on the Kindness loom.
I am thrilled with these Tiny Angels.
They’re less than 2 inches (5 cm) tall with my signature ‘Hugging Arms’.
I’ve designed two variations- one with a skirt and one with legs. Their wings are shaped like the infinity symbol.
It’s so soothing to make small things that bring a feeling of connection and community.
Making small Kindness treasures to bring comfort and hope can be incredibly healing.
That’s what the Tiny Kindness Angels are all about. I hope that you’ll make lots of them as gifts of compassion and kindness for yourself and for the people in your life.
We are all in this together, and are not alone on our journey. May we all, like Mrs Wall, but each in our own way- weave a legacy of kindness, compassion, generosity and healing love.
The link to buy the pdf pattern for the Tiny Kindness Angels is:
The Kindred Spirit Dolls are sweet little beings that are meant to be a comfort and a delight to you as you make them.
And then, if you choose to give the Kindred Spirit Dolls to your family, friends and fellow travelers, they will carry your good wishes and kindness that are woven into every stitch of these precious little dolls!
The Kindred Spirit Dolls are small- not quite 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall so they can go everywhere with you.
Because the Kindred Spirit dolls have Noreen’s signature hugging arms- they are ready to give a hug at all times, and they can also hold onto small things, too.
The Kindred Spirit Dolls have optional wings, made by following the instructions for the Kindness Butterfly in the video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A11F11Lsp8 that is then stitched to the back of the Kindred Spirit Doll.
Their hair can be made in many ways. They all have embroidered bangs and side wisps, and if you like the simplicity of the ‘Pixie’ style hair, then don’t add any extras.
But, if a more elaborate hairstyle is your cup of tea, then feel free to add twisted topknots and braids or ponytails and fringes.
I hope that the Kindred Spirit Dolls will bring happiness, comfort and good feelings into your life!
The links for all the Weaving Kindness projects, videos, how to’s & etsy shop ordering info is at:
is an homage to the people who have the gift of calm presence that allows us to bask in their sweet kindness, even for a moment.
We all need to rest at times and to take the time to recover from the challenges that can be utterly overwhelming.
The Gentle Restful Rabbit reminds us to refresh and restore ourselves in ways that bring balance and wholeness to ourselves, and to our beautiful planet.
The Weaving Kindness Project is all about saying to yourself and to everyone in your life:
“You matter! I wish you well! Take and give care!”May the Weaving Kindness project be like a lovely cup of tea,that brings refreshment and healing and restoration to all concerned. Hugs all round!!!!
All the links for the Weaving Kindness Project by Noreen Crone-Findlay are at:
Tottie Talks Crafts Blog 