


Thumbelina Loom happiness
Thumbelina Loom happiness
Last year, I wove a series of tapestries that I call, ‘The Fabula Figures’.
Fabula means ‘story’ in Latin… and each of the Fabula Figures is about the power of story.
The one in the photo below is called ‘Fabula Figure: The Storyteller’ and is about 44 inches tall.
She’s one of the later figures in the series.
I had woven a few prototypes for the series before January of 2017, but I really committed to the series on January 1 of 2017, and I haven’t stopped weaving them.
10 of the Fabula Figure tapestries are part of the ‘Faconner’ show that I wrote about in the previous blog post.
Here’s a little video of the Fabula Figures that I wove from January 1 – September 30, 2017:
I made a video that shows how to weave square, triangle and diagonal motifs on the Thumbelina, Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms.
But… it was 2 hours long! Whoa! That’s just too long.
So, I thought: I wonder if I can figure out how to ‘fast forward’ it?
And, I did!
But, I think that I got a little enthusiastic with the fast forward function- LOL!
I turned a 2 hour video into a 2 MINUTE video!
Prepare for take off… buckle your seat belt…. here we go!
Um…. next time, I might not speed things up ~quite~ so much!
Happy weaving!
I have posted a new video tutorial that is the second in a series of how to weave tapestry on the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms.
I designed the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms and Dewberry Ridge makes them. They’re wonderful!
This video shows how to
1- Start the weaving at the curved edge while weaving side to side.
2- How to fill the curved space that will form by using eccentric weaving (weaving that doesn’t go all the way from side to side).
3- How to weave dots of color.
4- How to use hatching to make a pattern- in this case, a circle shape in the middle of the weaving is made by alternating 2 colors of yarn.
5- How to finish the straight edge at the end of the weaving.
Here’s the video:
To see how to set up the Mollie Whuppie loom please go to my previous post, which will take you to the first video in this series: LINK
To buy the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms, please go to:
www.dewberryridge.com
Video tutorial by Noreen Crone-Findlay showing some tapestry weaving techniques for the Vasilisa loom.
The following techniques are covered in this ‘how to’ video tute:
1- How to warp the Vasilisa (and Mollie Whuppie) loom
2- How to secure the lower edge
3- How to prepare for weaving by making a cartoon, and the protective layers of cardboard and plastic for the cartoon, then weaving in the shed stick
4- How to weave vertical lines using the ‘pick and pick’ technique
5- How to change colors to turn the vertical lines into checkerboard pattern
6- How to weave a circle motif in contrasting colors, showing how to weave up to the circle motif to create the supporting structure for it.
7- How to weave the circle in pick and pick technique
8- How to complete weaving the background
9- How to finish the upper edge
10- How to stitch the gaps closed
The Vasilisa loom is used in this video, but the techniques shown work just as well on the Mollie Whuppie and Thumbelina looms.
The Vasilisa, Mollie Whuppie and Thumbelina looms were designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay and are built by and available from Dewberry Ridge Looms.
THREE SISTERS LI'L WEAVERS
This is the first in a series of videos showing techniques for weaving tapestry on the 3 Sisters (Thumbelina, Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa) Looms.
Happy weaving!
And, here’s the video
Octopi are amazingly clever and rather charming creatures.
I’ve had so much fun designing a woven Octopus family to weave on the Three Sisters Looms that I designed and Gary and Donna McFarland of Dewberry Ridge looms is building and selling LINK.
The largest Octopus was woven on the Vasilisa loom: LINK
It’s about 13 1/2 inches tall.
The medium size Octopus was woven on the Mollie Whuppie Loom: LINK
And, the littlest Octopus was woven on the Thumbelina loom: LINK
All three are great for babies- as long as you don’t use beads or buttons, but embroider the eyes instead.
I just read a report that babies love holding onto the tentacles of toy cephalopods, because they find it comforting. Apparently, the tentacles feel like the umbilical cord, and most babies play with the umbilicus before they are born.
Fascinating!
The smallest octopus lives quite happily on a lapel or collar or pinned to a hat, scarf or bag when you stitch a pin to it’s back.
The loop on top of their heads is great for hanging them up on push pins or curtain rods for room decor.
The loop also is perfect to hang the octopus from the baby’s crib, cot or stroller.
The pattern, with step by step instructions is available in my etsy shop: LINK
Happy Octopus weaving! Enjoy those cephalopods!
The enchanting little Thumbelina loom now has 2 big sisters!
I have designed 2 gorgeous new little looms and Dewberry Ridge looms are building and selling them.
I am just thrilled with them!
The Three Sisters are: LINK
Tiny Thumbelina: LINK
And her sister: Mollie Whuppie: LINK
And, the biggest sister: Vasilisa: LINK
What can you weave on Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa?
Well, everything that you can weave on Thumbelina, but on a larger scale.
I’ve written an instruction booklet that shows how to weave techinques so you can weave:
Tapestry pouches:
Tapestry dolls:
Freeform tapestry ‘Weavies’:
Baskets:
Statement necklaces:
Prayer Flags:
Banners and bunting:
And, the Mollie Whuppie loom has a secret power!
She can mend socks!
You can’t make socks on the Mollie Whuppie loom, but the patches that you weave are totally perfect for fixing the worn out heels of precious hand knit socks.
Here’s a little video that explains the origins of Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa’s names and shows the projects:
I love Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa, and hope that you will, too!
I’ll be showing you more with them, in upcoming posts.
Happy Weaving!