The pattern has gone live for the
Woven Elephant that I designed for Lion Brand on the Martha Stewart loom
HERE’S THE LINK TO IT
She’s a cutie!
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I love elephants…..
happy weaving! 😀
Category Archives: tutorial & how to
Free pattern for a woven elephant
More little looms from recycled stuff part 2
If you are teaching a child to weave, or just want an impromptu, no cost small loom for sampling yarns and colorways, this little loom is very handy.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
The project on the foam food tray loom is a bookmark, but you can weave amulet bags, rug mugs, small dolls and toys, doll house rugs or squares that you stitch together to make larger projects.
It’s great for traveling, as it’s light, and if you use a plastic darning needle for weaving, it’s fine to take through airport security.
Yesterday, I posted part one of the recycled and upcycled looms: Here’s the link: PART ONE
I think that one of the most accessible looms for beginning weavers is the weaving stick loom.
I am doing a lot of designing for it – here’s my post about the mermaid to weave on the stick weaving loom: LINK
Happy Weaving!!!!
Little looms from recycled things for teaching weaving or sampling etc part 1
Yesterday, I posted about teaching children to weave Link
One of the pleasures of weaving is that it can be done with tremendously complex machines, but, can also be done with small bits of this and that from around the house.
Today and tomorrow, I am going to be posting little how to’s on making recycled and upcycled looms that are great for teaching kids how to weave, or just for noodling about with sampling yarns and weaving little bags, or hacky sacks or bookmarks….
So, here’s today’s installment:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
If you make each grid square 1/4 inch, then the loom is business card size, which is a charming size to work with, and to pop into a pocket or bag.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
If you weave 2 tiny rectangles on the loom, and stitch them together, then add a beaded fringe, it makes a very pleasing little amulet bag.
I think that one of the most accessible looms for beginning weavers is the weaving stick loom.
I am doing a lot of designing for it – here’s my post about the mermaid to weave on the stick weaving loom: LINK
Happy weaving!
When should a child start learning how to weave?
It’s never too early, (or too late!) for a child to start learning how to weave.
I bought my daughter her first loom when she was 6 weeks old. It was a little Spears loom #2 from England.
And, when my daughter and son were little, I had several looms set up for them to weave on, whenever they felt inspired to weave.
And, now, my grandson weaves with me:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
He’s been sitting in my lap at the loom since he was born, and he really gets what weaving is all about.
He’s helping me weave his Grampa’s Saori shirt:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
He’s two now, and he KNOWS about the shuttle!
He demanded the shuttle, and put it into the shed, and helped it across with his beautiful little chubby hands….
He LOVES the bobbin winder:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
His grampa will certainly feel the love that has been woven into this shirt!
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
What do I recommend about teaching children to weave?
You don’t need a loom to start teaching a child to weave- cardboard looms and foam meat trays are great.
(I’ll post some patterns and instructions for them)
Child friendly looms are great- the Cricket is wonderful, as are a whole slew of small looms- ESPECIALLY,
the wonderful potholder loom!
BUT- I DO NOT recommend trying to teach a child to weave with loopers on the potholder loom.
Loops are actually rather challenging to work with.
Yarn is much more user friendly, and I have all kinds of YouTube videos to help you get children weaving.
When you click on my Potholder loom weaving page on my webiste: LINKIE
and scan down to the bottom of the page, you will find all kinds of YouTube links for my video tutorials.
I recommend the book: 1,2,3 Easy as Can Be Critters to weave on the potholder loom
and Weavagarumi for beginning weavers.
So, go ahead, and get those kidlets weaving!
It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving, as they will be embarking on a magnificent voyage of discovery that will last their lifetime!
Happy Weaving! 😀
3 new video tutorials about spool knitting and potholder loom techniques
I took time away from blogging over the Christmas holidays, but I have been a busy bunny making video tutorials.
Here’s a video tutorial on how to stitch spool knitted cords to woven or other finished edges:
And, another how to on stitching things together- this time, it’s how to stitch potholder loom squares and motifs together
Here’s a video tutorial on how to spool knit with the Martha Stewart loom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWoYAs-L3yM
How to spool knit on your fingers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-nEfmge_Ygvi
And, there are lots more spool knitting video tutorials on my youtube channel: LINK
So there you have it Lotsa video tutorials…. hope they are helpful!
Video tutorial on how to weave a heart shape motif on the Martha Stewart Loom
I have been designing for and experimenting with the Martha Stewart loom, and just love it.
woven-heart-by-noreen-crone-findlay
One of the things that I have figured out how to do with the Martha Stewart Loom, is how to weave a heart shape motif on it.
It’s a little tricky, so I have made a video on how to do it.
I felted some of the woven hearts, and they are really neat…. the do get smaller as you felt them!
woven-heart-by-noreen-crone-findlay-5 (c)
What can you do with a woven heart?
They can be used as placemats on their own, (especially if they have spool knitted cord stitched to the outside), or they can be stitched to bags, scarves, stoles, shawls, pillows, throws, wraps, afghans, blankets, jackets, vests, stitch 2 together as a toy….
Hearts are the symbol of love, so perhaps, you can just weave one for the love of it! 😀
New video tutorial on how to weave smooth edges with 2 colors on Martha Stewart loom
I was asked a very good question last week.
A lady on Ravelry was having a hard time with wonky edges on the Martha Stewart loom, when she wove with more than one color. How to fix this?
2 color weaving on Martha Stewart loom by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c
By the way in the photo above, I couldn’t resist including the yummy cupcake my daughter made for her little one’s birthday – I don’t recommend eating while weaving! 😀
Here’s the link to the video tutorial that shows the nifty trick that I have figured out for making lovely edges when weaving on small looms.
And yes, this technique works great for potholder looms, too!
Free pattern for Courier Bag woven on the Martha Stewart loom
My new design for a Courier Bag woven on the Martha Stewart loom has gone live on the Lion Brand website 😀
Courier bag woven on the Lion Brand Martha Stewart loom designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c)
Here is the free pattern for the Courier Bag woven on the Martha Stewart loom:
[ Lion Brand ‘Yarn Play’ about Noreen Crone-Findlay’s new design for the Martha Stewart loom ]
I am in love with these looms!
Last weekend, I made a video tutorial, showing how to weave a triangle of any size on the Martha Stewart Loom:
You don’t need it for this bag, but it’s VERY handy for other designs! 🙂
And, happily, I have more designs for these great little looms in the works!
🙂
Happy Weaving!
🙂 Noreen
Handmade-chunky-bead-teething-necklace-part-2
In my previous post, LINK, I shared my mis-adventure when I sliced the top of my knuckle off with the edge of the belt sander. Ouch.
So, that posting was more of a ‘how NOT to’ than a ‘how to’…..
Luckily, my finger is growing back 🙂 and I have finished the chunky 3 bead necklace….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I left the beads to soak in a bowl of vegetable oil for a few days. Because grandbaby is going to be chewing them, I don’t want to use anything that could be dangerous to him on the beads.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
And, that is why I am using organic cotton to spool knit the cords that hold the beads together. (Lion Brand Organic cotton).
I spool knitted 2 short cords and stitched them into the spaces between 2 of the beads, and one long one for the neck cord.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
NOTE: The neck cord NEVER goes around the baby’s neck!!!
It goes around the neck of his grown ups, or is looped through the tie of the sling , so he can retrieve it when he drops it.
He only has access to it when he is being held and supervised, and not when he’s sitting in the car seat.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
The big holes are great for chubby little fingers to hold onto…..
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
And those big beads are just so satisfying for a little guy to gum away on! (Well… to bite with his TWO new teeth!!!)
He absolutely loves the necklaces, and so do we.
Handmade chunky bead teething necklace part 1
Our gorgeous grandbaby is teething and is chomping everything in sight as he tries to ease the pain of those pesky teeth pushing on his gums.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
My daughter asked me to make her a necklace with large wooden beads so our wee fella could play with it and use it for teething.
I made her one necklace that was a great success: Minoan Goddess of the Bees necklace
So, I decided to make her another one- this time with several big chunky beads to keep him interested.
I cut a length of my favorite wood: Arbutus (also known as Madrona) that my sister in law had trimmed from a tree in her yard. (She saves me all their arbutus twigs and branches, bless her heart!)
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
Then, I split my mini log into 2 sections on the bandsaw, and did some preliminary shaping with the saw.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
Over to the drillpress to drill holes for the beads.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
And, back to the bandsaw for more shaping…..
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
Then, over to the belt sander for more shaping…..
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
and then to the bathroom to staunch the flow of blood, when I sanded the first knuckle off, and sliced the top off the second one.
Well… that was a surprise! I have never done that before! And not something I would like to repeat! erg….
it’s been 3 weeks, and my knuckle is finally healing… wowsa that hurt!
Filed under eco crafts & green projects, jewelry, tutorial & how to
Tottie Talks Crafts Blog 