Category Archives: video tutorial

A Butterfly to make on the Lucet

Butterflies are the symbol of transformation, and since everyone I know seems to be experiencing some kind of transformative experience or another,Β  it seems to me to be a good time to make some little butterflies.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

They are very quick and easy to make, using a Lucet – although you can also use spool knitted cord, if you prefer.

They can be used to embellish anything that you can think of, or can be stitched to a ribbon for a book mark, or have a pin sewn to the back so they can be worn on a hat, bag, scarf or lapel.Β  They can be attached to a key ring.

They can be used in scrapbooking or card making.

It’s lovely to have one in your pocket to give to a friend who just needs a little comfort…..

Here’s the video for how to make the butterflies:

We are in deep, cold, snowy mid winter in Western Canada, so it’s lovely to have butterflies flittering about the studio, even if I had to make them myself!Β  πŸ™‚

That just reminded me of something that I hadn’t thought of in years….

My mother used to give us ‘Butterfly Kisses’, which were a quick little flutter of her eyelashes on our cheeks.

That’s a dear memory to suddenly pop up…Β  sweet!

Butterfly kisses all round! ❀

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Filed under gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Lucet, personal stuff, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

Upcycling a little box into a band loom

I absolutely love weaving Scandinavian style woven bands, using different styles of rigid heddles.

A few weeks ago, as we were cleaning and clearing in preparation for our big move, we found some sweet little drawers that my father in law had made many decades ago.

He had reclaimed some tiny little wooden butter boxes and made wee drawers for his workshop with them:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

And, since then, the idea for building a tiny, oh so portable band weaving box loom has been gestating in my mind….

After much trial and error, I have built the little loom, and absolutely adore it!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

I have made a small video that shows what I did to build this little charmer:

This is the ratchet and pawl that I designed for my loom.

I made them from a scrap of marine plywood, which allowed me to curve the pawl.

I am going to make the next one from a piece of purpleheart that we’ve been saving, so I am going to make the pawl straight, to make it stronger and not risk breaking it by cutting a curve against the grain.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

If you are interested in learning more about weaving Scandinavian style narrow bands, definitely seek out the work of the marvelous weaver extraordinaire, Susan Foulkes:

And, if you’d like to see some of the ways that I use narrow bands please click:
Note: I have upgraded the little box loom…. it’s even better!
Here’s a link to how the little band loom has evolved: LINK

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Filed under band loom, eco crafts & green projects, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Folding stand for my Mirrix tapestry loom

I am pleased as can be- I’ve just built myself a spiffy new folding stand for my Mirrix tapestry loom.

folding loom stand (c)

I’ve done several variations on this loom stand – I began by designing a folding stand for my copper pipe looms LINK

And, then, used the same concept to make a very upcycled version from cardboard tubes and broomsticks LINK

For this version, I used conduit pipes and neat corner thingies toΒ  make it, and it has worked out a fair treat!

Here’s the video that I made as I was building it:

The key to the success of the folding loom stand is a pivoting clamp- here’s the link to how I did that: LINK

I’ve signed up for Rebecca Mezoff’s online tapestry class LINK, and am looking forward to getting my Mirrix warped up and weaving on it.

πŸ™‚ I love my new stand! πŸ™‚

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Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tapestry, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Lucet techniques- 6- Celtic Interlace Hearts

This is the 6th how to video in Noreen Crone-Findlay’s series of Lucet technique tutorials.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

In this video, I showΒ  how to make gorgeous Celtic interlace hearts that you can use to embellish woven, knitted, crocheted or sewn fashion accessories or home decor items.

They are also great for scrapbooking and can be used on stationery.

They are perfectΒ  Valentines or as Christmas or birthday decorations and ornaments.

Another wonderful way of using these Celtic Interlace hearts is to hang them up as ‘Yarn Bombs’ for people to find and adopt. What a lovely way to brighten someone’s day!

The video shows how to make different sizes of the Celtic Interlace Heart.

Here is the template- print it out so that it’s about 5 inches square, but smaller or larger works just fine, too.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

Spool knitted cords work fine for making the Celtic interlace hearts, too.

Here is the video tutorial:

 

Please go to https://www.etsy.com/listing/190037126/handmade-wooden-lucet-by-noreen-crone?ref=listing-1 to purchase one of myΒ  handmade lucets, and to check out all the nifty spool knitting patterns and eBooks, as all those patterns will work beautifully with Lucet cords.

This is Noreen Crone-Findlay’s original design and concept.Β 

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Lucet techniques- 5 – Shoelaces- upcycle to make aiglets

This is the 5th how to video in my series of Lucet technique tutorials.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

In this video tutorial, I show how to make awesome shoelaces, and a great upcycling way ofΒ  making those little thingies at the end of the laces.

I couldn’t remember the right name for them when I was making the video, and called them ‘aplets’, but the correct name is ‘aglets or aiglets’.

Wikipedia defines them as: The word aglet (or aiglet) comes from Old French aguillette (or aiguillette), which is the diminutive of aguille (or aiguille), meaning needle.[1] This in turn comes from acus, Latin for needle. An aglet is like a small needle at the end of a corde

Here’s the video:

Please go to https://www.etsy.com/listing/190037126/handmade-wooden-lucet-by-noreen-crone?ref=listing-1 to purchase one of my sweet little handmade lucets, and to check out all the nifty spool knitting patterns and eBooks, as all those patterns will work beautifully with Lucet cords.

This is Noreen Crone-Findlay’s original design and concept.

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Filed under eco crafts & green projects, Lucet, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

4 videos on Lucet cord making techniques

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

I absolutely love Lucets.

I have designed and made a very small lucet that is my all time favorite.

It’s only 2 inches by 2 inches, and so it’s so easy to take with you wherever you go.

I am selling them in my etsy shop, here:

LINK

I’ve made 4 video tutorials that show how to use the Lucet to make cords, and then some wonderful things to make with them.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.crone-findlay.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

The first video shows the basics of cordmaking on a Lucet:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

The second video shows how to add buttons, beads, charms and found objects to lucet cord – great way to make a wrap bracelet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtw1U22wuo4

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

The third video tutorial shows 3 different ways of making button closures using Lucet cords:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vlus76Owqc&noredirect=1

 

The 4th video shows how to make knots andΒ  Celtic interlacesΒ  to make beautiful embellishments and jewelry:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF73AXpGa2k&noredirect=1

Here’s the template for the 4 loop Celtic interlace knot:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

All my spool knitted patterns and designs will work beautifully with Lucet cords, so please check out my etsy shop for those, too: Link

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Filed under buttons, jewelry, Lucet, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

How to build an upcycled loom and stand from recycled stuff

For the last month or so, I have been building and weaving up a storm.

I am part of a project in Edmonton, Alberta, called, Green Windows City, that has partnered 13 artists with small shops in the arts district.

The artists are creating installations built from upcycled or recycled stuff, and are creating magic!

Today is installation day, so I will take photos after I complete my installation and post them.

One of the really fun things that I have done is to design and build a tapestry loom (although it can be used for other things than tapestry) and stand from trash.

I built the loom from a picture frame and the stand for the loom using heavy cardboard tubes thrown away by the fabric store, an old broomstick and a few nuts and bolts.

It has ingenious ways of tensioning the warp strands, and opening the sheds for ease of weaving.

All it all, it is a wonderfully functional loom and stand that is almost no cost.

To my delight, I have found it to be a loom that I love and will be using for years.

I liked it so much that I have built a second one to be weaving on while this one is busy being in the installation.

I made a video showing how to make the loom and stand, and how to warp it (including the warping device that I messed up on and then replaced LOL)

Here’s the video-Β  it’s a cheap and cheerful way of creating a really great little tapestry loom.

I love it, and hope you will, too!

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Filed under eco crafts & green projects, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tapestry, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Pivoting clamp for pipe style tapestry loom

The Archie Brennan copper pipe looms are easy-ish to build and wonderful to weave on.

Here’s a link to the instructions that we used to build mine: LINK

It struck me that warping the pipe loom would be so much easier if I could pivot and spin the loom.

I saw a video on Youtube that showed a woman rotating her loom to warp it and that got my gears clicking.

And, so, I designed a set of pivoting clamps for the pipe loom, and now warping the pipe loom is just BLISS!!!!!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

Here’s the video tutorial for them in action:

By the way, the finished size of my clamps is:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

I am pleased as can be with them!

Note: The clamps can easily be moved on or off looms that are already warped, so switching looms on and off a stand is easy peasy.

To see the stand that we built, please go to

https://tottietalkscrafts.com/2014/03/17/copper-pipe-stand-for-copper-pipe-tapestry-loom/

Happy weaving!

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Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

How to weave a triangle on the Zoom Loom

I have been experimenting with the Schacht Zoom Loom, and figuring out how to weave more shapes with it than just the square it was designed to weave.

In previous blog posts, I’ve shown how to weave small squares LinkΒ  and rectanglesΒ  Link.

I also posted some hints about how to embroider on the squares that you weave on the Zoom loom: Link

One of the most important shapes to be able to weave when designing with small looms is the the triangle.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

And, so, I’ve figured out how to weave perfect triangles on the Zoom Loom.

It was actually quite tricky to do that figuring, but it was worth it, and I made a video tutorial on how to do it:

Happy Weaving!

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Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

How to weave a rectangle on the Zoom Loom

I am always intrigued by figuring out ways of maximizing the potential of small looms.

Just because a loom is square, why should it be limited to weaving just squares?

Rectangles are important in the design process, too!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com

And, so, I figured it out… and here’s a new video tutorial showing how to weave a rectangle on the Zoom Loom.

There are times when you need to have rectangles and narrow strips to finish a design, and now, you can weave them onΒ  your Zoom loom.

This makes the loom even more versatile :o)

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