Tottie Talks Crafts Blog

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 Link and rectangles 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.

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

Tagged as hand woven, how to weave a triangle on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Schacht Zoom Loom, small loom weaving, triangle, weaving techniques, Zoom Loom

February 19, 2014 · 10:49 am

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!

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 on your Zoom loom.

This makes the loom even more versatile :o)

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

Tagged as hand woven, how to weave a rectangle, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, video tutorial, weave a rectangle on the Zoom loom, weaving techniques, woven, Zoom Loom

February 17, 2014 · 11:35 am

Tips for embroidering on woven Zoom Loom or pin style looms

In my previous post, I showed how to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom.

That’s because there’s a fun ‘Weave along’ on the Zoom loom group on Ravelry- all about weaving dolls on the Zoom loom.

I’ve just embroidered the face for my ‘Winter’ doll

I thought that I would make a little video, offering a few tips about embroidering on the squares that you weave on the Zoom Loom.

These tips also work on any other pin style loom or potholder loom, or many of the small looms that are available nowadays.

5 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as 4 seasons dolls, embroidery on small looms, hints and tips, how to embroider on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Ravelry weave along, video tutorial, weaving a doll, woven doll, woven dolls, Zoom Loom by Schacht looms

February 12, 2014 · 3:27 pm

How to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom

There is an ongoing Weave Along on the Zoom Loom group on Ravelry.

Here’s the link:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/zoom-loom-club/2841435/1-25#13

I love weaving dolls, so I was hooked on the idea of weaving one doll for each of the seasons, using the Zoom Loom from Schacht.

I sketched my thoughts about the ‘Winter’ doll, and always in all the sketches- pockets showed up.

It was essential that my Zoomie doll have pockets. After all… Winter= Cold= Gotta have pockets!

So, I had to figure out a way of weaving tiny squares on the Zoom Loom (it’s the Zoom Loom weave along, so no cheating by crocheting or knitting the pockets).

I figured out a nifty way of weaving wee little squares on the Zoom Loom and have made this video showing how to do it.

I think that the 4 seasons Zoom Loom Doll Weave Along is going to be great fun.

By the way- I love the little Zoom loom and I don’t profit by singing it’s praises.

The weave along is going to continue all through out 2014, so do join in.

I am just a member of the Ravelry group, and not a moderator or anything, so if you have questions, join the group, and hop right in.

I’ll be posting more tutorials as I make them, showing the unusual ways that I am using the Zoom Loom.

Happy Weaving!

5 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

Tagged as 4 seasons doll weave along, hand weaving, hand woven, how to weave a doll, how to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Weave along, woven doll, woven toys, Zoom Loom

February 5, 2014 · 2:55 pm

New woven vests February 2014

Vests are one of my most favorite garments to design, weave and wear.

I have just finished two new vests that both have something that I believe to be essential: Pockets 🙂

I didn’t use a pattern to make the vests, but I was inspired by design #51 for a jacket, in the Saori weaving book that has a black cover.

I don’t know the actual name of the book, as it’s all in Japanese, but if you contact your local Saori dealer, I am sure that they will be able to sell you the book. The Saori books are all fabulous beyond words, and are all treasures!

I wove the fabric for the red vest on my Saori Piccolo loom, which is a joy to weave on. The fabric for the turquoise vest was woven on my 4 harness table loom.

The warp for the red vest was 10 inches wide and the warp for the turquoise vest was 17 inches wide.

They were both woven at 10 epi.

They both work well worn open, or pinned shut with a brooch, or tied with a belt or sash.

When I was weaving the fabric for this vest, I was playing with the fibonacci sequence, and also playing with numbers in other ways… in a way, I was coding messages of love, good health, happiness and abundance into the fabric as I wove it!

Weaving is so meditative, and it’s fun to deliberately figure out ways of ‘weaving happiness’ into my fabric 🙂

I love shawl collars, as they make me feel so cozy:

And those oh so important pockets! I wove the fabric for the pockets on my 4 harness loom.

I used a wool cotton blend for the weft when I wove the band at the top of the pocket so it would shrink and pull in to shape the pocket.

There are so many neat ways to shape garments, and using threads that you know will shrink is a ‘secret tip’ that works well for getting sections of your weaving to pull in and gather after the fabric is washed.

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

I’m trying very hard to not get too attached to these vests, as I am going to be offering them for sale at the maker’s faire that I am participating in this weekend… (On the Spot Maker’s Faire at the Boyle St Plaza in Edmonton AB on Feb 8 & 9).

8 Comments

Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as hand weaving, hand woven, hand woven garment, hand woven vest, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Saori, Saori Piccolo, Saori weaving, textiles, vests, woven clothing, woven vests

January 31, 2014 · 11:41 am

Tottie Tomato wishes you happy year of the horse

Hurrah! The Year of the Snake has curled up and slithered away, with few of us wishing it would last longer.

And, now, The Year of the Horse has galloped through the gate! YAY!

Poor Tottie Tomato got a sudden and surprising ride when she was posing for this photo- one of the Small Dogs grabbed her up and raced away with her.

I was shrieking, ‘No! No! No!’ in hot pursuit across the studio. Jim jumped up and leapt to the studio, gasping: ‘What? What!?!?!?!’

Small Dog dropped Tottie at Jim’s feet and pranced with delight.

I shot in and grabbed poor Tottie back. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt, and she forgives Small Dog for her unexpected ride.

This is NOT the way I would like the Year of the Horse to proceed, thank you very much!

I’m all up for delicious surprises and fast forward motion, but being challenged by unexpected canine capers is not a metaphor that I am going to embrace.

Nope.

I’m all for having a year of unbounded creativity, excellent good health, delight in community and happiness in family and tremendously delicious moments of serendipity and connection.

Yup.

And, that’s what I wish for you, too!

Happy, happy Year of the Horse!

4 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Tottie Tomato Loves

Tagged as Chinese astrology, doll, dolls, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Tottie Tomato, Year of the Horse

January 29, 2014 · 1:11 pm

Doll making as a healing art

In the past week, we have added several friends and relations of relations to our healing prayers.

As part of my meditations and prayer work, I focus my mind by creating healing dolls.

I pour my love and healing thoughts and images into the making of a healing doll.

Stitch by stitch, I make a doll that I quietly, gently and peacefully pour my thoughts and intentions of wellness, loving kindness, tenderness, inspiration and insight into.

Sometimes, the doll is for a specific person, and sometimes, it is simply a response to feeling the call to make a sacred or healing doll.

I never sell these dolls- I give them to a person that feels right for it.

I wrote the book: Soul Mate Dolls: Doll making as a healing art many years ago. It’s out of print now.

Over the years, since the publication of this book, I have continued to work with the sacred art of doll making for my own contemplative practice, but also professionally.

I have taught many workshops, and I have designed many patterns for people to continue to make dolls that are focused on healing themselves and others.

And, now I am working on a whole new book about the healing power of mindful doll making.

Until it is released, here are some of my designs that are available on my website http://www.crone-findlay.com and in my etsy shop. The link to my etsy shop is below each of these dolls.

May doll making be the source of great happiness, healing and wholeness for you, my friends!

The crocheted Angel of Compassion link to pattern on etsy: Link

The Crocheted Angel of Healing dolls: LINK

The Crocheted Angel of Peace: LINK

Weaving with simple looms, such as the peg or stick loom is very meditative, and I find that weaving mermaids is an excellent way to focus my thoughts on healing body, mind and spirit: LINK

Simple tools can be used to make sweet little dolls that provide great comfort when tucked into a pocket, and they are so easy to pop into an envelope and mail to a friend:

The spool knitted tiny angels are so easy to make, but full of love, too: LINK

As are the Friendship Fairies: LINK

And, I mustn’t forget the Menopause Fairy!

After all…. the Tooth Fairy takes away teeth and leaves a gift of money, right?

Well, the Menopause Fairy takes away all manner of things and leaves behind the gifts of laughter, wisdom and compassion, as well as soooooooooo much more!!!! LINK

And, if the healing involves some deliciously wild energy, then perhaps a Wild And Wooly doll is in order: LINK

If you feel a connection to Goddesses, I have designed a knitted pattern for the Venus of Willendorf.

I love holding her in my hand- she’s just a perfect little handful of the Feminine Divine energy! LINK

And Venus of Willendorf inspired Goddesses to Crochet: LINK

There’s also the Minoan Goddess of the Bees to knit: LINK

There are so many women from history who are powerful role models and whose strength, dignity and wisdom are deeply inspiring and offer great hope. One of them is the Empress Theodora….. LINK

May the work of your hands bring you soulful and engaging ways of healing your heart, mind, body and spirit and may it bring joy and peace and healing in countless ways to your family and friends, too!

Blessings abounding!!!! With love, always, and all ways! 🙂

2 Comments

Filed under crochet, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, Peg and Stick Loom weaving, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting

Tagged as crocheted dolls, doll, doll making, doll making as a healing art, gifts, hand made dolls handmade dolls, healing, knitted dolls, making dolls for healing, Noreen Crone-Findlay, peace, spool knitted dolls

January 27, 2014 · 10:02 pm

Road to Django concert January 2014

For me, the very best part of January for the last few years has been the breathtakingly wonderful concert produced by Cam Neufeld and Marianne Watchel.