Tottie Talks Crafts Blog

May 3, 2010 · 9:23 pm

Menopause Fairy and 5 peg spool knitting on 4 pegs

Recently, I noticed that -horror of horrors! – that there was a link to a dead file in my pdf pattern for the Spool knitted Menopause Fairy. Here’s the link to the pattern in my etsy shop: LINK

So, I completely re-built the pattern, and added all the information that was missing, and made it all ‘oh so pretty’.

😀

And, one of the things that I needed to do to make the Spool knitted Menopause Fairy do-able is to make a video on how to turn a 4 peg spool knitter into a 5 peg spool knitter.

So, I shot the video and here it is…. I love doing the impossible, don’t you? LOL 😀

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Tagged as spool knitted Menopause Fairy Doll, video tutorial on how to adapt a 4 peg spool knitter into a 5 spool knitter

April 29, 2010 · 9:30 pm

This week 2 profiles and Friendship Fairies

It’s been a busy week in the studio!

I have been working away on a new design for some adorable little spool knitted dolls.

They are ‘The Friendship Fairies’. They’re spool knitted dolls that are a celebration of wonderful friends and relations, teachers, students, co-workers…. you name it- if there is someone who makes you feel like the world is a better place because they are here, then that’s who the ‘Friendship Fairies’ are meant to celebrate. The pdf is available for purchase on my website at Spoolknitting .

Several months ago, (sorry about the bold face type… I can’t seem to get it to stop doing that!) I was asked to share some photos of my studio and to answer some questions about where I work. It’s been really hectic, and it took me a long time to get it done, but the post has gone live. This pic is a photo of the alcove where I shoot my video tutorials. Hmmm… you’d think that I could have straightened the lampshade before I took the pic…. oops… anyhow, here’s the link:

noreen-crone-findlay-studio

Cherie Burbach also posted an interview with me this week. It’s here: Cherie’s Interview

Lots and lots more has been cooking up in the studio, so I’ll be posting more about it as it all ripens…

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April 20, 2010 · 8:07 pm

How to spool knit with 4 pegs and cast off

People keep telling me that they have forgotten how to get themselves started with spool knitting.

So, I have made a video tutorial on how to spool knit with a 4 peg spool knitter. LINK

And, they also ask me: ‘How do you cast off or finish your spool knitted cord?’

Good question!

Here’s a video tutorial on how to finish your spool knitted cords: LINK

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Tagged as how to spool knit with 4 pegs, spool knitting video, video tutorial on how to cast off spool knitted cord

April 15, 2010 · 9:10 pm

How to spool knit with 2 pegs- 3 video tutorials

I am working on designs for all kinds of spool knitted jewelry. So I have just made 3 video tutorials that explain how to spool knit 2 peg cords, as these are wonderful in jewelry making.

2 peg cords are also great for doll and toy making as well as bag handles and other things…

Here are the videos:

Video #1: Basic 2 peg spool knitting: Link

Video #2: How to spool knit a flat link braid: Link

Video #3: More 2 peg techniques: Link

Hope you’ll find them useful!

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Tagged as cord maker, making cords, spool knitting, video tutorial on how to spool knit with 2 pegs

April 12, 2010 · 12:42 pm

Talisman necklace with spool knitted cord

A few months ago, our daughter was very sick and needed surgery. It was VERY challenging- we were just wrenched by the trauma of having our beloved daughter going through such a rough experience right after having her beautiful baby.

The Demeter/Persephone story resonated deeply with me (by the way, ‘Traveling with Pomegranates‘ by Sue Monk Kidd and Anne Kidd Taylor is a great book to learn more about Demeter and Persephone).

For many years, I have been delighted with the images of the Minoan Dewdrop or Bee Goddess images that relate directly to the Minoan Goddess of the Bees, and have made lots of things in homage to her, including shuttles and necklaces and other treasures.

I asked my daughter if she would like me to make her an amulet or talisman necklace with the Minoan Goddess of the Bees on it, as a reminder of my love for her. It’s always nice to have a physical reminder of that love, after all!

She said yes, but not a metal one, as the baby loves to grab and hold onto anything she wears, so she would prefer wood on a soft cord.

So, I drew the Minoan Goddess of the Bees onto a piece of wood, and burned it, and sanded and smoothed it. I didn’t varnish it, just in case the baby puts it in his mouth. Olive oil or bees wax will do nicely for a baby safe finish.

Needless to say, we wanted to make the cord baby safe too, which meant using an organic cotton. I used Lion Brand’s Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton in ‘khaki’. It spool knits beautifully.

I used my Cordelia cordmaker Link and spool knitted a 36 inch (90 cm) long cord.

I joined the ends of the cord and made a lark’s head knot to attach it to the wooden piece.

(How to make a Lark’s head knot: Either make a fold in a cord or join the ends to make a circle. Push a loop of the cord through the hole. Pull the other end of the cord or necklace through this loop and pull up. Lark’s Head Knot completed!)

I love making gifts that are an expression of my love, using techniques that I find very comforting and soothing. I hope that that feeling of love and soothing energy will be carried in this necklace and that it will serve as a reminder to my beautiful daughter that she is loved and treasured!

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Tagged as amulet, how to make a Lark's Head Knot, jewelry, Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton, Minoan Goddess of the Bees, necklace, spool knitted cord, talisman necklace, wooden jewelry

April 8, 2010 · 7:17 pm

Video Tutorial how to weave bias triangle on potholder loom

I love the continuous technique of weaving that I learned from triangle looms.

It struck me that I should be able to adapt the triangle loom technique to potholder loom weaving, so I played around with it until I figured it out.

Triangles are such a neat design element that the more ways I can figure out for weaving them, the better it is.

In my book: Storytelling with Dolls, I showed a completely different way of weaving triangles on the potholder loom, using yarn.

Perhaps I will make a video of that technique, too.

And, here is the video for this version of how to weave a triangle using the bias or continuous weave technique: LINK

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March 31, 2010 · 9:16 pm

Video Tutorial of how to wind a center pull yarn ball on nostepinne

One of life’s great pleasures is to be found in mastering techniques that may be simple, but take practice.

One of those very useful and satisfying skills is winding a center pull ball of yarn on the nostepinne.

I like to wind a ball of yarn on the nostepinne in 2 stages.

Here’s a little video that I made, showing how to wind lovely flat, stackable flat balls of yarn.

The nostepinne is contemplative and portable, and to be honest, I much prefer it to my ball winder.

Here’s the link to the video: LINK

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Tagged as center pull yarn ball, how to, nostie, video tutorial on how to wind a ball of yarn on the nostepinne, winding nostepinne

March 29, 2010 · 8:33 pm

New Video Tutorial for how to weave a rectangle on potholder loom

Potholder looms may be square, but! you don’t have to just weave squares on them!! I have figured out ways of weaving other shapes, too.

Last week, I decided to make a video of how to weave rectangles on the potholder loom.

We were in the middle of a nasty springtime cold snap. March was really doing it’s lion in winter routine. brrrrrrrrrrrr.

It was so cold that we had amazing icicles on the prayer flags outside the studio window.

I wimped out of going with my husband to walk the dogs and opted to work on making a video of how to weave a rectangle on the potholder loom.

I was just about finished the video when my Best Beloved burst into the studio, and with great gusto cussed out the cold weather.

I instantly cracked up, and when he saw that I had been making a video, he blushed and apologized profusely.

I deleted the video and started over.

I was still laughing my head off when I started the next take, and it took me a minute to get myself composed again.

I went off and did something else, and forgot about the goofiness on the video, and hit upload.

It took hours and hours to upload it, and when I checked it… oh no! there was my chortling about my hubby’s little out take!

I asked him if he wanted me to take it down and start over and he said, nah… that it was fine, and he was sure that people wouldn’t mind…. so without further ado, here’s the ‘cold and wintery day’ video tutorial: Here’s the link to the video: LINK

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Tagged as how to weave a rectangle on the potholder loom, potholder loom, video tutorial on potholder loom weaving

March 24, 2010 · 12:02 am

New video tutorial- how to weave with yarn on potholder loom

How long can it take to make a 10 minute video? LOL…. all day!

First of all…. you need to plot out how many looms you need to have on the go, and then get them set up so they can be grabbed quick like a bunny to keep the video flowing.

This means that each stage of the video has to be figured out, and just ‘that much’ weaving done on each of the looms.

I had a total of 6 looms on the go for this video.

So… let the taping begin….

Takes 1, 2 and 3 all were about 42 seconds long as I went… flubbadubba dubba…. cut…

Take 4 :

I bang into the camera stand and send it for a spiral dance, and drop everything as it goes ‘ga-doy-yoi- yoi-yoing’…

Delete.

Start over… (which does indeed mean, starting over! Unweave whatever I did in the video, and get all the looms back to their proper starting point…. EACH TIME – for EVERY TAKE!!!!)

Take 5 went really well, until I was baffled at why the weaving suddenly just seized up.

Oh… duh… I was standing on the yarn. sigh.

Takes 6 and 7 each had unique little moments….

I snipped the yarn on one of the squares,…… that earned me a re-start.

I BROKE the weaving hook in Take 7…. I have NEVER broken a weaving hook before, and Clever Clogs, I managed to do it in the middle of a video take. Throw that for a lark.

Delete.

Go out to workshop and carve a new hook.

Start over….

Take 8: The greyhound sees deer in the yard.

He yodels at deer.

He barks at deer.

He rushes to the door and pounds on it to take his barking and yelping outside.

He knocks me sideways….

Delete.

Start Over….

Take 9: Small dog decides to join the fray….

Delete.

Start Over…..

Take 10…. Brain locks up and tongue does a tap dance.

Delete.

Start Over…..

Take 11…

By this point, the light is fading and I am clenching my jaw in grim determination-

I AM GOING TO GET THIS VIDEO DONE! and that is that…..

Take a deep breath…. forget about Takes 1 – 10…. oh please oh please, may my brain stay in motion, may my hands go where they are meant to, may my feet stay off the yarn, may the dogs puhleeeeeeeeze not go daft again….

And then, it’s done…. take a deep breath… and attempt to upload the video! Fingers crossed… and…. yes! it’s a go!

Here is the link to the video: LINK

Please note: Everything on this blog is Noreen Crone-Findlay’s original, design, concept and work, and is copyright. Please do not copy without Noreen Crone-Findlay’s permission. Thank you!

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Tagged as how to weave with yarn on the potholder loom, video tutorial on potholder loom weaving

March 22, 2010 · 12:00 pm

Celebrate Springtime with adorable doodled paper eggs

I love making little presents that I can just pop in an envelope and mail to family and friends.

Yesterday, I had a flash of inspiration…. well, really it was several flashes of inspiration that came together ever so nicely!

Lately, I have been blogging about doodling, Link and Link , so that’s kind of noodling around in the outer reaches of my brain.

And, a week or so ago, my daughter blogged about very cute embroidered Easter Eggs: Link

And, then Linette blogged about some papier mache Easter eggs that she had just made: Link

These all got me thinking about threads all came together and inspired me to design and make some oh so sweet paper eggs that can hang in a houseplant, a tree or be used as a bookmark or in scrapbooking.

Here’s what I did:

First of all, I drew an egg shape, and then I made a tracer or template from a piece of plastic from the recycling box.

Then, I traced around it on a used envelope (gotta love being green! re-duce, re-use, recycle, reclaim, upcycle!) and cut out 2 eggs. (Front and back).

Then I cut out an inch diameter circle of white paper (use whatever color works best for your choice of skin tone).

I snipped about 4 inches of embroidery floss for the hanger.

Draw the face on the circle and glue it on the front egg.

I doodled merrily away on the front of the egg, and then, because this one is going to my mom, I wrote a message on the back.

Glue the thread in a loop to the inside of the back and then glue the front to the back….. and Voila!

Adorable paper eggs to celebrate springtime!

Variations: I had brunch with 2 friends yesterday, and I made them eggs, but didn’t do the doodles. I took my colored pens with me, and they doodled happily on their eggs while we visited. Fun! Here are their eggs:

I also love to use fragments of tatting to decorate and embellish, so I used some scraps of tatting on 2 more eggs…

This tutorial is Noreen Crone-Findlay’s original concept and design. Please DO NOT COPY the text or photos. Please do share the link! Thanks so much!!!

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Filed under eco crafts & green projects, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents

Tagged as bookmark, easter egg, Easter gift, egg craft, ornament, paper crafts, paper egg decoration, scrapbookg, springtime