Tag Archives: Noreen Crone-Findlay

April 17, 2014 · 9:34 am

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

I love it, and hope you will, too!

5 Comments

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

Tagged as Earth Day, green project, Green Windows City, hand weaving, hand woven, how to build a loom from a picture frame, loom, loom stand, Noreen Crone-Findlay, picture frame loom, recycling, tapestry loom, tapestry weaving, trash into treasure, upcycing

April 7, 2014 · 11:25 am

Green Window project – weaving a tapestry of the earth

I have been incredibly busy, working to deadline on a really neat project: The Green Window City project. LINK

13 artists were paired with shops in the Old Strathcona district of Edmonton as part of Earth Day celebrations.

We are each creating an installation in our partnered shop, using stuff that was pulled out of the trash…..

I have been building and weaving like mad….

I can’t show too much until I have the installation up and running.

But – I am going to give a sneak preview of a small tapestry that I have woven for my installation.

I was nervous about using discarded fabric that I cut into strips for the weft of the tapestry- I had NO idea if it would work!

Also, I built the loom (more about that later) and wasn’t sure if it would be alright for tapestry weaving.

On top of all the other unknowns, for the warp, I used hemp yarn that was given to me by someone who gave up on weaving.

Fuzzy, sheddie, hairy hemp yarn? As warp? Bonkers.

I was sceptical when I saw that the cone of yarn was labelled as being warp, but thought- Why not?

This is all about experimentation, and creative adaptive re-use….

So, I warped up the loom:

And then, I cut up strips of fabric and started weaving.

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

I’ve never used fabric strips to weave tapestry, so I was really quizzical about it at first….

Those are the fabrics that I cut up, and wow…. I LOVED weaving with them!

Its’ very slow, but I was amazed at how well it worked!

I loved it, and I am eager to weave more tapestries with upcycled, re-used, recycled fabric cut into ‘farn’ (fabric yarn).

But, for now, I have to get back to cutting up more t shirts and discarded garments for the banners that I am weaving for the installation.

And, then, back to weaving weaving weaving…. I have 5 more long banners to weave….. oh my!~

3 Comments

Filed under eco crafts & green projects, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as creative adaptive re-use, fabric strips, Green Windows City, hand weaving, hand woven, installation, Noreen Crone-Findlay, tapestry weaving, upcycled, upcycling, woven image of the earth

April 7, 2014 · 11:07 am

Tapestry Diary – 4

I’ve been working on a series of little woven ‘dancing ladies’ for my Woven Women show.

And, I am participating in a tapestry weave along on Ravelry.

This week, I finished one of my Dancing Ladies- “Snowy Spring”.

I have a thing about red shoes, so, I just had to make red patent leather shoes for her….

And I even made heels for them (the soles and heels are heavy leather, the uppers are very thin patent leather)

She’s about 13 inches tall/33 cm tall.

I wove her on the Schacht Mini loom, which is a small plastic loom that I quite like.

I was surprised by how well it worked for tapestry weaving- I wasn’t sure about tensioning on it, but that was not a problem. (I wove in a tiny thin dowel at the top, which worked beautifully as a shed stick, and provided some tension).

She delights me.

I love how the tapestry diary is leading me in unexpected directions.

8 Comments

Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven, Woven Women tapestries and woven works

Tagged as 'Woven Women' by Noreen Crone-Findlay, hand weaving, hand woven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Schacht Mini Loom, Tapestry Diary, tapestry weaving

April 2, 2014 · 11:34 am

Tea time in the studio

No matter how busy I am, (and I am wildly busy right now, with stiff deadlines) I still take time to have a lovely cuppa tea.

It makes me feel deeply contented!

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as Noreen Crone-Findlay, studio, tea time

March 21, 2014 · 3:49 pm

Tapestry Diary for Woven Women show – 2

This week, I began a series of small woven figures for my Woven Women show (see previous post LINK).

I joined the Tapestry Diary Weave Along on Ravelry, and I am so pleased that I did.

This is the progression of the first piece, so far:

I warped up my 8 inch Mirrix so I can weave one diary entry on the front of the loom and one on the back.

A Tapestry Diary is a kind of daily journal that, of course, reflects what is happening what is happening in the weaver’s life at that moment….

I’ve been longing for springtime, so it was natural that flowers would appear immediately.

Using my mother’s stash of embroidery floss and yarn has been powerful for me.

Even though she is no longer with us, it is very tender to be working with something that she loved so much.

Each day, I’ve been uploading a pic of my progress in my diary- I find this rather daunting, as the ‘not good enough’ gremlins leap up and bite so uncomfortably! ugh….

I had some concerns about weaving with super slippery rayon embroidery floss, but it was fine…. although, I’ll need to do some serious sewing in on the wrong side.

That’s a bit of tatting that I stitched to the hem of the dress.

I always have a tatting shuttle in my pocket for ‘incidental moments’- it’s wonderfully contemplative, meditative and also so portable that I can take it with me everywhere.

I tat long strips of edging that I then include in my tapestries.

The face is applique’d on – I designed and wove a series of faces in a narrow band, using my double hole rigid heddle loom.

The arms are wrapped wires- I haven’t quite finished the wrapping, which is okay, as I won’t get to finish this piece until I weave the next one that is on the other side of the loom.

Being part of the Weave Along is such a pleasure- the international community of weavers that has formed around this weave along is a generous and supportive group.

I have no way of knowing how the Tapestry Diaries will unfold, but I will be posting as they do.

6 Comments

Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tapestry, weaving & handwoven, Woven Women tapestries and woven works

Tagged as hand weaving, hand woven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Ravelry, Tapestry Diary, tapestry diary weave along, weave, Weave along

March 20, 2014 · 1:35 pm

Handmade wooden buttons

There’s been a nice long hiatus since the winter maker’s faires ended and the spring ones begin.

I’ve taken advantage of the time away from the markets/faires to be extremely productive.

I love making (and using!) handmade wooden buttons, so I have been ‘button, buttoning’ like mad.

(and of course, had to build a display for them, too!)

I am sooooooo pleased with how they have turned out.

I’ll have them at the next Mercer Maker’s Market on Saturday March 29 from 10 -4 (The Mercer is on the corner of 104 ave and 104 St), so Edmonton peeps, I hope to see you there!

7 Comments

Filed under buttons, eco crafts & green projects

Tagged as Artisan's faires, hand made wooden buttons, Maker's Markets, Noreen Crone-Findlay, wood buttons, wooden buttons

March 14, 2014 · 9:48 pm

Another new friend for Tottie Tomato

Tottie Tomato looked outside the studio window and saw someone tobogganing on the snowbanks….

She astonished Tottie by fluttering up into the tree….. and Tottie realized that the fluttery little person was a fairy!

The fairy looked awfully familiar…..

Tottie Tomato saw that she was shivering- it was so cold!

So, she invited the Winter Fairy in for a cup of tea….

Tottie Tomato had been watching the progress of the Winter Fairy coming to life, so she was surprised to see her outside!

Winter Fairy said that she felt that, once she had her wings, she really ought to see what Winter was all about.

Sledding was fun – but chilly.

The Winter Fairy told Tottie Tomato that she prefers to experience winter from the warm side of the window, so she has decided to take up permanent residence in the studio and perhaps wait until springtime before venturing outside again.

Tottie Tomato is looking forward to many pleasant cups of tea with the Winter Fairy.

She plans on showing her around the studio and introducing her to all manner of lovely folks.

Tottie Tomato is very happy that I took part in the Zoom Loom Doll Weave Along on Ravelry- otherwise, the Winter Fairy would never have joined us here in the studio!

2 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, Tottie Tomato Loves, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as doll making, hand weaving, hand woven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Ravelry, Tottie Tomato, Weave along, woven doll, woven fairy doll, Zoom Loom