Tag Archives: textiles

January 15, 2018 · 7:13 pm

3 panel Triangle loom shawl woven on 3 foot tri loom

Recently, I designed a fun shawl, and made a video about how to weave a shawl with a collar using 3 triangles woven on the 3ft triangle loom.

The border is made up of triangles woven on the potholder loom.

Here’s the video: The video is full of hints and tips for triangle loom weaving in ‘outside the box’ ways.

Here are 2 ways of weaving triangles on the potholder loom:

I used the first method for this shawl: How to weave a triangle on the potholder loom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ahC…

How to weave a triangle on the bias on the potholder loom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-GN…

I made a separate video about how to stitch the pieces of the shawl together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tKIy… Happy Weaving!

Wonderful new Latchet Lucet

I am just over the moon 🙂

I love working with Lucet cords, and sometimes, I work with miles of them.

So, I wanted to be able to make oodles of lucet cords more quickly.

After a LOT of tinkering around, and much experimenting and many different iterations, I was happy with the prototype for the Latchet Lucet.

I talked to Donna and Gary McFarland at Dewberry Ridge Looms to see if they were interested in making it.

Yes!

Yay!

Gary is a master craftsman and excellent designer.

He took my design and fine tuned and honed it and here is the result:

This glorious piece of work:

Here it is, attached to the table with the spiffy clamp that Gary found after a lot of research:

It is a very happy tool for co-creating with the Thumbelina, Mollie Whuppie, Vasilisa and Star looms.

(well…. any and all looms, really).

Here’s a video of it in action:

Here’s the link to order one:

Latchet Lucet

The projects made with Lucet cords in the following videos work perfectly with the cords made with the Latchet Lucet:

It’s just sooooooooooooooo much fun!

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Filed under Dewberry Ridge looms, Lucet, video tutorial

Tagged as Dewberry Ridge Looms, hand weaving, handwoven, how to, how to make lucet cords, Latchet Lucet, lucet cord, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, textiles, video tutorial, Yarn Crafts

March 24, 2017 · 3:30 pm

Tapestry Techniques- Part 2 woven on the Mollie Whuppie loom

I have posted a new video tutorial that is the second in a series of how to weave tapestry on the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms.

I designed the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms and Dewberry Ridge makes them. They’re wonderful!

This video shows how to
1- Start the weaving at the curved edge while weaving side to side.
2- How to fill the curved space that will form by using eccentric weaving (weaving that doesn’t go all the way from side to side).
3- How to weave dots of color.
4- How to use hatching to make a pattern- in this case, a circle shape in the middle of the weaving is made by alternating 2 colors of yarn.
5- How to finish the straight edge at the end of the weaving.

Here’s the video:

To see how to set up the Mollie Whuppie loom please go to my previous post, which will take you to the first video in this series: LINK

To buy the Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms, please go to:
www.dewberryridge.com

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Filed under Dewberry Ridge looms, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, Mollie Whuppie and Vasilisa looms, tapestry, Three Sisters Looms, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as Dewberry Ridge Looms, hand weaving, handwoven, how to weave, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, tapestry, tapestry weaving, textiles, video tutorial, weave, weaves, weaving, weaving techniques, woven

December 13, 2016 · 1:06 pm

6th Sense One of a Kind Art Doll- Tree Mother

Last month, when there was a spectacular Super Moon, we stepped outside to admire it.

The gigantic moon looked like it was suspended in the huge trees that line our street.

The image of the Great Tree Mother, rocking the Moon in her arms, rose up in my mind….

and I knew that I had to build one of my 6th Sense one of a kind art dolls.

Here she is:

Great Tree Mother Rocked The Moon in Her Arms:

While I was contemplating how to build the Great Tree Mother piece, my husband and our daughter took the dogs for a walk one morning.

Chloe came home with a wonderfully gnarly branch that had been pruned from someone’s tree and tossed into the alley.

She just knew I needed it…. even though, at that point, I hadn’t told her what I was mulling about 🙂

We have a very deep connection!

It is perfect.

So’s our daughter….

Anyhow…

The faces….

Years ago, my dear friend found a moose antler that had been shed and she asked me if I could use it.

I cut 3 faces from it, and carved them and painted them.

Two of them became part of this piece:

Tree Mother’s face.

She also has a ‘Hidden Face’ that is hidden inside the piece and will never be revealed.

Too bad I didn’t photograph it! Oops…

Here is Moon’s face:

I carved the hand from wood.

I wove the bands on 2 different looms and knitted the grey hand spun cloth of her robe.

All of the 6th Sense Woven Women have 6 pennies incorporated into them, as a metaphor for coming to our senses, and embracing intuition, intelligence and inspiration.

She is 29 inches/72.5 cm tall and the branch spreads out to 15 inches/37.5 cm wide.

She is not for sale.

By the way, she is also a celebration of creative adaptive re-use and upcycling. I love that.

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Tagged as celebrate the moon, celebrate trees, doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, knitted doll, moon, moon doll, narrow band weaving, Noreen Crone-Findlay, one of a kind art doll, small loom weaving, textiles, tree, tree doll, Tree Mother, trees, upcycling, weave, weaves, weaving, wooden dolls, woven, Woven Women tapestries by Noreen Crone-Findlay

September 17, 2016 · 3:39 pm

Woven Women: 6th Sense One of a Kind Art Dolls

I have been working on new handwoven one of a kind art dolls.

They are a somewhat different approach to my Woven Women Mixed Media pieces.

Earlier this summer, I read a wonderful book, called: A Monk in the Beehive.

The author spoke about humanity needing to come to our senses, and to connect with our sixth sense, which is wisdom, intuition, peacefulness and integrity towards the planet.

This moved me deeply, and I have been thinking about it a lot.

This is how I have woven these thoughts together- in the first 3 of a series of ‘6th Sense’ Woven Women.

Each one is totally one of a kind.

I wove them as contemplations on wisdom, compassion, kindness, peace and peace making, connection, and a longing to care for the planet.

As I created each one, I would hold thoughts of wellness, integrity, and all the other attributes that I mentioned previously.

Weaving is a meditation in motion, and there is love in every stitch.

There is joy and tenderness in the making of the ‘6th Sense’ art dolls.

They are all approximately 17 inches tall and they can either stand and lean on a shelf, or be hung from the woven hanging loop on the back of the head.

Each one has 6 pennies- six cents- to represent the Sixth Sense, in all it’s manifestations.

I wove each of the 6th Sense Woven Women Art Dolls on many different looms, using a wide variety of techiques.

Here’s a video of ‘6th Sense- Intuition’, ‘6th Sense- Deep Peace’ and

‘6th Sense- Listening to The Voice of Wisdom’:

Photos:

‘6th Sense- INTUITION’:

‘6th Sense- Deep Peace’

‘6th Sense- Listening to The Voice of Wisdom’

If you are interested in purchasing a ‘Woven Women- 6th Sense’ One of a Kind Art Doll,

please contact me

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Tagged as 6th Sense Woven art dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay, art dolls, doll, dollmaking, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, one of a kind art doll, Sixth Sense Woven Art Dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay, textiles, weave, weaves, weaving, woven doll, woven sculpture, Woven Women mixed media weaving by Noreen Crone-Findlay

October 21, 2015 · 8:28 am

Woven Women: Stardust Woman

For many months, I have been working on a new Woven Woman that is based on Rumi’s poem:

‘We came whirling out of nothingness

Scattering stars like dust…..

The stars made a circle

and in the middle

we danced’

I wove the words on the magical narrow band loom that my son and I created- LINK

using a double slotted rigid heddle.

To weave the letters, I graphed out my hand writing and experimented until the letters wove up in a pleasing manner, both technically, and aesthetically.

I also used the dragonfly and star looms that I designed for Dewberry Ridge looms – LINK

And, I included some tatting, too.

I made the face and hands from 1/2 inch plywood and the backdrop from 1/4 inch plywood.

She’s a departure from the direction I have been going with my Woven Women, so I really questioned myself about her.

She spent quite a long time on the dining room table as I moved her component parts from here to there.

And now, completed, she measures 11 inches wide and from the top of the arch to the tassel at her hem is more than 60 inches.

But, I feel really drawn to weave words right now, so I will continue to do more….

The next Woven Woman is on the loom already. 🙂

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Tagged as 'Woven Women' by Noreen Crone-Findlay, double slotted rigid heddle weaving, dragonfly loom Dewberry Ridge, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, mixed media woven works, narrow band loom weaving, Noreen Crone-Findlay, poetry, rigid heddle weaving, Rumi, small loom weaving, Star loom Dewberry Ridge, tatting, textiles, weaving words, Woven Women tapestries by Noreen Crone-Findlay

September 29, 2015 · 7:17 pm

Introducing Star loom and Dragonfly loom

I am hopping up and down with delight!

For the last couple of years, I have been working on the designs for 2 new small looms: A Star and a Dragonfly.

I’ve done dozens and dozens of variations and iterations, and now, they are the Bee’s Knees. Poifeck.

I took my designs to Donna and Gary McFarland of Dewberry Ridge looms and asked if they were interested in making them as part of their ‘Lil Weavers’ series, and they said, ‘Yes, indeed’.

Gary is working magic with his CNC machine and I love how he is building them.

We’ve decided to not show the front, working part of the loom, because, to be perfectly honest, we’ve worked so incredibly hard on them that we don’t want to be ‘scooped’ on them. It’s happened in the past with other designs, so we’ve chosen to be more circumspect about these ones.

Instead, I’ll show you the back of the looms and the dragonflies and stars that you can weave with them.

You can use yarn OR wire to make the niftiest dragonflies and stars:

The stars and dragonflies are somewhat challenging to weave, so I have made really detailed step by step instructions with full photographs.

To order the looms, please send Donna an email: donna@dewberryridge.com

The looms aren’t quite up on Donna and Gary’s website, but when their internet issues are up to speed, the looms will be on:

http://www.dewberryridge.com/collections/lil-weaver-looms

I am thrilled… I hope that you’ll love them, too!

Every year for Christmas, I make our family and friends a new Christmas ornament.

This year, I’ll be weaving stars and dragonflies for them! 🙂

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Tagged as dragonflies, dragonfly, Dragonfly Lil Weaver Loom by Dewberry Ridge looms, Dragonfly loom designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay, hand weaving, hand woven, how to weave, looms, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, small looms, Star loom designed by Noreen Crone-Findlay, Star loom Lil Weaver by Dewberry Ridge Looms, textiles, weaving techniques, woven, woven dragonfly, woven star motif, Yarn Crafts

July 31, 2015 · 12:05 pm

Quirky wonderful loom

My son, Angus Findlay, and I have just co-created a loom and stand that I absolutely love.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

Last January, I asked Angus to build me a box that I could turn into a loom.

I made the ratchets and pawls from purpleheart wood, cut the ends and sides into the shapes I wanted, made the warp and cloth beams and started painting it.

I loved it, but found it a bit too big to hold in my lap while weaving, and I didn’t have the perfect table to sit it on and weave comfortably.

So, I asked Angus to take some funky old legs that I had bought at a garage sale, and build a stand for the loom.

Woo hoo! I love it! I am enchanted by Angus’ design and how he built such a whimsical and quirky (and VERY solid and sturdy) loom stand.

He intuitively made it just the perfect height for me.

I brought it home and started playing with embellishments.

I cut out some of my favorite wooden shapes to glue on it, and then painted 3 coats of gesso to prime it.

Then, I slowly began the layering on of paint:

Painting was a long slow process, as I applied layers of acrylic paints in thin washes to build up the color shifts.

The screen behind the loom shows how I use this layering technique on other pieces, too.

I was quite surprised when the loom started to lead me in this direction, as I had had a totally different concept

in mind before I started painting.

But, I believe in listening to the piece and allowing it to tell me how it wants to be.

The ‘Dancing Girl’ and ‘Resting Rabbit’ motifs are a theme that I have used for more than 40 years.

They’re just me.

I made the metal image of the Dreaming Lady of Malta with sheet metal, using the repousse technique of pressing and shaping the metal from the back.

Because I work with my dreams and use them as one of the main sources in my art and artisanship, I felt that placing an image of the Beautiful Dreamer was a great metaphor.

and on the stand, I attached another repousse image that I had made at the same time as making the Dreaming Lady.

This is Xchtel, the Mayan Goddess of weaving, with her companion Rabbit.

So, the metaphor and message of these two images is:

Dream weaver. Weaver of Dreams…..

It is just pure bliss to weave on this loom.

Words cannot convey the delight.

I LOVE how my beloved son, and dear friend, Angus, and I created a loom that is so completely US.

I feel blessed.

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

Tagged as Angus Findlay, band loom, hand made loom, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, loom stand, narrow band weaving, Noreen Crone-Findlay, rigid heddle weaving, textiles, weaving, wooden loom

August 20, 2014 · 9:57 am

Woven Women – Three Sisters

Three sisters of the heart- tapestry/mixed media pieces that I wove and fabricated this summer:

On the left: Woven Women- Asking for Miracles 36 inches tall
Center: Woven Women- Edith’s Song (no regrets) 31 inches tall
On the right: Woven Women- Small Bird Sang and All Was Forgiven 36 inches tall

Woven on my Mirrix tapestry looms (16 inch wide loom and 8 inch wide loom).

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

Tagged as hand weaving, hand woven, Mirrix, Mirrix looms, mixed media art, Noreen Crone-Findlay, tapestry, tapestry weaving, textiles, weaving, Woven Women tapestries by Noreen Crone-Findlay