Kelly

Wash Your Hands Towels Free Rigid Heddle Loom Project

The Wash Your Hands Towels Project was released in 2021, when the world looked a little (OK, a LOT) different!

Almost an entire world of people found themselves at home and only able to leave in a limited capacity. I felt a real need at that time to reach out with a free and very useful project that was beautiful but achievable, even for beginner weavers.

That is how the idea for hand towels was born! We were all being told “don’t forget to wash your hands”.

So I thought, why not turn this routine into a joy with beautiful, handwoven towels? This free project is perfect for both beginner and experienced weavers, offering a fun and creative way to brighten your home while practicing essential weaving skills.

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Why Make Handwoven Towels?

If we’re washing our hands frequently, we might as well enjoy the process! These towels are practical, vibrant, and customizable. With bright colors and soft cotton yarn, they’re designed to bring happiness to your daily routine.

This project is beginner-friendly, but you’ll need to know how to warp, thread, and set up your rigid heddle loom for plain weave. If you’re still learning, check out my Woe to Go! Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving class. for step-by-step guidance.

Both towel designs are quite adaptable and can be varied in many ways. I give you some ideas on how to go about this in the video class.

Tools and Materials Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

*Rigid heddle loom 24” weaving width or wider (yes, you can also use a smaller loom with the understanding that your towels will be narrower than mine).

*1 x 10 dent heddle (or a 7.5 – 8 dent heddle if using Sugar n Cream yarn)

*3 stick shuttles longer than the width of the project. (For the first towel we are weaving with 3 weft colours).

*1 pickup stick longer than the width of the project (additional pick up stick to aid transfer of pick up is optional – a stick shuttle can be substituted.

*Reed and threading hook

*A sewing machine and serger are very handy for hemming but not essential

I used a beautifully soft and lofty cotton to weave these towels on my rigid heddle loom. We will be using the same warp for both towels, but as you can see, using different techniques makes the towels wonderfully varied in how they look.

If you’re in Australia, my yarns were from Bendigo Woollen Mills in the following: Pomegranate, Peacock and White cotton 10ply. But, if you need substitutes, here are my recommendations:

Sugar n Cream in red

Sugar n Cream in white

Sugar n Cream in aquamarine

I Love this Cotton

Knit Picks Dishie

Two Towels, One Warp

Both towels use the same warp setup, but different techniques make each unique. This project includes a downloadable PDF with warp calculations, weaving instructions, and pickup sequences.

Wash-your-hands-towels-1 Download

Towel 1: Plaid Design

The first towel uses the same color sequence for the weft as the warp, creating a vibrant plaid pattern. This is a great opportunity to practice frequent color changes by cutting and introducing new colors.

Key features:

Plain weave borders.
Simple pickup design in the center.
Alternating weft colors (4 picks each color).

Tips for Beginners:
If you’re new to using pickup sticks, check out my pick up tutorial for a quick guide before starting this towel.

Towel 2: Classic White

The second towel uses white yarn for the entire weft, with some simple pick up floats, creating a clean and elegant look.

Want to experiment? You can modify these designs with different color sequences or patterns to make them your own.

Color Handling Options

Cut and Start: Cut each color after 4 picks (as in Towel 1).
Carry Colors Up: For tighter color changes (e.g., 2 picks per color), carry the yarn along the edges instead of cutting.

Watch and Weave

This project includes step-by-step video instructions to guide you through the weaving process. Download the free printable PDF, follow along with the videos, and start weaving these beautiful towels today.

This free class is also available at my Online Weaving School.

Share Your Creations!

I’d love to see your finished towels! Tag me on Instagram so I can share your work in my stories. And if you enjoyed this project, please share it with fellow weavers!

Have questions or comments? Drop them below—I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Help me to keep creating free content here 😀

Choc Coated PB Lumps

by Kelly 12 Comments

When I was a teenager I had a friend whose Mum made the most delicious peanut butter balls, coated in chocolate. It seemed every time I visited, there were balls in milk, dark and white chocolate, freshly made and ready to be eaten.

Unfortunately, they were also very unhealthy, made with lots of butter and icing sugar.

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I later came across the American “Buck eyes” which seem to be very similar to my friend’s peanut butter balls. Lately I’ve had a real hankering for these delectable balls, but they don’t exactly fit in with my attempts towards healthy eating and lifestyle.

I thought there must be a way to obtain a similar flavour to the traditional buck eyes in a healthier way.

It turns out there is!

The ingredients are really simple. This is something I’ve come to really love about healthy food, ingredients are usually very minimal because you are using good, natural food close to it’s natural state. It’s a wonderful way to eat.

For this ingredient amount, you will get about 12 chocolate lumps. You can easily double the recipe for a larger crowd.

So, this recipe uses lovely almond flour (almond meal), my secret addiction (peanut butter), vanilla extract, honey and my other not so secret addiction (dark chocolate). You can use either milk or dark chocolate, but if you’re opting for the healthiest option, dark is the way to go.

I used crunchy peanut butter, but you could use smooth if that is your preference.

Now, a little disclaimer. Although the taste is very similar to the unhealthy version, the texture of these is quite different – a little more grainy and cakey. Which doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I just wanted to let you know.

Choc Coated PB Lumps

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3/4 cup Almond meal (almond flour)
2 tbsp Peanut butter
1 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Vanilla extract
100 grams Dark or milk cooking chocolate

Method

Place all ingredients except the chocolate in a bowl.
Mash together until fully mixed and forming a paste.
Push mixture into moulds (if using) or roll into balls if you prefer. If using moulds, it's easiest to place them in the freezer for half an hour. Otherwise, regrigerate until very firm.
Melt cooking chocolate over a double boiler or you can sit a ceremic bowl on top of a small saucepan with a little water.
Using 2 forks, dip your peanut butter pieces or balls in the melted chocolate and place on non stick baking or parchment paper.
When all are dipped, place in the fridge to harden, then store in the fridge until you're ready to eat some.

Another disclaimer is that the chocolate coating part is a little messy and the end product a little blobby. Hey, they may not be as Instagram worthy as some, but once it’s in my mouth it’s all the same, so who cares? 😆

If you roll the mixture into balls, you can eat just as they are, without the chocolate coating, if you prefer. Or, if you love the chocolatey aspect but have run out of melting chocolate, you could try rolling the balls in cocoa. I did this recently, and while the result is not as decadent as melted chocolate, they were still totally delicious. Like most of my recipes, these are quite adaptable!

Just recently I decided to try making my own almond flour instead of buying it pre-made. The benefits of making your own are twofold.

The almond flour freshly ground will contain more nutrients than flour that has been sitting in a packet on a shelf for months.

It is much cheaper to buy whole almonds than to purchase already ground.

I actually think freshly ground tastes better too!

If you’re interested in grinding your own almond flour you do need to have a food processor or other appropriate grinder.

I found that I couldn’t get my fresh almond flour ground quite as finely as the commercial stuff, as there is the risk of the almonds becoming too wet as you grind, if you over grind.

But interestingly, I found that I preferred the slightly grittier consistency of the freshly ground whole almonds.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please comment below if you try it and if you enjoy it, please leave me 5 stars to let me know!

How to weave on an inkle loom

by Kelly 33 Comments

Have you ever wondered how to weave on an inkle loom—what it is, how it works, and what kinds of beautiful bands you can create with it? You’re in the right place!

An inkle loom is a simple, portable loom that’s perfect for beginners and experienced weavers alike. It’s designed for weaving strong, narrow bands that can be used for everything from belts and bag straps to decorative trims. In this post, I’ll walk you through what an inkle loom is, how to set it up, and what you can weave on it—so you can start your own inkle weaving journey with confidence!

An inkle loom is basically a wooden frame with pegs for your warp to wind around and be tensioned on. There is also an adjustable tensioning peg to release or increase tension.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.

Once you’ve wound on your warp, you create an extra shed for plain weave by using heddles to pick up threads. By the time you’re ready to weave, you will have shed 1 and shed 2 or heddled and unheddled threads. Pretty simple!

The weave structure that you use on an inkle loom is warp faced plain weave. This means that, although you are weaving plain weave, you place your warp under very tight tension and beat each pick down hard with a belt shuttle so that the warp colours remain visible but the weft threads do not. The warp threads become very condensed together, forming a thick, tight fabric, or band.

Now I’m going to address some commonly asked questions about inkle loom weaving:

What do I get when I purchase an inkle loom?

Whichever brand of inkle you choose, it should come standard with certain pieces. Firstly, the loom itself, commonly made of strong wood and usually requiring some basic assembly, comes with a built in tensioning peg.

You should also receive a belt shuttle, a clamp (this gives you the option of clamping the loom to a table or similar) and an instruction booklet.

You may or may not receive some string heddles, but you will need these, so check before purchasing if they are included. Of course, you an always make your own with some tapestry warping thread or seine twine.

What can I make on an inkle loom?

An inkle loom is for weaving bands. What you can then use the bands for is up to your own imagination!

Some ideas are: key fobs, dog leads, shoelaces, bag handles, decorative trim for other craft or sewing projects, tabs to sew onto your handwoven towels to hang them, stitched together to make a larger project like a bag or purse, bracelets, lanyards, belts, guitar straps… lots of possibilities!

What width and length can I weave on an inkle loom?

I will talk about Ashford inkle looms, as that is what I own and know best. There are 2 sizes available:

Ashford Inkle loom. (just over $100USD)

This is the inkle loom that I have. You can warp it to a length of 110″ and achieve a weaving width of up to 3″.

Ashford Inklette loom (under $100USD)

This is a smaller alternative. You can warp up to a length of 72″ and a weaving width of 2″.

Why is an inkle loom a good option?

You may find the thought of an inkle loom limiting because you can only weave bands on it. However, there are so many variations for the actual bands possible that inkle weaving can keep you very busy for a very long time.

I’ve had my inkle for a few years and feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface. For example, last year I experimented with krokbragd on my inkle. I hear you saying “but you said an inkle is a 2 shaft loom!”

Indeed, it is, just like a rigid heddle loom is, but by doing pick up and adding extra heddles, we can make those extra shafts we need for more intricate patterns.

Weaving this krokbragd band was a fascinating exercise in taking a normally weft faced pattern draft and turning it to produce a warp faced pattern draft. And look at how gorgeous it is! If you want to know more about this project, I wrote a blog post about it here.

It is also such a light and portable loom. I like to sit in a recliner and weave on the inkle in the evenings while watching a movie with my family or chatting with someone. It’s small enough to take just about anywhere.

And of course, in the world of looms, this has to be one of the most affordable. Some weavers make their own, so make friends with google if that idea interests you.

Which yarns are best for inkle weaving?

I have mostly used 8/2 cotton. If you are familiar with me, you will know that I’m not a huge fan of mercerised cotton, aka Perle cotton, but for inkle weaving I have used it many times. It gives a lovely sheen to the bands.

I have also used unmercerised cotton a lot on my inkle. Both are perfect for the task. The colours of your band are all made in the warping process (remember, it’s a warp faced weave).

Here is a little tip – choose your weft colour according the colour of the edges of your warp, that way when you take the weft around the selvedges at the shed change, it will blend in nicely.

Where should I start?

The instruction booklet that comes with your inkle loom should help you a lot to get set up for your first project, however it won’t be long before you want to branch out and learn more. The best book that I have found on inkle weaving is Anne Dixon’s The Weaver’s Inkle Pattern Directory, which is extremely comprehensive and useful for both beginners and experienced levels.

Anne has over 400 patterns to try in all different styles and variations of difficulty. It’s quite an amazing book!

You will also find my Youtube series on weaving a floral inkle band invaluable, as it takes you right through from how to set up your loom to finishing your band after weaving. You will definitely want to check it out and be sure to watch all the videos so that you don’t miss any crucial steps:

You can download and print out this free floral pattern here:

Floral-band-inkle-pattern Download

Also, be sure to check out my article 7 Tips For Weaving on an Inkle Loom which includes yet another gorgeous and free downloadable pattern for you to weave on your inkle loom.

If you’re ready to get more serious about learning to weave on your inkle loom and also delve into tubular weaving, baltic pick up and all the tips and tricks, check out my online Inkle Weaving Course.

Inkle Weaving

Learn the fun and fascinating art of band weaving on your inkle loom!

4087 students enrolled

Last updated Dec 18th, 2025

Select a Pricing Plan

Inkle Weaving course$40

Buy now

I hope this article has peaked your interest in inkle weaving and helped you to see the many benefits of this little loom.

I love to weave on my Lojan Inkle Loom! I am a reseller for Lojan products in Australia, if you are interested in ordering please get in touch.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below, I love to hear from you (and it helps me to not feel like I’m talking to myself here 😆)

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

How to make bread – my No Knead Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

by Kelly 25 Comments

I’ve been making home baked bread for my family for at least 15 years (yes, I supply ALL the bread, but I have helpers too!) I started baking our bread at home for a few reasons – curiosity, nutrition, economy and self sufficiency. It is the perfect time right now to learn how to bake bread at home.

The idea of knowing exactly what was going into our bread, the superior taste and the cheapness of making it has made baking our own a priority.

Around 4 years ago, I bought a Hawos Billy 100 grain mill after wanting one for 10 years (I’m very patient 😎). It sits out on the kitchen bench as it’s in constant use. The first time we set up the mill and ground some wheat, I tasted some on it’s own and was immediately hooked. I had bought commercial wholemeal flour from the supermarket, but grinding it fresh is really next level.

*This post contains affiliate links

I buy my wheat from Simply No Knead and have it delivered. If you’re in the U.S. and looking for some wheat to grind , you can get hard white wheat berries here. If you’re wondering about the differences between red and white wheat, check out this helpful article.

Milling our own grain is a huge blessing at this time when currently there is no commercial flour available to buy due to coronavirus related panic buying. I bulk buy my wheat in 20 kg bags and have plenty of it, I’m so thankful.

I’ve always wanted to share with you all how I make bread. Over the many years of baking for my family, I’ve devised my own methods to make the process faster, easier and more achievable. My methods are no knead, low mess, low ingredients and very straightforward. I’ve tweaked my methods to streamline the process and am very happy to share this with you!

Now, if you have flour and wish to use that, go ahead! This recipe is very adaptable and has the same basic components of flour, yeast, salt, water and oil. You can use white or wholemeal flour, or a combination, they all work. You may have to adjust your liquid amounts slightly, as wholemeal flour takes up more water.

If you prefer your bread on the sweet side, you may want to add in two tablespoons of cane sugar or two tablespoons of honey. I do this occasionally as an extra treat for the kids.

Then you will just need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, 2 bread tins, and you’re ready to bake some delicious bread! If you are going to make bread a lot, you will want a good bread knife, it will take the headache out of slicing. My husband gifted me this Mundial Serrated Knife right at the beginning of my bread baking journey and I use it every single day. Alright, let’s check out the recipe!

Let’s just go over some measurements first so that we’re clear on amounts. If you don’t know how much grain to mill to get the required amount of flour, 5.5 cups of whole wheat grains grinds up to 7.5 cups of flour. This amount of grain and flour also equals 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). 1 litre of water is equivalent to 1.05 quarts.

Kelly

No Knead Wholewheat bread

5 from 2 votes

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Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

7.5 cups Wholewheat flour (I use freshly milled)
1.5 tsp Instant dried yeast
2.5 tsp Salt
1 litre Warm water (Around 1 quart)
3 tbsp Sunflower oil

Method

Weigh and mill your whole wheat grain, if using. Otherwise, measure out your commercial wholewheat flour into a large bowl.
Add yeast and salt to flour and mix through with a wooden spoon.
Mix the warm water and oil together in a jug.
Make a well in the middle of your flour and pour all of the liquid in.
With a wooden spoon, mix gently to begin combining the wet and dry ingredients.
When the water is no longer "sloshy", use a chopping action with the wooden spoon to bring ingredients together. You want to eliminate any dry flour spots.
Once combined and completely wet, let the dough sit in the bowl for 3 – 5 minutes.
Using the folding technique shown in the video, fold the dough whilst turning the bowl slightly. Fold it around 5 times. Then allow dough to sit for 3 – 5 minutes again.
Repeat the folding technique 2 more times for a total of 3 times. You will notice the dough begin to change and become elastic.
Sprinkle with flour, cover with a cloth and allow to sit until approximately doubled. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, this could be 1 – 2 hours. My dough took around an hour to double in a warmish kitchen.
Oil or flour your bench surface and tip the dough out. It will be stretchy and airy.
Fold the dough in on itself on each side. Cut in half with a sharp knife.
Shape the two pieces of dough into loaves according to the video instructions. Place in prepared loaf tins.
Sprinkle with flour and cover with cloths to rest for around 30 minutes. Begin to preheat your oven to 225 degrees celsius (437 farenheit).
Score your risen loaves with a sharp knife and place in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and tins and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting open.

Did I tell you that this bread freezes well? I make up a batch of 4 loaves at a time, the maximum amount my oven will hold. I usually keep one loaf out for the next couple of days (if it lasts that long, often it does not) and put the rest in individual freezer bags, tie them up well and freeze until needed.

You will want to watch the video I’ve put together in order to learn the techniques I use, as these are crucial to the success of your loaves.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and bake some bread for your family! Please leave any questions in the comments section, let me know if you are going to give it a try, or if you already have. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy baking!

Healthful Toasted Muesli (Granola)

by Kelly 10 Comments

I know, I know, there are thousands of recipes for toasted muesli (or granola) on the internet. But I’ve been fiddling around to try and make a healthy, not too oily, but not too dry recipe.

And I’ve hit on something pretty darn good! There is the base recipe, but then you can add to that according to what you have at the time. This batch was timed to coincide with a visit to a Lebanese nut shop, so we had a lot of extra delights to put in.

The best part is that many of these ingredients are easily accessible and may be in your pantry already.

It includes those wonderful staples such as rolled oats, raw honey, olive oil, shredded coconut, vanilla extract and sultanas.

All you need to make this recipe is an oven and a roasting pan.

Kelly

Healthful Toasted Muesli (Granola)

5 from 1 vote

Base recipe

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded or desiccated coconut
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg white (optional)
1/2 cup sultanas

Equipment

Oven, roasting tray

Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees (C).
Mix all dry ingredients in a tray with sides so it doesn’t spill. A roasting tray is ideal.
Warm the honey until runny and mix in olive oil and vanilla. Pour evenly over dry mix. Mix thoroughly.
Now pour over the egg white and mix thoroughly.
Place tray in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take out the tray, turn the ingredients and return to the oven.
Repeat until the muesli has baked for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir in the sultanas.

This recipe is super flexible, making it great for when you have certain ingredients on hand. Here are a few options for ways you can vary your muesli.

Add ins (examples of)

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped macadamias

1/4 cup chopped cashews

1/4 cup pistachios

1 cup LSA mix

Chopped dried fruit eg. apricots, peach, paw paw, apple, dates, cranberries

Rules for add ins

*For seeds and nuts, add these in at the dry mix stage.

*For dried fruit add ins, mix in when the muesli has finished baking.

Allow the muesli to cool before placing it in an airtight container. Serve with milk or use as a delicious topping on stewed fruit and yoghurt.

Also makes a delightful gift when placed in an attractive jar.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Don’t forget to comment and let me know how yours turned out. If you love it, you could even leave me 5 stars 😉

When your life is on hold

by Kelly 32 Comments

Where to start when writing a post like this? It’s not like I’ve ever experienced anything like this before. But that’s the thing that really unites all of humanity at the moment. We’re all in this together and none of us are immune from the possible and real effects of the coronavirus.

Many of us are isolated in our homes, some working from home, others facing the uncertainty of job insecurity. No social meet ups. No extended family meet ups. No popping out to the shops to pick up some milk. It’s a completely different lifestyle to what most of us are accustomed to.

I know that there is some concern about the impact all of this could have on mental health if the isolation has to continue for some time. We don’t know at the moment when it will be safe to resume former activities, we don’t know if we will contract the virus, and if we do, we don’t know how bad it will be. There is so much we just can’t predict or plan for.

In many ways, it feels like life is completely on hold. No planning ahead, no getting ready to go back to work or school or social activities. For now, we just have to BE.

People have been talking about the state of JUST BEING for a long time. Of being present in the moment in whatever we’re doing. To think, be grateful, live slow. In the busy, noisy world of today, that goal can feel unrealistic and unobtainable.

Enter quarantine. And self isolating. And social distancing. Enter 2020 and COVID 19.

What if we completely turned this pandemic thing on it’s head and focused on the positives of what it means for us right now?

How many times, as you were rushing off to work in the morning or dragging yourself home at the end of the day, have you wished that you had more time? Have you thought to yourself “if only I had an extra day, I could take the time to learn to…… (fill in the blank)”. Or when you’ve been absolutely run off your feet and wondered why? Why am I doing this? Is this what I was meant for? Then why am I so unhappy?

That hobby that you’ve “always wanted” to get started with. “Maybe when I retire!” you may have joked. Or “I’ll do it once the kids have all left home and I have some time to myself”.

How about now? In this time of major uncertainty, perhaps you feel a bit lost. But maybe it’s time to search and find. Maybe it’s time to discover what God is leading you to – what talents are waiting to be revealed, perhaps even find out what you should really be doing and who you really are.

I’m finding that it’s wonderful time, not just for discovery, but re-discovery as well. I am taking more pleasure and satisfaction in my daily tasks as a homemaker. Baking bread is not just something that I do an have done for a long time anymore, now it’s an important skill that provides my family with food.

Preserving vegetables is something I can take pride in, knowing that my family will have healthy fermented vegetables to eat even if we can’t leave our home to go to the shops.

Our garden has become a major focus as we aim to grow as much of our own food as we can. It’s something that the whole family can work at and reap the rewards and benefits at harvest time. It gives us time out in the fresh air and sunshine too.

I have been thinking for some time how I would like to make soap again, it’s been so long. Now, it happens that you can no longer buy soap, you can however buy ingredients to make soap.

I’ve been writing on this blog since 2008 and if you look back on past posts, many of them are related to simple and frugal living. It’s something I’ve been both striving for and living out for a long time, and something that just makes sense to me. It’s serving us pretty well at the moment!

If you’re interested in reading some of my “posts from the past” related to simple living, I’ll list some here:

The Simple Life

Back to Basics, Frugality revisited

Honey and Oat soap

Cheese and Bacon Scrolls

I have a lot of recipes, all of them are simple and frugal. You can search the “recipes” tab on my blog or type in “bread” or “recipe” in the search bar and you’ll be inundated with posts! I need to do an updated bread blog post, as I make bread in a different, very easy and intuitive way these days.

If you’re looking to learn how to weave, start with my Youtube channel. I promise it will keep you busy for many, many hours!

This has become quite a rambling post, but I guess what I really want to say is: What are you going to do this with this time? How are you going to be different? Are you the person you want to be? The person you were made to be?

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. What will you do with it?

Van Gogh inspired freestyle tapestry!

by Kelly 5 Comments

It’s hard to know what to say about the present world situation. Strange. Unprecedented. Uncertain. At times, scary.

Many people throughout the world are in isolation or quarantine – some self imposed, others enforced. Countries in lockdown.

My mind can’t help thinking that it all feels very much like a suspense movie or novel. But no, this is the reality of 2020 and coronavirus for all of us. Strange times indeed!

Beyond the feeling of bewilderment though, is one of hope and unique opportunity. We may be isolated in our homes, but we live in the age of the internet, where it easy to stay connected to others and share burdens. Many people have more time than they usually would, to explore interests and hobbies. My Youtube channel and Online Weaving School are great places to be right now!

With that in mind, I have a new Youtube project that is long, slow and relaxing. We could all use a bit of that right now!

The project is inspired by the wonderful Van Gogh painting, The Starry Night. I have long admired this art work for it’s colours, movement and mood. I thought it would translate really well to a tapestry, not as a replica but as inspiration.

I thought this would be a great, calming project because it is adaptable, doesn’t require much planning, is relaxing and free flowing. Oh, and the idea is to use stash yarns so you don’t need to go out to buy more!

All the materials plus the warp calculations are provided in this printable PDF-

Van-Gogh-inspired-tapestry Download

Some of my stash yarns included wool, cotton, silk, acrylic and handspun, tencel and metallic. Weights included 8/2, lace weight, fingering, light worsted/dk and aran. My favourite weight ended up being the fingering.

The video/s are mostly in real time, something I have not done before. It means long videos, but I was figuring some people might appreciate sitting and weaving with me at this time – step by step and no hurry. And I know how some of you love to know all the details.

Begin with video one, which explains my aims for the tapestry and shows you the yarns I used:

Some additional resources that are relevant and helpful are:

My first freestyle tapestry series for Youtube –

You may be interested in my online course, Tapestry on a Rigid Heddle Loom to learn traditional tapestry techniques.

Then there is my review of the Mirrix Big Sister Tapestry Loom –

And my Tapestry Necklace project –

How to Choose Yarn for Weaving: A Beginner’s Guide

by Kelly 44 Comments

Choosing the right yarn for your weaving project can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re just starting out on a rigid heddle loom. With so many options available, you’d think it would be easy. But when faced with dozens of yarn weights, fibers, and heddle sizes, even experienced crafters can feel unsure. Let me help you to choose yarn for weaving, regardless of your project!

One of the most common questions I hear is:
“How do I know which yarn to use with which heddle size—for which project?”
In other words… where do you even begin?

If you’ve ever felt confused by weaving yarn labels, sizing numbers, or what will actually work on your loom, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why I created my low priced online class, What Do All the Numbers Mean?—it’s a practical, beginner-friendly guide to demystifying yarn measurements and conversions, with helpful charts you can refer back to again and again.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how to choose yarn for weaving by looking at real weaving projects I’ve made. We’ll explore what worked, why it worked, and how you can apply the same approach to your own weaving.

*This post contains some affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.

Try the Snap Test First!

In all weaving, you begin with the warp, so it makes sense to start there. Doing a snap test will help determine whether the yarn you want to use for warp is going to be strong enough – you don’t want broken threads. Yes, they are fixable (this video shows you how) but not so ideal.

You should also be familiar with the drift test when choosing a yarn for your warp. This frequently occurs with an acrylic or wool yarn that is spun with low twist (here is an example). Although this creates a beautiful, soft and lofty yarn, it is better suited to the weft than the warp.

Knitting Yarn

To choose yarn for weaving your first projects, I highly recommend knitting wool. It’s economical, easy to use, accessible and thick. I use Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 8 ply a lot, it is a dk weight yarn and pairs perfectly with the 7.5 or 8 dent heddle that comes with most new rigid heddle looms. It is perfect for wearables, as it’s lovely and soft. Which brings me to the next point.

If you intend to wear your woven piece, give it the face brush test. Hold the yarn up against your cheek and lightly rub. If it feels too scratchy, you’re not going to like wearing it and it’s best saved for something else!

Cost effectiveness

Consider the cost of the yarn you intend to use. If you are a less experienced weaver, don’t go for that beautiful, expensive yarn – it will only put pressure on and stress you out. Use something affordable until you have more confidence. I have a handy weaving yarn cost estimator to take the guesswork out of it for you.

This scarf is a good example of a balanced plain weave piece using light worsted/ dk yarn with my 7.5 dent heddle. A piece like this is great for beginners and an excellent opportunity to practice neat edges.

The Right Sett

Before beginning a project, it’s really important to figure out the best sett for your chosen yarn. All you need is an inch ruler and your yarn. Once you have more experience, you may not need to do the test every time, but it’s a must for beginners. Here’s how:

The Weaver’s Toolkit is an invaluable resource for new and seasoned weavers. It includes useful charts that help you to match up the right sized heddle with your chosen yarn, yarn size conversion charts and so much more. Available as a digital download ebooklet, the Toolkit is a valuable asset to any weaver’s library.

I Love Wool!

A good example of a project using wool is my Garden Path Scarf pattern. This pattern is my best seller and I myself love to wear my assortment of GP scarves! I love that it looks a bit like lace knitting.

Woven with a lighter 4 ply Australian merino (fingering weight) it is light and airy but still warm to wear, thanks to the wool. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s an absolute beginners project, but it is actually not as difficult to weave as it looks!

Blended Yarns

I must give a caution at this point when it comes to blended yarns. Depending on what the blend is, it can make a nightmare out of your project.

For this “special” scarf I use a silk/ merino/ sparkle weft and a baby alpaca warp. All painstakingly hand dyed. I didn’t know until later that often, yarns with a silk blend will not always grip other yarns like, say a wool on wool will grip. So, I ended up with uneven weaving resulting in warp threads showing at the selvedges. It was an expensive mistake, but one that I’ve never forgotten (or repeated!)

Handspun Yarns

A lot of spinners also become weavers, and what a wonderful progression and integration of one art form into another. Handspun can definitely be used to weave with, and gives a very different look to commercial yarns. The main things to consider with handpsun:

*Does it hold up to the snap test?

*Which heddle is going to suit best?

Spun yarn can be inconsistent, depending on how it has been spun and what the spinner is wanting to achieve, but if you use your inch ruler to determine sett, you won’t have any problems choosing the right heddle.

Cotton Yarns

Cotton is also a great choice, but should be chosen a little more carefully for beginners. In fact, my Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving course project uses the popular US cotton, Sugar n Cream. It is an aran weight yarn, thicker than light worsted, so it weaves up quickly. It’s pretty affordable to buy too! And, it’s just right for your 7.5 or 8 dent heddle. In Australia, Sugar n Cream is available from American Yarns.

I wouldn’t advise an inexperienced weaver to start out with a thinner cotton, there are too many extra things to consider. Your success is far more guaranteed with a thicker, more manageable cotton.

When you have gained that experience, you may want to explore weaving kitchen towels and other, finer pieces. This is where your 8/2 cotton comes in nicely. It is readily available, reasonably economical, strong and multi purpose. My personal favourite is Maurice Brassard 8/2 cotton because, out of all the cottons I’ve tried, it is the most consistent and reliable. It is unmercerised, which is my big preference over mercerised. In Australia you can purchase Maurice Brassard yarns at the Thread Collective.

My Happy Fibonnaci Towels project is available as a downloadable PDF and also as an online class.

Cottolin Yarn

I’ll give cottolin a quick mention, because it’s my favourite yarn for weaving kitchen towels. Linen on it’s own can be difficult to manage, but a blend of linen and cotton is a match made in heaven!

You can buy cottolin in dyed, undyed, bleached, unbleached and half bleached – lots of choices! I love the natural look of the half bleached. Once again, Maurice Brassard 22/2 is what I use. Don’t be confused by the numbers, linen is measured differently to cotton, so the 22/2 cottolin is very similar to 8/2 cotton size. Cottolin is so absorbent and after washing, so soft, I love it!

Bamboo Yarn

Now onto another personal favourite, bamboo. It’s available in a number of different sizes. One that I use very often is Bambu 7, which is available in Australia from BB Yarn Supply. A suitable alternative is Valley 5/2 bamboo and for a thinner weight, Maurice Brassard 8/2 bamboo.

I used Bambu 7 recently for the scarf project for my Table Loom Weaving course. The results speak for themselves!

Tencel Yarn

Another weaving yarn I love is tencel. This is an interesting fibre, manufactured from wood pulp. It is similar to bamboo in that it has a high sheen and is silky. It is very light and even though it comes in 8/2 size, it seems quite thin. I use Maurice Brassard 8/2 tencel. I’ve woven a number of pieces with tencel and have never been disappointed. It also takes dye beautifully. Once again, not a beginner’s yarn!

The Galaxy Scarf PDF pattern uses a combination of bamboo and tencel, with great effect! The two yarns together have a beautiful drape and work perfectly for light garments.

Silk Yarn

Last, but not least, we have silk. There is no denying the gorgeousness of silk, but it’s not the easiest yarn to weave with, especially if it’s very fine.

It is extremely light and almost “glows”, particularly if you use certain colour combinations. The project above was woven with 60/2 silk at 40 ends per inch on my floor loom. This yarn in definitely not cheap, so for special projects only.

In the following Youtube videos, I go through lots of my own projects and explain the yarns and heddles used and why. I hope you enjoy them!

Failing to plan is planning to fail

A guaranteed way to not waste yarn through avoidable accidents is to calculate for your project before you start. It’s not as confronting as it sounds!

If mathematics is not your favourite thing 🙋‍♀️ don’t worry. I have calculating resources that take all of the guess work out of it.

Are you a pen and paper kind of weaver? Then check out my free printable calculations sheet for rigid heddle weavers. It even comes with a free mini class that explains everything.

If you’re more of an online/techy weaver, you will love my free interactive warp and weft calculator.

When you’re new to weaving—especially on a rigid heddle loom—choosing weaving yarn can feel like one big guessing game. But as you’ve seen from the examples in this post, it becomes easier with time, experimentation, and a little guidance.

The more you weave, the more you’ll begin to understand how different yarns behave, which sett works best, and how to get the results you’re after. Don’t be afraid to sample, make mistakes, and learn along the way—that’s all part of the joy of weaving!

Need a gentle nudge in the right direction? Check out my Beginner Rigid Heddle Weaving Online Course for step by step instructions. Complete a lovely, practical project and get to know your rigid heddle loom while growing in confidence.

You can do it!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

by Kelly 6 Comments

I seem to be craving sweet, nutrient dense foods frequently in the afternoons.

A cup of tea with something sweet around 3-4pm seems to be just what I need. I used to have a sweet, commercial cookie to dip in my tea, but that is way behind me now!

Something that I love about switching to a healthier lifestyle is that I have found I don’t have to compromise on taste or treats – I just need to find a way to make it tick some healthy boxes.

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And, if it’s quick and easy to prepare a batch that I can then have waiting for me in the fridge or pantry – even better!

These little energy balls tick all the boxes and then some!

They are sweet, slightly salty, substantial, economical and so fast to make.

To throw these together, I only used ingredients that were already in my pantry and that are always there.

The goodness and simplicity of oats, combined with favourites such as honey and peanut butter, (I can not get enough of the stuff!) coconut, linseeds (flaxseeds) , plump raisins, tahini and vanilla extract. So simple, so delicious!

A recipe like this is so adaptable too, you can put in whatever healthy ingredients you have on hand that you think will work.

*Change the linseeds for sunflower seeds.

*Add some chopped nuts to the mix.

*Switch honey for maple syrup or other natural sweetener.

*Switch the raisins for craisins, chopped dried fig, chopped dates or sultanas.

*Add in some chopped, dark chocolate.

*Dip half of each ball in some melted dark chocolate.

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

5 from 1 vote

Healthy snack balls that taste amazing!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Servings: 14 serves

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1.5 cups Quick or rolled oats
0.5 cups Dessicated coconut
2 tbsp Linseeds (whole)
3 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Peanut butter
3 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp Honey
2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. I find it easiest to get my hands into the bowl and squeeze everything together. Once well combined, squeeze and roll into balls and store in the fridge.
*Note – if your mixture is a little dry, add more honey
** If you want to make your balls a little more decadent, add some chopped, dark chocolate!

If you try out this recipe, I’d love to hear if you enjoyed it!

Afternoon Choc Hit Bliss Balls

by Kelly 6 Comments

Do you have that typical afternoon slump? For me, it happens around 3:30 – 4pm. I always try to look after myself by having a cup of tea and, if I’m lucky, putting my feet up for a few minutes.

*This post contains affiliate links

It’s also the time of day that I start craving a sweet treat. To have something sweet but healthy on hand is a great way to prevent myself from scoffing something that is not so good for me.

Bliss balls are the perfect treat. You can make them in the size you want and from a variety of healthy ingredients. They are quick and easy to throw together. Oh, and they are absolutely delicious!

For this recipe, I’ve used some simple ingredients like almond meal, cocoa powder , local honey, maple syrup, freshly squeezed orange juice (if you love an orange zing, you could even include some orange zest!), vanilla extract and dessicated coconut (optional).

I hope you enjoy my recipe!

Kelly

Afternoon Choc Hit Bliss Ball

5 from 1 vote

A delicious and healthy afternoon treat

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1.5 cups Almond Meal
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tbsp Fresh orange juice
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Dessicated coconut (optional for rolling)

Method

Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Mash together using a fork until well combined.
Roll into balls.
Roll in dessicated coconut or extra cocoa
Store in the fridge in a container.

Here is a little tip: If you can bear to let the balls sit in the fridge overnight, they taste even better the next day!

If you make this recipe, I would love to hear how you liked it, simply leave me a comment below 😊