Kelly

Hand Woven Tapestry Necklace

I completed 4 towels on my floor loom for the April #weaveforme challenge, but considering they were for a class as well, I did feel like I had cheated just a little.

*This post contains some affiliate links, which means that if you click and purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

So, I decided that I needed another project that was exclusively for me. I’ve been keen to start another project on my tapestry loom and thought it could be fun to weave a necklace or two. This is entirely different from my usual, often very practical projects.

I had a few hiccups to begin with. I wanted to use up some Appleton’s Crewel Embroidery Wool in a lovely range of colours that I had leftover from a crewel project long ago. This is a very thin and light wool.

I warped at 18epi with the same Ashford Tapestry Warp thread I have been using for all my tapestry work. Warping all went according to plan and I was ready to weave.

When I started weaving, however, I did not like what I saw! The wool is so thin that even though I beat down very hard, the warp thread still showed. It looked ugly! Now I had to put my thinking cap on and make some decisions. If I used a thicker weft, I was concerned that the 18epi would end up being too close. I wondered if I would be able to change the spring at the top of the loom that spaces the warp, in order to change the epi.

The Appleton wool. This was after beating really hard!

I loosened off the tension and went for it. I took off the 18epi spring and placed a 12epi spring on instead. Then I carefully rearranged all of those warp threads into their new spaces. This presented me with a new problem. My warp, now that the threads were space further apart was way too wide for the necklace project I wanted to weave!

Out came the thinking cap again (it received more use than normal on this particular day). I found that if I divided the warp in half, that would be just the right width for a necklace. Plus, that would allow me to weave 2 necklace panels simultaneously. Bingo!

On one panel (left in the photo above) I used hatching with 2 contrasting wools – one solid black and the other a hand dyed variegated of similar weights.

The second panel used a worsted weight wool in dark purple and the same hand dyed as the other. The purple yarn was quite a bit heavier than the hand dyed, I dealt with that problem by doing extra rows on the middle panel to build it up at the same rate as the dark purple. These rectangular shapes are not joined, I used this technique because I wanted clean lines.

I was able to weave both panels at once, which worked out really well. My original intention was to continue to weave additional panels for extra necklaces, but I really wanted to complete the April challenge before too much of May had passed, plus I had other projects mounting up that needed to be started, so I decided to finish up and just do the two.

Finishing the fringes and making into a necklace.

I decided to use hemstitching and a tapestry braiding finish (I’ll have a video tutorial for that soon) to finish the fringes. At the bottom of the hemstitched hatched panel, I wove the fringe back into the work. I took the fringe at the top, placed my faux leather necklace on top, and began weaving the fringes individually back into the work, looping the fringe threads around and encasing the necklace band as I went.

I wasn’t sure if this would secure the panel onto the band with enough strength, but now that I’m finished it is surprisingly hardy and doesn’t move.

The fringe looped over the necklace and woven back in to the fabric.

Once all the fringes were woven in securely, I snipped them off close to the fabric. The back of the necklace doesn’t show, but if I was worried about it, I could have sewn on a piece of felt the same size as the panel to cover the back.

I have not yet finished the other panel, but I’m so glad to have completed another project for the April #weaveforme challenge. The challenge was so popular that I would love to run it again next year. What do you think?

If you would prefer to watch this post and see a bit of a demonstration of the actual weaving, here you go!

And, if you have an interest in learning more about tapestry weaving on a rigid heddle loom, I have a class that will teach you all the basics and get you on your way.

I hope you all enjoyed following along with this project and reading and watching about it.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Kelly’s Easy, No Bake Slice

by Kelly Leave a Comment

This is the kind of recipe I’ll whip up when I need a morning tea or a slice to take to a friend’s house or event. It is very similar to this M&M slice I posted waaaaaaaaaay back in 2010 (yep, I’ve been blogging a really long time!)

The beauty of it is that you can adjust the ingredients to suit you and it will still turn out well!

*This post contains some affiliate links, meaning that if you click on the link and purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

It’s so easy that kids love to make it and they don’t have to wait too long to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Kelly

Kelly’s Easy No Bake Slice

So quick and easy with minimal ingredients. Great for kids

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12

Total Time 12

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 packet Marie Biscuits
1 cup Desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons Melted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract or essence
1 395 gram tin Condensed milk
1/4 cup Add ins, such as chopped chocolate
2 cups Soft icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon Soft butter
1 or more tablespoons Very hot water

Method

Crush Marie biscuits until fine. I use a food processor for this. Place in a large bowl.
Add coconut, melted butter, condensed milk, vanilla and add ins, if using. Mix until well combined.
Line a 8 x 13″ slice tin with baking paper or grease with butter.
Place your mixture into tin and press down with the back of a spoon (kids like to use their hands) until flat and spread out. Refrigerate while you make the icing.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Place the butter into the bowl. Pour the hot water over the butter, softening and melting it a little. Stir these ingredients vigorously until smooth. Adjust the water as necessary, adding more if needed.
Pour the icing over the slice base and spread out until covered.
Place back in the fridge until set (a couple of hours, or until the kids can wait no longer!)

*Tips

To crush the biscuits, place them in a strong plastic bag (like a zip lock bag), break biscuits into halves or quarters and roll over the bag with a rolling pin, crushing the biscuits until they are fine. This is best done in small batches.

To prepare the biscuits in a matter of seconds, throw the whole packet of biscuits (minus the wrapping of course!) into a food processor.

A slice tin is very handy but not absolutely necessary. You can use any tray of a similar size with slightly raised sides. You could even forgo the slice option and roll the mixture into balls, then into cocoa or extra coconut.

After spreading the icing on, I sprinkled some extra coconut on top.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know if you give it a go!

How to Hem Woven Fabric by Hand – No Sewing Machine

by Kelly 4 Comments

Hand hemming. It just sounds good, doesn’t it? It takes you back to the days when time was spent stitching with a needle and thread. Quiet, meditative, and artfully skilled.

I’ll be the first to admit that most of my hand woven pieces are hemmed on my sewing machine, due to a lack of time and a love of convenience. But, I do enjoy stitching with a needle and thread at least occasionally, and it does provide a different finish to a machine stitch.

*This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase, I receive a very small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you are more interested in hemming your hand wovens on a sewing machine, this post has got you covered. The initial steps are the same, whether you are hemming by hand or machine.

Begin by laying out your washed or wet finished and dried piece. Fold in the corners (“dog ears”) and iron down on the cotton setting of your iron.

Next you begin to fold down the edge that was previously serged or zigzag stitched and press with the iron.

Now we make another fold, a little bigger than the last and press that down as well. Place pins along the fold to help hold it in place during the stitching process.

If you need more details on these steps, this post is more step by step.

Now we are ready to stitch. Use a needle (not a tapestry, you need a sharp point for this task) and a length of good quality sewing thread (I always use Gutermann Sew All Thread) and knot the end of the thread. Slightly lift the edge corner of one of your hems. In this space you will begin your thread and lodge your know to make it invisible.

Take your needle into the base cloth and pull through to lodge the knot. Fold the hem back in place so that the thread is wedged between the hem and the base cloth.

Take the needle into the fold of the hem, close to the corner and close to the edge of the fold. Pull the thread through.

Now, take the needle back to the base cloth, horizontal to the fold. Pick up one or two threads, very close to the fold of the hem, but not on it. This is the fabric underneath the hem. Pull through.

Now, take the thread vertically through the fold of the hem once again. Pull through, and return to the base cloth to repeat these steps.

Once you are proficient at this, you may want to eliminate one step of the process by combining the two stitches into one action. It is best if you watch the video to learn to do that, it is much easier to show and tell!

Finish up by knotting the thread and burying it into the cloth, using your needle. Cut off any loose ends. Give your hem/s a quick press and they’re good to go!

So, what is your preference? Hand hemming or machine? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Do you like the towel I’m hemming in the photos? It is one of 4 towels from my Floor Loom Weaving sequel class. It’s almost finished, won’t be long now! Make sure you’re on my email list to receive notification of when it goes live.

I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial and until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Interview with Tracy from Knit Spin Weave

by Kelly 6 Comments

Have you ever dreamed of owning a yarn shop? Tracy had that dream and made it happen!

I have known Tracy online for many years. When our children were much younger, we were involved in an online craft community, Crafty Mamas. It was a fantastic little corner of the internet where a group of women shared all manner of crafty projects and ideas. But it was more than that. It was a support and friendship group. Many of the friendships formed have continued to this day.

I know you will love getting to know a bit more about Tracy and how she followed her dreams…

I would say that you are a classic “hands won’t stop” kind of creator. You are proficient in many types of fibre arts, which was the one that started it all for you?

“Knitting. My mum is a knitter and my Nan was a fabulous knitter. I was very close to my Nan as a little girl and I have very strong memories of her and her knitting. I was knitting at 5 years of age. Mum says I very quickly outstripped her skills and was knitting lace by the time I was seven. I learned to crochet when I was 7. We had immigrated to Australia and like many who came from the UK my parents had a hard time settling in their new country. They had decided to go back to the UK but didn’t want to go without seeing some of Australia first, Which is how I ended up in Gladstone, Queensland living in a caravan park. Another little girl was crocheting clothes for her Barbies and she taught me. My parents eventually came to love Australia and we did end up staying.

What attracted you to weaving? How did you learn?

Like many children I had done weaving with paper and had played with cardboard looms. Weaving as a serious interest came after I had learned to spin, I couldn’t knit fast enough to use all the yarn I was producing so I took up weaving. I went on a road trip to visit Bella Head who had a shop and studio in Adelaide and bought a wheel then loom. Bella gave me a little lesson on the wheel but mostly I learned through Interweave and YouTube videos.

How long has your shop Knit Spin Weave been open? Was it always your dream to have a shop?

Knit Spin Weave is in it’s third year. As a teenager I wanted to make my living from knitting but making money from hand knitting wasn’t a very secure income. I ended up going to College and getting a Bachelor of Education. I spent years teaching in the Northern Territory before coming back to South Australia to live. I was a stay at home mum and I took up knitting again, looking for a way to finish something. Raising a family is never something you can finish. Cleaning a house with seven children is never something you can finish. Knitting you can finish and get that satisfaction of completion.As my youngest was growing up and Centrelink were encouraging me to look at my future employment options. I knew I didn’t want to return to teaching. I didn’t have the passion, time and energy to devote to the children I would teach, so I started to think about my options. I took up a part time job which wasn’t an ideal fit and ended up with an emotional breakdown. My confidence of returning back to the workforce was severely shaken. My self worth plummeted and I had a mental crisis. About the same time, Peter my husband came out of work, Peter got shingles and a family member was diagnosed with breast cancer and we had a fire that destroyed our shed. Life just didn’t seem to be worth it anymore. I was pretty much rock bottom. The good part about being rock bottom is there is only one thing left to do and that is change.
The idea of the shop came from the ashes of my life. I was sitting in the studio and Peter came in and told me the insurance were paying us out in cash. He said, you can have half, what do you want to do with it? From nowhere the idea came, I’m going to open a shop. Even though the tough times I have never regretted that decision.
I know I am in the right place for me. I knew it as soon as I had taught my first customer/ friend to crochet and she told me about how tough life was for her at present. As she left I knew I had done something good that would make a difference in another persons life. Being creative is so important to us as human beings. I really think we need to do it for our mental well-being.

You have what many people today would consider a large family. Do you find it hard to balance business and family? Do you have any coping mechanisms to share?

Yes, it is hard to balance. I often feel selfish in having followed my dream. I especially feel guilty about my two youngest as I haven’t spent the time with them that I did with my older children. Peter is now the stay at home parent. He does the main part of the parenting. He’s the one the kids turn to for a hug and tell their troubles too. At times I feel resentful but I try to remember I had the privilege of that with the older children and it’s now Peters turn.The biggest thing I have learned is to let others help. My older children all care for the younger ones. My 16 year old son takes days off school to care for his 11 year old autistic brother. The older children all pitch in. I’m very proud of all of them. I feel incredibly blessed by the wonderful people my children are.

What are your favourite fibres to use and why?

Wool is my favourite. I love the feel of it even the strong wools. I love spinning it from raw fibre or from prepared fibre. It’s so forgiving to weave and knit with.

What single item do you seem to make the most of?

Shawls. I love knitting lace shawls. I don’t wear them. I have a rather large stash of them which made me ban myself from knitting any more. Knitting lace is mindfulness for me. When I knit lace I have to focus, I can’t let the monkey mind play or at the end of the row I am punished by the pattern being out.

There are a variety of classes running at Knit Spin Weave. Do you run the classes yourself? Do you find that your students inspire you?

I run the classes myself. I don’t have enough income to pay anyone else, plus I love teaching. I love guiding others to learn and being part of their journey. It’s a huge privilege to be someones first knitting teacher. We can all remember the person who taught us to knit.

What are your hopes and plans for the future of your business?

My goal right now is just to pay myself. After that I do dream of opening a second shop in Adelaide as the kids get a bit older and start moving to the city for higher education. The online shop is something I got dragged to kicking and screaming but it does pay the bills. I try to limit my time online as it cuts into my creative time.

Being based in South Australia, what is one of your favourite places to visit?

Bundaleer Forest. I love the peace of it. When I need to get away from it all I head out there and walk under the Maples. I take my small frame looms out there and sit and weave. Weaving on small looms is like adult colouring books for me. No one really gets to see them, they don’t really have a purpose or use. They are just pure mindfulness, meditation and connection to a higher being for me.”

Thank you for sharing with us Tracy, I’m sure this interview will be an inspiration to many!

You can find the Knit Spin Weave shop at:

Shop 5/266 Main North Road, Clare 5453

There is also an online shop here

And a Facebook page here.

So, how about you? Have you ever dreamed of owning a yarn shop? Or perhaps another creative business? Let me know about it by leaving a comment, I would love to hear what your dream is!

Darn it! Mending hand woven towels.

by Kelly Leave a Comment

It’s bound to happen. That moment when you realise there is a little or large or even gaping hole in one of your hand wovens.

I love using my hand woven towels in the kitchen. I mean, if you’re spending a lot of time doing menial tasks ie. dishes, you might as well be doing it with something special and beautiful.

We don’t have a dishwasher, and with 6 family members we tend to wash and dry a lot of dishes every day.

The first time it happened, I may have gasped, my eyes may have goggled a little and my head may have drooped. Just for a moment. But, one thing you learn through being a parent is to not be too precious about your material possessions. It’s likely they will get broken or damaged at some point. I would still rather use things than have them sit in a drawer somewhere.

Towel 1 was the worst with one large hole and one small hole.

So, anyway, two of my not very old, fairly recently finished hand woven towels had, shall we diplomatically say, “person inflicted holes”? Likely pierced by a sharp knife in the act of drying it?

I began contemplating what could be done about the said holes and I thought of the wonderful old art of darning, something our Grandmother’s did all the time and my own mother avoided like the plague. Needless to say, this art was not passed on to me. But, since having children, I’ve done my fair share of mending clothes with usually passable results.

Towel 2 was in better shape with just one smaller hole.

The trick with handwovens is to try to trace the original path that the broken or snapped threads took. Easier to do if you have a good understanding of the weave structure you used, but you can still get on alright by observing the threads that are still intact.

Once you’ve observed the pattern of the threads and determined how many warp threads and how many weft threads are broken, you can start tracking where these threads should have been and try to follow their original path.

*This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on one of these links and purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.

Using a needle (I used a tapestry needle) and matching the original threads as closely as possible, (I wasn’t able to do this as I had run out of the original threads, but I found some pretty good matches amongst my stash) start your thread 1 -2 inches out from the hole. Doing this also usually allows you to follow the path of the original thread up until it reaches the hole where it is broken.

It doesn’t matter whether you start weaving in warp of weft threads first. After you have woven through and past the hole (hopefully in a pattern very similar to the one that was broken) you continue to follow the pattern with the needle for another inch or two out the other side. Leave tails hanging out from where you began and finished.

This technique worked really well for my smaller holes. Although I didn’t get an exact copy of the original pattern, I was able to replace the broken threads in a way that didn’t look terrible!

For the gaping hole I needed to try something else. Subtle mending was not going to suffice for this one, there were many severed warp and weft threads and the gap was wide. I tried. I really did. But it was ugly – perhaps uglier than before I started trying to replace the threads.

At this point I decided to embrace the “Visible Mending” movement. I didn’t have any matching fabric, having woven just this one towel with those particular threads and structure. I hunted in my scraps and samples pile and came out with a couple of pieces that were acceptable – at least they had the same colours!

I cut out the patch sizes I needed – one for each side of the hole and serged the borders of each piece. I used the wonderful sewer’s helper Heat n Bond to attach a patch to either side of the hole. When cool, I machine zigzagged around the edges. Not perfect, but at least I don’t have to look at my botched mending job anymore and the towel is functional in my kitchen once again!

Once I completed the surgeries, I put the towels through a hot (60 degrees celsius) machine wash, dried and ironed. I cut all the tails (including the original leftover broken threads) as close to the fabric as possible, without cutting the actual fabric. Don’t accidentally snip too close and undo all your hard work!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I’m very grateful to have children who wash and dry dishes for me, even if there are occasional accidents!

Until next time….

Happy Weaving!

Mirrix Big Sister Review

by Kelly 9 Comments

In my last post, I talked about my excitement at purchasing a Mirrix tapestry loom.

Now that I’ve had a chance to get to know the loom a little through completing a couple of projects, I’m doing a review for those of you who are interested in purchasing one. Please note, this is not a sponsored post and I have not received any financial compensation or incentive from Mirrix. I just love to talk about things I love! *This post does contain some affiliate links, meaning that if you click on the link and purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

*If you prefer to watch the video of this post, hop over to Youtube-

I purchased the 16″ Big Sister with the shedding device (you can choose a loom with or without the shedding device.) Having one certainly speeds up and simplifies your weaving, so to me, it was worth paying the extra for this feature.

I was undecided as to whether I would buy the Little Guy (12″) or this one, but I was leaning towards the larger size. When I contacted Tracy from Knit Spin Weave, she said she had a Big Sister in stock. That sealed the deal!

Firstly, I will go through the things I really love about the loom, then I’ll mention the things that were not quite what I expected or that will take some getting used to. Considering I’ve never owned or used a tapestry loom before, the latter list is relatively small.

What I LOVE!

Well, I love the way it looks! It’s a beautiful loom. I have always favoured wood over metal, but the addition of the copper, plus the clean and fresh design, makes it very pleasing aesthetically.

The design is very clever. Obviously a very smart lady designed this loom – a weaver who knew what she wanted out of a loom and figured out the best way to make one. The loom is simple to use. You can read more about her here.

Tensioning is controlled with two wing nuts, which you simply wind one way or the other to loosen and tighten. These make the loom extendable as well, so I can actually make the loom taller than it appears here, giving me a longer warp. You can achieve a VERY tight tension on this loom, which is great for tapestry.

The shedding device is controlled with a lever that attaches to the heddle bar. You place the lever up or down to alternate sheds, similar to a rigid heddle. The lever rotates the heddle bar very easily and I love this way of changing sheds.

Spacing for weaving at various setts is provided by a spring that you attach to the top bar. When I talk about the cleverness of designs, this is the kind of thing I mean! The loom comes with 8, 12, 14 and 18 dent springs that stretch across from one side to the other, and it works perfectly.

Advancing the warp is amazingly easy, using a tensioning rod that is installed as part of the warping process. Just loosen the tension, adjust the bar upwards, and your warp advances beautifully. I wasn’t sure before I used the loom how advancing was going to work, but it seriously only takes a few seconds to do it!

What was UNEXPECTED.

The heddles. I didn’t really consider that it would take me quite some time to make all the heddles I needed (and it did take a LONG time!) and I also thought that making them with 8/2 linen would be fine. Linen is super strong, right? Ha ha, well, I learned my lesson. Because the warp is under such high tension, so are the heddles each time you change the shed. I’m being a bit dramatic, because I only broke 1 heddle during the weaving process, and I was able to replace it without too much fuss, but it was enough for me to realise that my thin little linen heddles will not last. And I don’t want to have to make a heap of heddles each time! I found out that Mirrix actually sell a roll of texsolv heddles . Awesome, I’m going to get grab a roll of those ASAP!

The sheds. As a rigid heddle and floor loom weaver, I’m pretty used to large sheds, making it very easy to get a shuttle through. A tapestry loom is different. The sheds are very small and it can be difficult, particularly if you’re near the end of the warp and can’t advance any further, to fit your fingers and yarn through. I imagine this could be challenging when I start warping wider widths, but it’s not really a negative, just something different.

The shedding device lever. The bolt that holds the lever on to the heddle bar kept coming loose. I’m not sure if this is common or whether I need to tighten it with a little wrench or something? Perhaps one of you know?

Not a lap loom. I had the idea that I might be able to use this loom on my lap, but the weight and design makes this not favourable for me. I actually do like using it upright, but often in the evenings, when I’m tired but my busy hands won’t let me rest, I like to have a project I can do while sitting in my comfy recliner. I think the smaller versions would be fine for this, but this one is not the right size or weight for my lap.

OK, so how much did it cost?

Sometimes people are a little taken aback by the price of Mirrix Looms, but you have to consider that they are quality, American made and as I’ve already discussed, the design is excellent. They are assembled by disabled people, and I love that aspect as well. The business is family owned and run. I bought the loom from an Australia supplier, who is also a small business woman I like to support.

So, my Big Sister cost just over $400AUD and that price included the extras I’ve discussed in this post. I patiently waited and saved the money until I felt I could afford it, and I have no regrets. To me, it is well worth the price I paid.

Some of you may wish to look into making your own copper pipe loom, if you are so inclined and wish to save quite a bit of money. A quick google search showed me this page with plans and I’m sure there are more.

So there you have it, my thoughts so far.

I can’t wait to get my next warp on and start my next project, oh! The possibilities!

Do you enjoy tapestry weaving? What sort of a loom do you use? If you have a Mirrix loom, what are your thoughts on it? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Weaving on my new tapestry loom!

by Kelly 18 Comments

You may recall from this blog post or video that I have been quietly longing for a dedicated tapestry loom for some time.

The Mirrix looms were appealing to me for many reasons, so my dream tapestry loom was a Mirrix.

After interviewing the CEO of Mirrix, Claudia Chase on my blog recently, I was even more convinced that this was the right type of tapestry loom for me.

So, I started saving!

Then, a few days ago, this box arrived. A “Knit Spin Weave” card plus a “Mirrix Tapestry Studio” sticker on the front of the box was just the kind of mail I love!

I followed the Mirrix Youtube instructions for warping the loom, which was pretty straightforward. My mind was so focused on getting it warped that I hadn’t really considered what exactly I was going to weave!

So, instead of having a grand plan, I drew some rough lines onto the warp and started weaving with some of my handspun. Then I introduced some hand dyed wool from my stash.

The end result is OK, not brilliant, but it was more about getting to know the loom than weaving a masterpiece. And I certainly did learn a lot, particularly about the kind of tapestry I want to weave in the future.

I still had room on this warp, so I decided to weave a planned sample, following Kirsten Glasbrook’s book Tapestry Weaving.

*Affiliate link

This is a great book if you’re interested in getting started in tapestry weaving, it covers all the basic techniques and includes detailed information on completing the finished piece, including mounting options. I used Kirsten’s sampler on page 40 as inspiration – though her sampler is much more detailed than mine.

I used some very bright and colourful wool and focused on achieving clean, straight lines. No lumps and bumps this time!

Starting from the bottom and working up, these are the techniques I used (these are all listed in fabulous step by step demonstrations in the book).

1. Pick and pick

2. Vertical slits

3. Pick and pick

4. Soumak

5. Diagonal shapes

6. Hatching

7. Distorted weft

And here is the finished piece! I had some challenges with uneven draw in (you can see that my edges have a slight curve rather than just straight lines), but all things considered, I’m pretty pleased. It’s almost a shame to contemplate removing the warp from the loom, the beautiful luminosity of the copper pieces adds to the overall aesthetic!

Update: If you’re interested in learning more about this loom, watch my review here-

In the meantime, if you’re interested in Mirrix Looms, you can read more about them in my interview with CEO Claudia Chase and visit their website for more details.

And, just to let you know, this post is not sponsored by Mirrix in any way, I’m just sharing the love.

Weaving kitchen cloths

by Kelly 7 Comments

Kitchen cloths were one of the first weaving projects I ever attempted. They are really perfect for beginner weavers, as at their most simple they can be just a square of plain weave. And, at the end, the weaver has a beautiful and functional woven piece.

*Please note, this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

If the weaver wants something a little more challenging, adding pick up sticks adds interest to the weave and functionality to the cloth, making the cloth not only very attractive but more absorbent with the added texture.

I am often asked the question “Which yarn is best for kitchen cloths?”

In my opinion, thick cotton is the absolute best fibre for kitchen cloths. It is soft, absorbent, easy to wash and care for, unlikely to harbour bacteria if treated properly and yarns come in many different colours.

My favourite cotton to use for my cloths is from a mill not too far from me. It is a gorgeous cotton, so it makes sense for me to buy and excellent Australian owned and locally produced product.

I also recently tried Yarns and Colors EPIC cotton, purchased from Adelaide Hills Yarn Company. It’s a lovely soft but sturdy cotton in a great range of colours. It’s also available directly from the Dutch company website.

But, what about those of you who can’t access this yarn due to location? Well, there are plenty of alternatives!

A very popular cotton is the American made Sugar n Cream. It is just the right weight for kitchen cloths, is affordable and comes in many bright and variegated colours.

There are some beautiful organic cottons out there too, such as Babytoly, which comes in natural as well as bright, happy colours.

I have heard excellent things about the I Love This Cotton brand, though I’ve not tried it myself.

I have also successfully used a bamboo cotton blend for cloths. The end result is a little different, the cloth is heavier when wet and does not tend to wear as well over time. Still, it make a beautiful, soft and absorbent cloth. If you’re interested in trying a blend, something like this Lion Brand Blend, which is 50% bamboo and 50% cotton would work well.

I have also had fun buying white or natural cotton to dye in variegated colours, using fibre reactive dyes. You can either use the variegated as warp and a solid, contrasting colour as weft or vice versa – both give wonderful results.

My kitchen will always have handmade cloths now, I can’t go back to the disposable cloths I once used!

If you are a member of the Online Weaving School, I have a Kitchen Cloths Class available to get you started.

My Textured Cloths pattern only needs a small loom to weave, the Sampleit is perfect for this project.

I should also mention my Waffle Weave tutorial on Youtube, which gives great texture for kitchen cloths.

I hope that you will experience the joy of weaving and using your very own kitchen cloths.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

4 shaft weaving and sampling

by Kelly Leave a Comment

This week I’ve been working on the sequel to my Introduction to Floor Loom weaving class.

This class will focus on 4 shaft weaving and begins with an optional sampler. I always felt that a sampler was a waste of time and effort, but I have definitely changed my ways! I do a lot of sampling, particularly now that I use a lot of my own designs and need to see and feel how the fabric is going to be before I put it out there to my students. Since I realised what a fantastic learning tool sampling can be, I always recommend it to my students. It can pretty much make or break a project!

Plus, when you’re finished with a sample, you can either cut it up and use it for small project, or keep it to refer back to. Either way, it’s useful!

The next part of the class will move onto 4 shaft kitchen towels, which I designed. Each towel is a little different but equally lovely.

We will weave 4 towels all together.

Here is a sample of the first towel, isn’t it gorgeous?

The towels tie in happily with my #weaveforme plans for April, as I will be keeping them for my kitchen 😊

If you’re interested in the next floor loom weaving class, make sure you are signed up to my email list for announcements and special offers. Instagram is also a great place to keep up with what I’m doing.

Do you have plans for your #weaveforme project yet? I’d love to hear about it!

#weaveforme April Challenge!

by Kelly Leave a Comment

April is challenge month!

We all know that weavers are generous and love to give hand woven gifts. But, how often do you weave something just for you?

I’ll be the first to admit that I rarely weave anything as a gift to myself. But, when I do, it’s so satisfying!

The challenge for next month is to weave something (anything you like!) just for you.

It could be something you need or just something you want, as long as YOU are the one who gets to enjoy it!

If you need ideas, there are a number of free projects on my Youtube channel and over at my Online Weaving School you are spoiled for choice with many, many projects. Don’t forget the patterns available in my Etsy shop too!

On Instagram, share your project photos with the hashtag #weaveforme. You can also share and follow along with what others are doing on the Kelly Casanova’s Weaving Lessons group on Facebook.

I hope you can join in the fun!

Alright, thinking caps on! 😀