Kelly

Financial Freedom, The First 3 Steps

Financial freedom may sometimes feel like an unrealistic and unobtainable dream.

While the journey to financial independence varies from person to person, and there can be many methods and facets involved, I believe there are universal first steps that set the foundation for readiness.

Here’s how to start your path to financial freedom these first 3 essential steps:

1. Know That You Can Do It

That’s right, I want you to not just believe but to know that YOU can become financially free. Many people think it’s something that is reserved for the wealthy or lucky, but countless stories of ordinary individuals prove otherwise (me being one of them!)

Is there anything special about me? No.

No super intellect (college drop out here, you can read my story here 🙋‍♀️), no generational wealth or special prior knowledge, no secret formula.

I’ll be blunt – if you don’t believe you can do it then you simply won’t.

2. Commit to It

Financial freedom doesn’t happen on its own. It’s not something that you hope will somehow be taken care of, or that someone will step in and fix for you.

Once you believe financial freedom is within reach, it’s time to commit wholeheartedly. This isn’t a casual “maybe one day” desire—it’s a focused decision that requires your active participation.

Commitment means creating a plan, educating yourself, and making sacrifices when necessary. It might mean cutting back on unnecessary expenses, building new skills, or creating multiple income streams. Without commitment, it’s easy to fall back into old habits or the sense of apathy that may have created your overwhelming debt in the first place.

3. Be Patient

Financial freedom doesn’t happen overnight. It requires discipline, patience and desire for change. Some months may feel slower than others, but consistency is key to keep moving forward.

Avoid comparing your journey to others. Remember that everyone starts at different points and faces unique challenges. Celebrate small wins—each step brings you closer to your goal.

The time that it takes to become debt free does not matter as much as the fact that you are doing it. Be proud and thankful that you are taking positive steps towards your financial future!

The path to financial freedom starts with the right mindset, a solid commitment, and the patience to see it through. These first three steps—believing you can achieve it, committing to the process, and being patient—create the foundation for success.

Remember, every step forward is progress. Start today, stay consistent, and watch how the small changes lead to a big transformation.

Your financial freedom is closer than you think!

Debt Free in 2026 – A Roadmap to Financial Freedom

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Want to become debt free in 2026? What a wonderful goal to work towards! 😀

In 2024 our family became debt free. We have been working at this for years and it’s rewarding to now have achieved such a major goal!

The only debt we have been willing to take on is a home mortgage. We have never used credit cards and always lived a frugal lifestyle, living within our means and saving for important purchases. Using these principles, we have been able to pay down our mortgage and have reached a new level of financial freedom.

Debt freedom is such a wonderful feeling and I want you to be able to achieve it too!

Debt Free in 2026: A Roadmap to Financial Freedom

As we approach a new year, many of us are setting resolutions, and one of the most powerful goals you can set is to become debt-free by 2026. Personally, I don’t make resolutions, but I do have a lot of goals and am constantly working towards them.

Living without the burden of debt opens up a world of financial possibilities, promotes a simple lifestyle and reduces so much stress! For me, one of the best things about debt freedom is the ability to give more to others and improve their lives as well.

Here’s a comprehensive roadmap to help you achieve this goal, particularly if you have multiple sources of debt.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Financial Situation

Before you can tackle your debt, you need a clear picture of where you stand. Take some time to have an honest look at your true financial situation, even if it’s difficult to face:

List all debts: Include credit cards, student loans, personal loans, and any other obligations.
Calculate total debt: Add up the amounts owed to see your total debt load.
Review interest rates: Identify which debts carry the highest interest rates.

Step 2: Create a Budget

A budget is helpful for managing your finances effectively. Here’s how to get started:

Track your income and expenses: Use apps, spreadsheets, or good old-fashioned pen and paper to see where your money goes.
Identify areas to cut back or change: Look for non-essential spending that can be reduced, eliminated or reassigned.
Allocate funds to debt repayment: Designate a specific amount each month to pay down your debts.

Step 3: Choose a Debt Repayment Strategy

There are several strategies for paying off debt. Here are two popular methods:

Debt Snowball: Focus on paying off your smallest debt first while making minimum payments on larger debts. Once the smallest is paid off, move to the next one. This method provides quick wins and can boost motivation.
Debt Avalanche: Prioritize debts with the highest interest rates first. This method saves you money in the long run by reducing the total interest paid.

Choose the method that resonates with you and fits your financial situation. You could even do a mix of the two if you can afford to. For example, make extra repayments on the debt with the highest interest whilst also hitting your smallest debt in order to eliminate it.

Step 4: Increase Your Income

Besides decreasing spending where possible, the other reliable way to get in control of finances is finding ways to increase your income. This can significantly speed up your journey to being debt-free:

Side hustles: Consider freelance work, selling unwanted or un-needed items from your home, start an online business.
Ask for a raise: If you’ve been performing well at your job, and if it’s appropriate, discuss a pay increase with your employer.
Monetize skills or hobbies: If you have skills in crafting, tutoring, or consulting, explore ways to turn them into additional income streams.
Start an online business: There are so many online opportunities and many of them can be started while still maintaining a job.

Check out My Story to see how I increased our income to such an extent that my husband retired from his job in his early 40’s, we paid off our first mortgage, saved for our dream property and are now completely debt free!

Step 5: Build an Emergency Fund

While paying off debt is crucial, it’s equally important to prepare for unexpected expenses. Aim to save at least $1,000 as a starter emergency fund to avoid falling back into debt when emergencies arise. Even in our days of living below the poverty line as a family, we still had an emergency fund.

Step 6: Stay Motivated and Accountable

The journey to becoming debt-free can be challenging, but staying motivated is key:

Set milestones: Break your goal into smaller, achievable milestones and celebrate each one.
Join a support group: Connecting with others on the same journey can provide encouragement and accountability.
Follow others who are or have been on a debt free journey
Visualize your goals: Create a vision board or write down your financial goals to keep them front of mind.
Have fun: Did I just tell you to have fun?! Sure I did! Believe it or not, the process to debt freedom can be fun! Ticking boxes, getting loans paid down, seeing progress and eventually achieving financial freedom? Now, that’s my idea of fun 🤩

Step 7: Educate Yourself

Knowledge is power. Take the time to learn about personal finance through books, podcasts, and online resources. Understanding financial principles can help you make informed decisions and avoid falling back into debt in the future. It can also be super inspiring to read other people’s stories and learn more about how they did it.

Becoming debt-free by 2026 is a realistic and empowering goal. By assessing your finances, creating a budget, choosing a repayment strategy, increasing your income, building an emergency fund, staying motivated, and educating yourself, you can take control of your financial future.

Remember, the journey may have its ups and downs, but the reward of financial freedom is worth every effort. Start today, and take one step closer to living a debt-free life!

5 Fun Floor Loom Weaving Projects for Beginners

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Welcome to the colourful and exciting world of floor loom weaving!

If you’re looking for a creative and relaxing hobby, weaving might just be your new favourite pastime. Don’t worry if you’re a complete beginner— with a good dose of patience, enthusiasm and just a bit of guidance, you can create beautiful projects in no time. Let’s dive into five fun weaving projects that will spark your creativity and boost your skills!

1. Simple Placemats

Kick off your weaving journey with some simple placemats! They’re quick to make and add a personal touch to your dining table.

Materials Needed: Cotton yarn in various colors.
Steps:
1. Set up your loom with plain weave threading.
2. Weave by alternating shafts 1 and 2 for plain weave.
3. Finish the edges by tying simple knots or using a hem stitch.
Tip: Don’t hesitate to mix and match colors—this is a great opportunity to experiment!

2. Basic Scarf or Cowl

Next up is a lovely scarf! It’s perfect for keeping warm or levelling up your wardrobe and makes a wonderful gift for friends or family.

Materials Needed: You have so many choices here! Some options (click to see examples) would be:
Wool
Tencel
Bamboo
Acrylic
Cotton
Steps:
1. Warp the loom according to the desired scarf width and length (don’t forget to pre-calculate. The Introduction to Floor Loom Weaving course includes printable calculation sheets).
2. Explore basic patterns like plain weave or twill.
3. Hemstitching on the loom is a great way to secure your ends, then a twisted fringe adds a really stylish and professional looking finish.
Encouragement: This project is not only practical but also a great way to showcase your personality through color and patterning choices!

The project for my Introduction to Floor Loom Weaving online course is a beautiful cowl which is perfect for beginner floor loom weavers and beyond.

3. Woven Wall Hanging

Transform your space with a beautiful woven wall hanging. This project allows for creativity and self-expression. Pretty much anything goes – if you like it then it’s good!

Materials Needed: A mix of fibres is possible here, and a dowel for hanging. This can be a terrific project for using up stash yarn.
Steps:
1. Set up your loom for free-form weaving. Plain weave threading is perfect.
2. Experiment with different techniques like looped or knotting. You could weave a balanced plain weave or a weft faced weave (more like tapestry).
3. Finish by attaching it to a dowel.
Tip: Choose colors that resonate with you and your decor for a piece that feels uniquely yours!

4. Tote Bag

A practical project, a woven tote bag is perfect for carrying your essentials in style.

Materials Needed: Sturdy yarn. You can use pre made handles or make your own.
Steps:
1. Weave a large rectangle in plain weave.
2. Sew the sides together and attach the handles.
3. If you want to get a little fancier, you can line the bag with commercial fabric like I do in the Tote Bag Series.
Encouragement: It’s not just useful; it’s a great way to show off your weaving skills wherever you go! I love projects that are both practical and useful 😉

5. Baby Blanket

For a larger project that’s oh-so-rewarding, consider weaving a baby blanket. I recommend completing a baby blanket before trying a larger sized throw or blanket because it gives you all the practice you will need. Seeing a fresh little human being wrapped up in a handwoven blanket made with love just warms my heart.

Materials Needed: Cottons are safest for babies.
Steps:
1. Warp your loom to accommodate the blanket size.
2. Explore with your weave structure if you’re ready, but be careful there are no long floats where little fingers and toes could catch. Plain weave is lovely for blankets too. Check out Tom Kinsley’s Handwoven Baby Blankets book for heaps of inspiration and blankets to try!
3. Finish by securing the edges. Neatly finished double fold hems are best for babes.
Tip: This blanket can become a treasured item for years to come — babies who grow into children who grow into adults can get quite attached to their blankies!

BONUS TIP

There are so many great weaving books available but I recommend that you start out with a draft and pattern directory like Anne Dixon’s Handweaver’s Pattern Directory (4 shaft patterns) or Carol Strickler’s A Weavers Book of 8 Shaft Patterns.

These are the kind of books that I refer back to again and again or frequently flip through for inspiration.

Weaving on a floor loom is not only a fun craft but also a fulfilling creative outlet. It can even become a way to make an income doing something you love. Remember, every project you complete builds your skills and confidence, so don’t be afraid to experiment and make mistakes. Choose any project that excites you, (but be realistic – walk first, then run!) and let your creativity flow.

Until next time…

Happy weaving!

*This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

Weaving gifts for kids

by Kelly Leave a Comment

You’ve seen the Weavers Gift Guide for this year, but how about sharing the joy of weaving with the next generation? Here you will find some awesome ideas for weaving gifts for kids!

I have never met a child who was not interested in having a go at weaving. It may start with them looking over your shoulder to see what you’re doing. Or they see a loom and just have to know what that is and how it works.

Children are naturally curious

Children are the perfect weaving students because they are so naturally curious (how about we learn from that and remember that curiosity that lead us to discover so many wonderful things as a child?)

Kids also learn really quickly! Have you noticed that it’s more difficult to learn new things as you get older?

If you are a parent of a younger child, a grandparent, a relative, and educator or you just happen to have children in your life, don’t deprive them of the joy you experience from weaving – share it!

Gift ideas for children

Lacing toys or cards

My kids absolutely loved lacing activities when they were young. Lacing may not be the first skill you think of when thinking about weaving, but it makes perfect sense.

Lacing is wonderful for helping develop fine motor skills, hand eye co-ordination and problem solving. It also helps a child to gain confidence when they can finish a lacing. They can start with a super simple one and move their way up (only if they enjoy the activity, of course!)

There are so many fun lacing toys available now. I wish that these cute little sets were available when my kids were young!

As well as wooden toys, there are also lacing cards available. I found this Hungry Caterpillar set which looks really fun and who doesn’t love Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar?

2. Potholder/Pin loom

These little looms are great for kids as they are a very simple set up and come with everything you need to weave squares or potholders. A kit like this one has plenty of ready made craft loops to start weaving right away as well as a box to keep all the pieces in.

If you’re not a fan of plastic looms, there are also metal potholder looms available and these obviously would be longer lasting.

If you enjoy hand making gifts, you may be interested in making a potholder loom. This is a very basic and affordable project, check out my instruction project here.

Speaking of hand making a loom, did you know you can weave with some basic cardboard? Learn how to do that here.

3. Simple frame loom

Simple frame looms make a great gift for kids. They are usually small, portable and affordable. The size of a loom like this can make it feel more achievable for a child.

Projects are limited to the size of the loom, but pieces of woven fabric can always be joined. A child could make small projects like doll blankets, mug rugs and bookmarks with a loom like this.

My girls used a simple frame loom and they loved digging into my yarn stash to see what colours and variety they could find.

An older child can learn to warp a loom like this on their own quite quickly.

4. Large standing frame loom

This is a slight step up from the simple frame loom already mentioned in that it is larger and comes with detachable feet so that the loom can be used upright.

I recently purchased the Melissa and Doug Multi Craft Weaving Loom to try out and let my Youtube audience know my thoughts. You can view that video here:

The main advantage of a loom like this is the versatility, it can be configured to weave smaller or larger items. I like the grooves set into the top and bottom of the loom that hold the warp in place really well – no jumping off the pegs as you’re trying to warp or weave. The grooves also allow you to tension the warp better than with some other frame looms I’ve used.

This loom kit is really geared towards children as it comes with some bright and soft rainbow yarn, extra warping yarn and printed cardboard strips for picture weaving. There is a large wooden needle for ease of weaving.

5. Lavievert toy loom

The Lavievert toy loom is a super fun option for the older child weaver. The younger child could also use it, but would need help with a number of aspects.

This is a really cool little loom and is still very much in the affordable weaving category. You can make a longer warp and there are 2 rigid heddles that are manipulated easily at the top of the loom.

The construction is still simple with this loom (it’s actually pretty ingenious!) but gives the child a more realistic loom weaving experience.

You can check out all the resources I’ve made using this loom here:

I bought a toy loom! Was it worth it?

I wove a blanket on a toy loom!

6. Rigid heddle loom

A rigid heddle loom would be perfect for the child who has shown an ongoing interest in weaving. It is a larger investment, so it would need to be a well considered gift.

I purchase a Sampleit loom for my girls when they were younger as they were always seeing me weave on my rigid heddle loom. Because my loom was always busy I thought it would be great fun for them to have a smaller version they could use whenever they wanted to.

They had a great time with the Sampleit and wove all kinds of smaller pieces with it. They loved thinking about what they wanted to weave and then designing a project from scratch.

A Sampleit would also be a great option for a weaver who has grandchildren visit. It can be tucked away without using up too much space and you have the added bonus of using it yourself when it’s not needed 😉

This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Not just for kids!

While this weaving gift guide is aimed at children, these tools can also very much be used by adults or anyone who is interested.

I hope this has been helpful to you and if you have any questions about my gift recommendations, let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners

by Kelly Leave a Comment

Getting your very first rigid heddle loom is such an exciting experience! There are so many possibilities but at the same time, so much to learn. Keep it simple but fun and check out his list of 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners.

It’s important to choose projects that are going to be suitable for your weaving level. Be realistic, we all start as absolute beginners and it makes sense to start with an easy project.

This will help you to start to get to know your loom without the stress and pressure of needing to weave at an advanced level.

Let’s get started on the 5 easy project ideas:

Weave a Sampler

A sampler is not necessarily a finished, functional object but it will teach you so very much! Not only does it give you a chance to get familiar with your new loom, it also allows you to try out yarns, practice your weaving and get a better idea of what to expect.

Yes, you do need to use a bit of yarn to warp up a sampler, but I look at it the same way I would look at purchasing a weaving book or class. It’s an investment in my own weaving journey.

Very early on in my rigid heddle weaving journey, I warped a fairly long warp (for a sampler), grabbed my copy of Jane Patrick’s The Weaver’s Idea Book, flipped through until I found something I wanted to try and just went for it!

This was such a valuable project for me, just look at the variety of designs, yarns and colours I got to try! Many from the book, many were my own experiments. I still think of this project, all these years later, as one of the most fun I’ve undertaken.

A sampler can also become a useable item if you wish – a small purse, a mug rug, a notebook cover, there are lots of possibilities.

A Set of Placemats

Placemats are such a perfect beginner’s project. They look great in plain weave and if you want to jazz them up you can always use a fun variegated yarn. Placemats are also a great opportunity to practice finishing techniques, whether that is by knotting, hemstitching or hand hemming and machine stitching.

In my beginner rigid heddle class we complete some simple but beautiful placemats. This is my most popular class as it shows you how to take a bare rigid heddle loom and complete a woven project. You are guided through, step by step on warping, threading, weaving and completing the project as well plenty of tips and encouragement along the way.

How About Weaving Some Towels?

Towels can be a little like an overgrown placemat, and can be a simple project for newer rigid heddle weavers. I do have some advice though, as not all towels are created equal!

As a beginner, I do not recommend that you try to launch into your first towels with a thin and light yarn, like 8/2 cotton. It is better to get some experience and practice under your belt first, as generally a lighter yarn is more challenging to use with a rigid heddle loom.

However, weaving towels with a thicker cotton yarn can be a wonderful experience. Again, you can make it as simple as plain weave or you could incorporate either warp or weft stripes (or both!)

A thicker cotton will result in a light hand towels rather than a kitchen/dish towel.

My free project, the Wash Your Hands Towels pattern could be just what you’ve looking for. While some of the techniques may be considered a little more advance (like pick up sticks and colour placement) the weaver has the option of weaving both towels in plain weave if not ready for other techniques.

Some of the cottons that are suitable for this kind of towel would be:

Bendigo Woollen Mills 10ply cotton

I Love This Cotton

Sugar n Cream

Knit Picks Dishie

Notebook Covers are Fabulous!

Notebook covers in their most simple, low sew format are just a rectangle. The fun thing about a project like this is it can really be customised to reflect your own tastes. You can use a variety of yarns in plain weave and it just looks fantastic.

Weave a sampler that is large enough and you could repurpose that as a notebook cover too!

If the thought of sewing with your hand woven fabric is a bit scary to you, rest assured that it can be a very simple process. If you have a needle and thread, that is enough!

Check out my free Notebook Covers project which guides you through the full process, from weaving the fabric to fitting and sewing it to an existing notebook, all the information is there for you.

I Love Freestyle Tapestry

Oh boy, is this fun! The idea is similar to weaving a sampler, but this time you are weaving a weft faced item.

What on earth does that mean?

It just means that you’re going to use an additional beater (a household fork works just fine!) to beat your weft down to cover all the warp threads.

So, all the colour, texture and excitement happens in the weft threads.

What I really love about this kind of project is you need very little pre-planning. All the designing can be done on the loom, if you want to.

You get to use a variety of yarns from your stash and you have pretty free reign. As long as the weft packs down and stays down, you’re good to go!

Your design could be planned and pictorial or completely abstract and “made up on the spot”.

My free Freestyle Tapestry series was designed on the loom, just by building colour, bit by bit. My Van Gogh inspired tapestry was a little more planned but followed very similar principles.

I have a Tapestry on a Rigid Heddle Loom online class that shows you all the basic tapestry techniques.

I hope you feel super inspired by these 5 easy rigid heddle weaving projects for beginners!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for further information.

Gift Guide for Weavers 2024

by Kelly Leave a Comment

It’s that wonderful time of year again, which means it’s also time for a new gift guide for weavers!

Welcome to the Gift Guide for Weavers, 2024!

This year I’m ordering the guide from lowest to highest price so you can jump to where your budget is currently at. Gifts most definitely do not have to be expensive but for some of you it may be the right time to purchase that upgrade or tool you’ve been wanting.

I don’t think I can every begin a new gift guide without making this one the first item:

The Clover Jumbo Bent Tip Tapestry Needles are one of my favourite and most used tools in my weaving studio! They are perfect for hemstitching or embellishing a piece on the loom and weaving in ends off the loom.

I use them for hand sewing pieces of hand woven fabric together too. They are also super affordable, making them the perfect stocking stuffer.

2. That Purple Thang

I never knew these things existed until one of my students (hi Sandy!) very kindly sent me one. Yes, I had to read the label to find out what it was and now it’s an indispensable tool in my studio.

If you enjoy sewing your handwoven fabric with a sewing machine, you will love this low cost tool. It is a multi purpose tool but what I love to use it for most is to help run my fabric through the machine and press down seams as I go over them with the machine.

Sounds simple, but I used to use my finger for the job this tool is now doing for me! I’m happy to have my precious fingers much safer now.

3. Lavievert Toy Loom

I bought my first toy loom as an experiment. I was curious to know, firstly – would it work and secondly, what could I weave on one?

Well, after playing around with my toy loom for some time I have been very pleasantly surprised!

A toy loom like this is a great way to get into weaving for a small financial outlay. It is simple to learn how to use, it tensions a warp very well and pleasant to weave on.

It is a small loom, so it does have it’s limitations but it’s such a fun way to get started.

I have a number of resources available for this loom:

I bought a toy loom! Was it worth it?

I wove a blanket on a toy loom!

4. Weaving Books

I am a huge book lover and my weaving book library is quite extensive (but there is always room for more! 😉) Weaving books are really invaluable to weavers and make a wonderful gift too.

My favourite rigid heddle books can be found in this post. And my favourite multi shaft books can be found in this post. I have many weaving books listed in my Amazon store too.

5. Ashford Table Loom Shuttle Race

This product was just released recently and is very popular with the table loom weavers! The shuttle race prevents the shuttle from diving through the warp, which can be so frustrating! Available for new and older Ashford table looms in a variety of sizes, this will be a game changer for some table loom weavers!

6. Ashford XL Boat Shuttle

Another new and wonderful product from Ashford is this larger sized boat shuttle. I am absolutely loving using this with my larger countermarch loom and will definitely be utilising it with my Louet David loom as well.

7. Ashford Inkle Loom

An inkle loom is a great gift for so many reasons. It’s one of the most affordable and portable looms. It also allows the weaver to have a dedicated band loom without taking up space on another loom. You can be weaving a project on one loom while weaving a band to match on the inkle loom!

For an even cooler gift opportunity, Ashford has an inkle loom available as a kit that includes the loom, some cotton yarn and a wonderful inkle weaving book to get started with.

8. Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom

My very first rigid heddle loom was given to me as a gift from my husband! So of course, I’m a huge advocate for gifting RH looms 😊 This loom is still constantly in use in my studio.

There is a huge variety of sizes available to suit every budget and size requirements. I have a guide for new rigid heddle weavers here.

9. Louet David Floor Loom

It’s no secret that I love my David floor loom! It’s compact, modern and gives you a true floor loom weaving experience. I have a review of this loom here if you want to find out more.

10. Online Weaving School Gift Voucher

The weaving school is the perfect place to get started in your weaving journey. There is a huge variety of classes available as well as memberships. Classes include rigid heddle, inkle loom, table loom and floor loom, so there is something for everyone.

To purchase a class as a gift, you simply choose “send as a gift” at checkout plus fill in the name and email of the recipient – this is how it looks:

The recipient then receives an email with instructions for how to use the gift link.

Well, I hope all of you have a wonderfully happy Christmas and maybe even receive some new weaving goodies!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

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

I wove a blanket on a toy loom!

by Kelly 8 Comments

I’ve been weaving on my toy loom for some time now and thought it was a good time to challenge myself (and the loom!) to see what we could do together.

I love to encourage weavers of all levels and circumstances to think outside the box when it comes to weaving and to make the most of what you have, what is available to you or what you can afford.

But It’s Only a Toy Loom!

I also wanted to prove to those who might say “you can’t really weave fabric on a toy loom” that you definitely can! And what better way to do that than to show you how to produce something rather large from something rather small.

I have more resources available on this toy loom. In this article and videos I unbox and set up the loom, give my first impressions and then do some replacements to improve it. Then I warp it myself rather than using the pre-made warp plus show you some things you can do with the loom, including pick up.

Weaving the Blanket

Now, onto the lap blanket project!

My idea was to weave strips of fabric to join together later. The weaving width for the toy loom is around 6″. Once you allow for draw in and shrinkage, the actual panel width is even less than that.

I wasn’t sure what length of warp this little loom could handle, so that part was a bit experimental. I’m pleased to say that it handled the 83″ of warp length very nicely.

My plan was to direct warp the loom by clamping the loom to one end of the table with spring clamps and achieving the length of warp I desired by using the pegs on my warping board (also known as hybrid warping).

I used an Aran weight (Australian 10 ply) wool and doubled it. The heddles that are built into the toy loom are sett at about 5 ends per inch – that is quite an open sett.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills luxury 10 ply in Coastal Blue and Shadow. I used 2 balls in each colour (they are large, 200gram balls).

For and quick and easy doubling of the warp I simply took one loop through every hole and every slot. I used my double ended threading hook so that the loom width was fully warped.

The Blanket Design

For the blanket, I did a total of 4 separate warps for 4 panel pieces. Each panel piece would then be divided in half to make a total of 8 panel pieces.

I wanted to have stripes on my blanket, so for warps 1 and 3 I warped with the lighter coloured wool and used the darker colour for weft. For warps 2 and 4 I warped with the darker colour and used the lighter colour for weft.

You might think it fairly time consuming to work with 4 separate warps. But with the small size of the loom and the ability to direct warp, it did not take long each time. I also skipped the threading step by warping in every hole and slot. That was a definite time saver too!

Finishing the Blanket

Once I had all of my panels woven I wet finished them. I secured the raw ends first by serging then allowed it to dry completely. Finally, I pressed on the wool setting.

When I laid the panels out in order to check the look and sizing, some of the panels were shorter, some were longer so I had to cut and serge to ensure the sides would be uniform.

My next job was to stitch the panels together. I decided to do this by hand using mattress stitch. I know not everyone has a sewing machine and so I wanted to show an alternative. I have a video tutorial on how to do mattress stitch here.

I used my much loved bent tip tapestry needle, which makes this type of stitching so much easier. The stitching by hand does take extra time. But I wanted to ensure that my stitching was very neat and a bit of a feature on the blanket.

To finish off I could have hemmed the serged sides of the blanket by hand or on my sewing machine. But I wanted to give it just that little extra bit of oomph to make it special.

Adding a Crochet Border

I decided on a single crochet border all the way around the edges of the blanket. I used the darker yarn to complete this and won a game (only just!) of yarn chicken with the very last of my dark blue wool.

The total blanket used almost 600 metres of each yarn colour for a total of 1200 metres of yarn.

I hope that by sharing this project I have inspired you to consider what you might be able to do in the wonderful world of weaving!

If you would like to see the video that goes with this article, please visit my Youtube channel:

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

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My 11 income streams

by Kelly Leave a Comment

If there is one important thing I’ve learned in the 8 years of running an online business it is that you must diversify your income – that is how I have come to develop 11 income streams!

That is a fancy way of saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Relying on just one source of income is risky because you don’t have anything to fall back on if needed.

Today I’m going to talk about my 11 income streams (yes, that’s right – 11!) I’m not going into any figures because numbers can be misunderstood (for example, I get to keep approximately half of my actual revenue once taxes and running expenses are paid).

But I will outline my 11 income streams in order from what makes the most to what makes the least amount. The order is still a generalisation as most of my income streams are fluctuating from month to month.

Online courses

The Online Weaving School was started back in 2017 and supplies the largest part of my income (by a long shot!) The weaving school is hosted at Teachable, which works very well because I, as the creator have my own space on the internet and I’m fully in control of how the school runs, the type of content available there and the pricing for my students.

There are two models on which the school operates – single purchase classes and memberships.

A single purchase class is just what it sounds like – the student make a one time purchase and then has permanent access to the class. They can come back, log in to their account and re-watch the class as many times as desired. They also have the ability to receive feedback, share comments and photos on the platform.

Memberships have been a huge part of my success as an online business. The student chooses a membership tier and then has access to a full class library, including member’s only classes until their membership expires (at which point they can choose to renew or cancel). A membership also gives a student access to the private member’s community. A membership model is excellent because it provides the creator with recurring and somewhat more predictable income.

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2. My Design Store

For many years I have also been designing weaving patterns. These are usually project based and provide the buyer with step by step written instructions, colour photos and often video links to complete a weaving project.

I sell my designs in digital format at Kelly Casanova Designs using the Shopify platform.

I have also branched into writing ebooks to provide even more information to weavers and these are also available in my design store.

Digital downloads are an excellent source of (mostly) passive income as much of the work is done up front in the designing and writing. There is often some follow up needed in the form of support for purchasers but this is relatively minimal compared to the weaving school.

Very occasionally I also make weaving/yarn kits available to my audience and these are based on existing patterns.

If you are interested in trying a Shopify store for yourself, you can get 3 days free plus 3 months for $1 each when you sign up for a trial, just use this link to take a closer look at that offer.

3. Youtube

Income from Youtube is made through Google Adsense. The ads are place on my videos and I get a cut of what the advertisers pay to Youtube (about half). This type of income is fluctuating and not very reliable and because I’m in the “craft” niche, advertisers pay much lower rates than they would for videos in something like the business or finance niche.

The beauty of Youtube when it comes to online business is that it can act as an audience funnel for your existing business. It allows you to build and audience that can get to know and trust you. It can be a way for potential students to sample your teaching style before investing in a course or membership.

My business has grown from my Youtube following, so it has been an absolute essential part of my success.

4. My blog

Income from my blog is also made through Google Adsense. This is not ideal, and some readers do complain that there are too many ads when they read articles. Having ads enabled on my blog does cover my hosting fees though, and gives some small compensation for the many hours I’ve spent writing informative articles.

Similar to Youtube, the blog also acts as a funnel or advertising space for my paid products.

5. Affiliate income

Affiliate income is when you recommend a product, service or company to your audience with a special referral link. If someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you receive a small percentage of that purchase as a thank you from the company.

Affiliate income is an excellent way to make money, but certainly not the easiest (at least, that has been the case for me!) Affiliate commissions vary a huge amount from as little as 1 -4% of the sale (hello Amazon!) to 30-50% (I don’t have any affiliates that pay that much but I know they’re out there).

It takes a lot of time to insert links and write them into content in a way that provides value to your audience. No one wants to feel like they’re being spammed so it’s important to use affiliate links properly and respectfully.

You can do this by only recommending products/services that you use yourself or that you have sufficient knowledge of in order to recommend with confidence.

Some months my affiliate income now surpasses my blog or YouTube income but this is not a frequent occurrence.

6. Paid newsletter

This year I started my very first paid newsletter through Convertkit (now known as Kit). I have been sending out a free newsletter for many years but the paid newsletter is separate and covers different topics.

7. Magazine work

This income stream involves writing articles and submitting projects. I have completed quite a bit of this type of work over the last year or so and continue to receive requests and proposals.

Submitting projects takes a great deal of work and time and I don’t feel the compensation is high enough for the amount of work required. So, for the near future at least I will stick more to the article writing, which I find enjoyable and rewarding.

8. Public speaking/ presentations

This is another income stream that I just started this year. I receive invitations to speak or present for weaving guilds or groups. So far, these presentations have been online, which is brilliant as it allows me to reach people that live in different locations to me! I prepare a presentation ahead of time and then give the presentation live.

9. Handmade items

This is a very, very small stream as I only sell handmade items occasionally. Before I started the Online Weaving School, I was a handmade seller, but I have very little time now to actually make something physical to sell.

10. Facebook

This one is kind of a surprise. I logged into my Facebook analytics one day and found that I had made a little money! I didn’t even know that was a thing 😆 Since then, I’ve made small amounts every month. It’s really only pocket money but I certainly don’t mind earning money for posting on my Facebook page, which is something that I would be doing anyway.

11. Merchandise

I have tried merchandise with Society6 and Spring. I have closed the Society6 store and will likely do the same for the Spring store in the future. This has not been a good source of income for me, so I have stopped promoting it in order to focus more on the streams that do work well for me.

Being an entrepreneur is such a journey of learning, adapting and pivoting when needed. Having more than one stream of income really helps you to try things out, see what will work and what won’t and then maximise the things that work the best for your business.

If you are starting out with online business, you will find these articles helpful as well:

Should I start with Etsy or Shopify?

Handmade Business Beginner Essentials

3 ways to start selling online for free

Do you want to start selling your weaving?

This article is also available in video format here:

I hope you enjoyed reading about my income streams and I wish you all the best with your online business!

If you want to take steps towards building your own business or making money online, it makes sense to talk to someone who has done it already. I am available for 1:1 email consultation, click the button to find out more.

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Corn Flake Slice (easy recipe!)

by Kelly 4 Comments

Corn flake slice is one of those absolute classic grandma recipes.

I got my corn flake slice recipe from my mother in law and have used it so many times. It’s a real hit with children of all ages and was often featured in shearing sheds at smoko time.

One of the great things about a recipe like corn flake slice is that it’s so quick and easy to bake up with ingredients you are likely to have in your pantry already – no special shopping trips for fancy ingredients.

If you don’t have corn flakes in your home supply already, they are easy to come by and one of the most affordable cereals.

You will also want to have a basic slice tin (you might know it as a brownie pan). I find it well worth having this specific tin size, I use mine all the time.

Corn Flake Slice (very, very easy!)

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

125 grams butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup cornflakes
1 cup desiccated coconut

Method

Preheat oven to a moderate (around 180 degrees celsius or 170 fan forced).
Melt butter and honey together.
Add to mixed dry ingredients.
Place in a shallow slice tin, press to even and flatten out a little.
Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 15 minutes) and leave in tin to cool.
Turn out and cut into squares.

It’s important to let your slice cool completely before cutting so that it hardens and holds together. Store in an airtight container.

I hope you enjoy this vintage recipe that was handed down to me.

Happy Baking!

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

Soft White Sandwich Bread Recipe

by Kelly 3 Comments

Jump to Recipe

You will absolutely love this soft white sandwich bread recipe!

I’ve been making bread for a very long time now but there is one thing that many of my loaves were lacking – lightness and softness.

My loaves were often on the dense side, not in an unpleasant way, actually in quite a substantial way, but I did have the desire to be able to make a lighter bread if I wanted to – more like a bakery style sandwich loaf.

So I started testing ingredients and methods and investigating bakery methods.

There are a few things I stumbled upon that led to the formulation of this recipe:

A higher yeast proportion for a faster rise plus using sugar for taste and fast rising
The addition of butter
A long mixing time with the mixer

Using a mixer with a dough hook takes a lot of work out of it for you and just kneads up the most beautiful dough.

I have an older model Kenwood mixer, it does the job OK, but if and when I have to replace it I think I would be leaning towards a Kitchenaid or something similar.

The bread is quite sweet and you could definitely reduce the sugar (though each batch does make 2 loaves) or you could also substitute honey. Other sweeteners I’m not sure on as I haven’t used them.

Personally I don’t use fancy bread tins, just something similar to these rectangle loaf tins and I line them with parchment baking paper on a roll that I then save a reuse many times, this really cuts down on dishes to wash.

Soft Sandwich Bread

5 from 1 vote

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Cook Time 35

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 kg White baker's flour
620 ml Warm water
3.5 tsp Instant dried baker's yeast
3 tbs White granulated sugar
2.5 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Butter (room temperature)

Method

Place yeast, sugar and warm water in a mixer bowl. Allow to sit until the yeast froths (5-10 minutes).
Add flour and salt and mix on low until ingredients start to incorporate. Keep mixer going as you add softened butter, a couple of cubes at a time.
Turn mixer up to level 1 and allow machine to knead dough for 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and soft and pull away from sides of bowl.
Oil bowl lightly, cover with plastic wrap and leave in warm place until dough has doubled in size (may take 45 minutes to 1.5 hours or even longer if placed in a cool place).
Divide dough into 2. On a lightly floured surface, press each piece out with your hands into a rectangle shape. Roll the rectangle starting at one short end, tucking in ends a little as you go. Pinch the seam lightly. Place in baking tin lined with parchment paper with seam side down. Do the same to the other loaf. (Don’t fuss over this part, just try to get a seam at the bottom)
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and leave until risen, this can take 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on room temperature.
Preheat oven to 200C (fan forced) or 210 conventional.
Bake loaves for 35mins.
Allow to cool on a rack before cutting.

The bread is freshest when eaten on the same day but it makes wonderful toast for days after that! If it gets a little old, you can throw it in the freezer to use for fresh breadcrumbs.

I love eating it toasted and topped with eggs from our homestead. The bread also freezes well, I leave the loaves whole to freeze, or you could cut into smaller pieces if you need less bread at once.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you try it out I would love your feedback 😊

Would you like to see just how I make this bread? Check out my instructional video:

Until next time…

Happy Baking!

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