Inspiration

What can I weave on a small loom?

There are many looms that could fall into the “little loom” category.

Today I’m going to be talking specifically about the smallest rigid heddle looms available.

There are many reasons why weavers opt for a smaller loom. Some of these may include:

Affordability – a small loom is also a smaller financial investment to get started with.
Portability – you can literally pick these little looms up with one hand and take them with you
Space – some people have very limited space for storing a loom.
Testing it out – a small loom is a great way to test out weaving to see if it’s something you really want to pursue.

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

Many small loom weavers will later upgrade to a larger loom. Or some, (like myself!) will purchase a smaller loom later on, in order to have an extra loom on hand or just for sampling new ideas and designs.

Let’s have a look at the small rigid heddle looms currently available for purchase:

Ashford Sampleit 10″ (also comes in a 16″ weaving width)

Kromski Presto 10″ (also comes in a 16″ weaving width)

Schacht Cricket 10″ (also comes in a 15″ weaving width)

Beka beginners rigid heddle loom, available in 4″ and 10″ weaving width

I’ve come up with a list of finished items you can weave on a little loom as some ideas for getting started:

Samples

The number one function that a smaller loom serves is to make samples. If you are one of those people who think that sampling is a waste of time and yarn, I get it – I used to be exactly the same. But, throughout my weaving journey I have learned the true value of sampling before committing to a project.

In some cases, its actually a false economy to not sample and that is because the sample teaches you what you should and shouldn’t do for that project. In short, it guarantees the success of your project!

Clothing

You can make garments, even with a small loom, with a bit of creative design. Strips of woven cloth can be seamed together in order to make larger pieces of fabric, which can then be cut and sewn into garments. People often have the idea that only large, drapey garments (like a ruana) can be sewn with hand woven fabric, but that is not so. All kinds of clothing, including fitted pieces can be made, with a bit of planning ahead of time to ensure you are weaving an appropriate weight of fabric, with appropriate yarns for the garment you want to make.

In my Rigid Heddle Garment making class, we weave and then sew a loose fitting, open front cardigan. The class is not specifically for small looms, but it is easy to see how you can build a garment by building panels to seam together. A woven fabric with vertical stripes incorporated into the design would be perfect for camouflaging seams.

The Clasped Warp Quechquemitl class is another example of panels sewn together to construct a beautiful garment. Again, the class is not specific to small looms but the weaver could opt to weave 4 panels to join rather than the 2 demonstrated in the class.

The most obvious garment choice for a little loom would have to be a scarf, as you don’t need a wide width and you can wind on a warp that is long enough for one or two scarves.

Art

I have created a variety of art pieces on my 10″ Sampleit loom. A small loom is perfect for a petite sized wall hanging, tapestry or framed piece. I discovered an added bonus to my Sampleit for weaving art recently. When not in use, I store this loom by hanging it on the wall. I was working on some krokbragd recently and noticed when I hung the loom up for the day, that it was a perfect way to display the work on the wall while it’s being completed!

Another thing I have not yet done, but desperately want to, is to frame some of my smaller woven pieces. I love the way krokbragd looks in a beautiful frame.

Tapestry can also be woven on a little loom. You can see a few of my small tapestries in this post. I will freely admit that nowadays I weave tapestries almost exclusively on my Big Sister, but prior to the purchase of that loom I honed my tapestry weaving skills on my Sampleit. I even made a class about weaving Tapestry on a Rigid Heddle Loom!

Freestyle tapestries are great on a small rigid heddle, as they are more of an “anything goes” project. They can be very planned or completely unplanned. My Freestyle Tapestry series and Van Gogh Inspired Tapestry series are both great starting points for some inspiration.

Accessories and jewellery

You can weave some awesome gifts on your little loom. A bookmark is a quick project and a fantastic way to use up leftover yarn.

I wove a tapestry necklace on my tapestry loom, but the same could be done on a rigid heddle loom. A wrist cuff is a great small loom project and very straightforward to make.

I’m often asked if inkle bands can be woven on a rigid heddle. I have not done it myself, but I have seen bands woven by others. My advice would be – if you want to weave a lot of bands, make the investment in an inkle loom. They are quite affordable and they hold the amount of tension required for weaving really neat bands. Click here if you want to find out more about inkle weaving.

Notebook covers are fun and useful to weave. You can make them to fit your notebook, like I did for my Stashbuster Notebook tutorial series. You can also view that series here:

Some more accessory ideas could include:

A clutch, a purse or small bag, a phone case or wallet, glasses case, gadget case, pouches, or a drawstring bag.

Homewares

The range of projects you could complete in this category really narrow down to how comfortable you are with seams in your finished piece (though I will mention double width weaving shortly!)

Small items could include kitchen cloths, drink coasters, mug rugs, small placemats, teapot rests, and napkins and pot plant or coffee mug holders.

If you don’t mind the idea of seaming pieces together, you can expand on this list of projects to include:

Cushions and pillows, kitchen towels, table runners, throws and blankets. My Rainbow Blanket project is the perfect of example of how seaming panels together to make a larger project can really work. It was woven entirely on my 10″ Sampleit loom. It is lap blanket sized, but could easily be expanded to become bed sized! I woven panels and hand seamed them together.

Children

Options for woven items for children could include little hats, vests, pants, baby blankets, toys and plushies.

Double width

I couldn’t possibly finish up without mentioning that you have the ability to weave double width on your rigid heddle loom. For my 10″ Sampleit, this means that instead of the 10″ weaving width available, I would have 20″ instead! Just to temper that statement, this doesn’t include draw in, so the actual finished piece would be narrower than 20″ – but you get the idea. Weaving double width is just that – you increase the width of your finished item to twice the size it would have been.

This is a great option to small loom weavers who do not have the option of upgrading to a larger loom but would love to weave larger items. Does double width weaving sound like some kind of sorcery to you? Well, it’s actually very practical and with the right steps, is very doable. I have some resources that can help you get started:

Weaving with Two Heddles Online Class

Doubleweave Baby Blanket Online Class

I’m sure I haven’t covered all the ideas that are possible on a smaller loom, so if you have any other thoughts for projects, please share with other readers in the comments below.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

How to sit correctly at a rigid heddle loom

by Kelly 16 Comments

In my last post, I spoke about my back pain journey and gave all my best hints to help you avoid experiencing pain while weaving on your floor loom.

That post was very popular and many of you asked if I could do something similar for weaving on your rigid heddle loom. A floor loom and a rigid heddle loom are quite different when it comes to seating, and while a lot of the same principles I talked about in my last article regarding posture still apply, I think it’s worth going over the options.

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

I’d like to point out that, even though some of these are not my personal preference, that doesn’t mean that they’re not right for you. And, if you are using a seating arrangement currently that works really well and allows you to weave pain free – don’t change it!

Regular chair-

Some weavers use a regular, straight backed dining chair to weave. This is what I started off with when I began my rigid heddle journey, but it did not suit me at all. I did find it better if I bolstered my lower back by wedging a cushion between my back and the chair when weaving, but it was still not comfortable for me.

Weaving bench–

I would not use a weaving bench or piano stool with my rigid heddle. The length of the stool does not allow me to get right in close to the loom, and there is no back support.

Office chair–

This is what I use and I’m going to go over in more depth why I think it is the best option in a moment.

With a stand-

I do recommend weaving with a stand for loom sizes 24″ and above. This is because the larger/wider the loom, the more difficult it is to prop against a table to weave, and the longer your reach distance will be. A longer reach distance means more stress on your body.

Without a stand-

I don’t use a stand for my Sampleit 10″ loom because it’s so small, light and portable that I can weave on it just about anywhere, it makes a great lap loom. You don’t have to have a stand for your rigid heddle, but I do think it’s really worthwhile investment. If you have or are looking at purchasing a really large loom, such as a 32 or 48″, I would definitely be wanting a stand.

I want to talk now a little more about my office chair and why I think it’s the perfect solution. I was lucky enough to get my chair for free when my husband’s workplace was closing an office and it was barely used!

Height adjustable
Contoured
Back rest adjustable
Tiltable

All of this means that I can sit right in close to my loom and adjust the chair to be as comfortable as I could possibly want to be. My back, shoulders and neck are not stressed because my body is so well positioned.

Because my chair is on wheels, it’s really quick to make minor adjustments to get closer to or further from the loom.

My feet are either flat on the floor or positioned on top of the stand’s stabilising bar, meaning the loom is very stable.

Now, just because we have a super duper chair with nice back support doesn’t mean we can get lazy about posture. Yes, it’s still possible to slouch, bend or tilt your body in ways that will wear on your back over time.

So don’t forget those good posture points – a straight back, level shoulders, elbows resting comfortably on the front beam.

Regular breaks are important, to give your body an opportunity to move about in a different way after being in one position for a while. If you want to read more about posture, breaks and stretching, I recommend you read over this post.

And to see my seating position in action, I’ve made a video for you. The video shows both how I sit with my loom on a stand and how I sit when not using a stand. You can click below to check that out:

I hope this post was helpful to you and gets you thinking about ways you can maximise your weaving time by minimising back, neck and shoulder pain.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Baubles and Candles on a rigid heddle loom

by Kelly 11 Comments

With Christmas fast approaching, I wanted to gift you all with something fun and achievable, as well as having a festive theme.

I came up with some simple baubles and candles that I’m confident is suitable for any level of rigid heddle weaver.

This project is very decorative and better suited to low wash items.

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

For the project, I just wove a sampler to illustrate the patterns, but you can use the designs however you please.

What you will need:

A rigid heddle loom (any size is fine if you just want to weave the sample.

A 7.5 dent heddle

A threading/reed hook

A stick shuttle wider than the width of your weaving

A pick up stick wider than the width of your weaving

A tapestry needle

Yarn options:

For my warp I used a light worsted/dk weight wool in white. I used this same yarn for my plain weave. The same yarn, but in different colours was used for the pattern weft. Please see the video for colours used.

For embellishments, I used small amounts of DMC embroidery floss.

Sampler Specifications:

If you wanted to weave a sampler just like mine, here are the basic measurements.

Number of ends: 64 (32 slots)

Approximate width on loom: 8″

Sett: 7.5

Total warp length: 35″

The baubles and candles use the same overshot weaving technique as my reindeer, snowmen, gift boxes and winter trees.

There is a pattern weft that forms the picture or design, and in between every pattern pick is a plain weave pick (either an up or a down shed).

Weaving Instructions:

The Baubles –

I left a border either side of my designs in order to centre them and make sure that none were inadvertently cut in half! I left 6 threads on each side. This is optional, and you an adjust the border threads to suit.

I’m not including the border threads in the weaving steps, but if you watch the video you won’t have any trouble following along with these instructions.

Remember that you need to weave a plain weave row in between every pattern weft.

Step 1. 6 up, 2 down, *7 up, 2 down, repeat from * (7 up, 2 down for the rest of the way across)

Step 2. *5 up, 4 down, repeat from *

Step 3. 4 up, 6 down, *3 up, 6 down, repeat from *

Step 4. Repeat row 3, with a contrast colour

Step 5. Repeat row 3, with the original colour

Step 6. *5 up, 4 down, repeat from *

Step 7. Repeat row 1

The Candles:

For the candles, I left a border either side of 5 threads instead of 6, to work in better with the required calculations for the design.

Step 1. *4 down, 4 up, repeat from *

Step 2. Repeat row 1, alternating plain weave rows with pattern rows.

All of these details are available in a handy PDF for you to print out. You can download and print that right here:

Baubles-and-Candles Download

And you will want to watch the video and follow along with the instructions. You will find the free and detailed video here:

I hope you enjoy this project! Thank you all for your AMAZING support this year!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 🎄

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Tips for weaving overshot

by Kelly 9 Comments

One of the great things about having been a blogger for 12 years (did I actually just admit that?!) is that you occasionally get to look back and see how very far you’ve come.

Over three years ago, when my David Louet floor loom was still somewhat new to me, I wrote this post on overshot. If you read it, you will discover that my initial relationship with overshot was not a very positive one.

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

Back then, I was a little harder on myself as a learning weaver. By now, I’ve realised that weaving, just like life, is a journey that has a beginning but no end. Back then, I thought that my ultimate goal was to be a “master weaver”.

Honestly, I don’t even really know what that means but it no longer matters to me. I just want to be the best weaver I can be, but even more importantly, to continue to be fulfilled, challenged and rewarded by doing it.

Hang on, am I here to talk about overshot or not? Yes, I am!

The happy ending to the initial overshot sob story is that I can weave overshot now. Quite well, in fact! And I also teach it. And I happen to love it, very, very much. Don’t you love a happy ending?

I don’t think there was any particular moment where I thought to myself “I can weave overshot now!” I didn’t even weave any overshot for quite some time after that initial attempt. But slowly it tempted me back, and we started over. It was just a matter of sticking with it, employing some specific techniques and practice, practice, practice until it feels like an old friend.

My love of overshot has only increased with my more recent discovery of American Coverlets. I loved the look of the coverlets and the history behind them before I realised that so many of them were woven in the wonderfully humble 4 shaft overshot.

I’ve put a lot of research time into coverlets this year and have made it a big weaving goal of mine to weave my first coverlet, which is quite an undertaking, but I relish the thought.

I’ve also spent a lot of time actually weaving overshot this year. I released the very successful Overshot on a Rigid Heddle Loom class not long ago.

I’ve just completed this magnificent piece on my floor loom for my brand new Overshot on a Floor Loom class.

Incidentally, this photo is now one of my most popular posts on Instagram! I guess other people love it as much as I do.

Now that I have quite a lot of experience weaving overshot, I want to share my best overshot tips with you in hope that you too will fall in love with this wonderful weave structure.

Tip 1 – Take the time to sample

I know, I know, sampling takes time and yarn, it’s true. But it teaches you so, so much. It can also be more economical, as you can test your yarns out for suitability before committing to a larger project. Trust me, sampling is so well worth the time!

Tip 2 – Use appropriately sized yarns

To weave overshot you need a warp yarn, a tabby yarn and a pattern weft yarn. Using the same yarn for warp and tabby works perfectly. For the pattern weft, I like to use a yarn that is twice the size of the tabby/warp yarn. I have experimented with using doubled strands of tabby/warp yarn in a contrasting colour, but it just doesn’t look as good. A thicker pattern yarn is the way to go.

As an example, my current favourite yarn combinations for weaving overshot are:

Warp – 8/2 cotton

Tabby – 8/2 cotton

Pattern weft- fingering weight wool

There are certainly other combinations you can use, and once again, I recommend sampling to find what you love.

Tip 3 – Consider the scale of the pattern

What will the size of your item be? A miniature overshot pattern may get lost in a blanket, but may be perfect for a scarf. As a general rule, a good way to estimate the size of one repeat of your pattern just by looking at the draft is to see how many repeats are in one threading repeat. Also consider the thickness of your yarns and the sett you intend to weave.

Just to give you an idea, my current project is woven at 20 ends per inch with 8/2 cotton for warp and tabby and fingering weight wool for the pattern weft. The weaving draft has 50 threads in one threading repeat. My design repeats on the loom are around 2.5″ wide and just under 5″ long, which is a great size for the 30″ x 99″ throw I’m weaving.

Tip 4 – Give your weft picks plenty of room

I throw my picks gently to avoid drag on the selvedges and therefore preventing excessive draw in. I give a generous angle to the weft pick and keep it soft at the edges. I do adjust the picks at the edges before beating when necessary, but mostly I prefer to leave them alone and let them settle into place on their own.

Tip 5 – Floating selvedges are a must!

This is a non negotiable for overshot if you want neat edges and less headaches! You get used to using floating selvedges very quickly, so don’t stress if you have no experience with them.

Tip 6 – Don’t twist weft threads

This is another selvedges tip. I’ve experimented with crossing the two weft yarns at the selvedge to see whether it gives a neater edge, but it doesn’t, at least for me. So, instead of twisting the two wefts at each selvedge when throwing a new pick, I just let them follow one another sequentially and my edges are much neater that way.

Tip 7 – Will the pattern weft bloom?

Besides the thickness of the pattern weft yarn, you will also want to consider what kind of bloom it may have after wet finishing. For example, I know that my fingering weight wool blooms beautifully, whereas a cotton of the same size would not bloom in the same way. I very much like the contrast of the 8/2 cotton background with the plump wool pattern weft.

I’m going to sound like a broken record, but once again, a sample will show you everything you need to know about how your yarn will behave as a finished piece.

Tip 8 – Beware running colours

I’m often surprised by the potential of yarns to leach dye in the wet finish process. I’ve had certain yarns that I’ve used frequently that will leach dye sometimes and not others.

This is a particular problem if your colours and white on red or navy on white – you want to preserve that white and not have it come out of the wash as a pink or light blue!

The best way to avoid this is through vigilance, especially in the first 10-15 minutes of your woven piece making contact with water. If you see dye beginning to run, take it out of the warm wash and rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. Place back in the warm water and maintain your watch on it. Repeat the rinsing process if needed.

Tip 9 – Set up the treadles ergonomically

There are 6 treadles needed for overshot, even though you weave on 4 shafts. The two extra treadles are for the tabby weave. I always set up my pattern treadles in the centre of the loom – two on the left and two on the right. Then I set up a “left” tabby and a “right” tabby treadle. To do this on my 8 shaft loom I leave a gap between the pattern treadles and the tabby treadles so that my feet can “see” and differentiate between a pattern and tabby treadle.

Tip 10 – Advance the warp often

I like to advance little and often. You will find your own preference or “sweet spot” for weaving, but I find that with overshot I advance a lot more frequently at a much smaller amount than I do usually.

Tip 11 – Experiment with the beat

The firmness of beat will depend on a few things. Your chosen yarns, the weave structure, the width of the project and the tension your warp is under are all important considerations. I let the project dictate.

An example of this is that I wove an overshot sampler right before Is started my main project (the throw). It was a narrow warp (around 8″) and a different overshot threading and treadling than I’m using for the project.

I found that the sampler required a light beat, where I was pushing or placing the weft into position.

But for my throw project, I am beating harder and sometimes having to beat twice. Because of the width of the project, I need to be careful that I’m beating evenly, and that is easier to do if I’m beating more firmly.

Tip 12 – To temple or not to temple?

I personally do not use a temple. Some weavers will say they won’t weave without one. I’ve tried using a temple on many of my projects, particularly if I’m getting broken edge warp threads (signs of tension problems and too much draw in). But I will avoid using one wherever I can get away with it, and I don’t use one for weaving overshot.

I find that if I’m careful with weft tension and warping evenly, I do not get excessive draw in. It is something I’m constantly aware of while weaving and remind myself of tip 4 so that my weft picks are not pulling in at the edges.

I hope these tips have been helpful to you! If you are interested in overshot, here are some additional resources for you to check out:

Overshot on a rigid heddle loom class

Overshot on a floor loom class

Talking overshot (free video)

The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory, Ann Dixon

A Handweaver’s Pattern Book, Marguerite Davison

Next Steps in Weaving, Pattie Graver

Miniature Overshot Designs, Bertha Graysons Hayes (as a disclaimer, I do not own this book yet, but have heard very good things about it).

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Diamond Stripe Towel Weave Along

by Kelly 88 Comments

The Diamond Stripe Towel Weave Along is a very popular project that usually runs in January.

My Diamond Stripe Towel pattern has been such a popular seller that many buyers requested a video series as well. I love running weave alongs as they are so much fun and foster a huge amount of enthusiasm.

January is usually the perfect time, after the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year’s have died down and weaving folks are looking to settle in with a new project.

This year enrolments will open on January 15th (Australian calendar).

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

Let’s go through some questions I know may be springing to mind for you.

So, how will the weave along work?

All participants will need to purchase the pattern to join in. The pattern is available here as a digital download and can be purchased anytime in the lead up to the weave along.

For those who are members of my Online Weaving School, participation in the weave along is free (but the pattern needs to be purchased separately.)

For non members, there will be a small purchase fee of $5USD to join in to the weave along, in addition to the purchase of the pattern.

Can you tell me about the pattern?

The pattern is for weaving two kitchen (tea) towels on one warp. We use two heddles to weave the pattern, and both towels are the same apart from the weft colour. The design is reversible and looks wonderful on both sides.

I find that using bright and strongly contrasting colours works really well and shows up the diamonds beautifully – but of course, as the weaver you can choose whatever colours you wish.

What level of weaver will this project be suitable for?

If you have never woven with two heddles before, I highly recommend that you first go through my Weaving with Two Heddles class. This will give you the knowledge, practice and confidence to leap right into the weave along.

Some weavers will be able to follow the weave along just fine with the videos and the pattern – others may find the introduction of two heddles in a project a bit overwhelming. In the Two Heddles class you weave a sampler and explore all the different things you can achieve with two heddles before you ever commit to a project.

What kind of loom will I need to participate?

You will need a rigid heddle loom with a 20″ weaving width. Yes, you can make skinnier towels on a smaller loom if that is what you’re working with, but obviously they will be a little different to mine.

What other tools will be needed?

As I mentioned, we will be weaving on two heddles. Yes, you can weave these towels on one heddle with heddle rods, but I will not be providing instructions on how to do that.

I have used 2 x 12.5 dent heddles. Yes, you can use 2 x 10 dent if that is what you have, your sett would just be a little looser than mine.

You will need a stick shuttle, threading and reed hook, scissors, etc.

I use a serger and a sewing machine to hem my towels and will be showing how to do this in the weave along. My preference for kitchen towels is to not have a fringe. I understand however, that not everyone has a sewing machine and knows how to use it, so hemstitch with a short fringe is perfectly acceptable.

I only have a 16″ rigid heddle loom. Can I still participate?

Yes! I have provided some helpful instructions to assist those with a smaller loom.

I already have 2 x 10 dent heddles. Do I need to purchase the 12.5 dents to participate?

No. I’m a big fan of using what you have on hand and not making unnecessary purchases. I will be providing some helpful details for adjusting the numbers to suit 10 dent heddles.

What yarns will I need?

The full yarn details and amounts are provided when you purchase the pattern, but you will want to use plant based fibre for kitchen towels. Here are a couple of my favourites for kitchen towels:

Maurice Brass ard 8/2 cotton

Maurice Brassard 8/2 cottolin

Can I weave these towels with 8/4 cotton?

Yes, you can! In fact, in last year’s weave along, I updated the content to include a supplementary section for those who wish to use 8/4 instead of 8/2 cotton.

I highly recommend that you use 12 or 12.5 or even 15 dent heddles, if you have them. I feel that 10 dent heddles would be a bit looser than I would like for this size of cotton.

You can also double 8/2 cotton in the weft if you like. More information on this is available in the class. Here are the yarns I used:

Maurice Brassard 8/4 cotton

Ada 8/2 cotton

Will there be a deadline for completing the weave along?

Enrolments will be open to non members for several days before closing and commencing the class. Members will be able to access the class permanently, as long as their membership is active.

Once you are enrolled, there is no time limit on completion of the class. It is always fun to weave along with all the other enrolees so you can share progress photos and troubleshoot, but the choice is yours.

So, what if I’m away when the weave along starts, can I still participate?

Yes, you can still participate, but if you are a non member you will need to enrol in the class within that opening window. Members can enrol anytime.

Where will the weave along take place?

At my Online Weaving School. Weaving School members will undergo automatic enrolment and non members will be able to purchase the weave along as a separate class.

If you already have an account with my weaving school, it will be quick and easy for you to join in the weave along. If you don’t have an account, I recommend that you make one (this is free) so that you are ready and familiar with the site when the weave along begins. I also have a short, free class on using the site if you need that extra input.

There is also a weave along community group on Facebook, and the link to join that group is contained within the weave along course.

How will I know when the weave along is released?

You will need to be on my mailing list, where I’ll be giving updates and reminders in during the time leading up to the weave along. If you are already on my mailing list, all you have to do is open my emails when they arrive in your inbox.

If you need to purchase materials for this weave along, I recommend the following suppliers:

The Woolery (US)

Revolution Fibers (US)

Thread Collective (Australia)

I participated in the last weave along, can I join in this one as well?

Absolutely, I would love to have you back! If you have an active membership at the time the Weave Along is running, you can jump in and participate. If you purchased the class as a single purchase when the weave along was last open, you can also just jump back in.

I hope this post has you super excited about joining in to the weave along!

This year there will also be some fun giveaways in the Facebook group 😉

Please do leave any additional questions you may have in the comments sections so that I can address them for you.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Weaver’s Gift Guide 2020

by Kelly 6 Comments

2020 has been a pretty rough year for most of us. I am so looking forward to celebrating Christmas and enjoying the festive season!

Our family of 6 will be reuniting to celebrate Christmas together after being separated from our son due to COVID lockdown for most of this year. I can’t wait for that!

One thing that 7 months of lockdown prompted me to do was to buy all those weaving books (ahem, OK, they weren’t just weaving books) I had always wanted. I don’t feel the need to tell you how many books have landed on my doorstep this year, but lets just say that I’m a lot more challenged for bookshelf space now than I was at the start of the year!

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, check out my disclosure policy here.

Books make the most fabulous gifts though, so I’m going to be including a few of my personal favourites in this 2020 Weaver’s Gift Guide.

If you’re looking for fictional books to dive into (heads up, I’m a big classics fan!) you can find a list of suggestions in the Book Lovers section of my Amazon Shop.

If you need further inspiration, why not also check out last year’s Weaver’s Gift Guide?

Without further ado, let us launch into the gift guide! Items are in no particular order 😉

Ashford Sampleit Loom

I have used my Sampleit a LOT this year, in fact it has rarely been without a warp on it’s sweet little frame. I have found it so perfect for not only sampling (which it is absolutely perfectly sized for) but also for weaving smaller projects. Would you believe that my Rainbow Lap Blanket was woven entirely on my 10″ Sampleit?!

Another thing I love about my Sampleit is that it’s so small and light it hangs on some hooks mounted on the wall when it’s not in use. I hang it up whether it has a warp on it or not. Easy and efficient storage!

I use mine without a stand, but stands are available.

A little loom is a great way for a new weaver to dip their toes into the weaving world without making a big financial investment.

The Ashford Sampleit comes in two sizes – a 10″ and a 16″.

2. Lacis Cards

I just started card weaving this year and I must admit I’m pretty hooked! I use my inkle loom to weave bands with cards, but rigid heddle looms and body tensioning can work too. Card weaving is so cool and there are so many variations on patterns that you can weave – I’ve only just scratched the surface and look forward to doing much more. The Lacis cards are really great – they are durable, have a light, shiny coating that allows easy turning of the cards, they are a good size for your hands and the holes are marked with A, B, C and D to help you keep track during threading and turning.

Another great card weaving resource is Candace Crockett’s book Card Weaving. Candace puts her instructions in laymen’s terms so they are really easy to follow. It’s a great book to start out card weaving with. The book + a pack of cards = a wonderful weaving gift!

3. Fringe Twister

Many newer and seasoned weavers would appreciate the gift of a fringe twister. If you have been twisting fringes by hand (or know a weaver who has) a fringe twister is an absolute game changer!

I own the LeClerc fringe twister with 4 clips. The more clips you have, the more fringe you can twist at once. I’ve had my twister for many years now and it is in constant use. It still functions just like new.

4. Rosie’s Flexible Tablet Holder for Loom

A little disclaimer here – I do not own one of these. But as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to include it in this year’s gift guide. Why?

Because I knew it would be the perfect thing for so many of my students! Many students watch my classes on their iPad or tablet and actually follow along with instructions whilst seated at the loom.

This tablet holder can attach directly to your loom or table, and it has a flexible arm so that you can get the positioning of the tablet just right.

It’s also surprisingly affordable for such a task specific tool. I love it!

The Smart Phone Holder is also available.

5. Clover Jumbo Bent Tip Tapestry Needles

Ok, I’m a weirdo, but seriously, these needles have changed my life! At least when it comes to hemstitching. I’ve written about these needles previously, but for a quick re-cap, I love them because:

They have a coating that is just slippery enough. They glide through hand woven fabric like they were born to do it.
The bent tip makes them ergonomically wonderful to use – less stress on your hands and wrists.
They are a great size for holding and using.
They are cheap to buy/
They come in a 2 pack, just in case you lose one, which is unlikely because they are gold.
Did I mention they are gold?! 🤩

6. Weaving Books

It’s hard to know where to start with books, as the weaving world has been SO blessed with an abundance of excellent weaving books. Here are just a few of the books that are in my personal library:

Rigid Heddle Weaving:

The Weaver’s Idea Book, Jane Patrick

Inkle Weaving:

The Weaver’s Inkle Pattern Directory, Anne Dixon

Multi Shaft Weaving:

The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory, Anne Dixon

Card Weaving:

Card Weaving, Candace Crockett

Tapestry:

Tapestry Weaving, Kirsten Glasbrook

The Art of Tapestry Weaving, Rebecca Mezoff

7. Yarn!

Once again, there are just so many choices for weavers when it comes to yarn. But if you’re looking for gifts for weavers, here are a few of my favourites:

Maurice Brassard 8/2 cotton

Maurice Brassard 8/2 cottolin

Maurice Brassard 8/2 tencel

Maurice Brassard 8/2 bamboo

You may have noticed I’m a bit of a Maurice Brassard fan! Their yarns are affordable, reliable and beautiful so I use them a lot.

8. Laptop and iPad Skins

Well, if we’re going to use tech we might as well make it look good, and what better way than to slap some beautiful weaving on it?

My Society6 store has a huge range of printed weaving themed items, from coffee mugs to doormats, tote bags to greeting card, face masks to bath mats. It’s crazy just how many different items are available in my shop there, take a look!

9. Dressmaker’s Shears

My dressmaker’s shears are one of my most valued tools in my weaving studio. That feeling of finishing your weaving and cutting the warp off with beautifully sharp shears is just wonderful. Using dull scissors can be a huge frustration when you are cutting yarn all the time. And if you happen to sew with your hand woven fabric, a good pair of dressmaking shears is an absolute must.

In my opinion it is worth spending a little more on a good pair. I have had my Stag 9.5″ dressmaking shears for around 10 years. Strangely, this brand does not seem to be readily available nowadays, but I’ve read some rave reviews on Kai shears.

I simply have my shears sharpened every 2 – 3 years and they work perfectly. Sharpening only costs around $10AUD, so it’s a cheap way to maintain a sharp edge.

10. Tape Measures

Most days you will see me with a tape measure slung around my neck, and if not, it’s never far away. I have an assortment of tape measures so that I always have quick access. My tape measures are all inch plus metric measurements and I use both at various times.

You can go with the standard, basic tape measure or something cute and novel. I have both!

Basic tape measures.

Cute tape measures

11. Last, but not least, I couldn’t finish the Gift Guide without mentioning my Online Weaving School. Perhaps it’s time to give yourself the gift of weaving through the huge number of classes available. If you want to dive right in, a membership is the perfect option. Or, if you’re dipping your toes in, you may want to purchase single classes. The choice is yours!

Here is what students are saying:

“I love, love, love my gold class membership! I love that I have access to all the wonderful classes any time I want to watch them. Kelly is a fabulous teacher. She explains things in such a straightforward and understandable way, learning is much easier. A great bonus is the weaving community that comes with the gold membership. How wonderful to be able to encourage each other.”

Lori

“For the first time, I am seeing exactly how to do the things I keep reading about or see “snippets” of in other videos. Kelly explains and demonstrates each and every step, making it easy and enjoyable to do my weavings. She’s real, and down to earth. She’s not trying to “impress”, or show off her skills like I have seen in other videos. I truly do recommend Kelly Casanova to any and all who wish to enhance their Textile and Fibre Arts.“

Pamela

You can also gift memberships to others, simply contact me for more information.

Well, I certainly hope this Gift Guide has inspired you and something (or somethings) have caught your eye.

Whatever your are doing during this festive season, I pray that you be blessed with peace and joy and surrounded with love ❤️🎄🙏🏻

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Italian Hemstitch

by Kelly 4 Comments

You all know that I love hemstitching, right?

I have quite a lot of resources available on the topic, including articles and videos, some of which you can find in this post.

In addition to the basic hemstitch we all know and love, there are variations for an even more visually decorative, but still functional hemstitch.

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

The hemstitch doesn’t have to just be a way to secure your warp threads so that the weft doesn’t unravel when you remove your weaving from the loom. It can also be used within the weaving as a feature.

In the member’s only “How to Hemstitch” series, I have a separate class just to highlight and demonstrate how you can use hemstitch as a feature in your woven piece.

That brings me to today’s topic – the Italian Hemstitch. This is a gorgeous, decorative and functional stitch. It secures your warp ends just like an ordinary hemstitch does, but it stands out as a real feature. Embroidery lovers, this one is right up your alley!

Italian hemstitch looks great either as a single row at each end of your weaving or as rows within the weaving. It can be stitched in a variety of sizes, depending on how large you want it to look. It looks wonderful both from the front and from the back.

I love the way Italian hemstitch looks on a plain weave background, using a contrasting yarn so that it stands out and takes centre stage. You could choose to use a weight of yarn that matches the weight of your warp and weft, or something thicker, or something thinner. Experiment and see what your own preferences are!

For this tutorial I’ve used a light worsted wool for warp, weft and hemstitch, just in different colours. I’m going to be working a 2 x 2 Italian hemstitch.

Start by threading up a tapestry needle with the yarn you want to stitch with. Make the length around 5 times the width of your warp (I like to have a little more rather than run the risk of running out part way through).

I have to take a moment to extoll the virtues of this Clover Jumbo Bent Tip Needle. I used a regular tapestry needle for a long time before I purchased a pair of these needles, and wow, what a world of difference it’s made to my hemstitching! The large size, the coating that slips through your weaving just beautifully, and the bent tip all come together to make it a perfect tool to hemstitch with.

Secure the hemstitch yarn in your weaving, bringing the needle through to the front from the back. You can see one way that I work lock stitch in this free video. I work this about 2 – 3 warp threads in from the edge on the right hand side.

Count 2 warp threads in from the edge (above your last woven pick) and take the needle down through the gap to the back of your weaving.

When you pull the yarn through, there will be a loop around those first two warp threads, right at the top of the fell (where you last wove your weft).

Count across 2 warp threads again, but this time count down 2 weft threads. Bring the needle up from the back through that space.

Here is how this step looks once the needle and thread have been pulled through.

Take the needle and yarn back to the right edge. Now bring the needle up from behind, through the exact same hole that your last stitch came out of. This will make a new loop as you pull the needle through once more.

Pull on this loop to tighten it up a little. That gives us 2 horizontal lines – 2 sides of our box shape. Now we need to make the 3rd line as a vertical to close the box shape.

To get the vertical stroke of thread, we take the needle straight up to the left of those first 2 warp threads and pull through.

Now you can see your first block/box shape. Each box at the very edges of your weaving will be open ended on one side, the rest will be closed.

To continue working the boxes, count off the next 2 warp threads, bring the needle up and pull the needle and yarn through.

Take the needle back to the start of the second set of 2 warp threads and underneath.

Bring the tip of the needle (this is where that bent tip makes your life a whole lot easier!) up 2 weft threads down, in line with the 2 warp threads you have counted off.

Pull yarn through and tighten the loop. Take the needle back to the start of the pair of warp threads and down into the previous stitch’s hole.

Now bring the needle back up (thank you again bent tip needle!) through the hole that the working thread is in and pull through.

Finish off the box shape with a vertical thread again, by taking the needle down to the left of the warp threads just worked. Continue on across the warp and before long you will have something that looks like this:

It may seem a little complicated at first, but it’s really only a couple of steps more to complete than the regular hemstitch, and once you’ve “got it” your needle will fly!

If you would like a detailed, step by step video on how to work the Italian hemstitch, you may want to consider signing up for a membership at my Online Weaving School to access this and other great tutorials and classes.

The Italian Hemstitch class is available to all members of the Online Weaving School. It is a bite sized, technique focused class to further your learning in the wonderful world of weaving!

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them below, I always love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

How to make the most of your membership

by Kelly 2 Comments

Have you ever purchased a gym membership?

Let me guess, when you signed up you imagined yourself on the treadmill or pumping iron regularly. A few days a week, if not every day! You took out a 12 month membership because everybody knows that this will be the clincher – once you’ve paid you have to get your money’s worth!

A gym membership (you thought) was just the motivation you needed to get going and finally get fit and stay fit.

Young woman exercising at the gym with weight

What happened next? One of two things:

The first day you went was great, you felt awesome and on top of the world. Day 2, rolling out of bed early to fit in a session, you didn’t feel so crash hot about the whole thing. Day 3, you decided you really needed that sleep in, but you would definitely get back to the gym tomorrow. That was 6 months ago.

2. You made a plan and started slowly. You decided that 3 sessions a week was realistic for you and that you needed some guidance to start with. You wanted to build gradually towards a good level of fitness, free of injury or exhaustion. 6 months later, you maintain this plan and feel really great about your health and the steps you took to achieve your goals.

All of this is hypothetical of course, especially considering that I myself have never so much as stepped inside a gym – the very notion makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Give me a healthy walk in the fresh air any day!

But I wanted to use the gym analogy today because it coincides pretty well with what I want to say about my Online Weaving School.

What does working out have to do with learning to weave? Quite a bit, actually.

Both require a commitment. And not short term, just as you don’t achieve fitness overnight, you don’t become a great weaver overnight.

Both take effort and patience.

Both involve goals setting and time investment.

Both are extremely rewarding and produce wonderful results if all of the above are adhered to.

I will be the first to admit that I absolutely love the fact that memberships in my Weaving School are thriving at currently over 800 students. I’m amazed and so grateful that so many new and seasoned weavers want to learn with me.

But, I have to tell you that the figure of over 800 students is only a vanity metric if most of those students are not actually engaged, making the most of their memberships and learning exciting new techniques.

Because this is not all about how much money I can make from the volume of students I have. That is not why I started all of this (you can read more about my story here and a more recent version here) and it’s not why I work so hard to make my school the best it can be.

The thrill and enjoyment that I get seeing a student have a lightbulb moment, weaving something beautiful or falling hopelessly in love with this craft, is why I do what I do. You really can’t put a price on that.

If you are already a member, please, use the tools that I’ve provided to make your membership the very best learning experience I can provide. Join the membership community, interact with the other students, plan your class list and start working though them.

Know that if you are having trouble, there is support available. Members receive personal support from me when needed, and also from the community of other members.

So, what will you get with a membership?

You will get a HUGE variety of weaving classes to choose from that you can work through in your own time, in your own way. You can stop the videos any time you need to and rewatch again and again. There are countless printable PDF information sheets.

You will get to join a friendly and helpful community of weavers at all different levels. Some are absolute beginners, others have been weaving for years. And they will all cheer you on!

What won’t you get with a membership?

You will not get a babysitter. I don’t mean that to sound harsh, but just like a gym membership, the results are up to you. You will see improvement and success if you put in the time and effort it takes. But you have to show up, have a positive attitude and be ready to learn.

If you are interested in taking out a membership or perhaps checking out one of the free classes available at my weaving school, here are so links for you to have a look at:

Free classes:

Stashbuster Notebook Covers

Kitty Cats on a rigid heddle loom

Waffle Weave for rigid heddle loom

Wave and Zigzag shuttle weaving

Heart wallhanging

Calculating Warp for the rigid heddle loom

Honeycomb on a rigid heddle loom

Cardboard Loom tutorial

Honeybee Cushion

Do you have a membership already? What are your strategies for ensuring you make the most of it? Share in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Japanese Journey Masterclass!

by Kelly 10 Comments

The Japanese Journey Masterclass grew from a love of Japanese textiles and a desire to know more about processes and historical fibre arts in Japan.

This idea has been forming in my mind over almost 2 years. I knew that it would not be possible for me to take a physical trip to Japan but I very much wanted to undertake research and combine my previous explorations into Japanese arts with my handweaving.

So I decided that a virtual textile journey to Japan would be the best option to satisfy my fascination and explore ideas. When I mentioned the idea to others in my weaving community, I discovered that many of them were very eager to take the journey also – and so a year ago I began putting together this virtual journey that became a Masterclass!

There are three projects in total to complete in the course, multiple printable PDF’s and extra slide videos that delve into Japan’s textile past.

The first section of the Japanese Journey Masterclass is all about indigo. We talk about the origins and uses of indigo in Japan. Then we use the modern conveniences of indigo powder to make our own indigo vat.

All three project are dyed with indigo, however I do provide alternatives for those who don’t feel ready to venture into indigo dyeing.

Project 1 is the Sashiko Placemats. We begin by weaving the cloth, dyeing it with indigo, embroidering designs onto the cloth using the stunning sashiko (which translates to “little stabs”) techniques, and finally sewing the unique and striking placemats. I know these will become a feature of anyone’s dining table as well as a conversation piece.

Project 2 is the Shibori Pillows. Once again, we begin with weaving the cloth, but this time we learn the art of woven shibori. Shibori is a method of resist dyeing and can be achieved in a variety of ways with a variety of results. For us weavers, we have the additional fun of being able to weave out resist designs into the cloth to use later in the dyeing process.

Project 3 is the Japanese Apron. This is the largest project but very achievable. The simple crossover style of the apron makes it a sewing project that is simple enough for beginners. It is also an elegant and useful finished piece – I intend to use my apron to catch all those pesky fibres that fall onto my clothes while I’m weaving!

What skill level is this course for?

This masterclass is aimed at those who are familiar with and confident with their loom. Although the projects are all plain weave, we do use fine threads, which can present a challenge for newer weavers.

You also need to be familiar with basic sewing on your machine.

Other skills (sashiko embroidery, indigo dyeing) are taught in the class and are intended to build and expand your current skill set.

What do I need to complete this course?

A sense of adventure, first and foremost! Some of the skills you will learn in this course are challenging and take practice. But I know that, with the right attitude you will find it very rewarding to learn these new skills and add to your creative repertoire!

What equipment will I need to complete the course?

All the fabric for the three projects can be woven on a rigid heddle loom, as we use the classic and beautiful plain weave for every project. I wove my apron fabric on my floor loom, but this was a matter of practicality so that I could be more time efficient in making the course.

What size does my loom need to be?

I used my 24″ loom but as always, projects can be adapted to suit smaller sized loom. A 15″ or larger is preferable though.

What other things will I need?

A full materials list will be available upon purchase of the course. However, to complete all the projects you will probably need to purchase some extra tools. Dyeing equipment, embroidery hoops (optional), sashiko supplies and things of that nature will be needed. I’ve tried to provide affordable options and sources for additional equipment where needed.

Will I need a sewing machine and serger?

A sewing machine – yes. Every project is sewn together on a machine. Basic sewing skills are needed.

A serger – I consider this a luxury item – if have one, brilliant, if you don’t, you will get by. You will need a way to secure raw edges of hand woven cloth, you can do that with a zig zag stitch on a sewing machine though.

The course includes almost 8 hours of video content and 6 printable PDF’s.

You can complete the projects in whatever order you please, though I do recommend that you work through them in order to build those skills as you go and follow the lessons with ease.

I am so very pleased to announce that this course is fully closed captioned. This is part of my commitment to make online learning more accessible to the hearing impaired and challenged.

Gold members already have full access to this course as part of their membership.

The course is also available at full price as a single purchase.

To receive a notification of the course opening, ensure you are on my mailing list.

To enrol in the masterclass, please click here.

If you have any questions, I’m more than happy to help, just leave a comment below.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

10 Tips to improve your weaving today

by Kelly 19 Comments

Learning to weave is a real journey and it takes time. There is no magic potion or secret ingredient to becoming a better weaver. It takes persistence, time and dedication.

I’ve written a post addressing these facts already – 5 Steps to Successful Weaving, but today I want to give you some short and simple tips that you can do today to improve your weaving.

*This post contains affiliate links

Let’s launch right in!

Don’t run before you walk.

It’s easy to look too far ahead in your enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is great, in fact, it’s essential, but don’t let it blind you. Start at the level you’re at and work your way up. If you choose something too difficult for your weaving level, you may be setting yourself up for frustration.

2. Don’t choose the best yarn for your first project

The temptation of a gorgeous yarn with a big price tag is real. A beautiful yarn can be the perfect inspiration for a new project. But not as a beginner. And not until you’re confident that the picture you have in your head of your next project is likely to turn out how you want it to. Once again, the frustration will kick in if all doesn’t go as smoothly as you hoped. You have the extra pressure of the yarn price tag hanging over you. Keep the fabulous yarn for when you’re ready.

3. Begin with yarns that have some elasticity

It just makes beginner weaving life so much easier. A yarn with some elasticity (a woollen knitting yarn is perfect) will stretch just enough and is so forgiving that you should not have real issues with tension. Rigid yarns eg. cotton is much harder to tension on a rigid heddle loom. Wool, on the other hand, works with you, rather than you feeling like you’re working with (or for) it.

4. Start with thicker yarns – knitting yarns are perfect.

A thicker yarn (I recommend a light worsted/dk/ Aussie 8 ply) is great to begin with for a couple of reasons. The thickness is usually the perfect match for your standard 7.5 – 8 dent heddle/reed that came with your loom. So, no need to purchase extra sized heddle/reeds right away. It also weaves up much faster, and I think it’s important to make your first few projects very achievable and not be a massive time commitment. This will make you feel better about tackling the next project.

5. Commit regular time intervals to learning by doing

If your loom sits in a cupboard or your garage, guess what? You’re not going to learn how to weave. You’re not going to improve. And you will probably feel bad about it. If you are a busy person (let’s face it, who isn’t?!) then you may even find it beneficial to plan and schedule your weaving time so that it’s enough of a priority that you will weave regularly. I’m of the opinion that it is more beneficial to your learning journey to weave little and often than a big chunk of time occasionally. You’re training your brain to do new things, so consistency is important! Also, if you can have a dedicated space or at least not have to completely pack up everything after every weave session, that will be a great help and motivator.

6. Expect little – you might surprise yourself.

Hope for the best, but don’t place unrealistic expectations on yourself. Learning new skills takes time and patience, there is no way around that. Yes, some will learn quickly and some will take longer and that’s completely normal. If you haven’t seen my Slow Learning video, you should check it out:

7. Record your project information

You’re not being your own best weaving friend if you don’t take the time to record information from your projects to refer back to. You may think you will remember all the details, but chances are you won’t. I learned early on to write things down before, during and after my project. It is so worse the time. It helps you to not repeat annoying mistakes but also allows you to repeat the things that were desirable. My Weaver’s Toolkit downloadable e-booklet is a great help for recording purposes, it includes warping and weaving calculations sheets plus a project record sheet.

8. Sample.

It took me a while to become a true sampling convert. I do it often now. It’s a guaranteed way to know that your project will turn out well. You have to invest a little yarn and time, but it is very satisfying beginning a project with that kind of confidence.

9. Find the right resources for you.

If you need help, find help. The kind of help will be different depending on your needs. You may find weaving books really helpful, (check out my Amazon shop for my favourites) you may want to access some online lessons, or you may be lucky enough to either live near to face to face classes or know someone who weaves already.

10. There is almost always a fix

If you mess up, it’s not the end of the world! Most mistakes can be rectified. You may need to find extra resources when you encounter a problem but that is a positive part of your learning process. I always say that if I hadn’t made so many mistakes I wouldn’t have learned as much as I have. Make sure you’re subscribed to my Youtube channel where I have many, many videos that can help you out of a tricky situation.

11. Do not use sticky yarns if you are a beginner. I repeat, Do not use sticky yarns if you are a beginner!

I know, I said “10 tips” and this is number 11. But I must make this point, it’s that important.

Please! Just don’t do it!! You wouldn’t believe the number of emails I get from students stuck (pun intended) in their project because of a sticky yarn that won’t let them get a clear shed and causes all kinds of angst and hair tearing activity. Even bad language, so I’ve heard.

So, just don’t do it. No fluffy, sticky yarns (just forget all about that mohair for now). Save the stickies for later (if you really want to – I just generally prefer to avoid them!) and plan the project carefully.

If you need more information on choosing appropriate yarns, check out these other articles I’ve written on the topic:

Choosing and Using Yarns in Weaving…

3 Yarns Beginner Weavers should NEVER use!…

What is Superwash Woollen Yarn?…

I hope these tips are useful to you! If you have any questions, please leave me a comment, I love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!