We tend to be a hand – me – down magnet as a family which is mostly a good thing, but involves sorting through bags of clothes we often don’t want and that end up in the charity bin. Recently I saved a few items that were made with nice fabric but in a style I didn’t like or were too big for my girls. Cut out the seams etc. and ta – da! Free fabric.
So here is the first installment, a top made from 2 other tops. The crocheted flower was a gift, so, apart from the thread and the sweat of my brow the top was completely free.
Search Results for: sewing
Got some sewing done today :)
A new cushion for the Madeit shop.
On my sewing table today….
Essential tools for rigid heddle weaving
When you buy a rigid heddle loom, it will come with a few standard tools to get you started. Exactly what you get will depend on the manufacturer of your loom, but here are a few of the basics:
*A heddle/reed (usually 7.5 or 8 dent)
* A warping peg and clamp for direct warping
* A clamp for holding the loom to a table while warping
* A stick shuttle
* It may include a threading and reed hook
* Cardboard warp separators (may not come with all looms)
** Some looms now come with a double heddle block built in
Apart from the standard tools, there are extra things that are either essential or come in handy.
Other essentials:
*Scissors – A good pair of dressmaking shears will save you a lot of frustration
*Something to separate your warp when rolling on (I like to use brown craft paper on a roll and cut it to size)
*Yarn
*Inch ruler (for figuring out the sett of your yarn)
*Project journal for recording all your project information
*A big mug of tea or coffee (hey, I don’t judge!)
Handy optional extras:
* Tapestry needle
* Extra heddles
* Fringe twister
* Sewing machine
* Serger
* Loom stand
* Tapestry beater, comb or household fork
* “S” hooks or other weights
* Calculator
*Instructional books – this post will help you to determine which book/s might be right for you).
*Online lessons are an awesome tool to get started. You can check out my Youtube channel and my Online Weaving School for further help.
Check out the video below where I discuss these tools in depth:
I also have an additional video that talks about affordable tools here:
Something to remember when you’re just starting out with rigid heddle weaving is that you don’t need All.The.Things right away! The tools that come with a newly purchased loom are sufficient to get you started, and you can gradually build from there as you begin to explore the wonderful world of rigid heddle weaving.
*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for further information.
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
Ask Kelly – Is a larger loom right for me?
Buying a loom is such a huge decision. Many weavers start out using a smaller loom but find over time that they would like to upgrade to something larger. Today’s Ask Kelly question asks whether purchasing a larger loom is worth it.
” My ultimate goal in learning to weave is to make my own fabric so I can sew clothes for myself and others. Would getting the 48″ rigid heddle loom be worth the money? I currently have the 32″. Just would like your thoughts.”
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
It’s a personal choice but there are 3 main things I would be considering before making a decision:
1. Does your budget allow for the purchase?
2. Do you have space for a larger loom (you would definitely want the stand with it).
3. Is it going to be ok for you physically to weave on? The extra width is difficult for weavers who have neck, shoulder or back issues.
Also consider that fabric for clothing can be utilised in many different ways and styles, you are not limited if you only have narrower panels of fabric. I recommend that you check out Sarah Howard’s sewing patterns for weavers. Sarah often weaves on a small to middle sized loom herself and once you see her designs I’m sure you will agree she is at no disadvantage for having smaller pieces of fabric!
You will find that many of my own pattern designs or projects from my online weaving classes are not constructed on big looms either.
I have some more comprehensive articles that may also help you to decide whether a larger loom is a good decision for you:
What can I weave on a small loom?…
And I just want to add one more thing before I go. Be careful to not develop loom envy by comparing yourself to others.
Perhaps you bought a smaller or medium sized loom to begin with and you were totally happy with it. But then you saw other weavers raving about their larger looms and how much better they are.
As I already pointed out to Cindy, whether to upgrade to a larger loom is a very personal decision and should not be influenced by feelings of inadequacy. In the multi shaft weaving world, “shaft envy” is very real. You think you will be happy with 4 shafts but then you want 8. You get the 8 shafts but then you want 16. And on, and on.
And while sometimes a loom upgrade is absolutely the perfect decision, no one should be made to feel that their current loom is not good enough.
We weavers are all different and we don’t have to fit the same mould. So, in a nutshell, you do you!
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
Make a potholder loom
Remember the potholder looms from back in the 70’s?
Well, I actually think the humble potholder loom is a little under rated! I mean, it’s simple to use and it must be one of the cheapest looms out there if you make it yourself.
That’s what today’s post is all about. Recently, my husband and I teamed up to make a cheap and easy potholder loom and now we want to share it with all of you!
We’ve put all the information you need to make one of these simple looms into a simple to download file (you can access that below).
Not only that, but I’ve also made a series that you can find on Youtube that will show you two different ways you can weave on your own potholder loom.
You only need some simple materials to get started. Wood, nails, a hammer, some yarn, some wire (or a Tunisian crochet hook) and a regular crochet hook, I find the 5.75mm size is good. A tapestry needle can also be handy for sewing in any loose ends.
So, go ahead and grab your instructions file below and then check out the video tutorial for weaving further down.
I hope you have fun with this project and until next time…
Happy Weaving!
*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.
Ask Kelly – How sturdy is hemstitching?
Hemstitching must be one of my favourite topics to discuss.
Why?
Because I love things that are both beautiful and functional, and hemstitching fits that bill perfectly. I just think it’s a glorious way to finish a woven piece when you want to maintain a fringe.
Personally, I think the hemstitch is an essential for any weaver’s skill library.
And the good news is, you really only need a tapestry needle to do it. Plus (and this is a big bonus, in my opinion!) you can hemstitch the piece while it’s on the loom.
This means that when you remove the piece from the loom, it’s secure and the ends are finished!
Oh, and in addition to the benefits already mentioned, almost any yarn used in a woven project is suitable for hemstitching.
*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.
If you are looking for resources on learning to hemstitch, I have a lot of those. Make sure you read to the end of the article to find extra helpful links.
This week’s Ask Kelly question is related to hemstitching. It’s a great question and the answer is important to know:
“When you do the hem stitch on the edge of the weaving can you cut the warp and wear it without it coming adrift or do you have to weave the ends buck up into the fabric, for extra security?
So far I have done the hem stitch but then gone over it with the sewing machine and/ or added bias binding for necklines etc.
I’m thinking this may be unnecessary overkill.”
Leonie
If you’re using hemstitch and then having a fringe, it is fine to just hemstitch and then not do any further fringe treatment and you don’t need to further stitch over the ends. However, you do want to leave some length for fringe. If you cut too close to the hemstitch because you don’t want a fringe, then the hemstitch will unravel.
I have found hemstitching to be extremely reliable as a way to secure edges, again, as long as that fringe is present and not cut too close to your hemstitched knots.
If you are hemstitching but don’t want a fringe, you can always, as you suggested, weave the ends in.
Also, I generally only use hemstitching for fringed or sometimes for tapestry etc where I weave the ends back in. If I want to use the fabric to sew with then I serge the raw edges. With a sewing machine, you could do a double row of zig zag stitch to secure edges.
OK, now let’s have a look at those extra hemstitch resources I mentioned before:
Hemstitch as a feature (member’s only class)
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
49 Weaving Project Ideas
Weaving a scarf is the perfect starting point for the new weaver.
It’s a narrow piece, which makes it easy to tension. It’s a long warp, but not so long as to be likely to cause any real issues. And once you’re done weaving and wet finishing, you have a completed woven piece, ready to wear.
That is so rewarding and empowering to the beginner weaver!
Once you’ve completed your first scarf, you may want to build on that success and hone the skills you learned by weaving another. Great! Another beautiful scarf to wear!
What is next? Another scarf? Well, I guess you could either add to your scarf collection or start giving them as gifts. Some weavers will continue weaving scarves until they have so many they’re not sure what to do with them. That could be a time to start selling for some extra income, if that is something you are interested in.
But not everyone wants to continue just weaving scarves for the rest of their weaving lives.
I often see weavers chatting and asking questions online, wondering if there is anything beyond the humble scarf.
Well, rest assured, there are SO many things you can make as a weaver!
Once you take up weaving, you become a maker of cloth. In quite a magical way, you are able to produce your own fabric.
You can either choose to weave an item that is basically finished when it comes off the loom, or you can use your hand woven cloth as a stepping stone or starting point for something else.
If you have, or can learn basic sewing skills, you are well on your way to creating unlimited projects with your handwoven fabric.
Here is a list of ideas to get you started:
Scarves (obviously! 😉)
Shawls
Bags (totes, handbags, shopping bags, carry bags)
Rugs
Wallhangings and tapestries
Blankets
Pillows/cushions
Purses/ pouches
Kitchen, bath and hand towels
Face washers
Apron
Book covers
Bookmarks
Kitchen cloths
Soft toys
Ponchos
Jackets
Tops
Skirts
Dresses
Pants
Coats
Framed art
Lampshade covers
Loom covers/bags
Upholstery fabric for unique furniture pieces
Historical re-enactment costuming
Hats
Jewelery
Baby wraps, carriers and blankets
Drink coasters or mug rugs
Curtains
Patchwork and quilting projects
Hair accessories/ head wraps
Saddle blankets for horses
Dog beds, coats
Potholders/trivets/oven gloves
Dining table ware – table runners, place mat sets
Bedding – throws, coverlets, pillow covers, blankets, quilts
Well, what do you think, have I convinced you that you can weave more than just scarves with your loom?
If you’re looking for some free projects to get you started, check out my Free Projects list and be sure to check out my Youtube channel for even more ideas and tutorials. My Etsy shop contains my original project designs as digital downloads.
At the Online Weaving School you will find many classes to choose from, and as most of my lessons are project based, you can often complete a finished woven item.
So, as you can see, the possibilities for woven projects is really unlimited! Please add your own ideas in the comments to share with other readers.
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
Rigid Heddle Weaving books I love
In a previous post I detailed some of my favourite books for 4 shaft or more weaving, but today I’d like to talk about some great rigid heddle books.
If you have a really good local library, you may be able to borrow some of these books. This is a great way to check out a book first and decide whether you want to also add it to your home library. If you belong to a weaving guild, they will often have a healthy library for your education.
If, like me, your library is rather lacking in the weaving book department, I hope that this list provides you with some more direction for the type of book you may be looking to purchase.
I already have a video on this topic, but I know some people prefer to read rather than watch, plus I’ve added some extra books to the original list, so here we go!
*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.
I’ll start with my favourite and most used book. In fact, this is the first rigid heddle weaving book I bought and I believe it has taught me more than any other weaving book I own.
The Weaver’s Idea Book by Jane Patrick This book has so much content and is great for beginners. It allows you to start with the basics and build as you go. Just about everything you need to know initially is contained within these pages and I think of it a little like a training ground for new weavers. Although it’s great for beginners, it has plenty of information for weavers who want to learn more and level up. It is also hardcover with spiral binding, making it easy to lay flat and view while you’re weaving. Highly recommended!
Weaving made Easy by Liz Gipson. A lovely little book that includes information on loom set up. The projects are simple enough for beginners and interesting enough for all weavers.
Woven to Wear by Marilyn Murphy. I also read this book as a newer weaver and loved how it stirred my imagination. It contains simple garments with lots of plain weave, making it great for beginners, particularly those wanting to get a taste for sewing with your handwoven. The sewing projects are simple rather than finicky, with the use of large shapes instead of small pieces.
Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom by Syne Mitchell This book is awesome value for beginners to intermediate with lots of ideas. For the newer weaver, there is practical information and plenty of inspiration for once you have the basics down. I think of this book as one that you may not fully appreciate until you have some more weaving experience, perhaps a book that will grow with you through your weaving journey. Towards the middle and later part of the book are projects and ideas that may be too challenging for a new weaver, but that an enthusiastic and curious weaver will definitely want to make use of later on. There is a lot of information, it is attractively set out and a joy to flip through.
Weave, Knit, Wear by Judith Shangold This book is responsible for opening my eyes and quickening my heart over the range of possibilities with a rigid heddle loom and garment making. Judith uses mostly plain weave, colour and design to make fabric look special. She includes design layouts and illustrations to help you wrap your head around how garments can be constructed. What I really love about this book is the fusion of weaving, knitting and crochet added in. It really has encouraged me to think outside the square and maximise my rigid heddle loom.
Simple Woven Garments by Sara Goldberg Another really great book on making simple garments with simple, colourful, hand woven cloth. There are more than 20 projects and they are all wearable! There are also details on adjusting garments to your own specifications.
Debby Greenlaw’s book Krokbragd: How to Design and Weave. is a wonderful addition to any weaving library, especially if you are a lover of krokbragd. I actually like this book so much that I wrote a review for it here, so pop over and read if you want to find out more about it. Since the release of this book, Debby has written Krokbragd Patterns as well, great for those who want to delve in even further with patterning possibilities.
If you’re after some slow weaving with big impact, you can’t go past Myra Wood’s Crazyshot – Creative Weaving for the Rigid Heddle Loom. This book takes the simple techniques you may have seen in my Branoe/Overshot videos on Youtube and takes them to the next level. The projects in this book are absolutely gorgeous. Myra has followed up with another book, Crazyshot Companion.
To see all my book recommendations is one easy to access place, visit my Amazon Shop.
You may be interested in checking out this video I made several years ago. Although it’s missing some of the books that are on this page, there is more in depth discussion of each book:
I hope this booklist is helpful to you!
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
Do you want to start selling your weaving?
There are numerous reasons why a weaver may decide it is the right time to begin selling their work. These are some of the most common reasons:
- An ambition to make a living doing what you love
- You have more woven items than you know what to do with (I think we can all relate to this one!)
- You would like some spare money to buy more yarn or weaving supplies
- Although there is a lot to learn when it comes to beginning to sell your work and it can feel intimidating, you can start out very small and learn as you go along. Don’t feel as though you need to know “all the things” before you start selling.
I’m going to talk about a few key points to think about when you start selling. It’s not an exhaustive list, but more of a guide to get you thinking in the right direction.
Key Points to begin selling:
The Why?
Have a serious think about your personal reasons for wanting to sell your hand wovens. This will help to determine the kind of approach you might want to take when starting up.
For example, if you are a hobby weaver and wish to make a little money on the side to fund your hobby, your approach will be quite different to a weaver who wants to work towards making a full time income from selling.
Deciding on what level of selling you want to get into will help to determine all of the next steps.
Space
Many weavers will begin by weaving items in their own homes and then selling them. Consider whether you have the right space and enough space to house your woven pieces ready to sell. Do you have a good work flow, or is your space a total mess? Do you need to rejig your space to make it more viable, or find a different space within your home that is more conducive to weaving for a business?
The weaver who is more serious about selling may have to consider other avenues for making a space just for weaving. When I was selling physical handmade items, I did have a space within our home, but it was a shared family space. This became increasingly difficult over time, as my tools and items made their way into other parts of the home, and other items of the home made their way into my space. It was a great way to start out, but not all that viable over time.
If you don’t have a dedicated space for your weaving, you may also find the constant set up and storing away of tools and materials difficult.
Time
Are you in a position to devote the time to selling? Being realistic about the time you need to put into selling is important. It’s not just the weaving of items to sell, but possible liasing with customers, wrapping and packing, set up and pack up for markets, business recording requirements.
Sustainability
Is a weaving business going to be a positive thing for you? Are you prepared for the bookkeeping, packing and shipping, photography, travel and all the possible necessities revolving around being a business owner? I don’t detail any of these points in order to put you off, but I think it’s fair to say that many people have no idea what goes into a business behind the scenes – this has certainly been an eye opener for me over the years!
As I pointed out earlier, all of these things can be learned, but some weavers, after consideration, may well decide that they would be more content keeping their weaving as a hobby.
Will it pay?
This is very relevant to sustainability, but also deserves it’s own section because it’s a major consideration when selling your work.
I have experienced first hand how difficult it can to have to let go of a business idea because it is not financially viable. Many years ago, when my children were small, I handcrafted Waldorf style dolls for sale. I started out making dolls for my children, but really loved the creative process and so began selling them also.
These dolls were a really big time investment, you can’t hurry the process of first making the doll, embroidering the face, sewing on (and sometimes knitting the wig first to sew on!) the hair, then completing further details like sewing a full outfit. I chose to use beautiful, natural materials like the best quality cotton tricot for the skin, mohair for the wigs, gorgeously carded wool for the stuffing and European fabrics for the clothes.
It was after a my first negative experience with a customer who felt the customer doll I made for her did not look enough like her daughter (!!!) that I started to ponder how much time I was spending making a doll and what I was actually getting paid for all that work.
I used a calculation formula and was absolutely dumbfounded with results. I was making negative $1AUD per hour! That is correct, it was actually costing me $1 per hour to run that business.
I was a little bit heartbroken, but I stopped offering my dolls for sale.
The point is, I never did my research in the first place to determine if it was a viable business venture, and so I learned the hard way.
Here is a basic formula to get you started:
Supplies cost + labour (your time) + 10% (other costs eg. fees, packaging, insurance)
Here is a practical example for how you might use this formula for a weaving business (these calculations make the assumption that you already have a loom and all the tools you need to actually weave the project, and also that the customer is paying for shipping, if applicable –
The item – A bamboo scarf
Materials cost –
- Warp – 2 cones Bambu 7 @ $18AUD each = $36
- Weft – 1.5 cones Bambu 7 @ $18AUD each = $27
Total materials cost = $63 AUD
Labour cost-
This is how much you wished to be paid per hour. This is a very personal decision, but for the sake of this exercise, I will put my desired hourly rate at $20AUD.
Now is the tricky part – how much time does it take to weave a scarf? In this example, I’m using a floor loom, which takes a good while to set up! I also have to allow for weaving time, things like hemstitching, wet finishing, packing time and even liasing with the customer if that applies. I’m going to estimate 5 hours for this, though that is probably too low. I never time a project, so it’s just an estimation.
5 hours of labour at $20 per hour = $100AUD.
So far we have total materials cost of $63 + labour of $100 = $163
Now we take that figure and add an extra 10% to allow for other, often hidden or forgotten costs.
So, $163 + $16.30 = $179.30
Here I’m going to insert my personal opinion again 😊 You can take it or leave it, I’m just sharing thoughts. Pricing is a delicate and sensitive issue, it’s essential that you do what works for YOU. I’ll make a couple of points to ponder over:
- It’s very important to not “cheapen the weaving industry” by charging too little. People complain that non weavers don’t understand the time and skill that goes into a woven item. Well, the best way to change that perception is by charging appropriately for your work.
- When you are starting out selling, it is likely your work will not be as good as someone who has been weaving professionally for some time. That is OK, there is absolutely nothing wrong with selling pieces that are “not perfect” but be realistic in your pricing. I’m not talking about being cheap. But you may expect to price your work lower than someone who is known as a professional weaver, has an excellent reputation and consistently delivers high quality. You can adjust your pricing over time, as your work improves and there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has to start somewhere!
- Your time is valuable. If you are weaving as a business, make sure your hourly rate (labour) is an amount that is sustainable for you and that you feel good about. Again, this can always be adjusted over time, but trust me, you are not going to feel motivated to weave beautiful things for customers if your hourly rate is below minimum wage or worse.
There are many more points to discuss when it comes to selling, some of which include:
- Avenues for selling and finding the right avenue for you.
- Legal and tax requirements.
- Getting the word out.
- Copyright issues.
If you would like to dive deeper into this subject, have a member’s only class – Selling Your Weaving class, which is a 40 minute discussion workshop to get you thinking about whether selling is right for you.
I also have a video that discusses many of the points listed here, plus more:
And if you are interested specifically in selling on Etsy, I have this Youtube video from the perspective of 10 years of selling there:
If you are ready to start your own email list, I recommend using Convertkit. This is the company that I use for my mailing list and I think it’s awesome. Perhaps you want to see what my emails to my list actually look like? You can do that by signing up to my mailing list.
I hope this post was helpful to you! I would love to continue the discussion, so if you have any comments or questions, please leave them in the comments section down below.
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!