Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons

books

Rigid Heddle Weaving books I love

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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.

Thanks to Allison for pointing out that, as this book is now out of print, you can obtain a PDF copy for a very modest price by emailing Judith, as detailed on her website.

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!

Great rigid heddle weaving books!

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My last post detailed some of my favourite books for 4 shafts or more, but today I’d like to talk about some great rigid heddle books.
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. 

I’ll start with my favourite and most used book, in fact, this is the first rigid heddle weaving book I bought.

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. 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.

I had to come back and edit this post to include Debby Greenlaw’s new book Krokbragd: How to Design and Weave. I actually like this book so much that I wrote a review for it here, so pop over and read that if it sounds like a book you would be interested in.

To see all my book recommendations is one easy to access place, visit my Amazon Shop.

If you would like to watch this post in video format please click on the video below.

 

I hope you enjoyed my list!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

 

My Favourite Books for Multi Shaft Weaving

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I love books, so it makes sense that I am a huge lover of good weaving books. It can be hard to know which books are worth buying, especially if you’re buying online and can’t view the book before purchase.


I have already made a video on my favourite rigid heddle weaving books, but haven’t talked about my floor loom or multi shaft books.


This is certainly not an exhaustive list, and I definitely plan on increasing my collection over the years, but these are a few that I have found particularly good.

*This post contains affiliate links


I will start with my absolute favourite. If, in some terrible circumstance, I had to choose just one of the following books to keep, this one would be it!

The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory by Anne Dixon only covers 4 shaft weaves, and yet, with the number of pattern drafts you could feasibly use this book for years before even considering buying an 8 shaft book. There is nothing I do not love about this book! Yes, it is a little expensive, but I consider  it my “go to” for any 4 shaft weaving. It’s a hardcover book with spiral binding. This is awesome because you can lay the book flat to follow a threading or treadling pattern, and the hard cover prevents any damage to the pages. I’ve had mine for many years and it still looks as good as new. The layout shows you exactly what you can expect from each draft by providing colour pictures and yarns used to achieve each one – great for those just starting out.

Once again, not a cheap book, but this one is an absolute classic!  Carol Strickler’s A Weaver’s Book of 8 Shaft Patterns has plenty of information on 8 shaft weaves, explanations of tie ups and treadlings, and black and white pictoral representations of each weave (there are almost 900 photos). Individual yarn suggestions are not given, but in each new chapter, suggestions are made for particular weave structures. Many of the drafts have historical information – where the draft came from (if known) or where it is adapted from, which provides the keen weaver the opportunity for further research if desired. 
Next Steps in Weaving by Patty Graver has been a great one to add to my library. Published in 2015, it has a more modern and fresh feel. The layout is uncluttered but still contains a lot of information. I admit that I read this book when it first came out and I was in the infancy of my multi shaft journey. I felt like some of it was a bit beyond me at the time. However, when I cam back to it later (after a lot of research and practice) I found that the language now made sense and it was in fact a very helpful book! 
The beginning of the book goes over understanding terminology and drafts (something that many new weavers struggle with!) She explains twills and twill orders and then launches straight into the projects. This is my style of learning and teaching – project based! To get stuck in and actually learn something as you do it, rather than be stuck at the starting line with a lot of theory and fear of how to put it into practice. Patty starts with some basic twill projects, then shows more advanced versions to expose the reader to what is possible with variations and colour. The threading charts for the projects are all colour coded, which I think is a really great visual learning cue for newer weavers, and even for more seasoned weavers who just want to follow a threading chart in a simple format.
There is a lot more I could say about this book, but then this post may turn into a book itself! So, I’ll finish up with this. It’s a great book, the projects and samples are beautiful and inspiring, and even if, like me, you find it a little overwhelming to begin with, it is a book you can keep going back to over and over.
A Handweaver’s Pattern Book by Marguerite P Davison is another well know weaver’s classic. It was first published in 1944 as a green book, the orange one being a more recent and publication. Thanks to the generosity of a student, I now own the green book as well. This book has 200 pattern drafts and has 4, 6 and 8 shaft weaves. The layout is a little more old fashioned (though there are black and white photo representations of most drafts) and some may find it difficult to decipher the way in which the drafts are drawn. That should not put off the adventurous weaver though, as it is very beneficial to be able to read all styles of drafts so that you can decipher them, no matter what country or time period they are from. 
This is one of those books that you read and just think, “that is a lovely little book”. Simple, lovely big photos, nice colour. Tom Knisely’s Handwoven Baby Blankets starts out with a useful section on the basics of baby blanket weaving, such as sizes, colours and materials. 
There are over 30 projects and it includes both 4 and 8 shaft. Every project has specific yarn and colour descriptions. If you’re interested in weaving baby blankets, I highly recommend this delightful book!
Probably my most asked question from multi shaft weavers is “how do I read a draft?” The next step on from understanding how to read and use a weaving draft is to begin drafting them yourself. This is something that is of huge interest to me, but something I have not devoted enough time to as yet and still have much to learn. If you are interested in drafting for yourself, Madelyn van der Hoogt’s The Complete Book of Drafting for Handweavers is going to help a lot! While I confess that I have not made my way through the entirety of the book yet (it is in a workbook style with drafting exercises for you to follow), I intend to do so as it contains such valuable information. This book is available from The Woolery.
If you’re as interested in coverlets as I am, these are my most loved coverlet books I own:
(This one is also in my possession thanks to the generosity of a student and it is now one of my most treasured books!)
My last recommendation is for those who are keen to branch out into double weave on your floor loom or table loom.
Doubleweave by Jennifer Moore. Whether you are wanting to explore weaving double cloth or double (even triple) width, this popular book will be a very valuable addition to your collection.
I do have more weaving books in my collection, but these books I’ve listed and described are the ones that I am most happy to recommend and really feel that they would benefit your weaving library too.
I hope you have found this post helpful, please let me know if you have any questions. Do you own any of these books? Which is your most used?
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
 
 
 
 
 

 

“Secret Garden” book review

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I bought this book recently after seeing it on Mary Corbet’s blog Needle n Thread. I wasn’t disappointed when it arrived.

So, what is this book? A colouring book! But it’s more than that. It is a beautiful book of intricate and original designs. The author/ illustrator Johanna Basford has filled the pages with pictures inspired by the flora and fauna of her homeland, Scotland.

There are a few ways you could use the book. Firstly, as a special colouring book, secondly as a base for ideas for pictures of your own and thirdly, you could use it from a design perspective for things like embroidery, as Mary has done. If you take a moment to look at what Mary is doing you can see the potential for such wonderful designs!

To be honest, it is the sort of book that I am attracted to but would write off as a “too frivolous” buy.  At around $16.40 it isn’t too extravagant, but unless you photocopy pages to use rather than colouring directly in the book, it is consumable.

My plan for the book is still a secret (at least from my children). It is sitting on top of a shelf as yet unseen by them. I will wait for the right moment – a day well spent, extra chores done or some other achievement and then allow a picture to be chosen to colour in with our best quality pencils. The picture can be dated and named. Gradually, the children will have these beautiful pictures to look back on and enjoy. (I think the little one will have to wait a while to have her turn 😉 )

* If you purchase this book via this link you will be blessing me and my family with a small commission – a very valuable thing for a family of book lovers!

“I just can’t take it anymore!” book review and giveaway

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Anthony Destefano has a new book and it’s a little different to his other works. Each page has a comical photo of children along with encouraging text for those feeling discouraged. It’s a lighthearted look at life, it’s problems and the way we deal with them. It’s also a reminder that a good sense of humour, along with trust in God will go a long way when we experience conflict.
The book would make a great gift.
You can read more about the book here and the press release is here.
I have one copy to giveaway, unfortunately there is a small tear in one page, courtesy of my over enthusiastic toddler!
Sorry, this giveaway is open to Australian residents only 🙂
Just leave a comment to enter and I’ll draw the winner on Tuesday.

The Invisible World

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I love being asked to review books on my blog but I do have a strict policy that I adhere to: if I don’t like the book then I don’t review it – I would rather not complete the review than do the author the disservice of giving a bad review.

I was thrilled when Anthony Destefano sent me a copy of his latest book to review but also a little apprehensive because although I have read his marvellous children’s literature I had not yet ventured into his adult books.

No fear – I loved the book. It is one of those hard to put down, “wish I had a free day or two to just read this” books.

The Invisible World: Understanding Angels, Demons, and the Spiritual Realities That Surround Us

                                                                                   Image from Amazon

To give an overview, Anthony writes about the unseen world around us – delving into angels, devils and spirits, but it goes much deeper than that. I found the book to be highly intelligent and multi angled.

 Anthony’s writing style is personal, but in a brotherly way rather than a distant authoritarian way.
It is pointed, yet not heavy, so an excellent read for a busy Mum like me.

I found the content easy to understand – no new concepts for me but a reiteration of known and some forgotten facts.

The Invisible World would appeal to Christians of all denominations, but also those who are interested in Christianity, death and eternity.

What I have received from reading this book is a reignition of some areas of my faith that had been overlooked and perhaps gone a little cold over time. I’ve been reminded of invisible forces that shape who I am and what I do.

The final verdict – highly recommended!

“Second Chance” book review

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“Second Chance” by Sandra J Gerencher is a story based on the author’s own family and involves the adoption of a new dog – “Chance”. The tale is told through the eyes and perceptions of the Chance, who had been living in a shelter.
Chance has many adjustments to make to his new life. There are other dogs in the house and he also notices that there is something different about his owner, Ryan. As Chance learns more about his new family he finds that he and Ryan have a great deal in common.
“Second Chance” offers readers an interesting insight into both adoption and autism. The themes that really stand out in the book are love and hope.
Sandra Gerencher has extensive experience in special education and has also adopted a son who has autism and other special needs. Sandra has a personal mission to save dogs from high kill animal shelters through adoption. You can read more about Sandra here or at Tribute Books.

Red in the Flower Bed

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Image
“Red in the Flower Bed” by Andrea Nepa is a touching and beautifully crafted children’s book on the topic of interracial adoption.
The story follows a little seed from the beginning of it’s journey of uncertainty to the end where it becomes a flower with positive nurturing and care. The seed is an analogy for the child who is to be adopted and gives a gentle explanation for the adoptive child who may wonder why.
The illustrations are very simple yet emotive. The book would suit not only an interracially adoptive family but any adoptive family.
I am a great supporter of adoption and I lament the fact that the adoption process is made so difficult  and sometimes inaccessible for so many. The author is an adoptive parent herself which is quite obvious as this is a book written from the heart.
You can learn more about Andrea Nepa or purchase her book here.

* I do not receive payment for reviews unless otherwise specified.

I may disappear for a few days…

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My copy finally arrived in the mail today!! Can’t wait to start reading but I have an agonising wait until the children are in bed, it’s no fun trying to read with constant interruptions.

You can read about the author D.M. Cornish here.

In other news, I actually have a job interview on Monday! I’m more than a little apprehensive given that it’s many years since my last interview.

I’ll spare a few minutes sometime tomorrow to come back and draw the giveaway.