A place for introducing oneself! Have a good day!

Comments

francorios (not verified)

I am interested in learning about the mini-looms. I have an Avalon loom, commonly called a potholder loom. Would like to learn more about this style of loom. Thank you Donna for starting this group! Have a good day! Franco Rios Sacramento, Calif.

Vicki Allen (not verified)

I have a 2.5 inch square Weave-it loom. I've enjoyed using up scraps of yarn from weaving projects and now I have a stack of little squares. I've seen pictures of a throw made from the squares. I'm looking forward to learning from this group.

Vicki Allen

donnashandwove… (not verified)

Hi Franco -- I'm really excited about this group too.  What is your main interest--apparel, home decor, art???    Any suggestions for first projects?

 

Donna

donnashandwove… (not verified)

Hi vicki --  it's great to have you!   I'm trying to get an idea on what projects we should start with--got an idea.  the small squares are great--they go so fast!    Are you interested in apparel, home decor, art???

francorios (not verified)

I think my interest is in wearable art, so maybe some scarves and maybe some bags.

 

Have a good day!

donnashandwove… (not verified)

Hi Everyone,  It looks like we have a nice little group now so it's time to get started designing.   They're are so many ways to design.  I'm only the moderator not the "boss" of the group.  But, in order to get things rolling I would like to suggest a way of designing an easy project.  Let's make a cowl (neckscarf).  If you don't know what a cowl is, just Google it and you will see very many

Tools you will need:

  • Graph paper -- Google Graph paper if you have none.  Select a free printable graph paper

Small Looms -- As many sizes and shapes as you like.  You can see our loom selection at our Dewberry Ridge website

  • Yarn - Think about what season you will be wearing your cowl and decide on an appropriate yarn
  • Imagination  Lots of imagination!

Cowls can be many sizes and are generally a closed circle

  • Common Widths are 61/2": to 8"
  • Common Lengths are 22" to 35"
  • Think about how you might want to finish your edges (it at all)
  • Think about a closure unless you decide to sew the circle closed
  • Think about embellishments

With your graph paper draw the length and width of your scarf

Fill in the squares of your graph paper outline with the sizes and shapes of your looms.  For instance if you have a 3 inch loom, you will use 9 squares (3 inches in all directions if you are using 1 square=1" graphpaper)  You may want to use colored pencils to depict different shapes or to decide on your color scheme for your cowl

Make the pieces

Sew them together

Embellish!!

Post your picture here

 

Let's get some dialog going while you work out the details of your project.

If a cowl is not something you want to work on consider a scarf or maybe a pillow use the graph paper designing tool.

 

 

 

 

I

Vicki Allen (not verified)

I like the idea of a pillow top to start with for me since I have a number of squares and they are worked in Red Heart yarn. I think I would rather use a silkier yarn to do a cowl or scarf.

I'm considering crocheting them together with a contrasting yarn and adding a crochet ruffle around the edge.

I can weave a piece for the back and use it for a decorative slip cover for a small pillow.

Vicki Allen

lovimoment (not verified)

Hi,

 

My name is Heather.  I have a Hazel Rose Weave-It/Weavette-style loom.  So far I've just been using odd ends of yarn from knitting projects to make little squares for an eventual blanket, but I think a cowl sounds like a great idea.  Unfortunately, my loom and my stash are packed (we are in the middle of a move!) at the moment, so I won't be able to start for a couple of months, but I like Vicki's idea of a crocheted edge, so I might incorporate that as well.

 

Best wishes,

 

Heather

donnashandwove… (not verified)

First -- Love your Avatar!

The crochet edge will work beautifully on a pillow.  Will you make it lacey or more traditional?  Can't wait for you to get your looms unpacked.  Have a great and easy move.  Stay in touch with us because we will be adding new projects as we move along.   Welcome to the group!

 

 

ramunit

An a newbie weaver, I want an idea of what my projects will look like before I invest the time to warp up my new loom, a Kromski rigid heddle harp. I'm thinking of making a mini loom so I can do a test swatch, so I can see how the colors look as warp and weft.  A friend did this with her weavette clone, and I thought it was an excellent idea. I don't want to spend that much money for a loom just to do swatches.

Any ideas of how large it will have to be to get a useful swatch?

donnashandwove… (not verified)

I would probably go 8" wide and 12" long. 

You could also consider using the free software for weavers.  Just google and you can get trials and free software.  This is a quick way of seeing your colors, floats, designs, etc.  You can "play" around with it until you get the results you like.

donnashandwove… (not verified)

Has anyone charted their project yet.  What are some of the projects you are doing.   If this is not the direction members would like to go, please let me know and we can move forward in another direction.  I know its summer, but Fall and Winter are on the way and now is the time to get designing under your belt so you can design your Fall wardrobe and Christmas presents.   If anyone is in the US Midwest (Missouri) I will be demonstrating at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri all of September and October -- come see how to weave and all of the wonderful designs we have.

nbt in W.Mass (not verified)

New to the group - Nancy, in Massachusetts, here. 

Pillow  covers are a good use for sampling and experimenting and designing.   I've done that before - and loved looking at the finished product.   What I'd like to do is weave strips - hopefully to attach strips to strips, getting enough width to cover a pillow.  First, I need to research how to attach strips to strips - as is done with Kente cloth that I've admired for years.  Well, other than that, I still need to find a new home for the floor loom so I can have some sort of space to work. 

I don't have a mini-loom, but do have 3 table looms (one 8-harness).