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Archive for the 'Weaving' Category


Love Is: Security

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
By Twistie

I grew up reading the adventures of Linus VanPelt and his friends in Peanuts. Actually, I lived in the same town Peanuts creator Charles Schulz lived in, visited his ice rink, and eventually grew up to sell him books at two different bookstores conveniently located close to said ice rink.

But that part is neither here nor there.

What is here and now and the whole point of this blog entry is Project Linus.

Some of you may have already heard of this wonderful organization, others not. But I urge you all to check out their website and get involved.

You see, Project Linus does just what one might expect: provide security blankets to children. The children range in age from infants to teens, and the reasons range from illness to disaster victims to homelessness and abuse. This is about helping children in crisis with something that tells them someone cares and wishes them well.

The project will only accept blankets made by hand from smoke-free environments and free of strongly scented detergents. They must also be free of easily swallowed (and thus choked upon) decorations such as buttons. But from there, it’s a free for all. Pick your size, your materials, your techniques, and do your best work.

If you are not in a position to make a blanket, the project will also happily accept donations of money and materials, too. And if you know a child in need, the website will direct you to the chapter to contact for help.

We all need a little security in life. Children facing chemotherapy or recovering from abuse need it even more.


I Have an Inkleing About This

Friday, May 18th, 2012
By Twistie

(Image of Mary Meigs Atwater via Robin Spady’s Blog… which all weavers should know about)

There’s a lot to be said for weaving as a crafts pursuit. Not only does it have a built in cool factor, you can make rugs, tablecloths, placemats, yard goods, and plenty of other useful things.

Of course, there’s also a problem with weaving for a lot of people: where to put that great big loom in a small apartment or crowded house.

Ah my friends, that is where the humble inkle loom comes into play. If you’ve got a clear table or desk top, you put your loom there and get weaving in a jiffy. Once you’ve got your warp threads properly threaded, you can have a new belt or custom purse strap in a matter of a few hours, even if you’ve never woven in your life.

In fact, I’ve got an inkle loom, which I’ve used several times. Okay, so it wasn’t as cost effective an investment for me as that full round Swedish bobbin lace pillow, but I’ve gotten hours of fun and a few only slightly lumpy samples out of it. I think if I ever started using it consistently, I would quickly get rid of the unintended lumps, too.

For more information on getting started in inkle weaving, check out this free tutorial at Earth Guild. It’s a good basic overview of the technique with clear illustrations. If you decide it looks like fun to you, head on over to The Woolery and get yourself their inkle weaving beginner’s kit. It includes an Ashford Inkelette loom, three half pound cones of color coordinated 8/4 cotton warp, and an instruction book by H. Bress. All that for just $99.00!


Free Patterns for Valentine’s Gifts

Friday, January 7th, 2011
By Twistie

via Berroco Fine Knitting Yarns

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner… in crafting terms. If there’s a special someone you would like to give a handcrafted expression of your affection, now is the time to get started. But what to do? My dears, the net is chockablock full of fun free craft patterns for nearly any technique your little heart desires. That’s right, every one of these pretties is a free pattern!

For instance, those charming knitted and felted hearts shown above? Are explained in detail in a free PDF from Berroco Fine Knitting Yarns. They’re easy and fast to make, but I bet someone would love to get one of these. I know I would!

But what if you’re not a knitter? Ah my lovelies, I haven’t forgotten about you. Read on and see what goodies I’ve found.

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Disclaimer: Manolo the Shoeblogger is not Manolo Blahnik
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