Do I really need a new hobby?


Probably not, but I just cannot resist the weaving bug. I think it's just a matter of time after you start spinning before you start thinking about weaving. Some hardy souls are able to hold back, but I'm in fiber overdrive. So now what?

I read everything I could find online. There is no way that I would even contemplate buying another piece of fiber related equipment that costs more than my wheel, unless it's a drum carder. Since my wheel was only $250, my options were pretty limited.

I've seen rigid heddle looms popping up everywhere lately and they are relatively affordable, from $120- 250. But extra heddles are $30-40. It's still too much, so guess what? I'm going to make a loom myself. It's just a frame with dowels on two ends.


I found the old dinner tray stand shown above in the garage. I'm using the long rails as the sides, the feet to hold the warp and cloth beams, and the hanging racks to hold the second beams(I don't know what they are called but they raise the warp above the frame.) I'm using hanger bolts and wing nuts to hold the warp and cloth beams so that I can tighten the warp and roll it forward as I work.


I went to the hardware store and bought two dowels and hardware. I still have to attach the last dowel, and the heddle blocks. In the end I think I will be out $10 and a couple of hours or work at most. Here it is in all of its glory.





Now to figure out a way to make a cheap heddle. I'm pretty sure making an 8 dent heddle would be no problem, but any finer is going to be really hard. I've tried string heddles and they are far more trouble than they are worth. I guess I'll keep looking.

Turning over a new leaf...


I've decided that it just can't go on any longer. I can't keep ignoring this blog. I have been knitting and spinning continuously, but this poor baby has been too long ignored.

What have I been up to?



I am currently spinning for two projects. The skein on the left is spun from a Rose Garden rambouillet, silk and angora batt from Crystal Creek Fibers. The single on the bobbin on the left is spun from a Wild Sage rambouillet and silk batt from the same place. They really are lovely to spin. What I like most is the chunkyness of the batts. You can create so many different effects. To see what I mean, here is a sample of the same Rose Garden batt spun into a sportweight 2x2 cabled yarn.





Notice how muted and almost tweedy the yarn is compared to the above skein. I was planning to overdye the yarn, because I really didn't like the peachy tone. By spinning it thicker the chunks of color really stand out and the overall effect is far more to my liking.

The scarf in the photo is the Shredded Scarf from Intertwined by Lexi Boeger. I am really loving this book. Anyone who is interested in spinning novelty yarns should really take a look at it. It is beautifully photographed and produced. Honestly it's a steal at the full price of $29.95. If you know the basic techniques of spinning, the book will show you how to spin thick and thin, coils, fabric yarn, etc.

More than an instruction manual, it gives you a peak into the mind of a fiber artist. I think the biggest impact for me is in the ways I'm thinking about designing yarn. I've been wanting to spin something special for a very good fried of mine. Today I talked to her, and asked her what her favorite things were. One of them was a gingham sundress. Now I'm planning on spinning a fabric yarn with strips of gingham, lace butterflies and some sort of stand in for daisy petals(maybe little pieces of yellow silk). I think it will make a beautiful crocheted cloche.

On the knitting front, I am knitting a pair of socks in a broken rib pattern in Noro Kureyon Sock.



It's really beautiful and rustic. I like the stiff woolyness of the yarn, but people who like squishy and soft yarn just aren't going to get it. It does soften when washed, but not that much. It will probably take a few months of wear to get really soft, but I like it.


I have recently finished several scarves.





Jonna by Norah Gaughan from Norah Gaughan Collection: Volume 1 knit from 2+ skeins of Cascade 220.







And these two scarves. The first is knit with 1 skein of Dream In Color Classy and the second from two skeins of Patons Soy Wool Solids (do not like this yarn). I just made them up as I went along. They are both reversible cable scarves with ladders.