Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tri-Loom for continuous strand weaving

I have been thinking about getting a bigger loom for continuous strand weaving.    The prices on them can get quite expensive over 300$.   I know for a weaving loom that is not a lot.. but still.    I know somewhere I can get one made in pine for a little over $100.    I checked with some other folks that have experience and they recommended against pine,  since it is a soft wood.  

I don't see them used much on the web.. or that would be an option.  I am thinking of trying to make one myself.   It seems that the wood costs should not be terrible.  The construction seems relatively straight forward.     The hardest part might be drilling all of the holes.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

continuous loop weaving - getting it through.

I like to use a crochet hook to help me get it through the weft - the strands of yarn on the long side of the triangle or hypotenuse.



continuous loop weaving with Lambs Pride Bulky Yarn

I have several hanks of Lambs pride bulky yarn and wondered what it would look like woven into squares

Monday, May 21, 2012

tri-loom finished sample squares

Here are some squares that I finished on the tri-loom.   I wove one triangle on top of the other.
I think I like them best with a thicker yarn(The purple).. although it goes a bit slower..
In knitting you would block this.  I am not sure if you do with weaving.. I will have to research it a bit.


tri-loom continuous strand weaving

Took a mini class on continuous strand weaving.  It was tons of fun.  We used these mini-looms that
are 18 inches.  This was practice for the bigger loom.. the 6+ foot one.    This is a great way for knitters to use up their stash.  These looms are easy to store.. just hang them on the wall and fun to use.   For a warmer climate they create a nice lightweight weave.  Here is a picture of weaving on the tri-loom in progress:


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Ed the Explorer ...yarn choice

One of the reasons I am happy with how Ed turned out is the yarn choice.  I used Gedifra Extra Soft Merino.   It is a super wash merino wool.  It is a bit splitty for a beginner.. over 9 months ago when I first got this yarn I hated it, now with a lot more knitting experience under my belt I love it.   It has a nice smooth finish which is perfect for a face.. and it wears beautifully.    My son has a mini teddy that I knitted out of it.. that has been well loved and it does not show much wear.  This is a really nice yarn... but it took me a while to figure that out :-)





Monday, May 14, 2012

Mousie


This is the second mouse I knitted from "Knitted Toy Tales" by Laura Long.  It is a really fast and easy knit.    For this toy just make the ears single sided.. since they are so tiny it doesn't matter that the  "wrong" side shows.


Ed the Explorer

Here is a picture of Ed the Explorer.  He is from Laura Long's book, "Knitted Toy Travels":


He took a long time to knit and he is about 18-20 inches.    The hair I ended up ripping out and trying again.  I found it easier to use a thinner yarn for the hair.. it doesn't puff  up as much and looks more natural.    I plan on making him a winter coat, hat, and mittens.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Severe knitting withdrawl

I have been going through severe knitting withdrawl.. so much so that I am enjoying watching Kirby's Epic Yarn.   This has to be one of the cutest video games around.  It is for the Wii.. and Kirby is yarn and his weapon of choice is yarn..  The game has giant knitting needles.. patchwork quilts.. the villians turn into buttons.   You can buy the game a low price since it has been out  a while.  Also the music is really nice too.. not your typical annoying video game music.