Little Looms

THE OTHER DAY, WHILE DRIVING MY SON TO SCHOOL, we passed a cotton gin surrounded by a few fields of cotton. Perhaps for the first time, H noticed the plants and asked me what those white things were. I explained to him about cotton, about ginning, and how large bales of cotton would be spun into yarn and turned into clothing. Immediately, he wanted to know if we had clothes made from cotton and was surprised to learn that almost everything we were both wearing was 100% or nearly 100% cotton. (I feel I should note that during the conversation, I had the old 1990s cotton jingle stuck in my head: “The touch! The feel! Of cotton: The fabric of our lives.”) While I’ve taught H quite a bit about weaving,…

Scissor Tags Label your shears and snips so everyone in the household will know for certain which scissors go with which material. These clever wooden tags from Katrinkles come with one of three messages: “For Thread Only,” “For Paper Only,” and perhaps most importantly “For Fabric Only.” With these tags you can rest easy knowing that the next time you start cutting your handwoven cloth, your scissors will be as sharp as they were the last time you used them. katrinkles.com Lotion Bars For the weaver on the go, hydrate hands and fingers with these convenient lotion bars without the risk of greasy tubes of lotion mingling with yarns in your project bag. The very portable Love+Leche Anywhere Balm lotion bar is an eco-friendly sweetly scented (or unscented) alternative. The 5-ounce bars are…

North Adams, MA: Storey, 2019. Hardcover, $29.95, 320 pages. ISBN 978-1635860283. “Can you weave in the round?” “What is a lucet, and what can you do with it?” “How does twining work?” These are just a few questions that enthusiastic fiber crafters within the small looms community frequently ask. While Google may provide answers, I enjoyed finding insight to these and many other weaving topics in one comprehensive, well-written book, The Weaving Explorer by Deborah Jarchow and Gwen W. Steege. True to its title, the book covers several weaving styles and a broad spectrum of weaving materials. It is a well-curated collection of ideas, step-by-step guides, references, and tips, with plenty of inspiration and encouragement to take your weaving adventures even further. The content is suitable for beginning weavers and inspiring for the…

Keep in mind that the thickness, tightness of the spin, and age of the yarn can also affect these tests. What you have on your hands is a mystery yarn. I volunteer every week at our city’s senior center, helping people weave. The weaving room has been blessed with donations over the many years: looms, equipment … and yes, tons of yarn, most of which is unlabeled. We do a lot of mystery yarn identification. To solve the mystery, you have to be a detective of sorts. Let’s explore a few tests that you can put in your detective’s tool kit that use four of the five senses: sight, touch, smell, and even hearing. Using more than one of these tests in combination can boost your confidence in your fiber hypothesis. At…

In my case, the handwoven tapestries I make are sometimes large and easily hold their own as wall hangings using a hanging bar. However, some are small and therefore need different presentation methods to show them to their best advantage. PLANNING YOUR ENDING When I begin a tapestry, I always think of the ending … in other words, I plan for the finishing method as I start. For instance, do I want to use a simple method of turning back the warp ends with something like a half-Damascus edge? If I do, I will need to consider the color of the warp because it will be seen as a little visual “blip” at top and bottom. As an example, when I use natural-color cotton seine twine, often my choice of design will…

Adhesive Measuring Tape Find the middle every time with this adhesive measuring tape by Oregon Rule. Available in 36- and 48-inch lengths, each tape counts up on either side of the centered zero mark. Place the center, remove the backing, and trim the ends to the proper length to fit your rigid heddle. loftyfiber.com Heddle Hook Threading your heddle is a breeze with this newly designed hook from Kromski. Made from stainless steel, it is lightweight and has two hook sizes to accommodate both the slots and holes on your loom. The 6-inch-long hook is bound to become a staple in your weaving toolbox. kromskina.com Weaving Tablets More holes mean more versatility! These weaving tablets from Linda Hendrickson have the standard four corner holes and a smaller additional set of holes along each side to…