More card weaving

When I got bored card weaving waves, I switched over to diamonds. There isn't a lot of it, but enough to get a small what-not bag out of it....eventually.

Card weaving

Simple waves. Card weaving on an inkle loom. Cotton yarn. I plan on turning it into a small coin purse or maybe cell phone bag eventually.




Apparently I can't make days last longer. Rather than trying to blog multiple times a week and failing, I am going to shoot for every Tuesday. I can/will still add some other posts in between but I think that having a schedule until I can settle into having a blogging routine will work best. My biggest hold-up is photos. I just don't seem to get them done then I don't want to post without them and time just slips by.

One guess.....

Did you guess...braid? Yes, I will move on eventually (maybe?) but right now I have braids on the brain.

Made this one last week, I think. Satin cord. Somehow I didn't write down the set-up. A bit disappointing as I have gotten so good (ha!) at keeping track. I remember I wanted to try it again with a bit of tweaking. The white was supposed to be more diamond shape or I just thought I could get it there with a bit of a change.

I finished my card woven band this morning. I'm trying to decide today what to warp next. I don't think it will be card woven and it will most definitely be shorter. I enjoyed this one but it took longer, than I wanted, to complete it. So many things I want to try weaving!

The braid on the marudai is essentially done, too. Maybe 5 minutes remaining. I'm stringing ten gazillion seed beads for a braid. The furry help makes progress slow. I have 4.5 strands strung so far. Those tiny little beads are just too much temptation according to the furry one. Pat, pat, pat, spill, scatter!...kitty laughter ensues. I'll warp up some hemp or s-lon bead cord, in the meantime, as that is quick.

Card Weaving

Inch by never-ending inch. Second band on the inkle loom almost done. Card woven with 5/2 cotton. There are actually two designs on this band. It is several feet long so I moved on to a different design about half-way through the warp.

If you look up at the top of the photo, you can see a bit of the Kumihimo braid I am using to tie up my cards when I finish for the day.

I was bad...I shopped

Ok it was planned shopping but still...
I bought copper pipe to build a better tablet loom. Cost was about $25 more than I had planned on. I knew that was possible due to the metals market increase but was hoping not quite that much. While I was there I picked up dowels to make a backstrap loom.

Tried to find some #3 cotton crochet yarn, though not much luck. Not a whole lot of craft/art options here. 3 Wal-Mart's but only one has a tiny craft section. They had 3 colors, total of 5 balls, so I closed my eyes and bought 2 colors, 3 balls. Not enough to do much more than sample but I can see how I like this weight. The yarn I ordered in when I bought my inkle loom is thinner. Proper weaving yarn in #3 I have to order by the pound and that was way more than I want.

I went to the quilt shop(it's a pharmacy of all things, with thousands of bolts of wonderful quilting fabric and smallish selection other crafty odds and ends. It's a wonderful place.) hoping they would have some as I remembered they have about 10' shelving of yarn. All they had was crochet thread though. They do have a full line of embroidery supplies though so I picked up some DMC floss. I can weave or braid with it. I also poked through there huge selection of threads and picked up a spool of rayon thread to play with.

That's it for my semi-local shopping options so I'll be satisfied with my selection. It's not like I have tons of free time anyway.

I'm off to tend to my milk. I'm making a gallon of yogurt. We just love homemade yogurt.

I shopped...

I am the proud owner of a sack full of copper pipe pieces, soon to be a tablet loom. I lucked up on a super nice fellow at the hardware store, who was delighted to cut my pipe for me.

I'm at the end (I hope) of an insane work week. I am plum exhausted. Fingers crossed for a little quiet time in the morning so I can play.

I have a load of photos on the camera so hope to get some of those cropped this weekend.

Sunday ramblings...

Typical crazy week for me. I've been weaving each morning for a little bit. I'm about halfway through my current warp, that I am card weaving, on the inkle loom. Braiding as I had time.



This braid came out nice. 1mm satin cord again. 4 each of red and black. It started out life as a rectangle braid. I quickly discovered that the design I chose had too many resets of the cords, for my minimal patience, when using a disk. To use up the cord on the bobbins I just switched to a simple round braid. Instead of the normal smooth spiral, it step-spirals. I like it.

My marudai(braiding loom) arrived this past week. I set up my cords Friday but didn't sit down with it until this morning. I may be in love. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. The smooth motion, the rhythm....the speed! I only warped enough cord for an 18" braid so it went too quickly. I was actually disappointed to run out of warp! I just finished winding my next warp, much longer this time. I need/want a cord to bind my tablet weaving cards. The one I am using is a bit too short/thick.

I am headed to the hardware store late this week. I hope to pick up everything I need for a backstrap loom (the wood parts only) and copper to make a tablet loom. I hope to have enough time to swing by the fabric shop, to see if they have any crochet threads or embroidery floss I can use as I am craving color options.

Now I'm off to attempt to mark some things off my 10' long to-do list.

Spiral braid

I'm still making braids like mad. Just one of them...

It's my favorite of the week, a 12 strand spiral made from 1mm satin cording.

I've been weaving most mornings for at least a few minutes. I'm about 10 inches into my second band and it is going fine.....I think. I say, I think, because I didn't realize I had a problem with the first one until I cut it off the loom. This one is wider, 20 cards. I didn't realize how much harder it would be to turn the cards. Half the time I am just having to split the deck and turn in sections. I have carpal tunnel and small hands working against me, so I just have to break things down into smaller bites.

The first band I played a lot but it came out rather cute The edging is too loose so I am working on correcting that problem with the second band.

I learned to count to 4!

The joke, after I taught myself to knit years ago, was I couldn't count to 3. I am very strong in math, always have been, so this came as a rather big shock. I can track pages of numbers with perfect accuracy but, in knitting, I couldn't make it to 3. I just could not find the numerical rhythm in following a knitting pattern. Charts helped a lot but still...anything larger than a repeat of 2, it could be bet on, I was going to mess it up.

Moving on to card weaving.....discovered I couldn't count to 4! Thankfully I was able to solve that (I hope!) this morning. I'll be giving it one more go tomorrow morning, if I don't oversleep. If still successful, I will move onto a more interesting design. I've been making a card woven band on the inkle loom. The weaving itself has been no problem, I am very consistent so just a matter of being able to track the design properly.

My black, red, and white yarn arrived so I am all set for weaving yarns.

My book 250 braids... arrived yesterday. It looks great. I've added a few more to my list of 'must try' braids. Included with that shipment was some Imposter silk. I'm interested in how it works out for braiding. I can't say, I like the feel of it, at all. The color is lovely though.

I finished an 18 strand flat Kumihimo braid yesterday. It is going to require blocking to look it's best but it is rather appealing.

I caved and shopped again!

My resistance finally snapped. I just ordered a Marudai, 16 tama and another small shuttle.

I have a couple more books I still want to order but I think I finally have everything else I want for now....except yarn/thread/cord. I actually have plenty of cord and silk threads to keep me busy for a long while. Yarn, well, I will be needing a wee bit more for weaving.

I have black, white, and red cotton weaving yarn still on back order. Once that comes, I should be set for a while, or at least until I start craving more color variations.

Bet you can't guess...

what I am going to write about! Braiding? Really? Why would you ever think that?

Ok yes it is another braid. I really like this one. The photos don't do much for it but it is really pretty in the hand.

Details:
Red Black and white 1mm satin
cut 5'.
Set up BWRRBRRR
Basic round braid
26" knot to knot. Diameter 6-7mm.



I broke and ordered more books. Inkle Weaving by Helene Bress. I would greatly appreciate it if someone would tell me where I put it though! I shuffled the books around on the bookcase, filing books I'm not currently reading or working with, to make space for the books that have come in over the past few weeks. Now I can't find it. I will, it's just playing hiding and seek right now.

I ordered more braiding books too. 200 Braids to Loop, Knot, Weave & Twist by Jacqui Carey and Braids: 250 Patterns from Japan, Peru, and Beyond by Rodrick Owen.

I warped the inkle loom for card weaving yesterday morning and started weaving this morning. I discovered that even after double checking the cards I still threaded 2 incorrectly. I then spent too much time correcting it. Started again, only to discover that one of the cards I fixed now has a twist in the warp in front of the cards. Typical false starts. Oh well, I have that card un-knotted and will fix it in the morning.

Enthralled...

I am loving this weaver's blog. http://backstrapweaving.wordpress.com I don't say that often, in fact, maybe never before.
Even without much interest in weaving, I think it is a fascinating peep into South American culture. Now I am interested in weaving, so am thoroughly enjoying myself reading all her back posts and studying the photos. So much so, that while I have considered and rejected the idea of backstrap weaving in the past, I am finding it irresistible.

I am still working long hours so just a minute here and there to play. I completed another Kumihimo braid this afternoon. This one has pretty much cemented the idea I want a marudai (braiding loom). I do not like adjusting my cords back to home base. It totally throws any rhythm out of whack. It's not awful, of course, I just crave a smoother motion.

My inkle loom and weaving cards should be here Wednesday, I can't wait!

Slipped ...

My hands somehow slipped on the keyboard! Inkle loom ordered! Of course it would be lonely in a box by itself so some cotton yarn, a book Double-Faced Tablet Weaving, a belt shuttle. and some weaving cards are hitching a ride.

Whew!

I made it through the weekend with no loom on order! It was dangerously close a number of times. I have finally given myself permission to order an inkle. I am pretty sure it will be a Schacht inkle loom. I am not positive it is the absolute best loom for my interests, however, it seems to be the top choice of the ones I have researched. Best, as in for my project ideas, not in quality. Quality-wise, they all seem to be about the same when you are looking at the long-term brand names.

I want to be able to tablet weave on this loom so it needs to do double-duty. Once I know if any of this will hold my interest, I'll be happy to build a tablet loom.

Anyhow, my weekend got shot by a misbehaving air-conditioner. I'm behind on everything including cooking and sleeping. This week is going to be super crazy at work, with long hours. I thought I would order the loom by this morning and it be here by Friday to play. Looking at my insane schedule, that was just putting too much pressure on me. That loom would holler and scream for attention, if it was in house.

The most I have done play-wise all weekend, is this morning I cut and glued my cord ends for my first try at ply-split braiding. That in itself was a silly bit, as I thought I was going to braid! Then I realized...oops you have to prep the cord. Of course, no appropriate glue to be found. I finally found a tube of super glue. I'm not sure how that will work out. The ends are sealed but will they hold up in use?

Ok enough rambling for today. Time to work and day-dream of playtime to come.

Sneaky Looms...

I'm this '.' close to ordering an inkle loom! I keep talking myself out of it. It keeps getting harder everyday. I really want a larger loom but I've convinced myself it isn't a good choice right now. I don't have the time for warping much less the weaving so it would sit unused most of the time. An inkle is quick to prep and doesn't take up much space.

My gripfid, book (Ply-Split Braiding by Julie Hedges) and a bit of cord for ply-split braiding arrived Friday. I can't wait to give it a try. I overslept today so just didn't have the time to do more than read a few pages. I am hoping to play in the morning for a bit.

Monday my Kumihimo books are due in. I ordered 4. Also on the way Card Weaving by Candace Crockett. It was expected last Thursday but apparently was lost for 4 days.

I'm not making much right now. I do have a square Kumihimo braid in progress. Knitting is at a stage that needs my full attention to work on, which I can't do right now. Spinning, just not enough energy or time. I wish I could keep my wheel set-up and out for easy 'sit-down for 5 minutes' access but that isn't an option currently. It is just plain silly to be looking at new projects but I can't resist.

He's baccckkk....

That durn bug keeps biting me. For whatever reason, spinning brought it out of hiding and it won't leave me alone. I want a loom. That pesky bug picked on me for months back in 2009 but I managed to distract him. Now here he is again.

Back in 2009, I made a loom list. I did manage to talk myself down from a floor loom due to space constraints and reality of my super busy life. A rigid heddle loom sounded just fine. Size was still being debated. Life interfered like usual and loom thoughts had to be pushed aside. Here I go again though. Going over the list and doing some quick research, my tastes seem to have remained the same. Reality is I don't have time for weaving. As it is, to spin, I give up sleep. To knit, I skip meals or make do with fast meals (cooked from scratch but plain and super fast), along with sleep. To sew or doing needlework/embroidery, I have to fit a stitch in where I can. Still I want a loom......