Desi Weaver

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Part II

2010-11-02T23:02:00.005-04:00

My apologies in advance for all the photos! I visited the Smithsonian Natural History Museum this weekend (after we determined we could not see or hear anything at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Feer!) to check out the crocheted coral reef exhibit. I went in expecting to spend a lot of time trying to find my one little piece, but I found it pretty fast! Enjoy the pictures and I look forward to posting about my upcoming holiday projects in the coming days.

History of the project:

"Healthy" coral angle:

More of the healthy reef:

And....my piece was just behind the railing from the picture above: (hint - my piece is light green with an orange fuzzy accent!)

Crochet Coral Reef

2010-10-23T10:17:00.002-04:00

This summer, I was browsing through my local yarn shop's weekly email and noticed a very cool project - a crochet coral reef! The Fiber Space had sessions throughout the summer to teach folks how to crochet pieces of coral for an exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. I was so impressed with the skills of all the talented people making pieces for this exhibit.

Mine is just a small coral inspired by my first experience snorkeling in St. Lucia this summer:

The exhibit is now open and runs through April 11, 2011. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but I hope that my piece is visible among all the crocheted coral reef pieces. This project was a community effort - local yarn shops, schools, and the museum all worked together to create a coral reef out of yarn.

If you are in D.C. between now and April, I hope you will check it out!

Colorwork Crochet Bag

2010-10-16T21:43:00.003-04:00

I had been working on this colorwork crochet bag since last spring and I finally finished it last weekend! My first goal was to finish it before my wedding (June 5), then before the start of law school (August 30), but October 11 just had to do! I found the pattern for this "Finest Hops Bag" in the Summer 2008 issue of Interweave Crochet (near the bottom of the page). I wanted to try experimenting with many colors in one piece and also different embroidery techniques.

I plan to use some of the embroidery techniques in future crocheted and woven projects.

I love the Lantern Moon handles for this bag! Also, there are two outside pockets on this bag under the embroidered flowers. I definitely plan to use the pocket techniques in future projects as well. Thanks to Millicent's Yarn in Cumberland, MD for all the supplies for this project!

Woven Rag Rugs!

2010-09-27T22:28:00.004-04:00

I know it has been a very long time since I have posted and I probably don't have any readers. Last spring I was busy planning a wedding and this summer I got married, traveled a bit, and I recently started going to law school at night (in addition to my day job!). However, I somehow managed to weave a couple of rugs along the way.

I have always wanted to try my hand at a rug. I got tired of making scarves! I had no guidance on this process and just made this up as I went along. I used an unmercenized cotton warp and strips of cotton sheets for the weft. You may not be able to tell from the photo, but it is about the size of a doormat. I love the way they look and as a result, do not want to use them!

In addition to my weaving, I always have a few crochet projects in the queue. I hope to post more on those in the coming weeks and months. Until then, for all my DC readers, Crafty Bastards is this Saturday! Also, a great new yarn shop opened in Dupont Circle - Looped Yarnworks. Enjoy!

Weaving Nook

2010-02-15T21:33:00.001-05:00

Since I moved last fall, I have enjoyed having a space for my loom in the bedroom, but last week, it got even more like an official weaving "nook." Jon installed a shelf above my loom to display some of my more attractive yarns. It adds some great color to the wall, and it makes my space feel more official. I still envy the wonderful studios of my fellow weaving bloggers, but this is what you get when you're a poor urbanite! Now if I could just find the time to actually weave!

This weekend we made our way to Western Maryland for a mountain getaway. I had to stop at a yarn shop along the way called Millicent's Yarns in Cumberland, MD. I highly recommend this shop to any knitters/crocheters/yarn enthusiasts. Not only was the selection wonderful, but they had a large library of books and a wonderful staff. The shop was packed with the young and old alike, yet the staff was still able to help everyone in the store. I picked up a number of items for a complex crochet project that I hope to finish before the summer.

Snowed In Projects!

2010-02-10T12:38:00.005-05:00

I have been snowed in since Saturday in two (!) freak blizzards that have hit the D.C. area. I have taken the time to relax, catch up on sleep, and of course, make things! I managed to get to the ArtSpace yesterday to work on my new rag rug project. I'm all warped up and will be ready to weave next week. I also wound up some yarn to make an overshot scarf on my LeClerc at home. We are snowed in again today, so I will be starting that project today.

Here are some items that I have crocheted over the past few days:

For some reason I am having trouble uploading the rest into blogger, so you can check out the other items I have made in my crochet photo album.

What are your favorite snow day projects?

ArtSpace Fundraiser

2010-01-29T16:53:00.004-05:00

I learned how to weave at the New Community ArtSpace in Washington, DC. Today, the ArtSpace needs your help to continue to provide community art classes. AIGA DC is sponsoring a fundraiser to raise money for the ArtSpace and I have donated a woven chenille scarf for auction.

Read more about "Dollars For Degas: An AIGA DC Party to Benefit New Community Artspace" here.

This is what I will be contributing:

Scarves are Done!

2009-11-23T17:54:00.004-05:00

I finally finished my multi-fiber warp scarves! I bought beautiful chenille and ribbon last winter (pictures here) and managed to finish the scarves in time for winter and the holiday bazaar at the ArtSpace. So... here's a picture:

I was hoping the ribbon would really pop out because of its shine and unique texture compared to the chenille, but instead it just compressed in with the design. The red ribbon is mixed in with the silver stripes. You can definitely tell there is ribbon in the scarf by the fringe, but not in the actual pattern. I didn't get any close-up shots, but will try to post more pictures later.

I am going to explore some old issues of Handwoven to see if I can find some techniques for using different fibers in a way that allows the texture to come through. My guess is that I should not have woven the ribbon in every pick, and instead let it float. I would love the advice of any experienced weavers out there!

I'm Back!

2009-11-08T20:16:00.002-05:00

So I have no real explanation for why I haven't posted in SO long other than I was busy getting engaged, buying a house, and applying to law school. But now that those things are just about done, I can get back to the more important things in life like fiber arts!

In the past few months I have continued to make progress on my multi-fiber scarves (they will be complete on Tuesday, woohoo!), crocheted my first pair of socks, and experimented with sewing in preparation for the ability to sew my own woven fabrics. I seemed to have misplaced photos of the socks I made, so I will have to take some more pictures and upload them another time.

Here is a picture of a small tote bag I made on the sewing machine:

Here are two crocheted bibs I made for a girlfriend's (soon-to-be) twin boys: (this was my first try with crocheting images and I think they turned out pretty well!)

I will post about the woven scarves on Tuesday when I complete them at the ArtSpace. Speaking of the ArtSpace, we are having our annual Holiday Bazaar on Friday, December 4. The ArtSpace is in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC, so if you're in the area, save the date!

Summer Fiber Blues

2009-08-07T22:11:00.004-04:00

DC is so hot and humid and it makes me lose my motivation for weaving/crochet/anything fiber related! I know a lot of folks can work on their projects in the comfort of AC, but just looking at yarn makes me hot. Having said that, I did finish this crochet bag from Interweave Crochet:

I also bought some new cotton yarn from the newly opened Fiber Space in Alexandria, VA (which is fabulous, by the way)! I have two friends who are pregnant, so I want to make some fun baby items. Any pattern ideas out there??

I am hoping to make it back to the ArtSpace soon to finish up my red chenille scarves, but I will be on the road for the next two weeks. I need a road project ASAP! Any crochet baby patterns are very warmly welcomed!

Too Long + 1 Year!

2009-07-19T12:21:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted on this blog. In that time I have been from East Coast to West Coast, but still working on projects! (I promise) I also hit the one year mark of the blog, so that's exciting!

I was in New England for 10 days and managed to check out two yarn shops: The Wool Pack (in Littleton, MA) and Sheep to Shore (in Nantucket, MA). Both of these shops were spacious and the ladies who helped us were warm and friendly. This seems to be a trend in all of the yarn shops I have visited in New England!

In Nantucket I also met Karen Sheppard of Island Weaves. She inspired me with her wonderful towels and blankets with colors of the sea. She also made me want to move to Nantucket and weave full time! I hope to return to the island to learn the production method from Karen.

It has been a busy month, but I am close to finishing my multi-fiber warp scarves at the ArtSpace and I am close to finishing a crocheted bag with new yarn from the Wool Pack. I hope that I still have some readers despite my long absence!

Back to Business

2009-06-14T13:21:00.002-04:00

After a long hiatus due to LSAT prep, I am back to work on my various projects. During my time of non-posting, I continued weaving my multi-fiber warp scarves at the ArtSpace, but neglected projects at home. But I finished my exam on Monday and now I'm back to work!

I am almost done with my crocheted sweater: (just one sleeve left to crochet!)

I also warped my inkle loom for some bookmarks in the colors of my Alma mater:

I have also drawn up some plans for cotton towels for my tabletop LeClerc at home. I am hoping to make it to the ArtSpace this week to wind the warps for those. Jon asked me why I don't just buy my own warping board. I would love to have my own to speed up my projects, but my apartment is about 300 square feet. I can barely have looms in here, not to mention all my yarn, bed, desk, dresser, etc! Hopefully my next home will have room for all the necessary weaving accessories.

I am counting down the weeks/days for my trip to Massachusetts in July. We are planning a visit to WEBS in Northampton, the Fiber Loft in Harvard, and any yarn shops in Nantucket. I better start saving my money!

Multi-fiber Warp Scarves

2009-05-20T21:24:00.002-04:00

I have made some more progress on my multi-fiber warp scarves. I used chenille and ribbon in the warp and am using the same chenille for the weft. I had no idea how the ribbon would look once I started weaving, but I am pleased with the results.

If you look at the close up of this image, you will see the stripes of ribbon really packed in nicely with the weft. It does not bubble up or create any strange lumps/bumps in the scarf. In fact, I don't think you can even tell that it's ribbon!

Although I am really happy with how these scarves are turning out, plain weave after plain weave is getting really boring! I have enough for two scarves in this warp that are each two yards long. I will be weaving until it is warm enough to actually wear them...

Special thanks to Kristian Whipple at the ArtSpace for taking the photos for me!

I would rather be weaving...

2009-05-17T14:42:00.002-04:00

It has been a long time since my last post, but sadly, I do not have any progress to report! I am taking the law school admissions test (LSAT) on June 8, and every spare moment I have outside of the office has been going toward studying. It is really sad.

I still attend my weaving class at the DC ArtSpace on Tuesday nights, and am happy to report that I have finally started weaving my multi-fiber warp scarves. I will have photos ASAP. These scarves use both chenille and ribbon and are so soft! I have enough warp to make two scarves - I will definitely be keeping one of them for myself.

This is my first experience using a floor loom, and I have mixed feelings about it. I am very short (5"1"), so I have trouble reaching the pedals unless I sit at the edge of the bench. However, after about 30 minutes of this, my rear gets a little numb!

Are there any petite weavers out there that can offer some advice on using the floor loom? We have limited bench options at the ArtSpace, but I am definitely open to suggestions!

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival!

2009-05-03T17:17:00.001-04:00

Today I experienced my very first Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The rain was pouring down, but we made it! Almost my entire weaving class enjoyed the festivities in Howard County, Maryland. My favorite part (aside from all of the tempting yarn) was watching the border collies chase the sheep around! If it had not been pouring, I could have watched them all day.

I am proud to report that I managed to leave the festival with NO new yarn purchases. I bought a couple of small gifts for folks, but no yarn! I'm actually disappointed because the reason I did not buy any yarn was that the majority of vendors at the festival were incredibly unfriendly. Given the tough economic times and the fact that it was raining cats and dogs, you would think vendors would be especially keen on selling their products. It seems I did not fit the profile for the ideal shopper, because my interest in the products was met with very rude vendors. So I bought nothing.

I did manage to take a few photos of the sheep, however!

Crocheted Sweater Update #1

2009-04-25T16:35:00.002-04:00

I received a couple of requests to post about my crocheted sweater project. This is my most ambitious project as a beginning crocheter. I am making the "Big Bow Cardigan" (without the big bow) from the Winter 2008 issue of Interweave Crochet. Because this is my first clothing item, I decided to use a less expensive yarn, so I'm using the Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Olive:

The green is a little brighter in person than in the photos. In this picture you can start to see the shape of the sweater (3/4 length sleeve on the left):

I have been diligently working on this project bit by bit each day in the hopes that it will be ready in time for sweater season. :) I'm really excited about making something more complicated AND I'm actually making it for myself! I hope that I get the sizing correct (otherwise it might be for sale in a couple of months).

In the weaving world I have made no progress. Between a bad head cold and a busy couple of weeks at work, I haven't been able to plan out my next project for my loom at home. My loom at the ArtSpace is dressed and ready to be wound on Tuesday. I will be weaving my mixed fiber scarves in no time!

Jon's dad did some rehab on my inkle loom last week, so I am also planning to get some inkle pick-up weaving started again. I need to evaluate my yarn options and find some patterns for that project.

I am also excited about the upcoming Maryland Sheep and Wool festival! This will be my first time attending, and I can't wait! My birthday is coming up, so I may be buying myself some early birthday gifts.

That's all from Desiweaver-land! As always, your comments are welcome. I love hearing from strangers and realizing that people actually read my blog!

Lunch Bags Complete!

2009-04-18T19:18:00.003-04:00

Wow, it has been too long since I last posted! I have been busy, though. I finished my second round of woven bags made from plastic bags. I made small bags suitable for carrying lunch to work. Jon has already claimed one bag and most of the others have been claimed by a former colleague. I made a total of 5 bags:

You might not be able to tell from the photos, but I also made the handles. The blue handles were woven using my inkle loom and I crocheted the green handles. Once again, my mom helped me sew up the bags with the family sewing machine. Here is a close-up of a bag using Target bags (I did stripes alternating between regular white bags and Target's holiday red bags):

Here is a close-up of a bag with an orange accent:

I have also started crocheting a sweater! I have never taken on an ambitious project like a sweater, but I'm excited! It may be a few months before I have it even close to finished, but hopefully my loyal readers will keep bugging me about it.!

So now the important question - what to weave next??? My LeClerc table loom is free and in need of a new project. The bags are a big hit, so it would be nice to build some more inventory. However, I would love to learn new weaving techniques. Any advice for this newbie weaver would be greatly appreciated!

Who Uses Etsy?

2009-03-28T13:56:00.002-04:00

Over the past few weeks a variety of people have asked me if I sell any of my work on Etsy. Until recently, everything that I have made was either given as a gift to friends or was sold at the ArtSpace annual bazaar (with all proceeds benefiting the ArtSpace). In recent months I have had a number of requests for specific items, and I have made them accordingly. I usually only charge for the materials.

I do not mass produce woven or crocheted items, so I never have much inventory of finished products on hand.

Here are my questions to those of you who sell on Etsy:
1. Do you keep a large inventory of finished products on hand?
2. Is accepting credit cards problematic?
3. How much up-keep is required of your Etsy site?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Weaving, Jewelry, Crochet, Oh My!

2009-03-22T15:54:00.005-04:00

It has been a productive week in my world of fiber arts! Click on the pictures below to view larger images. Jon was not around today to help me with photos (he's out fishing), so the image quality is not ideal.

I completed the inkle handles for my woven bag project:

I also made progress on a crocheted alpaca hat for my dad. There was a delay on this project because of a major bird's nest of a knot in my ball of yarn. I ended up just having to cut out the knot after battling with it for an hour.

I finished my first commissioned crocheted jewelry project! My colleague Rose requested a sterling silver crocheted necklace with dark pearl-like beads. The beads are actually a silver/blue color, but it is hard to tell from the photos:

I also managed to teach myself how to cast-on in knitting, thanks to an online video. I have the knit stitch down, so now I just need to improve my purl stitches. I won't even bother posting photos of my knitting work, it is too embarrassing. On tap for this week: focus on weaving.

Weaving at the ArtSpace: I am ready to thread my ends through the heddles for my multi-fiber warp scarfs.
Weaving at home: I have to complete my bags by April 9, so I better get a move on it!

Back from Italy!

2009-03-15T18:05:00.002-04:00

I am back from a wonderful trip to Italy with my family that was filled with sightseeing, public transportation, crafty pursuits, and lots of gelato! We started in Venice where we visited Murano, the land of glass. I purchased a variety of glass beads to make more crocheted jewelry. While in Venice, we also visited a yarn shop! I have added the location to my growing googlemap of yarn shops. I purchased some very soft Italian yarn from the shop.

We continued on to Rome where we saw every possible monument in the city! We also happened upon a random yarn shop near Piazza Navona. This shop had a variety of yarns, needlepoint supplies, and bras. Yes, you read that correctly. Bras. It was very random.

Unfortunately, I did not make much progress on any projects during this trip. I sleep pretty soundly on planes, so I didn't even pick up my crochet project. I did, however, get a very excellent lesson in knitting from my mom and sister on the train from Venice to Rome. I learned how to do the knit stitch from a friend at work last week, and feel comfortable with it (thanks to some excellent teaching!). My mom and sister showed me how to purl. I am struggling with purl, but hope that practice will help me get faster.

As the three of us were working on our projects on the train, a nun walked by and spoke to us in Italian, pointing at the projects and smiling. We still have no idea what she said that day, but I am guessing she was pleased with our work!

That is all for now. I look forward to posting about some progress on various projects soon!

Warped Looms and More Jewelry

2009-03-02T21:48:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted! I have been diligently reading everyone's weaving blogs, but not reporting on my own (lack of) progress. Since I last posted, I have done the following:

Crocheted some jewelry (one of these days I am going to find a better surface on which to photograph jewelry):

And made no progress on my next set of woven recycled bags:

My inkle loom is still warped and waiting for someone to weave up some handles for the (non-existent) bags. I have also started making another crocheted alpaca hat, this time for my dad. I am also hoping to make a crocheted necklace for my sister. I am seeing all of these family members this weekend when we meet up for a family trip to Italy! I am really excited about the trip since I have never been Italy and I love to eat.

We are going to Venice and Rome. Do you know of any yarn shops in either of these cities? I can't wait to add an international yarn shop to my list!

More Crocheted Earrings

2009-02-16T22:31:00.003-05:00

I am really enjoying making crocheted jewelry! These earrings are a little bit smaller than the first pair, but are similar in design. I am looking forward to trying other types of shapes with the wire in the future.

On a weaving note, I have dressed my loom at home to start the bag project #2. I have accumulated a lot of plastic bags over the last few months, so I am looking forward to turning them into weft for the woven bags. I am also making progress on my multi-fiber scarves at the ArtSpace. I am hoping to get all of the ends through the heddles tomorrow night and then beaming up next Tuesday.

Crocheted Earrings!

2009-02-11T22:18:00.001-05:00

I just finished my first pair of crocheted earrings. The picture isn't great (Jon wasn't around to take photos with his nice camera), but I hope you can get the general idea. They are pretty large and sparkly in person (click on the picture for a closer look). The hooks are sterling silver. I am very pleased with how these turned out (especially considering this was my first time working with beads and wire).

Lessons learned from this project:

1. Wire is not forgiving. When crocheting with yarn, it is really easy to pull out entire rows of stitches. Wire prefers that you get it right the first time around.

2. Beading stores are overwhelming. There are so many options and everything is so shiny and inviting!

3. Beadazzled in Washington, DC is a great shop. It is well staffed with friendly and knowledgeable individuals ready to help a newbie.

Do you have any jewelry making tips, pictures, or resources to share?

A Week of Progress

2009-02-09T22:26:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in a few days, but I have made lots of progress on a number of projects. Unfortunately, I have no photos to prove it!

1. I finished Jon's second hat. I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca in charcoal gray. It looks pretty sharp, if I don't say so myself! I really love this yarn and have enough for 1-2 more men's hats.

2. I finished my second commissioned crochet project. A co-worker asked me to make her a purple scarf so I made her an eggplant colored crochet scarf with more of the Berroco alpaca. I won't have a chance to take a picture before I give her the scarf tomorrow, but it is a simple scarf using half double crochet stitches. She wanted something warm, so these tight stitches are perfect.

3. I also finished wrapping the warp for my multi-fiber warp shawls. I love the way the ribbon looks with the shimmery chenille. I can't wait to start threading this warp through the reed tomorrow evening at the ArtSpace.

4. I warped my inkle loom to make some woven handles for the upcoming lunch bags.

On tap for this week:

1. Crochet Jewelry! I found a pattern in a crochet magazine and decided to buy some supplies to try my hand at crochet jewelry. Have any of you crocheted jewelry in the past? I hope that I am not adding to my growing list of crafting addictions!

2. Wrapping the warp for recycled lunchbags. I have been meaning to do this for weeks, but I am going to do this tomorrow night at the ArtSpace (for real this time...). My loom at home looks so lonely and bare.

I hope everyone has a productive week on the loom/needles/hooks/etc!

Crochet Shawl

2009-02-01T22:24:00.009-05:00

I just finished making a crochet shawl that I might keep for myself, although I can think of a number of people who might enjoy it. The pattern I used suggested tassels along the edges. I haven't decided if I am going to add this element.

The yarn is a mill-end that I purchased at The Mannings last fall. It is 3 different fibers spun together. You might be able to see colors if you click on the close up.

Close-up of the stitches:

Spread out:

Thanks to Jon for taking all of these great pictures.

On tap this week: WEAVING. It has been too long. I am going to head to the ArtSpace tomorrow night to get a warp ready for my tabletop LeClerc. I am going to make small lunch bags using carpet warp for the warp and recycled plastic bags for the weft. This is similar to a previous project when I made grocery bags with recycled plastic bags. I will probably stick to plain weave with this project to get them off the loom quickly. I think these will make some great gifts.

I am also going to get my warp ready for my multi-fiber shawls.

Recent Projects

2009-01-25T20:30:00.007-05:00

I have decided to post pictures of the chenille scarf I keep talking about for two reasons:

1. It's growing on me and I no longer want to throw it out the window because of its many imperfections.
2. I don't know when I'll get around to wet finishing it because I'm afraid it's just going to fall apart in the wash! (and because I'm all out of quarters)

So... here it is:

I also finished my first "commissioned" project. My boyfriend Jon asked me to crochet him a hat in Boston Red Sox Colors. I'm happy with how it came out, but the yarn was a bit scratchy. So, we bought some alpaca at Knit and Stitch = Bliss in Bethesda, MD. I will post pictures of that hat as soon as I finish.

It's exciting to make something at the request of an interested party (although I wasn't paid for this project, hmm). :) Jon did take the photos that you see on this post, however.

On an unrelated note, it has been so exciting to see all of the hits on Feedjit from around the world! I love seeing where folks are reading my blog from out in the blogosphere. I am very curious about how you are finding my blog. I follow between 10-15 weaving/fiber arts blogs using Googlereader. The reader program often suggests new blogs for me to follow, which is why the list has grown. So... if you're brave enough, please let me know how you found me!

Inauguration!

2009-01-20T20:05:00.003-05:00

I know this is a fiber arts blog, but since I live in Washington, DC, I just have to post about today's inauguration. I was there with 2 million of my closest friends, and it was incredible. I was about 3 jumbotrons from the Capitol. I can't wait to see some of the pictures of the full crowds all the way back to the reflecting pool. Until then, enjoy one of the shots from my view on the National Mall!

On a fiber related note, I finished the chenille scarf! My loom is so bare, but it is happy to be done with that project. I'm not happy with how it came out because of the various problems with selvedge threads and then some tension problems near the end. However, I did learn a lot from this project. The learning will continue when I run it through the washer. I need to review other bloggers' lessons learned with wet-finishing chenille before I venture into that territory, however. I will post pictures of the final product soon.

Yarn and the City!

2009-01-18T20:07:00.003-05:00

I was in New York City this weekend for a fabulous weekend trip with my sister (an avid knitter), so it was fitting that we went on a hunt for yarn shops. I am proud to report two more dots on my google map of yarn shops. The abundance of local yarn shops in a place like NYC made me realize the fundamental lack of shops in DC (especially since the closing of DC's only weaving shop).

The first shop we visited was The Point. I love that The Point is both a knitting shop and a coffee shop. The set up of the yarn was just beautiful with baskets of yarn hanging on the walls and hand-painted skeins displayed in their own corner. My only problem (and this is something I encounter A LOT) was that the staff was incredibly unfriendly! I don't know if we just came at a bad time or if it's just New Yorkers, but we were very disappointed. The second shop was Purl. The staff at Purl was incredibly friendly even though the tiny shop was hopping when we got there! Purl had a lot of fancy yarns that I definitely could not afford, but it was great to look! Both shops had a lack of crochet supplies.

I also made some progress on a crocheted shawl that I started last week. I'm trying a lacy pattern for a triangle shaped shawl. Jon's Boston Red Sox hat is complete and in full use (I will post pictures ASAP). And yes, my chenille scarf is still on the loom. Sigh. I'm hoping to take advantage of some of the daylight tomorrow to weave the last few inches.

Is anyone in DC for the inauguration?! It's getting crazy around here!

Fiber Day Trips!

2009-01-12T16:36:00.003-05:00

I am at home sick today and am getting very bored, so I decided it was time to update the blog. I have been crazy busy so far this January, so I don't have any progress on any projects! This is very frustrating since I have had the same chenille scarf on my loom for a month, my inkle loom is bare, and my crochet hooks are neatly tucked away.

I live in Washington, DC and have been in awe at the number of fiber arts options within a 2 hour radius of the city. I recently discovered Lahara Textiles in Montgomery County, MD. I am hoping to make a trip to Lahara in the coming months to see their weaving studio, and hopefully meet some artists!

Are you within a few hours of DC? Tell me about your favorite spot for a fiber arts day trip! I hope to add more to my Fiber Google Map soon!

Next Project - More Chenille!

2009-01-04T18:34:00.000-05:00

I am planning my next project for my work at the ArtSpace. It will be my first experience using a floor loom (woohoo!). I have decided to continue with using chenille, but I am experimenting with a multi-color, multi-fiber warp. I was inspired by a beautiful handwoven scarf I received at Christmas that used chenille, ribbon, bamboo, silk, and many other types of fibers in the warp. I have decided to use red and gray chenille with some red ribbon accents. These are all yarns I picked up during my trip to The Fiber Loft in Massachusetts.

Any advice on the use of different fibers in the warp is much appreciated! I look forward to reporting back on the progress of this project.

Hats Galore!

2009-01-01T13:04:00.003-05:00

I have been experimenting with different crochet hat designs because I want to learn how to do shaped objects, but also because Jon is in need of a new hat. This was a fun exercise to practice shapes and get rid of some of my yarn stash! I will probably put these hats for sale in the ArtSpace Bazaar next year.

Close-up photos of the hats can be found in my crochet gallery.

The beanie (far right) was definitely the easiest to make, but it isn't very warm. I really like the green hat, but it's too big for my head. Jon likes the hat on the far left, so I will be starting another version of this hat using the new yarn I purchased (Red Sox colors) in Massachusetts.

If you have a favorite crocheted hat design, let me know!

Yarn Yarn and More Yarn!

2008-12-29T22:02:00.005-05:00

I just returned from a restful trip to Massachusetts where I enjoyed my first "American" Christmas. I finished a crocheted hat and have started another hat. I will be doing a full post on crocheted hats once they are all complete (and photographed). I found a wonderful weaving/yarn shop called The Fiber Loft in Harvard, Massachusetts. I left the shop with mill ends, wool balls, and cotton, oh my! I am now instituting a moratorium on yarn purchasing.

I have started a Google map to track all of the yarn and weaving shops that I have visited. Check out the map here. The blue bubbles are weaving shops and the pink bubbles are yarn shops.

Do you have a favorite yarn or weaving shop? Let me know!

Bored of My Yarn Stash

2008-12-18T21:15:00.002-05:00

I have been warned about this situation - more yarn than you know what to do with, yet none that is quite right for a project. I'm SO there. I have cone after cone, skein after skein. Yet, I can't seem to find the right color, the right weight or the right amount for the non-existent project in my head. What to do? The last thing I need to do is buy more yarn, but it is so tempting!

My chenille scarf is still hanging out on the loom. I am hoping to finish it before 2009. I have finished all of the crocheted projects that I planned for Christmas and look forward to posting photos of the finished works with their intended recipients in the coming weeks!

I am contemplating the following weaving projects for the coming months:

Another set of bags made with plastic bags
Cotton towels with the random cones of 6/2 cotton that I have laying around (any pattern recommendations are highly encouraged!)
Shawl made with weft made from my mom's old silk saris

I hope all of you have a nice holiday season, whatever your faith tradition may be.

Scarves Galore!

2008-12-12T16:05:00.005-05:00

I have made some (very little) progress on the chenille scarf, but I thought I would post some photos anyways. I really love the blue on the black. I am doing a basic twill pattern to avoid worming of the chenille. I am happy with the pattern, but not thrilled about the edges. It would have been nice to have the selvedge threads, but since I don't, I'm working with what I have. This is a learning process...

I am also working on a crochet scarf to give as a gift. The yarn is so soft and a fun color, so I'm hoping that its recipient enjoys it this winter!

How Often Do You Weave?

2008-12-10T22:20:00.002-05:00

I am constantly reading other weaving blogs and am always impressed at the quality and quantity of projects folks are able to produce. How much do you weave? Please let me know via the comments section.

I try to weave a few hours a week on my loom at home. I weave or work on other fiber projects at the ArtSpace for two hours each week. Overall, I find that it takes so long to complete projects on the loom, but I just don't know when I else I would make time for it. Obviously, I am a beginner and warping up takes a while, but I feel like a snail compared to you folks!

As an update, I have woven about 5 inches of my 70 inch+ long chenille scarf. Sigh. I still have a crocheted scarf and two sets of crocheted mug rugs to finish before Christmas. I suppose I should stop blogging and start working!

Social Media

2008-12-08T20:01:00.002-05:00

I am attending a social media conference for work this week and one of the major topics is blogging. I am new to the blogging world and I am wondering how folks have been able to up their readership. I use GoogleReader to subscribe to many weaving blogs (some upon the suggestion of the magical reader). I know I have sent the link to this blog to my various friends, but has anyone else found this site?

If you know of folks in your "social network" who might be interested in my various projects, please send my link to them! I am hoping to plug into the weaving social network through this blog - I have learned so much from other weaving bloggers and hope that others can also find some inspiration in my work!

Frustrating Warp

2008-12-07T16:54:00.004-05:00

I have started a new project after the very successful recycled bags. This new project is a bit more frustrating. I have decided to do a short warp for once and make a cozy chenille scarf (just 1!) in time for Christmas. I think I got a bit too excited and was a bit careless.

I set the yarn at 15 epi in a 10 dent reed. The chenille is so shiny and black that I had a really hard time making sure I was threading it correctly. Then as I was winding the warp the selvedge threads slid out from the paper forcing me to take them out entirely. Well then, just when I thought I was ready to go, two of the threads were twisted together between the reed and the heddles. Sigh.

After all was said and done, I was able to get the loom ready to go, but now I don't feel like weaving! I'm so afraid that it's not going to look nice once I start weaving. I am going to do a twill pattern, but I'm worried about "worming" in the yarn. Sometimes I really wonder if I am meant to be a weaver. I have no patience for dressing the loom, planning out all of the calculations, going back to fix errors, etc.

Here is the warp. I will be using a light blue chenille weft with the black warp.

I have also procured even MORE yarn from Craigslist. I received two cones of black chenille and one giant cone of white chenille. I'll be making chenille scarves until 2010! Does anyone know if you can dye chenille? I like the white, but would love to make something colorful! Any advice would be great.

Until next time!

The Bags are Finished!

2008-12-01T14:45:00.002-05:00

After a marathon weaving session right before Thanksgiving, I successfully completed the recycled bags from Handwoven magazine. I took them home for finishing on the sewing machine. I was a bit nervous that the weft would get torn up in the machine, but I was overreacting. As you can see from the photos, the sewing went off without a hitch! There are four bags in all (one is missing from these pictures, but I will upload it to the Picassa album later).

<---- Inkle woven handle, Target bags for the weft.

<--- Crochet handle, various bags (CVS, generic Thank You bags, etc.) for the weft.

And....Break!

2008-11-26T22:03:00.000-05:00

I finished weaving the bags tonight. There are four in all. I am taking them home for Thanksgiving and plan to use my mom's sewing machine to complete the project. I'm a bit concerned that machine may not work on the plastic bags. I am keeping my fingers crossed and even wove a little section for practice purposes, but I am still paranoid!

For any of you readers (all three of you) in the D.C . area, the place where I take my weaving class is having a holiday bazaar on December 5, 2008. Information about the bazaar and the New Community ArtSpace can be found here. The sale will include various fiber arts, pottery, photography, and much more!

I look forward to reporting back on the status of the recycled bags later this week. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

Bag Progress

2008-11-23T17:46:00.000-05:00

I am attempting to finish all 5 (or 6?) bags before I leave town for Thanksgiving on Thursday, but am taking a break to update my readers (all 1 of you) on my progress. I decided to use Target bags for the weft of the next bag and am regretting not using them earlier! It weaves really nicely with no space between picks. More pictures from this project can be seen here.

I used the inkle loom to make handles for this bag. You can kind of see the twill pattern in this photo.

Here you can see the Target logos (Target bags - yet another reason I love Target!)

Piles of pattern weft.

Recycling 101

2008-11-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

I have decided to try Handwoven's bag project from June 2008 using old plastic bags to weave a small grocery bag. Each plastic bag is cut into strips to use as weft instead of yarn. I am also weaving in handles using a strong yarn and to create either braided handles or crochet handles. The project is coming along slowly but surely. As usual, I put enough warp on the loom to make a lot of bags (which means I will probably never finish this project...):

Warped loom. I am using a sturdy purple cotton yarn for the warp.

For one of the bags I am using leftover plastic bags that Jon collected from United Health Care during the Federal Government's open season. In this photo you can also kind of see a red and white weft. These are from CVS plastic bags.

Close-up of a woven section.

Bookmarks Complete!

2008-11-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

My first inkle weaving project is finally complete! I made a number of bookmarks and experimented with the pick-up technique for a number of them. You can check out close up photos of the bookmarks here. I love the end result and am kicking myself for letting this project drag out as long as I did! I am looking forward to warping the inkle loom again with a new project. I am taking requests!!

My studio is officially a studio

2008-10-12T21:57:00.000-04:00

My various and sundry projects have officially taken over my apartment. It all started with a day trip to East Berlin, Pennsylvania where I officially created a weaving yarn stash thanks to "The Mannings." I bought so much yarn, I don't know if I'll ever get through all of it. So I decided to start everything at once.

I have the (same) project on the inkle loom. I have started my mystery project on my LeClerc and I had 2 crochet projects going. Luckily, I have finished another crochet scarf, so now I'm only down to one crochet project.

It is amazing that I have been able to fit so many projects into just 325 square feet of space. My tiny apartment is holding up, thanks to the large bay window that plays host to the LeClerc. Hopefully my newly created stash of weaving yarn will not strangle me at night!

Back from my Hiatus

2008-09-18T18:24:00.000-04:00

After starting this blog back in July, I promptly forgot that it existed. So... I'm back. During that time I also didn't weave for a while. I switched jobs, apartments, and it was 100 degrees every day for like a month. I have trouble doing fiber arts in the heat, I won't lie. But I'm back now. I turned my studio apartment into my own little weaving/fiber arts studio.

I have started doing crochet again since weaving is such a long process (see the scarf above). I also tried my hand at the inkle loom (see the first bookmark above - it's the green and cream one).

Yesterday I warped my inkle loom with a more exciting warp than my first try. I am hoping to make some bookmarks that are actually attractive and won't ravel.

I am realizing that the holidays are coming up and I need to get a move on with my projects. I have a number of UFO's (un-finished objects) laying around that either need to be discarded or just finished. I am also trying not to let myself buy any yarn to crochet as I have a huge stash from my old boss. This sanction does not apply to new weaving yarn, however. :)

My work at the ArtSpace is moving along slowly, but surely. I am starting a chenille shawl with over 300 very delicate ends. I have a feeling this project is going to test my patience in ways I am not really prepared for. My goal is to have that project done by Christmas. I'll report back on that project in the coming weeks.

Jon and I are exploring a business venture on my LeClerc at home. I'm going to begin this little experiment next week. It may involve a sewing machine, however. The last thing I need is another large object in my tiny tiny studio. I'll report on the mystery project as things get started.

Check back for more updates!

Starting a Weaving Blog

2008-07-22T16:47:00.001-04:00

I have only been weaving for about a year, but I am already hooked so I decided to start a blog. I am a young weaver (25 years old) and have no family background in weaving. My mom and sister are talented knitters, but I never managed to pick that up. So... here I am with my weaving blog.

My journey into weaving began in the summer of 2007 when I wanted to take a pottery class at the ArtSpace in Washington, DC (http://www.artspacedc.org/). Unfortunately, there were no classes available at the time and I was encouraged to try the Fiber Arts class instead. I began on a 4 harness LeClerc table loom (we call it "Clangy" because it's so damn loud). My first "project" was a twill sampler from the green Davidson book. I am still surprised that I didn't quit after a few weeks. It took me many hours to wrap just 80 ends on a warping board. Then I had to pull each of those treads through tiny holes in a reed?! And THEN I had to pull those through heddles?! Yikes. After many weeks I was finally able to start my sampler and see some results. My edges were a mess and I didn't have a good eye for the colors. 3 yards later, though, and I was finally done with my sampler. It just sits in a plastic bag now, but that's ok. Ms. Maybelle guided me through the process with much more patience than me and she is responsible for getting me hooked. As I began my first actual project (placemats above), I found myself searching ebay and craigslist for used looms.

In March of 2008 I bought my own Dorothy LeClerc 4 harness table loom. My first project was a set of mug rugs (see above).

In July of 2008, my boyfriend's father gave me a handmade inkle loom. I am glad that I started weaving on a table loom as it makes me appreciate the ease of using the inkle loom.