Re Rag Rug Experiment

I've heard about people taking a rag rug apart and re-weaving it, especially if it was a family heirloom that was coming apart. This isn't exactly a family heirloom, but it certainly was coming apart. The string warp was breaking, but the cloth weft was still in pretty good shape if somewhat faded. The fading seems to give it a softer look.
It came apart pretty easily, but I should have measured it before I started ripping it apart so I'd know how much rug I'll have to work with. I don't have a place to set up my bigger looms so I'm going to see what I can do with a table loom. I think I'll make smaller pieces and stitch them together.

How to Blend Fibers for Spinning

Continuing on my wool series - I had a great time putting this together. In order to really show what I'm doing, I have to take pictures. In order to take pictures, I have to really do what I'm describing. It's a lot of work but it is fun.

How to Blend Fibers for Spinning

Make Your Own Niddy Noddy

I wrote an article on Wizzley about making a niddy noddy and how to use one. Read it HERE.

Beginning with Natural Dyes - How to Dye with Tea

Natural dyeing of wool and fiber has become popular as a hobby and an art. Since two batches of the same dyestuffs can vary, each dyeing adventure produces a truly ..read more

Things to Consider Before Buying a Weaving Loom

Thinking of giving weaving a try? New looms can cost a great deal of money. If you're new to weaving, the price can be quite a stumbling block and the variety of looms can be...read more

A Fantasy

I had a fantasy about how some crafts were discovered. I wrote an article about it on my Wizzley page. You can read it HERE.

I've been experimenting with a craft called eggshell mosaics. You use actual eggshells imbedded in acrylic to produce wonderfully random patterns. I've posted instructions on Squidoo. Easy and Fun!

Loom SOLD

 Some pictures of a little 4 harness floor loom I have for sale. It folds up and doesn't take up much room. Weaves about 30 inches wide if I remember correctly. I'll double check that as soon as the mud allows me to make it up to the studio. It doesn't have a maker stamped on it. It might actually be homemade, but it is a sturdy little loom. I've woven rugs on it.

When I'm out at an outdoor market or craft fair with my spinning wheel, people often ask me, "What are you making?" I try not to sound sarcastic, but the answer is, as a matter of fact, "YARN." The truth is, I'm not always spinning to knit or weave something in particular.. Sometimes I spin yarn to sell, sometimes just to use up some bunny fur, dog hair or sheep wool that has been accumulating. Sometimes I have something new like raw llama that I just want to see spun up. Sometimes I spin just to relax or to keep my hands busy.
It takes 3-4 times as long to prepare and spin yarn as it does to weave with it. I rarely have the time to do that. I get to spin here and there, in odd chunks of time. I do it just because I like it and want to keep my shelves full of yarn. Weaving takes up great quantities of yarn and when I'm weaving it's full steam ahead.  It has been said that in the days of homespun clothing, it took 7 spinners to keep one weaver busy! No way I can keep up with that!

Fairs and more!

The Artisan's Fair was a total hit, at least with me. I sold more than I have all year! A friend and vendor was so pleased that she rented an outdoor space for the Enfield Holiday event this Saturday. Hope the weather is nice because I'm going to be there!

She's Baaaack...

You know you've been offline too long when you can't find your own blog....so I'm starting a new one and bookmarking it.
After the trauma of losing my house and mini farm, I put a ton of stuff in storage and the dogs and I moved into a 25 ft camper on a friend's land. I wintered once before in a camper and was a frozen pop-person, but this time it's really pretty nice! The floor does get cold when the wind blows, but otherwise it's warmer than my house was. I do have to weatherstrip the door when it gets warm enough-the snow seeps right in. I have a heavy curtain over it, but if it gets too cold, the door knob freezes.
I thought I wasn't going to get online for a while, in spite of having 4 computers crammed in here. Two don't have modems, one has everything but won't stay on. The old computer had all my files on it but didn't seem to work with the newer monitor. For some reason, last night it gave in and is working. It's slow as molasses in winter, but I'm connected!
My camera died too so I will have to replace it when I can. That means no new photos for a while.

And as for projects, I'm furiously knitting some new work mittens with flaps so I can do chores without having to remove hand coverings. I discovered that when it's really COLD (like below zero during the day) it HURTS to take your mittens off....
I'm alternating knitting with spinning. I started a project a couple of years ago that now has a deadline. I looked around my studio and realized I was hoarding bits of fiber. I couldn't throw away pretty little handfuls of wool, angora, mohair, dog hair and what have you. In a fit of practicality, I filled a two-pound bag with the stuff. Then carded it lightly to keep the colors strong and started spinning. I decided that, since I almost never make anything for myself, I'd knit a sweater, but since I've never actually finished a sweater in my life, I ripped it out and decided to weave a vest or jacket. I made the mistake of taking the yarn to the Weaving Guild meeting and presented it for the "Green Challenge" in which the membership was challenged to weave something recyled, reused or otherwise considered "green." I only got as far as spinning but everyone seemed to like it and asked if I'd have it ready for an exhibit this spring. Sure, I said, casually....
After careful calculations, I realized I had enough for the weft, but nothing for warp. I'd need twice as much as I had! ACK! So I've been spinning like crazy to get this finished this month and ready for the meeting in March. I did cram my small floor loom in here, but didn't count on having to bring in a dog crate too. It's tight, but I can warp the loom and weave. Looking forward to building a studio shed this summer.