The Loopy Ewe Blog

Keeping up With the Loopy Life…

Category: Weaving

Weaving Through My Gift List

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Ok, not really. I’ve only made these two for Christmas gifts. But maybe I’ll have time to make more before the 25th of December rolls around. I’m still enjoying the process of weaving. Here’s one I made in Wollmeise Wasseratz.

And another one in Wollmeise Zenzi.

It’s really a fun way to use up multi-colored sock yarn that you might not feel like knitting into socks. Did I mention that I went through my stash last week? I have a lot of sock yarn that is going to be something other than socks. I used to buy so many single skeins.

Since tomorrow is our Thanksgiving Holiday, I have my knitting projects all planned out for this week and weekend. I’m finishing my second Derecho (finally, FPS. Tell me again why I decided to knit this a second time? And to make this second one the never-ending-big-size?), hoping to finish my Cabled Rib Wrap (although it’s so luscious to knit that I don’t mind it taking a long time), and hoping to start a Nuvem (with Wollmeise Lace, or Lorna’s Laces Helen’s Lace, which would be gorgeous). All of those things are pretty mindless knits, which makes them perfect for working on when you have family and friends around for the holiday weekend. What is your favorite mindless knit for times such as these?

Sheri maybeIoughttohaveonechallengingprojectready,justincase

More Weaving

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I’ve finished two more woven scarves, and I have to say, it’s really fun and I love the results. I’m still working on getting my edges even, but washing and blocking helps a lot. (Not really blocking. You actually wash it and hang it on a rod to dry. I like that better than pinning out the edges of a shawl. Shawls aren’t really “wash and hang” types of things.) All in all, weaving/washing/blocking sure goes much faster than knitting. No wonder I’m hooked on it.

I haven’t tried a two color woven scarf yet, because I’m having too much fun weaving with multi-colors. Do you ever find a gorgeous multi-color yarn that you want to buy, but you’re not sure what you can make with it that will work well with the coloring? Weaving always works well! But if you want to knit with multicolors and you need a good pattern for it – try Lintilla, Hitchhiker, Wurm, or Boomerette. (Need suggestions for multi-color yarn? Lorna’s Laces, Hand Maiden, Fleece Artist, Mountain Colors, Studio June, Sweet Georgia, and Three Irish Girls are all great choices.)

This one was done with Wollmeise Sock in True Love.

And this one was done with Wollmeise Sock in Versuchskaninchen.

I have a few more colors set aside for future scarves. But right now, I need to get back to some knitting. My sweater is not progressing. I’ve decided I’m not a good sweater knitter, although I keep finding sweater patterns that I like. I’m not giving up on it because I love the yarn and want it to be a sweater, but I do find sweaters challenging to stick with, for some reason.

Have you discovered there is one thing that you’re not as good at knitting (or finishing)?

Sheri 3sweaterscurrentlyontheneedles.
Mightneedtochangemyattitude.

Now Hooked on Weaving

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Well, I did it. I made my first scarf on the Cricket 15″ loom, and boy was it fun! I used a Claudia Hand Painted Worsted weight yarn (in our Peppermint Mocha colorway) that I’ve had on hand for 3 or 4 years. It was fun to weave and took two afternoons (about 5 hours, total, I think). My hands turned red as I was weaving it, so I knew that the red dye would run when I washed it. Despite a Shout Color Catcher in the water, the red still colored the white. Now, instead of a Peppermint Mocha scarf, I have a Cinnamon Red Hots kind of a scarf. But it’s ok – I still like it and I learned a lot on my first attempt. I’m excited to go through my stash and whip up some more! The whole reason I wanted to learn to weave is because I’ve heard it’s a good stash buster. I have some really pretty yarn in my stash that I still like, but don’t know that I want to knit with it. Weaving will be perfect.

Do you want to give weaving a try? We’ll offer another day-long weaving class at the shop in the spring. Our day-long class includes the cost of a new Cricket Loom, as well as the full day of instruction. However, if you’re not local or want to jump in sooner, I have to say that the instruction book that comes with it is very thorough. We shipped a loom off to a gal who wanted to learn to do this with her granddaughter, and they have used the booklet and are going to town on it. So if you’d like us to special order a loom for you, let us know! ($169, and it takes 4-6 weeks to get special orders.)

All of the gals who took the weaving class last month are now on their 3rd and 4th scarves, just because it’s so fun and a wee bit addictive. I finished that first one and started another one the next day. I’m doing this one in Wollmeise in the True Love color. I think multi-colors are especially pretty when woven.

Sheri stillhookedonknittingtoo,buthavingfunweavingrightnow

P.S. No post on Friday, as I’m out of town with some of my very favorite friends for our not-always-annual-but-should-be Girls Weekend. More next week, including Camp Loopy Project Three winners. Have a great rest of the week!