Handmade Raddle for the Loom

I wanted to try to warped my loom back to front so I could double thread my reed and I needed a raddle to try it.  I found a blog where someone showed how to do it and my husband made me one.  I am using ponytail holders to keep the threads in place.

I have not had a chance to really try it but I think it will work fine.  It only costed maybe less than a dollar and everything was in his stash of nails & wood.  It saved me @ $50 to $60.

Now on to making a stand for the rigid heddle!

Needle Keeper!

I have been sewing some - made a needle keeper that is alittler larger than most but it has it all.

Embroidered the GRITS design which was freebie but I forgot where I got it.  I added a Bernina  minature design and added needlecase.

Lined with come cotton batting and a cute muti-color cotton fabric that was in my stash of scraps.

Buttonholed stitch around.  Took some felt added alittle pocket to hold a needle threader, a strip of fabric across the bottom and divided it so I have three compartments.  After I placed the packs of needles in it, saw that they could fall out so I went back and added a strip of fabric across the top to help hold them in place.  Added a button and button hole - put the pins, needles, etc., in it and it is finished! 

Now I have to get some more made!  I think they will make great presents!

What's on the Spindles!!!

All my spindles have yarn on them!  My cd still has the last of the novelty roving that I bought at the Gatlinburg Spinner - I got to get it off and washed.  Not sure what to do with it though.
That's my problem - I love to spin but then I can't decide what to do with it - so far almost all, of it except for the pitiful first skeins, have went to my daughter that way I don't have to worry about it and she gets some handspun.

One spindle has the light color that I got from the raw jacob fleece that my DH bought in Murfreesboro last fall. After separating the colors in the fleece, washing and drying it, I started with the light color.  It reminds me of frost because it has some of the gray blended in it but not much. 

Oh - must tell you about the carding tools I am using!  Found these at a local pet groomers, they are great.  They are called Frank's Universal Dog Brushes.  Made in Germany, larger than most brushes, curved just like wool carding combs but just cost $6 each.  I really believe they must be made by the same company that makes wool combs.  They are plastic but strong.  Someday, maybe, I will have real wool combs  - but now these are great for someone that really don't what they are doing!

Okay, the other spindle (my handmade one - isn't that cool to be able to say!), has the jacob roving that I bought last fall.  It was already ready to spin - so soft and smooth.  Beautiful shades of jacob - and  the name of the sheep was Teva (named after the shoes) - isn't that great - this yarn will be called TEVA!

New Way to Wind a Bobbin!!

Everytime I need to wind a bobbin for my loom shuttle, I have to try to find the drill to do it or wind it my hand (which takes forever!)  The drill works great but since I don't get to work very often, I hate to keep my husband's drill all the time.

I have been searching for a way to have a portable, small way to do this without having to spend $100 or more for a bobbin winder.  I tried a couple different things that worked but still not what I wanted - fast and smooth.

On Ravelry, I found a post about someone using a small battery operated smoothie hand blender.  I had one in a drawer (aren't junk drawers - great!).  I had had this blender for about 10 years - it had the same batteries in it that I put in orginally.  Thankgoodness they had not leaked but they actually stilled worked.

I had to cut the curved ends off the ends so they would fit in the middle of the bobbin.  The bobbin fit snugly on the wands - started the chenille yarn - and WOW, I worked!  Fast, smooth - all the things I needed.

And I still have one wand intacked - so I can still use it in a protein shake if I wanted to!

It has a storage case and be stored in a little drawer by my chair - I can easily put it in my Ashford bag to carry it with my rigid heddle if I want to take it with me. 

I will still use the drill when I am working on my big loom but this is perfect to be able to wind a bobbin fast for the rigid heddle anywhere I am working on it.  This is perfect for any portable loom!

Rigid Heddle Weaving!

Ashford Knitter's loom is warped and going!  I warped the entire 20" with about 3 yards of black cotton blend thread.  Weaving with two colors of chenille that I bought at R&M Yarns - beautiful varigiated brown and a soft black.  I decided to do random stripes so I did not have to keep up with a planned pattern. 

I am not sure if it will be a wrap or some fabric to make something else with. Because the strips are going across and not vertically I am not sure if it would make good fabric.

Weaving Room - Now No Excuses!!!

Okay - I have to get to work and get my Mira warped up - NO EXCUSES!!!  I have my room set up and though I am still finding little cuties things to put in it - I need to get it working!!

This is a great room!  I have a closet to put my yarn and cones of thread in that I have to get organized better, of course.  My duclimer is where I can pick it up and play whenever I want - displayed on the pretty stand .  A TV and DVD, my books & magazines, the table loom that I am working to restore has a place - so cool!!!!

My husband made me a raddle for my loom - I was having problems with warping some fine cotton thread so I showed him a raddle in a book.  He made it in about an hour - great - that saved me about $50 or more (I need a new reed in a different size - almost paid for that).  He is working on me a stand for my Ashford rigid heddle that I bought from the Galtinburg Spinnery - I am so blessed that he likes to try to make some of the things I could use!!!!

My First Handmade Spindle!!

I have 2 spindles - my first was a cd spindle made by my husband and the second was a spindle that I bought in a kit at Yarn Haven in Knoxville.  Now, I have made my first spindle and I am hooked on trying to make more!!!

Everything came from Hobby Lobby except the hook ( I wanted a antique looking hook and could not find one small enough to buy so I dug thru my drawer and low & behold I found one thanks to a clutter junk drawer). I headed to my husband's tools and found a little saw so I could cut grooves on each side of the wheel so I would hold the thread.

 First I stained all the wood walnut; let them dry; then I assembled them using alittle wood glue and putting the rubber washer at the top and bottom of the spindle circle.  I don't know if the black washers are going to help much but I kinda like them there anyway. 

I then rubbed the wood with melted bees wax.  I let it set for a while than I could not wait any longer - I had to spin. 

It spins great - it is heavier than my other wheels so I don't know if I could spin as thin but I really liked what I did.  I used some Jacob roving I bought at the Murfreesboro fiber festival last fall and I love it.  I had been saving it for a wheel but thought I better go ahead and start - don't know when I will have wheel.

The spindle spins & spins - this is so cool!!!!  I am hooked - I have enough to make 3 more wooden spindles. 

Quilts - lots of Machine Quilting

I made and sold two quilts.  One of my customers, asked me to make her son a wolf quilt and do a lavender quilt for her.  They were so cute that I did not want to sell them.  The lavender/blue quilt had two wide center pieces with butterflies quilted in a bright varigated thread.  I just meandered the wolf quilt with random leaves.   Wish I could get a few more orders like this - there would be a new spinning wheel in my house!!!!

New Weaving Room!!!

I finally got my loom out of my quilt shop!!!  I was so excited to get it moved!.  Now if only I would get it warped it - but I am planning!!

I went from a dark mauve bedroom to a bright beige room!!  All my stuff in it - weaving/knitting books, yarn, even a place for my dulcimer!!!    Closet is full of cone of thread and draws of yarn - I must get it organized.  I will have to do more pictures as I work.

View from the Porch!!!

 

God gave this to us - isn't it beautiful!!

When the last time you looked at the sky in the early morning or late evening - He gave it to us - we must take time to enjoy and give Him thanks!

Breathe - Exhale - Relax - Give Thanks

New Weaving Toy from a Friend!!!

My good friend, Brenda, gave me this wonderful, old table loom.  It was given to her by a friend years ago and had been in her basement.  She is not interested in starting another hobby, already a expert quilter, knitter, crocheter.  So I have a new toy to get up and working!!!!  Thanks Brenda for thinking about me!!!  I will definitely restore this beauty.

I wish I knew who made it, but I have not found any markings on it.  I removed the old warp that was on it.  Cleaned & dusted it - it is beautiful!!  It has string heddles and they look pretty old, so I have contacted Nancy at the Spinnery and she is going to help me replace them if possible with the new texisol heddles.  When I get it all warped up - will post new pictures!!!

What have I been up to in the Spinning World!

This is the party roving at the Spinnery - I picked the brown tones and it is turning out beautiful.  Really a treat to spin but is not as smooth as the silk/merino blend - but it is a novelty.  There is glitter and a blend of all kinds of roving.  Really pretty - not sure what to make with it though.  But the fun is spinning it!!!  Then I will decide what to do with it  or I am sure Angie will!

I love this merino/silk blend that came from the Spinnery in Gatlinburg!  It spindle spins like a dream!  Angie had bought it and I spun it for her.  Can't wait to see what she creates with it.

My husband made me a cd spindle when I first got interested in spinning.  Nancy at the Spinnery showed us a book that had the instructions to make it.  I finally decided to paint it - as you can see I did not put much thought into what to paint on it but mainly wanted to see how well it would last.  Works Great!!!  Plan to make another one and do some fancy painting on it!

If you have not been to the Spinnery in Gatlinburg - and you love yarn - you are missing a real treat!!!!!  Weaving, spinning, knitting, and/or crocheting - you will be in a yarn paradise!  Nancy is so helpful!!!

Chickens!

Aren't they cute!!!!

But the dogs are eyeing them!!!

2010 - Get organized - Get priorities - Get Better!!!

Another year and still so many unfinished projects!!!! I have @10 quilt tops that I need to quilt plus probably 10 projects that are still in the piecing mode!

My Plans:

Itemize my unfinished projects - chart them and mark them off.

Quilt at least one quilt a month!!

Get my floor loom warp and ready! (Okay, Angie - I know you want fabric!)

Keep the rigid heddle warp and always ready!!!

Learn to knit better!!!

Learn to rug hook better!!!

Organize my fabric room & my yarn closet!!!! (No Angie, I am not ready to give you my cotton fabric but I might share some)

Clean my basement!!!!

Clean my closets and clean out my cabinets!!!!

Throw away or use!!!

Now how many things will I do - your guess is better than mine! I don't know how many people actually read my posts - but maybe just knowing that I have written it down will make me do it!!!