Tablet weaving or card weaving is ancient and low tech. It produces narrow bands that are strong and decorative, used for belts, straps and trimmings. Ever curious to try out new techniques, this is just a little dabble. As the name suggests it uses tablets or cards. These tablets have a hole at each corner…
Last year was a year of discovery, venturing into the world of weaving. It started with the purchase of two vintage looms (read about all that here). Weaving is both beautifully simple and complex. There has been a lot of experimentation.Learning through trial and error. This post is an update on progress so far. The…
Rag Rug Making – well it’s been quite a while since there’s been much of that around here. But after a frenzy of yarn dyeing and sock making leading up to Christmas there was time in that limbo over the ‘holiday’ period to finally get down to it in a big way. So there is…
Christmas Stockings – well they have to be red don’t they! And when it comes to natural dyeing nothing does red like cochineal. Cochineal is expensive, it always has been. Highly prized for centuries as producing the best reds for textile dyeing. When it arrived in Europe following the Spanish conquest of Mexico it was…
Spinster is a problematic word. The first meaning to brings to mind today is old maid. Not a description any woman aspires to. So having knitted and crocheted for years perhaps it’s no wonder that it took so long to get involved in spinning. It is, after all, at the start of the process of producing yarn.…
Spinning and Weaving – it’s been a winter of learning new skills. These are such fundamental textiles crafts. It’s a wonder that it took so long to discover them round these parts. Part of this is learning a whole new vocabulary. And the words are so evocative. There are maidens and the mother-of-all, a footman and even…
Weaving looms! A pair of them. Well it was bound to happen. It just completes the trinity of weaving, dyeing and spinning (having tried and tested, if not yet mastered the first two). Such are the dangers of ebay browsing! The first is a small vintage loom that sits in it’s own wooden box with…
This will be the year of the spinning wheel. Here’s how it’s come about…. Just before Christmas there was a spinning wheel at the local auction. It appeared to be in good condition, if a little dusty. The fact that 2 bobbins were tied onto the frame with string (plus the one with a little…
A winter project – this year it’s a crochet blanket. This is a must to beat the winter blues and to stave off in advance any inclination towards S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder). Think about it now, before Christmas. Find your project, something ambitious and labour intensive for preference. Buy your materials now (or put them on your Christmas…
Bagels are delicious and not as hard to make as you might think. Bread making has been going on around here for a few years now, not a single loaf comes from the shops. Plain everyday loaves are baked regularly and but every now and then it’s good to ring the changes and a challenge…