Far away, up close

Timbuktu

I might be half way...

But I've kind of lost track!  I'm kind of at that point in-between no-where and somewhere!  Don't they call it Timbuktu? 

The other side of this moon

This wrap is like the other side of the moon... you can only see one side at a time. However, we get a glimpse in this folded up loom picture.

You can see both sides of the wrap!!!!!

Be creative and piece it together in your head!

I think I'm about 1/3 of the way done, too!!!  Yay!!!  It's weaving up quickly!!! 

Pink, then gray

I love the color changes!

This has taken months to plan and put together, but I already feel like I'm reaping the rewards!  It was worth the wait...

I love it!  I can't wait to see it all done and see how everything works together, especially when I pull it off the loom and get to see both layers side by side! 

It's beautiful... it's exciting... it's unique!

Finally some weaving to share!!!

 We are finally weaving on this one!!

 

Of course, because it's doubleweave, all you can see is one half.  The other half is folded underneath this layer.  But it's pretty much the same thing!

I can't wait to see what some changes in weft colors will look like!

PS.  Did I mention that I only had ONE threading error to fix?  And I think that happened when I was winding the warp onto the loom.  I had a thread break and I think it got pulled into a different heddle because the one heddle it needed to go back into was completely empty and bent.  ONE error... I think this is a new record for me!!

All wound up!

All wound up, tied on, and ready to weave!!

Oh wait... I have to wind some shuttles first...

All threaded! Ready to wind it up!

 Finally!!!

 

 All heddles are threaded!  I just need to tie-up in back and wind it on.  Then I can tie-up the front and wind some shuttles.  Soon... maybe real soon... I can finally weave on this wrap!!!

 

I imagine that I'm almost 50% of the way done already, and I haven't even started weaving it!  The setting up process is so much work and the weaving always goes so fast.

But look at it this way, at least the colors are really pretty to work with!

Half way done with threading!

This is such a huge project!!!  I think I realized it before I started, but it didn't quite sink in HOW huge!  It's also weighing down on me right now that it's for someone else so my expectations and standards are much, much higher than I would set my own.  Oye!!

I will be SOOO glad when this is over!  It's been on my mind since July when we were first planning it.  But because of yarn delays and pregnancy stuff, it's just taking FOREVER to get this one done!!!

But we are halfway done with threading... half way!!  I can do this!  Soon I'll be winding it all on and the actual weaving part will probably go super fast, as usual.  I can do this!

4-shaft doubleweave on 8-shaft loom

Partly because I sold my 4-shaft loom and partly because I don't want to have to redo all my heddles on my 8-shaft loom, I have decided to take the 4-shaft doubleweave pattern and put it onto all 8-shafts of my loom.  Basically I am thinking of shafts 1-4 as 1-4 and then 5-8 as 1-4 again.

Here is a redo of my pattern and proof:

Doubleweave on 4-shafts: straight threading & treadling

I have chosen to do doubleweave for this baby wrap, only because my loom isn't big enough.  I also wanted a straight threading for the layers, instead of having to guess and memorize which thread goes where, especially since the colors are constantly changing.  I also wanted a straight treadling, and since I couldn't find a pattern that matched both of these scenarios, I had to make one up.

The threads on shafts 1&3 are the top layer and the threads on shafts 2&4 are the bottom layer. 

Here are my diagrams:

As you can see with this straight draw, first weave shaft 1 threads, starting with the shuttle throw from left to right.

Then, pick up all the top layer threads (1&3) and half of the bottom layer (2).  That leaves shaft 4 laying down flat.  Throw the shuttle from right to left.

Now, continue holding shafts 1&3 up, and now switch it to shaft 4, throw the shuttle left to right.  

Lastly, drop all the shafts but 3, because we started by holding up shaft 1 and 3 is it's opposite.  Throw the shuttle from right to left.

After repeating this several times, the opening for the wrap will be on the left and the seam will be on the right.

In my head, it makes complete sense.  I hope it all works out ok!!

Off to thread my loom... 

I just need to remember that shafts 1&3 are one layer and shafts 2&4 are another layer!  Hope I don't switch any of the colors around!

Mini Sunday Best

The whole reason I wanted to learn how to make collared shirts was so that I could make a shirt and tie combo!  I love little boys in white shirts and ties! They look so cute!  

This fabric made the best looking tie!  (And just to let you know, it's velcro holding it together in the back so if you give it a good yank, it comes right off!  Safety first!)

PS.  Tie pattern can be found here.  I bet it would look cute in handwoven fabric, too!

Finally, I'm done measuring the wrap warp!!!

Remember this one?  Yeah...

2 layers... lots of colors... but I am ever so grateful to be done measuring out that 7 yard warp!  My arms always exhaust so quickly when measuring out a warp!!

Bow-tie

A driver's cap in good fabric!  Oh, and this one is reversible with the green stripes underneath.  I also used a heavy fusing fabric in the brim, so it's nice and stiff!

And a little green bow-tie to go with the button-up shirt... which I totally plan on doing again because I have improvements I want to work on.

Now I just need to focus on getting a few inter-changeable outfits together that won't clash!

This one is a good start:

I'll be working on some booties next, along with a few more shirts and bow-ties!

Happy New Year!!!

Let's look back on the 2013 projects!!!

January

Colorful Crackle Weave

Anti-tall people curtains

 

My first successful doubleweave blanket made of polyester

The ugly giant hounds tooth rug

 

 Giant itchy wool pinwheel shawl

February

Giant soft wool Pinwheel scarf for Ravelry friend

 Rustic towels in shades of blues

The everything bite towels in huck lace

March

bike pedal inkle band fix

Pink Lemonade swirls

April

8-shaft doubleweave twill practice samples

8-shaft doubleweave twill blankets in green, blue, and purple

May

another 8-shaft doubleweave twill blanket in original sample colors

black cherry wool rug

brain splatter wool rug

Lego in Bertha Gray Hayes style

June

 Wrote and wove samples for the majority of my book

July

finished the book

wove the colorful wanderer towels

a scarf for my hubby's cousin

my newest niece's blanket

the bottom of the barrel polyester blanket made entirely of polyester scraps

August

Started my mom's yellow, green, and blue wool doubleweave twill blanket

September

Finished the wool blanket for my mom

October

started a baby wrap for a Ravelry friend

sold 2 looms in hopes of cleaning out our house for the baby's arrival this spring

published the book on Etsy

November

Pinwheels

December

 Poking along making the baby wrap at a very slow but steady pace

Sewing for a new baby!

Happy New Year!!!

To enjoy the projects pages of years past, just click on the "new year" tag at the end of this post!