Different shuttle design

On By CarynIn Craft

The shuttle I designed for my new inkle loom wasn’t working as well as I hoped. In Adobe Illustrator I designed a new one based on a weaving stick that I found digging through my weaving tools. I used my laser cutter to engrave a ruler and decoration and cut it out of 1/8” birch plywood. I then sanded the points and bottom edge to make a bevel so it was easier to slide it through the warp shed.

Photo description: wood shuttle with yarn storage on sandpaper being used to create a bevel on the bottom edge

I finished the shuttle with butcher block conditioner and let it dry overnight.

Photo description: finished shuttle in use on my inkle loom

I think the design needs some more refining. The upper part of the circles that hold the yarn also catch on the warp threads if I’m not careful. The holes are sized the way they are so the shuttle can hang on an inkle loom post when not in use. I’m not sure that functionality is worth the irritation of catching threads.

Spinning sticks

On By CarynIn Craft

I made a dozen spinning sticks for my spinning class by cutting hardwood dowels, sanding them, then adding a small cup hook and finishing them with butcher block conditioner.

Photo description: twelve hardwood dowels cut at slightly different lengths with three different diameters, all with screw-in brass hooks and finished with butcher block conditioner

These are useful starting tools for teaching spinning wool. There is more connection for the student with the twist from turning the stick going into the fibers to lock them together and learning to control a long draw. They are also much less expensive than a purchased spindle or spinning wheel and very easy to make.

Retting attempt

On By CarynIn Craft

I put a few canna leaves in a bucket of water and weighted them down with a rock with the intention of rotting away the non fibrous material. This process is called retting and is what is used in the process of getting linen fiber from flax.

Photo description: metal bucket filled with water and canna leaves with a rock to hold the leaves submersed

I’ve read that flax only needs a few days of water retting, so after three days I dumped out the water (which was brown but not smelly) and rinsed the canna. There was no appreciable difference. Hm. It appears that canna needs more time than flax. Not surprising since canna is a much more robust plant than flax. I need that bucket, though, so I will find a different container to attempt to retting again.

Throwback Thursday: fingerless gloves 2

On By CarynIn Craft

I made a second pair of fingerless gloves in November 2018, with the body of the gloves knit, the edges crocheted, and embroidered flowers added to the backs of the gloves.

Photo description: knit, crocheted, embroidered fingerless gloves made from wool fingering yarn

I’m not sure of the practicality of white wool gloves, but the embroidery sure looks nice against the light background.

Pecans did it

On By CarynIn Craft

I have a squirrel that I can hand feed pecans! She stares at me from the tree outside until I take her out a couple pecans, then she will take one from my fingertips and eats it while sitting on a knot on the tree. Here is a video.

Photo description: still from a video of a squirrel taking a pecan from my hand

Yes, her right ear is mangled. I suspect she had ear mites and scratched it up. And yes, I know she is a female, and has had kits. When squirrels are stretched out to feed on corn it is easy to tell gender.