String heddles

On By CarynIn Craft

Next up for my new inkle loom is to test making a band with string heddles. To make the heddles I tied cotton string around the top post and heddle post, tied a square knot, and trimmed the ends.

Photo description: measureing string heddles loops on the loom, with a handful of finished loops on my hand

I made 26 heddle strings, then strung my loom with medium cotton (4) yarn with a metallic sparkle in a continuous loop 53 times, putting a heddle on every other loop and taking that loop over the top bar.

Photo description: inkle loom warped with cream colored cotton yarn and string heddles

This set up with a plain warp faced weave is making a 2” wide band, which I quite like for bag straps, especially cross-body straps.

Photo description: start of weaving, wide tooth comb on the side used to even out the start of the weave

I like the string heddles better than the laser cut rigid heddle. The shed is easy to change and doesn’t spread out the warp threads, so I’m finding it easier to keep the width more consistent. I am having trouble moving the band around the pegs when I need to weave a new section. I think when this band is done I will sand all the dowels with fine grit sandpaper and finish them again to see if they will slide better.

First band

On By CarynIn Craft

I finished the first band on my new inkle loom, made with leftover pearlized cotton, mostly variegated, in teals and browns, and a laser cut rigid heddle.

Photo description: band still on the loom with the end woven back on itself three times
Photo description: behind the laser cut rigid heddle showing the amount of warp I couldn’t weave, and how far apart the heddle holds the warp threads
Photo description: band removed from the loom showing the differences in width from beginning to end
Photo description: rolled up band with a closeup of the end treatments, one cut short, the other twined and knotted into fringe

This was a good learning project. I found out that the laser cut rigid heddle is too wide and makes it difficult to keep the edges even because of the inconsistent edge tension as I weave closer to the heddle. I also learned that I need to leave more unwoven warp if I want to do twined fringe on both ends of the band, which I have discovered I quite like. I love my new loom, but have identified some carpentry weaknesses, particularly in the supports, that I would make differently if I were to build it again. I also found that I need a bar across the front of the loom so that when I’m beating down the weft, I have a more even pressure across my midsection, rather than one rather edgy stick poking under my ribs.

Tunisian crochet reverse stitch

On By CarynIn Craft

I experimented with the Tunisian reverse stitch for a 7×9 block for Warm Up America. In Tunisian simple stitch you pick up the front vertical bar, in the reverse stitch you pick from the back of work and the back vertical bar. It makes a very thick pleasantly squishy fabric.

Photo description: front side of a Tunisian reverse stitch 7×9” swatch in red, white, and blue
Photo description: back side of a Tunisian reverse stitch 7×9” swatch in red, white, and blue

Blocking the rectangle will probably even out the edges and reduce the slight curl. The tutorials I found claimed this is a flat stitch, but my sample has a vertical curl, not nearly as pronounced as the horizontal curl of simple Tunisian crochet, but still present. It could be my edge stitch tension or technique, though. Experiments will continue.

Turk’s Cap

On By CarynIn Garden
Photo description: Turk’s Cap shrub in full bloom

We planted a Turk’s Cap shrub in our front flower bed this past Spring and I think we finally found something that likes this spot. It bloomed some during the summer, but this Fall it has gone to paint the town red! We had some stems more horizontal than vertical, so we used jute rope to gather the branches together in a more upright position, mainly so they didn’t attack anyone walking on the sidewalk.

Pocket

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

I love the denim walking skirt I bought from the Historical Emporium, but it doesn’t have pockets. I need pockets, so I added one. I used unbleached cotton cloth to make a large two-layer rectangle, then sewed around the edges, leaving a hand-sized gap at one side. I sewed the top of the pocket to the inside of the waistband, and opened up the side seam, and sewed the gap of the pocket to each side with hand stitches.

Photo description: large pocket sewn inside the skirt
Photo description: pocket opening from the right side showing the reinforcing stitching at the top and bottom

Since I had a large pile of cloth on my lap, Izzy the cat decided it was her spot, despite my protests.

Photo description: calico cat ears buried in fabric

I have a second pocket ready to be sewn inside, but it will wait for another day.