Catnip box

On By CarynIn Cats

For my amusement, I left out a large box with packing paper and sprinkled catnip inside.

Photo description: Missy the dog checking out her cat, Izzy the calico, in a large Amazon box
Photo description: Izzy the calico licking her lips after eating catnip with ears turned back
Photo description: Thor the very large tabby swatting at Sophie the dilute tortie inside the box
Photo description: Sophie the dilute tortie telling off Thor the very large tabby
Photo description: Thor the very large tabby inside the box looking very confused as to why the girls like the box. The box lid had to be folded down so he could hop in.

I am definitely amused.

African violet bloom

On By CarynIn Flora

My African violet bloomed! My friend gifted me a mother leaf, which gave rise to six plants, which I put in individual lined pots that I could lift to put water in the bottom. I have been adding AV fertilizer once a month. I have discovered the African Violet Society of America website, and scrolled through their gallery of 3,000 varieties. The maroon color is really quite lovely!

Photo description: first blooms from my African violet showing a dark red semi-double pansy-type frilled edge flower, and medium green plain leaves

This could be a new rabbit hole…

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.