30 min series: partner loop braiding

On By CarynIn Craft

The traditional way to make longer lengths of loop braiding is to work in pairs. One person holds the loops on their fingers and makes the move, the other person is at the opposite end of the yarn bundle and tightens the braid after each move. The method of tightening, by pushing with the blade of the hand, or pulling the strands out at right angles, makes a difference in braid density, and it takes some practice to get an even cord. It is handy as well to have another person helping for when the braider drops a loop. There are hiccups in the braid where I dropped a loop and accidentally added an extra twist.

I recruited my eldest to help me during a visit and we made 45 inches of braid in 30 minutes, which is more than I can make with a lucet in the same time.

Photo description: partnered loop braided cord made from yellow worsted weight cotton yarn

At this point, I would choose the lucet method of cord making if I needed a long, strong, dense cord and I was working on my own. However, if I needed a known length, as for a belt or trim, and had access to help, the loop braiding is considerably faster and can make thicker cord.

Ranges

On By CarynIn Life Hack, music

When I am looking at an arrangement for my Barbershop chorus or quartet to sing, I look at the lows and highs for each part. I can’t keep the low note and the high note in my head and make changes while I read the chart, so I made something to help. I printed a piano keyboard, put it on my desk, and used figures to mark notes.

Photo description: printed key board with a small very bright pink 3D printed sheep, and Alex from Minecraft in a square boat

It amuses me that the closest markers I had to hand were a sheep and Minecraft figurine. There are actually several Minecraft figurines tucked around the house. I’m pretty sure there is a golden spider hanging out in a potted plant somewhere.

30 min series: knit cord 2

On By CarynIn Craft

To test my theory that knit i-cord has the most options by varying yarn weight and needle size, I knit worsted weight cotton with size two needles, which are much smaller than recommended for the yarn.

Photo description: i-cord knit with worsted weight cotton yarn and a size 2 circular Prym needle

As expected the cord comes out more dense and sturdy than cord knit with bigger needles. I only managed to make 10 inches of cord in 30 minutes. It has 20% stretch, which is 5% less than the i-cord knitted with size 8 needles. I’m a little disappointed that the difference in stretch isn’t more different.

Photo description: 10 inches of densely knit purple i-cord in a small spiral

Hm. Yes, I can vary stitch density by changing needle size, but I think I would choose another method if I needed a dense cord with less stretch.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. Never forget.

Throwback Thursday: fabric cat box

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: Sophie the dilute calico on a wood framed fabric covered hammock and hide box made from white and gray patterned fabric

In September 2018 I made a second furniture item for the outdoor cat Sophie. This one was much, much more popular than the insulated bench. I started by making a small frame with 2x4s, then painted it.

Photo description: upside down cat box showing the painted frame, photo taken in 2026

I used outdoor fabric with a pretty white and gray pattern and sewed a cover for the frame, with two slits on each side secured with white bias tape. This was all before I started this blog, but I did make a social media cry.

Photo description: “Running of out bobbin thread…” in type and “2” from the END!!” In handwriting, showing the bottom seam of the cover for the cat bench and an empty modern sewing bobbin and a crying emojii

To keep the cover in place I punched my own washers from aluminum blanks. I’m not sure why I couldn’t find premade washers. I probably put them somewhere safe.

Photo description: disc cutter set up to punch a hole in the center of a circular aluminum blank

I used four washers and four screws to secure the bottom edge of the cover on the non-slit sides to the wood legs. This works quite well and has held up for 8 years.

Fempto turtle

On By CarynIn Craft

I have finished my first cop of yarn on my fempto spindle which was 3D printed by Turtle Made on Etsy. The cop of yarn from a Turkish spindle is typically called a turtle, I assume because it looks like a turtle in its shell.

Photo description: full Fempto spindle on green roving dyed by AnnieWhere
Photo description: freed yarn turtle held above the roving, ridged case, and disassembled spindle

This is a particularly slow turtle, as it is in my car as an emergency craft, so the 9 months from start to finish does not reflect at all the actual time spent spinning.