The natural moss that I gathered from the back yard for my mossarium all died in a dramatic going-brown-and-crumbling way, except for one small patch. I bought some cultivated moss to replace it (it came in a multi-pack, ooo).
Photo description: four kinds of moss and the plastic container they were shipped in
I tucked the moss in crevices that I formed in my clay terrarium base, and used the sheet moss on the vertical slopes. To keep the sheet moss in place, I used short sections of a broken toothpick as tiny stakes.
Photo description: using a section of a wood toothpick to stake down sheet moss
I left some open areas of dirt, but not many. I quite enjoyed the placing of the moss, although I’m hoping that this round survives.
Photo description: mossarium with new moss applied to the small artificial hill with labradorite steps spiraling to the top and jewel orchid at the crown
I do have extra sphagnum moss and another similar looking moss. I put them back in the container and will keep them moist until I figure out something better.
I intended to just trim the grass going to the coop, then, while I was out there, decided to uncover a path that I hadn’t cleared in over a year, then decided to trim some of the branches across the path, then decided to use a branch to make a bigger sprang loom. Logical, right? Once I secured the branch into a loop shape with hemp cord and added life lines, I now had the means to attempt to make an ancient style hair net. I warped the loom with some left over linen yarn that I spun from nettle dyed roving (that was also a lesson learned).
Photo description: Sprang loom made of a cedar elm branch tied with hemp cord and warped with hand spun nettle dyed linen yarn
The number of warp threads on this loom was easily triple what I’ve previously attempted. I intended to do interlinked sprang with some lace holes, and switch twist direction halfway through. Here is where the mistake study starts. I ended up with holes that spanned three or four rows instead of just two, and rows that changed technique midway through. Oops.
Photo description: Sprang hairnet full of weaving errors
I think, to solve the errors, I need to do a check at the end of each row by pulling open the weave and looking at the thread path. The yarn was also loosely plied, which made it difficult to tell what was plied yarn, and what was a single strand. I will add some twist before the next attempt. The happy note on this project is the finishing cord through the middle. This was a much neater way to secure the final twist and also acts as a second tie to secure the hairnet. On one end of the sprang I pulled the cord tight to gather the side together, but I left the middle and other end loose on the cords.
Photo description: Sprang hairnet on my eldest, back view
To wear the hairnet, the top cord ties around the temples, across the front of the forehead. The middle cord comes up at an angle and ties at the hairline. The back of the hair is tucked into the lower gathered section.
I will make another attempt, armed with the data gained from this project.
I stole this idea from… somewhere? It seems everything has a similar scrolling format, so I’m not sure if I was in Pinterest or YouTube or what. Anyway, it is a great idea and works well to use Command strip hooks inside the cupboard to hang attachments for a stand mixer. They drive me crazy rattling around in the drawer and getting stuck.
Photo description: stand mixer paddle and whisk hanging from small white Command hooks (3 pound capacity) on the inside surface of an upper cupboard door
Photo description: Turquoise and silver necklace made in sections connected in an unusual manner, through the sides
I made this necklace in March of 2008, and it was featured in a FireMountain Gems catalog. I always meant to write up detailed instructions on its construction, but didn’t, so I’ll give you a short run down here.
The 13 cylinders are made by doing beaded crochet as a tube with waxed silk thread. I assembled each section with a cylindrical turquoise bead at each end, and ran a 20 gauge wire sterling silver wire down the middle, securing each end with a wire spiral. To connect the sections, I ran the same gauge wire through the sides of the cylinders, making sure that I went through the stitching inside, and made a spiral at each end. The clasp is a custom add-a-bead barrel style clasp, and I did have to ream out the bead hole to get the clasp into the bead.
I setup my small sprang loom again, this time with hand spun pineapple fiber. I followed SolRhiza Arts’ video on how to do “interlaced horizonal ribs.” The technique alternates right and left hand twists on each row, which I hoped would solve the curl issue. The weave started out beautifully.
Photo description: hand spun pineapple fiber warped and partially woven with interlaced horizontal ribsPhoto description: sprang work in progress on the small loom
I finished with the chain method across the middle, which I still don’t like. When I removed the work from the loom I had a shock: it didn’t have the stretch effect I expect from sprang. It stretched, the horizontal ribs disappeared, and it didn’t return to the original shape.
Photo description: sprang sample off the loom showing the threads going diagonally (wonky middle makes me unhappy)
Upon closer inspection, I had done a twill (over two, under two) weave at a diagonal. I’m not sure if this is the intended result, or I somehow missed something in the instructions. It is an interesting effect, and one that might work for a different project. The fabric certainly doesn’t curl.
Photo description: close up picture of the interlaced horizonal rib sprang at a 45 degree angle from the warp angle.
Critters and Craft 