I was winding my single spun camel fiber from the drop spindle to a nostepinne style ball, using my fishing swivel chain hanging from a wall hook when life interrupted. I put my makeshift nostepinne (rolled up card stock) onto the wall hook.
Photo description: drop spindle hanging from a wall hook with a partially wound ball on a paper tube on the same hook
It may have stayed that way for a week. May is a busy time. I did eventually get back to it and finish winding.
Photo description: wound ball of camel single spun fiber on a scale reading 42g
It is good to know that I can pause my winding in this way. Life interrupts frequently and my hobbies need to be able to be set aside for an unexpected moment.
Here is a throwback from February 2005. I carved a Celtic knot into a leather belt and dyed and finished the leather. I really enjoy leather carving, nearly as much as pyrography. The photo isn’t spectacular, but at least I moved away from the black velvet backdrop.
Photo description: black leather belt with a Celtic knot carved along the length, sitting on a sandy colored composite counter
My experiments with nålbound bracelets continue. I tried para cord, which I did not like at all because the stitch method puts a twist into the cord, and para cord changes visually when twisted.
Photo description: orange and purple para cord nålbound with the Dalby (UOU/OUOO) stitch, showing changes in texture and width as the cord picks up twist
Although untwisting the para cord for every stitch is possible, I don’t like that the white core of the cord shows through on sharp bends or snagged sections. I do like the Dalby stitch as well as the Telemark stitch for flat interesting single row weaves. I tried some stiff finished leather cord as well, which did not work because the leather couldn’t make the bends required to lay flat. I will try it again with unfinished leather cord so I can soak it into submission.
I went back to my favorite satin cord, also called rat tail or mouse tail depending on who is doing the labeling. It is made of solid color nylon, has a nice drape for this work, and melts readily with a thread zapper.
Photo description: purple satin cord bracelet done with the Dalby stitch and finished with a macrame square knot slide and Celtic button knot end stops.
I was trimming the yard, and took down a sapling (iNaturalist identified it as a type of elm) growing near the AC units where it didn’t need to be. I noticed that the diameter was similar to some bent cane weaving frames that have been popping up on my Pinterest feed. Because I am easily distractible, my next task became making my own frame. As I stripped the side branches off, I noticed that the bark peeled off easily, like that of a mandarin orange. The bark was flexible, strong and fibrous, so I roughly split it into thick strands and twined the strands together to make a primitive rope. I used this rope to keep the branch in a nice curved shape while it dries.
Photo description: stripped elm cane bent into a narrow arch and secured with elm bark twine
I think this frame is on the small side for the kind of weaving I want to attempt, but it was a good exercise, and I have an acre of woods to source longer cane.
Happy Mother’s Day to all those that mother! I did some experimentation with Copic markers and stencils for Mother’s Day cards this year. Fun things, Copic markers. Expensive, but for good reason.
Photo description: two cards with “Happy Mother’s Day” written in blended inks from red to green, Copic markers in the foreground, Cricut cut stencil in the background
Critters and Craft 