Category: Uncategorized

30 min series: Cord summary

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

Here are all the kinds cords I made laid side by side:

Photo description: eight cords made with different methods laid horizontally: 4 kinds of i-cord, lucet, disc braided, woven, and loop braided, all made from worsted weight cotton yarn
Photo description: chart for each type of cord, the length I made in 30 minutes, and how much each cord stretched

Apparently I can’t make charts in the app I use to write this blog, disappointing.

For i-cord, I found the knitting dolly gave the most even output, but if I needed long lengths quickly and didn’t care as much for the look or feel, I’d use a latch hook cord maker. If I needed a strong cord that wouldn’t stretch, I would weave it, but if I needed it long, I’d use a Lucet. If I wanted a spectacular demonstration of partner cord making, I’d do finger loop braiding. If I wanted something short but beautiful, I’d use a disc braider.

So each type of cord has its uses. My least favorite was crocheting an i-cord, but if crochet is what you are most comfortable with, it will work. In my tiny crochet days, I would slip stitch beaded rope, which in 30 minutes I would maybe make an inch!

Finger loop braiding

On By CarynIn Uncategorized

I have heard of loop braiding, where loops of yarn are placed on the finger tips and given tension, rather than gripping the cut yarn ends, but haven’t tried it before. I found a fantastic website, https://loopbraider.com, with many, many rabbit holes. I started with a simple 5-strand square braid. I wanted to do a thirty minute example, but my arms aren’t long enough. To get the braid tight, you spread your arms to 90 degrees on either side of the new braid. I tried longer lengths, but just couldn’t get the braid tight.

Photo description: five strand finger loop braids with different beat angles, 45 degrees to 90 degrees left to right

So my limiting factor on braid length in this case is my arm span rather than time. For my 5’7” arm span I can make 17.5” of cord with worsted weight cotton yarn. The cord is strong and stiff with 10% stretch.

Photo description: finished five-strand square loop braid made with variegated white and purple worsted weight cotton yarn

I have looked again through the Loop Braider website and found some references to ways to make longer lengths. I will have to try the different beater methods. The finger braiding itself was a remarkably natural movement for me.

Small for the Great

On By CarynIn Uncategorized, Craft

The Great Wheel I spun with in the basement of the Doss had one accelerator wheel support bearing missing. The previous spinner’s solution was a bit of dowel and a pin, which worked just fine, but I wanted to try to make a replacement bearing.

Photo description: original bearing for the accelerator head on a great wheel next to a tape measure

I took a picture of the original bearing next to a tape measure so I had the measurements. Sorting through my stash I found some copper pipe that was about the right internal diameter of the side hole. This is the main point of friction, so having it lined with metal gives it a longer wear time. I drilled a hole through a 1/2” oak dowel and friction fit the copper pipe (hit it until it went through), then sanded the ends flush with the wood. Since carving small bits of wood is difficult, I worked with a long piece of dowel and carved the shaft at the end next.

Photo description: end of the dowel carved down to a quarter of an inch using a straight blade on a utility knife

My lathe needs assessment and all the bands broke on my belt sander, so I used a small round file to carve the decorative grooves on the bearing, then a coping saw to cut off the new part from the dowel “handle”.

Photo description: roughed in bearing for an accelerator wheel on a great wheel made from oak and copper

I did some more sanding, then stained the part with dark wood stain to get it closer to the color of the other bearing.

Photo description: stained bearing laying in a white paper towel

Now it is time to line up a meeting with The Doss to see if the part fits and works with the great wheel!

Crop Circles

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

Here is another square done from the book Granny Square Flair by Shelley Husband.

Photo description: crocheted square made from alpaca yarn, pattern name “Crop Circles”, not blocked

How long did it take you to notice that the center circle is showing the wrong side? I didn’t notice until all four outer circles were stitched in and I had started the connecting stitches. Sigh. I’ll put it in an obscured spot in the final garment. Or call it a design choice.

Wheel chair bag

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

The pocket on the back of the wheelchair can only hold a pamphlet, anything thicker pokes the rider in the back. So I made a separate organizer type for long zoo trips where we need spaces for water bottles. My youngest requested space fabric, so we selected a print-on-demand pattern from Spoonflower on cotton denim fabric. I made three pouches by sewing a sleeve so none of the white backing shows.

Photo description: denim fabric sewn right-sides together, turned inside out and the seam pressed with a wood seam roller to lay flat

I put three sleeves on the backing fabric, and sewed down the center to make six pouches. I then made loops for the top corners to go over the handles and straps for the bottom to attach to the wheelchair frame. All of this sandwiched between another rectangle of denim. My Singer model 66 treadle handled the denim up to six layers, but eight was a struggle (a little extra oomph with the handwheel sometimes works, but you risk a bent needle). When I turned the entire assembly right side out I had to move the edge stitches in so I wasn’t sewing through 12 layers of denim (this organizer is hefty!)

Photo description: finished organizer installed on the back of a Drive brand wheelchair

I’m pleased with the flat construction, it doesn’t interfere knees when pushing and it folds up with the chair well.

I’m also trying to track my time on projects. This one took me 2.5 hours of active time.