Category: Uncategorized

Twined card: paper napkin

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

It is actually possible to make a decorative twine with paper napkins. It isn’t strong, and don’t get it wet, but it is useful for decorating, and fidgeting while waiting.

Photo description: laser cut flat wood spool with twine made from unbleached paper towels

Paper has a grain, tear it one way and it is fairly easy to get a relatively straight line, tear it the other and everything goes awry. I find the direction of the easiest tearing on a napkin and tear it into about 1” strips. You could cut it, but the ragged edges don’t matter once the paper is twisted.

To start, I twist the center of one strip gently, then bend the twist roughly in half. I twist one side away from me, bring it to the front, then twist the other side away, and bring it to the front. Each individual “leg” gets twisted the same way, and the two “legs” twist together in the opposite direction. This opposite twist energy balances the twine and strengthens the material.

To add in more strips I use a different method than usual. I fold the new strip onto the old strip and twist them together. I find this creates less bulk for this kind of twine than laying in a new piece from the middle. Staggering the length of the “legs” also helps smooth transitions.

Warped

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

I was able to wait for the finish to dry before warping up my new inkle loom, but I didn’t take pictures until I had woven for a while.

Photo description: inkle loom warped with size 5 pearlized cotton in variegated colors of brown, blue, and teal, set up with a rigid heddle

I made my rigid heddle a little taller than it needed to be, but it fits nicely between the upright supports and the removable side. It spreads the threads out quite a bit, and I’m struggling with keeping the band a consistent width, so I marked my shuttle with quarter inch ticks. On the next shuttle design I’ll engrave a ruler. I’ll also make adjustments to the size; I don’t like how the thread builds up on this design.

Photo description: shuttle wrapped with pearlized cotton and with ruler marks

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 Craft, Uncategorized

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!