Selvedges in Weaving

There are selvedges involved in weaving--in sewing--in knitting!  Today let's work on our selvedges in weaving!  Why do we obsess over nice clean selvedges when we are weaving?  Maybe, that's the first thing, as a weaver, you want to be perfect--or it's because, other weavers always look to see how you did your selvedges so they can improve.

  Laura Fry  has these following steps.  They are listed on Craftsy.

Tip #1:  Beam the warp under consistent tension using good packing materials

Tip #2: Try to be consistent about using the correct amount of tension during weaving on the warp for the yarn being used

Tip #3: Do not weave too close to the beater/reed

Tip #4: Wind your bobbins well

Tip #5: Don’t over fill bobbins

Tip #6: Leave a good angle on the weft and make sure it is loose in the shed when beating to ensure that it can take up across the width of the weaving and not cause excessive draw in.

Tip #7: Be consistent advancing and tensioning the warp

Tip #8: Be consistent in beating

Tip #9: Set the weft loops at the selvedge with good tension

Final note: The first step in achieving good selvedges is to develop good working skills.

From Jane Stafford, another experienced weaver comes these tips:

Throw,
Beat, Leave It…meaning, leave your beater against the fell
Change your Shed
Beater Back to the Castle

If you want to have a great discussion with other weavers, bring up this topic!  you will have several ideas on what works best when weaving.............

Happy treadling!












.

Selvedges in Knitting

We're back on the topic of selvedges.  this time in Knitting!  Have you ever thought that you must make your selvedges work just right?  Of course, you have!    I found this site Tricksy Knitter very helpful.

Here is a simple chain slip on this shawl selvedge

 

How about a crochet edge to finish off your selvedge?

On this shawl I used garter stitch on the border.

There are so many interesting stitches to use for that added feature on your knit wear.

Happy stitching!

Clouds.

Have you ever lain in the grass and looked skyward and to see what cloud shapes you can imagine?

What fun that is.............................."oh, I see an elephant" "that shape looks like a clown".............

We look towards the clouds to bring us relief on a sunny day--

"Thank goodness, that cloud blocked the sun"

 

 

 

clouds give us reflections of the setting sun

clouds fill the sky with light fluffy puffs--

I don't know the name of the cloud shapes

but

 

I'm always happy to see some of those puffs on a clear blue sky day!

Love IS...............................

Love Letters--what is love?  Is it tangible?   powerful?  words?  Thoughts?  Suggestions? 

Well, I do LOVE Chocolate!  Is that wrong?!!

I LOVE receiving love letters and cards!

 

LOVE is wrapping a quilt around a friend in need!

Why is LOVE always shared as a heart? 

Love is beautiful,

Strong emotion,

Feeling,

For anyone

Who opens their soul

How do you LOVE?

 

 

 

Simple Pleasures

Simple Pleasures include finishing March's pattern

for the Year long Scarf project!  Yes, I know I'm behind a month............................................but I'll catch up soon!


Here is April pattern:

DIAGONAL MADEIRA LACE
#4. Diagonal Madeira Lace (multiple of 4): 68 beads and 46 total sts on the needle.
NOTE FOR PLACING BEADS: you will be placing beads on the ‘Slip one, K2TOG, psso’ stitches. Place the bead in the K2TOG stitch and be sure that the slipped stitch is passed over the K2TOG stitch AND the bead. This will anchor the bead in place. You will need 68 beads for this pattern section. If you have strung your beads onto your yarn before beginning, detailed instructions for how to insert the beads can be found in Post #617.
NOTE: There are two versions of the pattern. Be sure to mark the version you are working on.
Non-Beaded Version:
Row 1: K2, +YO, Sl 1, K2TOG, PSSO, YO, K1; rep from + to last two sts, K2.
Rows 2, 4, 6, and 8: Purl.
Row 3: K2, +K1, YO, Sl 1, K2TOG, PSSO, YO; rep from + to last two sts, K2.
Row 5: K1, K2TOG, +YO, K1, YO, Sl 1, K2TOG, PSSO; rep from + to last 5 sts, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K2.
Row 7: K2, K2TOG, +YO, K1, YO, Sl 1, K2TOG, PSSO; rep from + to last 4 sts, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1.
Rep the above eight rows 3 times more (4 times total).

Happy Birthday!!

Today we celebrate the birthday of my lover, constant companion, daddy to my children, breadwinner, my  soul mate.........................................................Even though we were married young, our lives have evolved together.  So, today I wish my Hubby a Happy Birthday!

The young Dan on our wedding day in 1963

And the man today!

Love you! 

More every year!

Linen Warp, Silk Weft

It is my good intention to finish this warp before the end of April--we have 6 days and counting.

What we have here is linen warp, set at 30 epi (ends per inch).  I used some handspun 2 ply brown cotton to space the warp after tying onto the beam.

Of course, there is Always a threading error when I weave--can you see it?  I use a straight pin to attach it back into the warp and anchor

we are weaving with handspun single silk--and there is another error--in fact, two errors to deal with.

Cut that off and begin again.  The trouble with this warp is that I used two different weights of linen, which means when in the dent the smaller warp doesn't fill in the space as well as the larger warp--make sense?

Here you can see the trouble--I also did a free form twill reverse threading and without thinking got the heddles to close--e.g.. 1-2-3-4-3-4-3-4--

Not going to take it out now--tomorrow I'll cut this off and begin again--sett at 24 epi

maybe, that will work better.

Wish me luck!

Trees--Searching for Roy G Biv 4 - Green

Well, what do you know--Today is National Arbor Day!  So, we are writing about Trees!  You know those tall green things that shed their leaves in the fall, gives us lovely yellow pollen in the spring!
Are you ready!  Let's go--Green is calling my name!  And we are searching for.................................

Roy G. Biv, also ROYGBIV, is an acronym for the sequence of hues commonly described as making up a rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.


I feel for those who are colorblind--my husband is one--he can't see green--what a pity!  Green is so refreshing to look at--green is new growth in the springtime.  Green means money!  Green is a young cowhand--I'm celebrating Arbor Day with Green

Here are the greens from my yarn closet--

 

 

Just look at the different greens you can see in the field

Did you ever think there was this many greens in one place?

There are greens in my floss collection

Greens in my fabric stash

I stopped in the local paint store to pick up greens, but these cards certainly didn't photograph green.

close to brown is green?

Check out more greens at  

Jennifer Coyne Qudeen. 

Spring/Autumn

Even Spring brings some knitting time for the Fall.

Here is a delightful, easy pattern to knit now and

be ready for the fall cool temps.

Knitting Fever

I think this would be suitable for any age or gender.

 

How about this cute BaaBaa hat?  How many do you think you will knit?

check out this free pattern, designed by Donna Smith, at Shetland Wool Week

Heads up! This is a winner!

Happy! Happy! Happy!

I Love Cookbooks! The more colorful the better!  This one makes me very happy when I browse through the pages.

The photos make the foods look so tasty and the stories along with recipes make the food come off the pages.  Do I cook these recipes?  Not hardly!

I enjoy the staging of the foods, the decorations highlighting each recipe--and looking for weaving designs--like this one with blue and white stripes.  It looks so refreshing and you just want to head to your loom and begin warping! 

Here's another featured recipe placed on different striping sequence

How about these red and white plaids?  Adds some cheery notes to the dish.

and another blue and white cloth, using the blue stripes as edging!

Okay, I'm getting hungry looking at all these recipes.

hope you'll join me and look through your cookbooks--not only for  the recipe

but how the dish is staged.

Learning a New Technique

Even though I've been knitting for several years now, there are so many techniques I do not use or even try to learn.  But, when it came time to work on our Springtime in Paris pattern, the first cast on line was "With MC, using a Provisional Cast On, cast on 196 sts"!  Say What?!!  I haven't the foggiest idea how to do this.  As all good instructors do, they include a YouTube video that is very helpful.

https://youtu.be/8XIr2GiqjQg 

and now, I can do a provisional cast on over another needle!  Hurrah for me!

A cast on designed to create live stitches on both sides of the cast on. There are several options for working it but my preference is the circular cable needle style. Video: https://youtu.be/8XIr2GiqjQg

At first, it was very awkward--two needles side by side--cast on over one stationery needle--okay--did it--not once but twice!  Practice makes perfect, right?! 

And I'm diggin' this pattern--lots to keep one's interest as we knit.

Oh, we're adding beads too.  I'm behind with the clues, of course.  Almost finished with clue 2 as clue 3 comes out.

At first, I used a needle that didn't have the thingie attached at the ends--big mistake!  So, I got up from my chair and marched upstairs to find the stoppers--am glad I did--no more stitches falling off! 

And we are knitting....................................

I Live Here

Here is where I live................

 

I live where hot air balloons float over the house on a cool morning.............

I live where the bluebonnets take to the fields in the spring time.............

 

I live where longhorn steers are common.................

I live where crawfish is a party on a weekend...............

I live where you can find the best BBQ joint just around the corner..........

I live where you can that perfect pink cowgirl hat............

I live where the greatest rodeo/show happens...........

I live where cowboys still exist.............

I live here where my family and friends are!

How about you?

 

OOPS................................

Yelp! OOPS says it all!  I'm working on April block from

Pat Sloan's mystery QAL 'Vacation Time'

and I'm using western fabrics

My brain was definitely in a fog when I made this block!

Here!  This is much better--I think!

The pattern is quick and easy (if your brain is in the right gear!)

Here is the second block==really not too sure I like this one either--just might change those 1/2 square triangles out--after my brain fog clears!