Sorry knitting friends this is a weaving heavy post. In fact no knitting at all this week.
Spinning
I have made a start on spinning the 2025 World of Wool Advent. Only 1/2 of day 1 spun so far so I will share once plied.
Weaving
Dorset Button
I made another Dorset Button one evening. Its just some scrap 4 ply, a curtain ring and some beads.
Rigid heddle loom
This week has mostly been about educating myself on how to convert 4 shaft patterns into projects that can be done on a rigid heddle with 3 heddles. After getting bamboozled by trying to learn from my books I gave up and looked on YouTube and found a video that was a eureka moment for me. Finally it clicked and I was off and running.
I have signed up for 12 months of using NotSoRigid designer ($25) this allows you to then map on your conversion and it gives you your threading pattern and lift sequence and chart.
The demo version allows you to play around with 2 heddles and 2 pick up sticks. The purchased version allows you to add more heddles and sticks. If you are a rigid heddle weaver its worth having a play. I found a goose eye pattern on the internet and managed to do a version using the free version that used 2 heddles and 2 pickup sticks. Once I bought the subscription I was then able to create a three heddle version. This was just done by randomly clicking, before I cracked doing it properly.
Once I understood converting them, I went onto Pinterest and trawled for 4 shaft patterns I liked the look of and have already converted a few and saved the threading and patterns as Word documents for future.
In my stash I have some fine cotton that was gifted to me that I hadn’t woven with before, so thought I would do a little sample and see how it performs. Might as well be one of my conversions of a 4 shaft pattern to test it!
The outcome hasn’t been ideal, the cotton has more stretch in it than the other brand I have used for the darker colour. It was getting frustrating so I have cut off my first little sample and have tied it on again to continue. I need to neaten my edges up and the pattern is a little squished. So I shall keep practising on this little sample. I suspect on another project this cotton will be fine for weft, but for warp I will stick to my usual Venne or Handweavers Studio 8/2 cotton yarns.
Here is my messy little 1st sample. If you squint your eyes its easier to see the pattern. When my sewing machine is back from being repaired I will sew the ends and pop it in the wash to sample shrinkage etc. Certainly I have a huge amount of this cotton so it would be good if it will work in a project, albeit not this one.
Another thing I did this week was look through all the editions of the Little Looms magazines since Spring 2022, which are available on Libby through our library. I have saved a few of the patterns to have a go at too.
Other News
Other than working, there hasn’t been any time to do anything else that I haven’t already mentioned.
This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 15th year, but this is my 8th year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, as you’d be very welcome to join us.
HighlandHeffalump 