The Tiny Looms

After weaving the "Ohio Star" patchwork throw, I did a lot of looking at quilt blocks and trying to figure out what I could make with my 7 inch looms. I really wanted to do some clothing but the looms were pretty big. So I asked the vendor to make me some that were half the size (3.5 inches). They are great. I have used them for many items but the biggest one so far is the poncho pictured here. This is alpaca and one yarn in an alpaca silk blend. Most of this is squares but there are some triangles too. It took about a year and a half to weave and put together. They loved the idea so much they made this size loom part of their standard product line, along with 14 inch looms.

Yarn Swap 2007/2008

My guild did a yarn swap this season. November 2007 we brought in our yarn. It was placed in paper bags. We each picked a bag that did not contain our yarn. We made something for the person who's name and yarn were in the bag. The swap happened at the February 2008 meeting last weekend.

It was a fun challenge. My bag was empty as the person forgot her yarn. I got it a week late. My looms were pretty tied up at the time, well all but the frame looms. I got a slew of single balls of different shades of green wool and a request to use one specific yarn. Turns out that one yarn really did not go with the other colors so well but was the only one that was not totally scratchy. The various shades reminded me of a vest I had done a while back using the Wind Blown Star quilt block. Initial thoughts to do a vest turned to a pillow due the scratchiness of the yarn. Pictures of the final product are here.

Alpaca, Alpaca, Alpaca

One day someone took me into a store selling all things Alpaca. The minute I touched the items in the store I fell in love. I had never felt Alpaca before but it was so soft. I had to find some way to get this fiber in my life. Having tried to teach myself knitting and crotchet without success, those were out. I searched the internet and kept coming back to some frame looms called "The Quilt Weavers" set. I was intrigued. They looked pretty simple to use and I had always loved quilts but not the sewing. Finally I bought them and some alpaca yarn. A new weaver was born. Here is my first project, a blanket for a sister.