As I suspected, the backstrap loom from Kakaw Designs has been much easier to work on than the one from Trama Textiles. I should say the warp has been easier…as the actual loom pieces have nothing to do with it. After a few hours, I’ve almost completed the warp that came on it. I’m looking forward to putting my own (wool) warp on the loom after I finish up this piece. I love the Ikat pattern on the yarn stripes in this warp, so I’ll probably dye some of my wool using this technique for a future warp.
My second backstrap loom arrived (pre-warped) from Kakaw Designs (Guatemala). This loom is just a little smaller than the other backstrap loom I ordered from Trama Textiles. I feel like the warp threads are better quality too. Kakaw Designs also has a blog page that has instructional videos available to anyone, so I liked that I didn’t have to wait on videos to arrive.
The Trama Textiles loom was a lot more expensive than this one as well ($100 plus free shipping), which was a bit surprising to me since I got more with this loom (a nice carrying bag was included) and I also got a $10/off coupon since I was a new customer. After the coupon and shipping ($15), I paid $65 total for the loom from Kakaw Designs. I wish I had found the loom from Kakaw first, but oh well.
The day after New Year’s, I fell ill with covid. A few days later, my husband followed. So, any plans I had of starting 2022 off with a bang (fiber arts-wise) was dashed. We were lucky to only have a mild case of it, so I’m grateful, but it has thrown me into a funk, creativity-wise.
I walk into my fiber room for a few seconds and then turn around and walk back out again. I just can’t focus or decide on anything to do. I’m trying to go easy on myself since I’m still recovering, but it’s hard when I’m used to being so focused and productive.
I did order a backstrap loom from Trama Textiles in Guatemala on December 30th (before I realized I was sick), and it arrived a couple of days ago. I’ve also ordered another one from Kakaw Designs (also coming from Guatemala). Both looms come pre-warped. I’ll post an update when I really get into what I’m doing. The loom from Trama was supposed to come with video tutorials, but there were none in the package (links or otherwise), so I’ve contacted them about that. I think I’ve watched every Youtube video on Mayan backstrap weaving (and backstrap weaving around the world), so I have a general idea of what I’m doing, but I paid for video tutorials, so I would like to get those from Trama.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
This year has been a fiber adventure for myself to say the least. I spun 20+ new breeds of wool this year, bought over 300 pounds of raw fleece from various farms all over the United States, & knitted, spun, and wove more than any other year before. 2021 was my first year to participate in the Tour de Fleece and I’m looking forward to 2022.
Let me know what goals you set each year for fiber projects! I’d love to hear about them.
Last Saturday, I held a pop-up shop at Artisan’s Cove in Owens Cross Roads, AL (where I also teach classes). It was a first alert weather day–meaning tornado watches and thunderstorm warnings, but most of the bad weather had cleared out by the time I opened at 11am. I had a handful of people stop by despite the rain, so I’m thankful for the sales I got. This finished up my 2021 in-person events, so I’ve been taking it easy since then–only knitting beanies for Christmas gifts.
Sold objects from my Pop-Up Shop at Artisan’s Cove on Saturday, December 11th.
This beanie was knitted for my neighbor, but now I’m working on a similar one for my sister-in-law. I’m not sure how many more projects I’ll knit/weave this year, but this may be the last few until 2022. It has been a long, productive year, but I can honestly say I’m ready for a short break from spinning, weaving, knitting, fiber washing & processing, etc.
After a crazy weekend selling at the Hartselle Holiday Market* (Hartselle, AL), I got a custom tartan scarf order for another Wallace Hunting Scarf (after just finishing one a few days before). Because I ran out of the yarn, I couldn’t begin weaving the second one until the yarn arrived yesterday. Normally, I give myself a few days to weave a tartan, but because my customer had already patiently waited for the yarn to arrive, I wove the scarf the same day and will be mailing it out today to New York.
Wallace Hunting Tartan Scarf in 100% Peruvian Highland Wool for a customer in NY
I also finished weaving a scarf on my other loom from some handspun wool/alpaca yarn I picked up from a yarn/fabric store in Florence, AL (Thread) back during the summer. I originally thought this would be a table runner project, but the finished item is next-to-skin-soft, so it will be a scarf instead.
Every year, I attempt to finish at least 52 projects (one project a week on average). This year, I’ve exceeded that goal by a small number as of November 25th. I’m not sure how many more projects I’ll squeeze into 2021, but I’m happy to have surpassed my goal with time to spare. (Many of these projects were sold or commissioned, which is why I make so many items each year. Otherwise, my numbers would be much lower.)
Before I left for my trip to the pacific northwest, I wove a pickup stick pattern scarf–more to just experiment with new patterns than anything else. The scarf below is the result of that project.
After I returned from my trip, I wove a Duncan Scottish tartan scarf for my friend from Washington, who happens to be a Duncan. This was the first time I had woven this tartan, and because of the width of the pattern, I was only able to do a portion of the warp design…but otherwise, it is a balanced tartan.
Duncan Scottish Tartan Scarf
Since I’m planning to have a booth at the Hartselle Holiday Market this year (Hartselle, Alabama), I have started knitting beanies for those who might not want any of my woven items. The yellow/white beanie was knitted from GCN raw fleece that I handspun and dyed with annatto seeds.
A few days ago, I decided to try the pinwheel pattern on my rigid heddle loom. A weaver on YouTube converted the 8-shaft weaving draft into a pickup stick pattern for rigid heddle, so luckily, I didn’t have to work that part out for myself. I used the merino/cashmere/silk blend yarns I’ve been using recently because of the autumnal colors. Everything turned out fine, weaving wise, on this scarf–although it did take me a full day and part of the next morning to weave it. Next time, I’ll probably make supplemental string heddles instead of using the pickup stick for six of the eight steps.
Yesterday’s knitting project was the “Finlandia” beanie by Paige Buursma, a free pattern on Ravelry. I used some handspun yarn made from a Gulf Coast Native ram fleece (“Freddie” from Yellow Bell Farmstead–Arab, AL). It’s a little hard to see the tree motif throughout the hat because of the dark color of the yarn, but when I put it on, I can see it a little better.
Sunday, October 3rd was the 3rd annual Alabama Honey Festival at Artisan’s Cove in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama. Since I teach fiber arts classes at Artisan’s Cove, I decided to become a vendor at this year’s festival. The forecast predicted 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms, but luckily, it only drizzled off and on throughout the event. The host said about half of last year’s numbers made it this year–about 1,500 instead of 3k. Considering the weather, I think it was a decent turnout. I sold about 10 scarves + some additional woven items on my table (bookmarks, tea towels, mug rugs, etc.). I normally don’t attend outside events, so my husband and I had to improvise my setup with some of our existing scarf displays.
This past Sunday, October 10th, I set up again at the same venue for a market day. The weather was sweltering hot, but we had a decent turnout. I only sold one scarf, but I did get a chance to talk with people about classes that I hope to teach in the up coming months at that location. I also brought my spinning wheel and small loom to show how things are made–something I didn’t get to bring to the honey festival because of the rain. The spinning wheel seemed to draw a good bit of attention and I have to remind myself how few people have actually seen handspun yarn being made.
The North Alabama Yarn Skip began on Friday, October 8th, but I didn’t get to start until Saturday. I visited Hook A Frog Fiber & Fun (Madison, AL), Fiber Artwork (Huntsville, AL), and Yarn Boutique of Decatur (Decatur, AL) on Saturday–then traveled to The Taming of the Ewe (Gadsden, AL) and Thread (Florence, AL) on Monday. The event runs through Saturday, Oct. 16th. The only shop I haven’t made it to is Knit Happenz at the Memory Haggler (such a bizarre name) in Birmingham, AL. Since the shop didn’t extend its hours, I doubt I’ll make it down there. But, five out of six shops isn’t bad.
Haul from Yarn Boutique of Decatur
Haul from Fiber Artwork (Huntsville)
Haul from Thread (Florence)
Haul from Taming of the Ewe (Gadsden)
I dyed a custom fiber colorway of Peruvian Highland wool for Hook A Frog Fiber & Fun specifically for the yarn skip, and I’m also selling my hand dyed yarns there as well through the duration of the event.
Diary of a Yarnophile 