Category Archives: Loom Knitting & Weaving

Little Boye Tube Loom

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IMG_7913The other day while I was looking through my old sewing box, I found this cool little Boye Tube Loom. I must of had it for 30 years, so I guess that makes it vintage. I had never used it and don’t remember where I got it. I have, however, used the metal knitting needle that came with it as an important part of my sculpting tools since I first began sculpting 9 or so years ago.

IMG_7908I knitted a short cord with it. It’s okay, but it’s major flaw is that Boye could’ve made the pegs an 1/8 of an inch longer and it would’ve been an awesome little tool.
Anyway, for cording I like my Beanpot looms and Knifty Knitter tube loom better.

I think it’s a bit ironic that sooo many years ago, I had this loom and thought nothing of it nor even ever planned to use it. Now it’s a fun novelty that is apart of the looming craft I do now.

Just goes to show that one never knows what little treasures they may own in one decade that would be useful or a connection to something later in life.

Have you ever found a neat little something that you didn’t ever use nor remember having and then realize it’s connected with something going on in your life now? (I hope that made sense. lol)

Here’s wishing all your crafting connections be fun ones.

🙂3-spcbg

Just Hanging Around (clippy hanger hints)

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1-hngrYesterday I gathered ingredients together to make a loaf of strawberry bread.  I set my recipe & stuff up like I always do and then it occurred to me that I wanted to make a post about a few of my favorite hints for re-using/recycling clippy hangers or pant hangers.

These are not my ideas and they’re not new ideas. You may have seen them or read of them before. I still want to share them since they’ve been a help to me.

I’m very grateful to clever folks who shared these hanger ideas on the web. I surfed around and tried to find the earliest posting of these hints on the web. I posted the links and dates with the hints. (If you know of an older posting, let me know and I’ll edit it in.)

Now without further ado, here’s a few clippy hanger hints.
~*~

Use the clippy hanger as a recipe book holder. Just clip it on the book and hang it from your cabinet door.
It keeps the book off the counter and helps to allow more counter space to use for making foods.
I really enjoy this hint. I use it alot.
2-hngrThe hanger cookbook holder – February 06,2009
~*~

Cut the clips off the hangers and use them for bag clips or like clothes pins, paper clips, chip clips or clips to help hold things together in crafts, such.
I tried and failed miserably to cut the clips off with huge industrial scissors and with a wire cutter. My compliments to whoever designed the hangers, they are super sturdy and hard as the heck to cut. I didn’t have a saw, so I used my craft drill to cut the clips off with it.
I really like having these inexpensive clips, they’re super handy to clasp on to a bag or hold a craft together or papers together. There’s so many uses for them.
3-hngrUnexpected chip clip – August 19, 2009
~*~

Cutting the clips off the hanger came from a forum and as I read further down the thread, someone suggested putting magnets on the back of the clips for refrigerator clips. There was mention of how to decorate them, but I chose to wing-it and do it my own way.
flwrlmI got out my flower loom and made a flower. I intended on having one simple flower on the clip… well seeings how it’s the unwritten duty of a crafter to over embellish, whenever the opportunity is there, and I take my crafter duties seriously, I made a couple more flowers and crocheted 4 leaves. I’d of added more, but I ran out of room on the clip. lol It’s quite cheerful looking and I’m surprised happy with the gawdy fun results. (I may decorate my recipe book hanger too. )
flwrs01  Refrigerator clips – August 19, 2009
~*~

I think those hints are clever ways to recycle and reuse clippy hangers. I used the leftover part of the hangers to hang up a couple plastic bags of craft supplies in the closet. Storage space is dear in my craft room and I’m always happy to figure out new ways to hoard store supplies.
I’m fortunate to have dozens several of these hangers on hand from buying clothes for my grandson over the years.
I’ve given several away while passing on the hanging recipe book hint. My grandson really got a kick out of that idea and even took a couple hangers home to his Mom to show and give to her. I love that he enjoys sharing fun helpful ideas. He’s such a sweetie.

Next time you have some extra clippy hangers laying around, I hope you’ll consider giving one of these hints a try.

Do you know any helpful for re-using or recycling hangers? You’re welcome to share them, if you want.
Here’s hoping that you’ll have an enjoyable rest of the week hanging out waiting for warm weather.

🙂
spcr1

Shelibean my craft tester – Butterfly Loom

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0222141931a
Last November my Bff surprised me with a special gift of a ‘Butterfly Loom’. She has one and makes beautiful motifs for a coverlet she’s making.
I’d never tried to use the loom. I wanted to try to make motifs, but I was afraid I couldn’t do them right. The other night I was surfing around youtube and looking at some craft videos and happened on a beginners video for the ‘Butterfly Loom’.
I watched it and realized that perhaps I could make butterfly loom motifs too.
When I got the loom out and sit down on our sofa, Sheli started sniffing the loom and tried to take it from me.  So being the obedient human I am, I gave him the first motif I made. When I was working on my second motif I noticed Sheli was napping with his head laying sweetly on his new motif. I tried to sneak around and take his photo, but he roused up and made an even cuter pose. I apologize for the quality of photo, I took it with a cellphone.
Seriously, it does help me to test the strength of a yarn project to give a sample piece to Sheli. He’s goes at his job of tester with gusto and seriousness. He chewed, pulled, tugged, tossed and chased the motif and it held up real well, so far, Which really surprises me considering the way the motifs are made. Just yarn wound around the toothed edge and knots tied at the meeting points.

Here’s a gallery to give you an idea of the Butterfly Loom.

I’ve made a few motifs and am getting better with each one. I’ve an idea as to how I want to use them. Hopefully, my idea will work out and if it does I’ll post a photo of what I make with them.

The weekend was really nice. The temperatures were comfortable, the sun was shining and we even opened a window or two. My husband painted our utility room. I did a smidgen of Spring cleaning in my craft room. Unfortunately the nice weather has passed. It cooled off alot during the night and our temperatures are forecast to drop way down and we may even get a dusting or two of snow this week. It’s now what we used to call pneumonia weather. Hopefully the cold front won’t last and we’ll get back to the business of warm weather and plans to enjoy the great outdoors.

I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend
and will have a wonderful week.

🙂

edited in: 4-5-2018
The other day I recieved an email via my contact form asking about where I got my butterfly loom.
I couldn’t remember where I got mine, so I asked my BFF and she said she got them from ebay. I sent a reply and said I got mine from ebay. (What I should have said was mine was a gift but came from ebay. I’m forgetful in my old age. :/ )
After I sent the reply, I went on an internet search to try and find places other than ebay that sells them.
I’ve searched, as much as my limited knowledge of the internet allows, and I found only ebay and one other website that sells butterfly looms.
I’m adding a link to the butterfly loom site on this post.
If you know of another place that sells butterfly looms, let me know in the contact form and I’ll add the link here on this post.

ButterFly Loom – https://www.butterflyloom.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

A few clothes-pin hints for yarn & looming

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IMG_7474My above photo is some of my left over yarn wrapped around clothespins. I did this to show that I think it’s a neat idea. This idea could be used for embroidery thread, yarn, ribbon, twine or most anything stringy to help keep them neat and tidy.
I searched and tried to find the original poster for this idea. Unfortunately that website is gone now, so here’s a link to the next to the oldest one I found: factorydirectcraft

IMG_7178My favorite stitch in loom knitting is the e-stitch or e-wrap stitch. It’s makes a rib type pattern and I like the look of the finished project.
The e-stitch is simple since it’s just wrapping the yarn around a peg. It can be used for cast on as well.

However, the most irritating and frustrating thing about using this simple stitch is if you let it loose for a nano second while wrapping the pegs , the yarn will spring to life and unravel like a joyous snake of rebellion.

I resolved the unraveling issue, sort of. After I wrap several pegs, I put a clothes pin on the yarn sort of between a couple of the wrapped pegs and then continue on wrapping. I move the clothes pin along as I get further around my loom.
If you use this method you may notice that the clothes pin overlaps the pegs on some looms.
clothespinhold
This next tip comes from an idea sparked by my Bff. I complained about when I was looming, if I had to leave my loom to do something else like housework, when I’d come back to looming, I couldn’t remember if I was going left or right. I ripped out more than one project because of this memory lapse.
My Bff shared with me that she had resolved this issue by using a pencil gripper to set down on a peg a dozen or so ahead of the way she was going. That way whenever she sat down to loom again she knew which direction she was headed.
I didn’t have any pencil grips, but I did have other things that would work just as well.
*Use something that can’t be knocked off the loom peg: stitch marker, clothespin, safety-pin or a pencil gripper
Place it on a peg several pegs in front of the direction you are going in, move the clothes pin along as you go further around your loom.
If you use this method you may notice that the clothes pin overlaps the pegs on some looms.
clothespinmarker

These are things that work for me, they may not be right for you, but I wanted to share them anyway.
I hope some of the tips maybe helpful in making your crafting adventures more enjoyable.

Wishing you all a sunshine filled week.
🙂
spcr1

misc thoughts & hints for yarnies & loomers

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t6027t6028

This blog post is a few miscellaneous thoughts and hints for yarnies like me. I hope one of them  may help make your yarn crafting adventures more enjoyable.

The Knifty Knitter cord loom is a fun little gadget. It makes a nice cord with 5 pegs, but if you want a smaller cord you can use 3 pegs.
IMG_6994

Jute or grass twine makes a lovely cord for trivets or even little baskets.
IMG_7007

I find that alot of times my Martha Stewart loom pegs don’t want to stay put. It’s a major irritation.
I first tried yarn stuffed in the holes, then tried bits of paper, then masking tape, they worked but I wasn’t happy with them. Then I tried painter’s tape and I haven’t looked back.
I use a layer(or 2) of painter’s tape over the loom holes.
I use a toothpick to break the tape over the hole and then push the peg in.
This method works really well for me.
loomtape

I had My first experience at rolling a ball of yarn that wasn’t end fed like the 4 ply skeins I usually use.
t0473I got frustrated at first with the skein tumbling and capturing everything including the attention of (our dog) Sheli. He and I got into a bit of a kerfuffle for a few seconds.
I stuffed the skein into a plastic grocery bag and hung it on my arm. I quickly discovered that not only was it protected from Sheli, but it fed easy and rolled beautifully.
I do love accidental discoveries. 🙂
lbrolling

I bought my first couple skeins ever of bulky yarn. It’s Lion Brand Hometown USA
It’s a bulky yarn and is 81 yards long
I wanted to see how big a square made with 81 yards would be, so I crocheted a solid granny square. I used a size N crochet hook. The square came out to be about 12 inches x 12 inches
I decided to try a regular granny square and was amazed that it too came out to be about 12 inches x 12 inches… I would’ve thought that it would have been bigger. :/
lb81yardsAnyway, this was a pretty good experiment because now if I want to make an blanket of granny squares out of bulky yarn, I can better guess how much yarn I need.
I’m envisioning a big bulky blanket of 12 inch squares. I think it would be fun to try. I may make one sometime.

This is all my thoughts and hints for the moment.
I hope they’ll help make your yarn crafting more enjoyable.

You’re welcome to share your hints if you want too.

Here’s wishing you happy
adventures in crafting!
t6027t6028
🙂
spcr1