Weaving is fun! (by Pamela Kelly)

Start by tying a slip knot in the end of a skein of yarn and secure it to the corner nail on the left side of the top rail.  Then carry the yarn under the nails to the right corner of the frame.  This horizontal line of yarn is the first or top warp.

At the corner nail on the right, make one counter clockwise turn around the nail,  carry the yarn down and under the first nail on the right side rail and head back over to the left side.  This is the second horizontal line of yarn and the second warp.

Back at the left side of the loom the yarn is brought up and around the second nail on the left side rail and brought up and over the first warp.  The line of yarn going straight up leads back to the skein.

The loom is now primed for weaving.

Simple or plain triangular loom weaving consists of snaking a crochet needle over and under the horizontal warps, snagging the loose line of yarn going back to the skein, pulling it down to create a loop of yarn, dragging this loop through the warps, hooking one side of the loop on the next nail down the side on which you are working, widening the loop by dragging ti to the other side letting yarn pull from the skein as you do so, and hooking the second side of the loop on the next nail down on the far side of the loom.

Here is what it looks like in pictures:

Reaching up through the warps to snag the loose yarn

Hooking the right side of the loop on the next nail down on the right side of  the loom.

Pulling the yarn down to create a loop and dragging this loop through the warps

Pulling the loop forward to the other side, drawing yarn from the skein to widen the loop.

Hooking the left side of the loop on the next nail down on the left side.

Notice in the last picture that the loose end of the yarn is again going up and out of the picture.  For the next weaving, the same process is repeated except this time the loop is started on the right side.  Weaving is simply a matter of repeating the process of dragging loops down from one side, hooking them on a nail, widening the loop as it is dragged sideways across the warps, and hooking it on the next nail down on the opposite side.

Instead of plucking at the warps one at a time to weave the wefts through several of them at once, hook the loop , than draw it down.  Make sure the weaving hook went over the warps that the previous weft pushed up and under the warps it pushed down.

All that is needed to do now is continue weaving loops down through the warps until the triangle is full.

Once your triangle of woven cloth is complete, remove it from the triangle loom.  The ends that remain can be woven back into the edge or converted into fringe.

To create a project, simply create several triangles of woven cloth and stitch them together into various shapes as desired.

A basic shawl pattern might include triangles arranged like this.

Got Tri-loom? (by Pamela Kelly)

Start by getting a loom and some of your extra yarn because next month we will start weaving!  If you don’t have a loom and decide to purchase one you can do so by going to www.sunflowerfibers.com along with sending me an email ( sunflowerfibers@gmail.com )  and I’ll make sure you get a 10% discount on the purchase of your very own tri-loom.

So now you’re asking what can I do with a bunch of woven triangles?  You can do a lot of things with a two foot triangle.  For example, putting 8 together you can make the “8 Piece Woven Wrap”  which is pictured on the right .  You can also purchase the pattern for this wrap at www.sunflowerfibers.com. 

To get started designing with triangles, make yourself some paper triangles and laminate them.  Than just put those triangles together and see what you come up with.  Use your imagination.  You’ll have a blast!  It is also great fun to mix woven triangles with woven squares. 

I would like you to start thinking about what you can make with a bunch of woven triangles.  Next month I will be teaching you how to weave on a triangle loom.  Also in the coming weeks I will post complete triangle weaving instructions on my website - www.sunflowerfibers.com.  I’m also working on instructions for weaving on the  square loom. 

If you have any ideas, any questions or just need a little help contact me.  Thanks for reading.  Now, Got Tri-loom?

Weaving on a Tri-loom can be FUN! (by Pamela Kelly)

You do not need a whole lot of equipment to make a beautiful piece of woven fabric.  You do not need years of experience or training.  You only need a little patience and a Tri-loom Weaving Kit which you can purchase at Sunflower Fibers.

Weaving on a Tri-Loom is different from traditional weaving in that it uses a continuous warp and the warp is also the weft!  What is the warp and weft? In traditional weaving the warp is the thread that have the tension on them in the weaving process and they run from top to bottom. The weft is generally looser and runs left to right.  With a Tri-Loom, a continuous piece of yarn is both the warp and the weft.

This makes the weaving process faster and easier than traditional weaving. With Tri-Loom weaving, you will need a weaving hook, the Tri-Loom, and some yarn. That is all!  Sounds like fun so let’s get started weaving!  So how much yarn do I need to weave a shawl?  Good question.

To Calculate Yardage

1. Set up loom to size you are going to weave
2. Measure across top of loom (e.g. 7’)
3. Count the number of nails (e.g 170 nails)
4. 7’ x 170 = 1190 / 3 = 397 yards OR 7’ = 2 ⅓ yards x 158 nails = 397 yards
5. Decide the length of the fringe.  Fringe is folded in half.  A 9 inch fringe = 18” or ½ yard.  ½ yard x 340 (number of nails on each side) = 170 yards for fringe
6. Yardage for 7 foot shawl = 577 yards  (397 yards from #4 + 170 yards from #5 + 10 yards fudge = 577 yards for 7 Foot Shaw
7.  If using a decorative edge along the top, add 4x the top measurement – 7 x 4 = 28 yards
8. Every path the yarn makes (down from the top to the bottom nail, across to the other side, up to the top nail) uses 7 ft of yarn (the top measurement of the loom)
9. To calculate color changes and to determine how much yardage you need for each color, you must remember:

• A complete pass is the yarn going from the nail on the LEFT SIDE (LS) top – down to nail on LS bottom – across to RIGHT SIDE (RS) bottom – to the RS top – than back down -  across and back up (14 feet).  
• You are going over 2 nails on each side for each pass (4 nails total).
• Calculate the doubled fringe (2 nails on each side (7 x 2 = 14 feet).  Fringe on each side: (9” doubled = (18” x 2) x 2 (each side) = 6 feet. 
•  So 14 feet + 6 feet = 20 feet / 3 = 7 yards for every nail used in the design.

NOTE: When buying yarn for a project, the tag might say the yarn is a certain length, they allow themselves to be off 10% either way.  So get a loom and your yarn because next month we will start weaving! 

If you decide to purchase a loom, go to www.sunflowerfibers.com and send me an email (info@sunflowerfibers.com) and you will receive 10% off your loom purchase.

Introduction to Tri-Looms (by Pamela Kelly)

I have been crocheting and knitting for the better part of my life. However, I now primarily spend my time knitting, spinning, and weaving. I fell in love with spinning the first time I sat down at a spinning wheel at one of my friend’s shop. As time progressed I decided I would like to try other fiber venues. As it turns out, I saw a tri-loom on the internet and asked my husband if he could make me one of these. Husbands are great for that sort of thing you know. With no information other than a photograph and a bit… sorry… a lot of ingenuity on his part he endeavored to build a tri-loom for me. After about three months of effort his first seven foot loom actually turned out to be only six feet long because, for whatever reason, he calculated seven feet to be seventy-two inches, which of course is only six feet. He’s over that and better now!

Jim now makes tri-looms for Sunflower Fibers (www.sunflowerfibers.com) in several sizes and is working to get his personal adjustable design patented.

Knitting and weaving is just not simply fun for me, it is a “passion”. I have wanted to weave and knit full time for years but unfortunately making a living at a full time job was preventing me from doing that. I was a computer programmer for a major international company, and as many IT jobs have done in the past several years, my husband’s and my job were both best-shored to other countries. So I have been forced to do what I love to do. How cool is that??? Besides, a job is a “job”. Weaving and knitting is “fun”!

Jim makes looms and I weave and knit. 

Triangular (tri-loom) weaving frame.

An adjustable triangle loom is for weaving pieces into various garment accessories, blankets, throws, afghans, shawls and scarves in various sizes. There are three wood rails attached at the angle or corner to create a 90 degree triangle. Each rail has nails or pins aligned in a straight row for the full length of each board. The nails are proportionally spaced in order to have the same number of nails on each board. Since the hypotenuse is longer than the two adjacent sides the nails will be a bit further apart on the hypotenuse side. The size of a tri-loom is measured by the hypotenuse side of the loom. An adjustable tri-loom has drilled holes at specified distances to allow different sized looms to be created from one set of three rails.

This invention relates to a 3-sided 90 degree weaving loom that can be adjusted to various sizes.

Background of the weaving loom.

The triangle weaving loom is used for weaving triangle shaped fabric pieces that can be used as an individual piece like a scarf or shawl; or to weave several triangular pieces that can joined together to make ponchos, afghans, bed throws and many other common household or garment items. The adjustability of the loom allows for the different sizes desired for the item that is being constructed.

Weaving on a triangular loom is much easier than normal weaving because the only measurement that is required is how much yarn is needed to complete the job. The complete piece can be woven by using a center pull ball of yarn. Other weaving projects, or weaving on a floor loom, may require measuring and cutting warp yarns, or dressing with warp yarns, winding shuttles with weft yarns before weaving.

When weaving on a triangular loom it is imperative that there be an equal number of uniformly spaced pins on each rail and that the pins intersect with no major gaps at the corner and at the 45 degree angles.

Summary of the invention

A tri-loom is a triangle made of three rails of wood with nails or pins evenly spaced on the upper side of the wooden rail for weaving the yarn. The rails are connected via a bolt and wing nut at the ends, or at the specified pre-drilled holes that allow for the adjustments to create a different sized loom. No matter what sized loom being used the loom is constructed in a way that allows for the loom to have the same number of nails for each loom depending on the loom size desired.

No matter what size loom being used the following is required and provided.

1. The invention provides an adjustable triangular loom that maintains an equal number of pins or nails on each rail.
2. The pins or nails intersect at the corner and angles with no major gaps.
3. The spacing of the pins or nails will be uniform on each rail regardless of the size of the triangle loom being used.

More unobvious and obvious features will become more apparent looking at the pictures of the looms at www.sunflowerfibers.com.

Things to know about Bamboo Yarns (by Yarn Cloud)

I would like to take a few minutes to discuss some of the features of bamboo yarns. If you are asking how can panda food become a yarn you may find some answers right here.  

Bamboo was introduced to the world of hand knitting yarns only a few years ago. It is an excellent choice when it comes to protection of our environment since 100% bamboo is biodegradable and made out of renewable resources. Bamboo can be harvested without destroying the plant and takes a fairly short time to renew. 

I know we all care about our planet but you are probably anxious to hear about the things this fiber can do for you as a crafter. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial, it can protect from UV rays and was proven to cool body temperature while worn as a garment. Yarn Cloud Bamboo has also earned the European certification of suitability for use in products intended for babies under the age of 3.

Fabric knitted from bamboo has a great drape, looks silky and can be very soft. It looks somewhat like silk or mercerized cotton but it’s quite different from both. One thing to consider when knitting with bamboo is that it can be fairly heavy so afghans made out of worsted weight 100% bamboo while gorgeous will be quite handful.  If you choose to knit a large project from bamboo use rather circular needles since you can rest your work in your lap which puts less strain on your hands and wrist. Small projects from light weight bamboo should not be much different than knitting with any  viscose based yarn.

Some knitters mentioned that bamboo may have the tendency to split while knitting. This is due to a fact it does not have great coherence in its regular spun varieties. The splitting factor is also affected by needles used. We have noticed that when knitted with blunter tip needles made out of bamboo or rosewood the splitting is significantly reduced.

Bamboo has a great absorbing features which may be positive and negative as well. Due to high absorption bamboo when washed has tendency to swell  and takes a long time to air dry. It’s generally recommended to hand wash and air dry projects from bamboo. We have tested our yarns for machine washing and machine drying and we found no problem with neither when done with proper care. Our yarns can be washed on delicate settings on low temperature and tumble dry on low heat. Make sure to check for color fastness first. While generally Yarn Cloud yarns are very color stable some colors may bleed especially when washed for the first time.

I would like to let you know a bit more about Yarn Cloud Bamboo Yarns.

Our yarn comes in 3 different weights (light, worsted and bulky) and 5 different  varieties.

Regular Bamboo is 5 ply and considered light weight. It is great choice for lace scarves, shawls, christening gowns and light garments where drape is desired. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving.

Bamboo Magic Waves is a 10 ply variety which is worsted weight and top choice for dishcloths, baby washcloths, baby blankets, toys and apparel. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving. This yarn can be used for some Plastic Canvas Projects as well.

Bamboo Soft Spell is our thinner chainette in worsted weight and when knitted it remains more flexible while still keeps it’s beautiful drape. Due to this fact it is better suitable for sweaters and apparel. Suitable for knitting and crochet.

Bamboo Charmed is our thickest bamboo yarn great for totes, handbags, bath mats, rugs and other projects. Suitable for knitting and crochet.

Bamboo Elegant is a 5 ply light weight blended with cotton boucle strand and its general use is similar to our regular Bamboo. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving.

The important thing when knitting or crocheting with Bamboo is to chose the right yarn and right project. As I’ve said before Bamboo has a great drape but this may be a problem when looking for close knitted tank top. Soft Spell may be better suitable for that kind of project. If you are not sure you can always ask us a question before you start to prevent any frustration later. We all know how much we hate to unravel!

Some gorgeous products made out of Yarn Cloud Bamboo can be found on Ravelry and we are working on creating customer showcase on our site very soon.

If you have any questions about Bamboo you can always e-mail me at romana.graham@yarncloud.com and I’ll do my best to get you your answer.

At last I would like to mention that in order to support the use of environmentally friendly fibers we have started Yarn Cloud Bamboo Club which offers its members everyday 25% off on the whole line of our Bamboo yarns and several other discounts in other categories. It also offers occasional coupons for even more savings. For more info please visit https://www.yarncloud.com/BambooClub.html.

Romana C Graham

Founder and President of Yarn Cloud