Figuring out this rigid heddle

I figured out a way to warp the rigid heddle in my living room, but the warp is LONG. I need to figure out a way to get the peg into the middle of the room and then I'll be set. I can't be making 12-foot-long warps for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll try to attach my mop to a chair ... that might work. Anyway, here are the results of my super-early-morning attempt to warp the loom, before a day spent making Christmas cookies. I wove nearly the whole length yesterday and will post the finished product later on.

The view from the back of the loom aaaaall the way across the room to the peg

Looking the other way

I got this brilliant idea from a woman who posted a video on Youtube ... it's a way to maintain tension while winding the warp on, and you don't even need a husband to help! Yay for hammers!

Tablecloth: DONE

At last! This project that I originally started about 4 years ago and then burned out on, then started again back in February, is done. I'm feeling a little bereft, if I'm honest. I need another insanely complicated or huge project to occupy my time ... maybe I'll finally tackle a thread pineapple.

So here it is:

Draped over my ottoman

Close-up

Spread out on the floor. It's pretty huge: 54 x 69!

And here's the best part: I don't actually own a table that I can put this on.

Gah! Too many projects!

I am suddenly overwhelmed with all the projects I'm working on. Not entirely sure how this happened ... most of this stuff isn't even for Christmas!

This used to be my ottoman. No feet are able to rest in this mess at the moment, however.

I FINISHED THE TABLECLOTH MOTIFS. Now I am taking my sweet time sewing the last row on.

I am working on two sock patterns simultaneously.

I joined a crochet-along to make a large shawl out of some small, yummy yarn.

I'm still laboring away on the rigid heddle.

And because all that just wasn't enough, I decided to start a new project on the cabin loom.

Didn't get too far though.

 Lord have mercy.

A timid foray into plaid

So I'm still trying to figure out how to use my rigid heddle loom. Damn you, Springwater Fiber Workshop! Why did you have to go out of business.  I need a hands-on class.

Anyway.

There are two ways to dress a rigid heddle loom: with a warping board, just like any other loom, and directly onto the loom, which is vastly preferable, but which I haven't yet figured out how to do in my limited living space because it involves walking back and forth between the loom and an end point that's as long as your warp...which can be in excess of nine feet, depending on what you're making. So for the time being, and for this first project, I went with the warping board. It's a major pain in the ass; I can't figure out how to make all the warp ends come out even, so I fear this won't be pretty when all is said and done. But that's ok...I'm using leftover yarn and am not exactly planning on making this thing into a Christmas present. It's just practice! Don't judge me.

The warp has been wound on. Much gnashing of teeth has already occurred.

Looking a little less wonky now that it's tied onto the front.

It looks sort of plaid-ish, yes? 

Danger!

Not too long ago a new LYS moved into the area: Looped Yarn Works. Yesterday I visited it for the second time and took pictures. This is a dangerous place for me because it's a seven-minute walk from my apartment and is directly across the street from a bus stop on my route home. DC has a terrible dearth of yarn shops, so it's kind of a miracle that it's here at all, much less so close to where I live. 

The staff are fantastic: willing to give you a tour if it's your first time, eager to talk about your project and which yarns might be best, and even offering to wind your yarn for you. 

Looped!

It's on the second floor and easy to miss, but so worth the trip.

Oh happy, happy place.

They carry all my favorite yarns.

Of course I couldn't make it out of there without a purchase.

I am entertaining the possibility of teaching myself to knit socks. We'll see. For now I'm sticking to crochet.

My flirtation with crazy continues

I think I found my new long-term weaving project, and it is this:

That's somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 warp ends. Of embroidery thread. Yum.

A sock in a day

This weekend I tried out a new sock pattern and WOW was it fast. I had a sock made in under a day. And it fits! And the heel doesn't sag! Perhaps I need to make a bunch of these for Christmas. If only I knew people's shoe sizes ... hint hint.

Baby blanket: done!

I managed to finish the baby blanket three days ahead of schedule, which was a definite relief. The baby shower was yesterday, but the mom-to-be is so popular that with all the socializing there just wasn't time for her to open presents. So, no photo of her with the blanket. But that's ok...The Husband took some shots with our camera, so these are much better quality than I usually post (I love my Blackberry but it's not so great with close-up shots).

Should be big enough to snuggle under

Close-up

The lovely trim that took two weeks to complete!

Hyperbolic coral reef

This weekend we took a brief respite from the insane crowds and the Rally to Restore Sanity and headed to the National Museum of Natural History to check out the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibit. It was pretty spectacular. I had meant to participate and send in a piece of reef of my own, but apparently something shiny distracted me from that mission and I forgot all about it. I was so impressed by this exhibit! It was about six times bigger than I was expecting. And I was also heartened by the number of people there who were either crocheters or impressed by the talent of the people who made this thing.  It's in DC through April and then moves to NYC. Check it out!!

 

This one was my very favorite

These last few are from the toxic coral reef, which was made out of video tape and all kinds of plastic