TinyTURTLE XF Suncatcher

Posted on by texasgabi

We introduced the new TinyTURTLE™ XF-extra fine sett at the inaugural Weave Together retreat, and it became quickly popular as a “weaver’s assistant” to get a first feel for how a finer weaving yarn may weave up.

Now this loom is available in our Etsy store.

I keep sampling yarns on this fun little loom and there are too many to list them all. Today I want to highlight just one: Size 10 crochet thread. “I have so much leftover crochet thread … can I weave it?” is an occasional question. Even in the past we showed ways to put crochet thread to good use like in this needle case, but the TinyTURTLE XF now expands the possibilities.

Used single-strandedly, crochet thread creates an even, light fabric. If you double the yarn, it creates a denser fabric. Combining those two is a great starting point for “filet weave”. To introduce the idea, I designed a suncatcher that uses single- and double-stranded hexagons to depict a flower. You can use multi-colored leftovers, like I did, or make it all in one color, the light-and-shadow effect will be the same.

I used single-stranded yellow crochet thread for the flower center, single-stranded variegated thread for the background, and combined the variegated with a solid blue, woven double-stranded, for the flower petals.

For the suncatcher as shown you will need:

  • TinyTURTLE XF-extra fine sett
  • 61 yards of size 10 crochet thread (about 3.2 yds/hexagon).
  • About 20 yards of size 10 crochet thread to crochet the fabric to the hoop.
  • One 10″ crafting metal hoop.

To make the suncatcher, weave:

  • 1 hexagon single-stranded, for the center of the flower.
  • 6 hexagons double-stranded, for the flower petals.
  • 12 hexagons single-stranded, for the background.

Use whip stitch and follow the chart to assemble the suncatcher fabric: Sew hexagons into rows first, then attach rows to rows. Weave in all ends. Block your project (soak in non-rinse cold water for about 20 minutes, roll in towel, dry flat).

I recorded a video to help you with mounting the fabric to the metal hoop. Here is the righthanded version, you can find the lefthanded version on our YouTube channel.

If you like the suncatcher idea, you can also make your own designs. The metal hoops are available in many sizes (make sure the diameter is divisible by 2″) and you can add/subtract rounds of TinyTURTLE hexagons to fit other sizes.

Anniversary Looms: EquiTri R and F

Posted on by texasgabi

Seven years ago today we listed our first hexagon pin loom on Etsy, and the list of new looms has grown since then. Today we’d like to add two equilateral triangle looms, the Original EquiTri R and F.

Greta Holmstrom used the fine sett EquiTri triangle loom when she designed her Lotus Mosaic Runner that is published in “Easy Weaving with Little Looms” Summer 2024. Of course you can use the Jewel loom to weave equilateral triangles (see Weaving Triangles on the Jewel Loom). However, if you need more than a few, it will go faster and is more enjoyable to use a dedicated loom.

Find the new looms in our Etsy store: Original EquiTri R and Original EquiTri F

The triangles can be used for many project ideas, either on their own or together with other “Original”-sized TURTLE looms like hexagons, diamonds, and jewels.

Are you wondering what to do with equilateral triangles? Here is a short geometry insight to inspire you:

  • One equilateral triangle makes a great gap filler to smoothen borders.
  • Two equilateral triangles make a diamond shape.
  • Three equilateral triangles make a half hexagon.
  • Four equilateral triangles make … a larger equilateral triangle.
  • Five equilateral triangles make a pretty flower shape.
  • Six equilateral triangles make a hexagon.

Now add color to the mix, and you have a great building block for a sheer endless number of projects. Find more ideas in the quilting world and on this Pinterest board.

A quick “first project” is to make a kaleidoscope table topper … It’s easy: Grab 6 colors from your yarn stash, weave 6 hexagons and 6 equilateral triangles. Sew the six triangles together into a hexagon, then surround that hexagon with the 6 hexagons.

If you are new to triangle weaving, we have prepared something special for you: We’ve added instructional videos to our YouTube channel that show triangle weaving for left- and right-handed weavers!

Enjoy the show and weave on!

Celebrate with Us!

Posted on by texasgabi

Today the United States Patent Office is issuing our second patent and we want to invite you to celebrate with us.

The weaving method for the Jewel looms is now patented as “CONTINUOUS STRAND WEAVING PENTAGON PIN LOOMS AND METHODS OF USE”, U.S. Patent No. 11,946,174.

The information has not yet made it to the Google patent search engine, but you can view the patent information at the United States Patent and Trademark Office USPTO … enter 11946174, click “Search”, then scroll down for the patent info (I will update this section when a direct link is available).

Since it is rather difficult to invite you all for cake …

here is A RAFFLE FOR ONE JEWEL LOOM instead. The winner will receive an Original Jewel Loom in R-regular or F-fine sett (winner’s choice). The giveaway is open to all, and it is simple to participate: Taking a break from filing patents (haha!), what should I/Gabi do more of? Should I make more/different looms, design more projects, organize activities like a weave-alongs, write pin-loom weaving related books? Tell me what you think!

The raffle is now closed. Congratulations to Megan McHugh for winning a Jewel Loom Kit!

We will ask Mr. Random to select a winner and make the announcement on Friday here on this blog.

Remember to Get the Carrots!

Posted on by texasgabi

Experts recently pointed out that “While for centuries people have enjoyed that bunnies deliver beautifully decorated eggs and treats to people all over the world, it has been neglected to provide adequate nutrition for such a strenuous job. This is of great concern, compared to the tradition of cookies and milk for Santa or snacks for the reindeer.” Therefore, we should take this important research to heart and provide such nutrition in form of carrots. It has been said that fiber-rich carrots are not only healthy, but also favored by those little busy hoppers.

Here are some fiber-rich carrots that you can quickly make at home … for each carrot you will need the Original Jewel R, about 14 yards of yarn for the carrot, and about 10 yards for the greens (I used dishcloth cotton).

Weave two jewel shapes.

If you want to use woven greens, weave one hexagon on the Original TURTLE Loom R.

Bunnies like variety … feel free to use any colors and designs, for example these stripes:

  • Weave two rounds in orange
  • Weave one round in red
  • Weave four rounds in orange
  • Weave one round in red
  • Finish weaving in orange.

You can also use the Original Jewel Loom F to weave carrots in finer yarns.

For the carrot, sew two jewel pieces together along four sides as shown.

Stuff the carrot with Polyfil and a bouncy ball or beans.

Thread a string through the top of the carrot for pulling it together.

Leaf options … weave and fold a hexagon, make a green tassel, crochet corkscrew leaves.

Woven leaves

  • Fold hexagon in half.
  • Fold again into a quarter.
  • Hold the tip of the fold as shown.
  • Spread the leaves apart.
  • Secure the tip with a thread.
  • Stuff the tip of the leaves into the carrot opening, Pull the carrot opening close. Use the ends to secure with a few stitches.

Tassel

To make a tassel, wrap some green yarn around your hand about 10 times or to taste. Tie and cut. Stuff and secure as described previously.

Crocheted Corkscrew Leaves

To crochet each corkscrew:

  • Chain 21
  • work three single crochet stitches into the top leg of the second chain. Work three single crochet stitches into each of the following chains.
  • Bind off.
  • Tie the ends together as shown.
  • Attach the leaves as described above.

These carrots make a great toss game, or you can just use them for decoration … Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The research is as true as Santa and the reindeer, verified by the turtle professors at the turtle academy.

Weave Together 2024

Posted on by texasgabi

The TURTLEs are counting the days … “we” will be going to Loveland, Colorado, to be part of Handwoven’s inaugural Weave Together retreat later this month. Preparations are in full gear …

There will be a TURTLE booth at the Marketplace. I’m so glad that Deborah Bagley agreed to be my partner and help with keeping the TURTLEs in check! I will also be teaching two classes at the event … it will be busy …

I’m sharing this with you here on the blog for two reasons …

If you are anywhere near Loveland, CO, on February 25th, we’d love to see you!

On Sunday, from 4–6 pm, fiber artists are invited to enjoy free access to shopping in the marketplace at the Embassy Suites in Loveland, Colorado. Sponsor Yarn Barn of Kansas (oh, the yarns!!! See examples in the picture above) and the TURTLEs will be there. Yes, you will have pre-launch access to the new TinyTURTLE XF-extra fine sett and the “All American” Original TURTLE Looms (in R, F, and XF) that will become available to all in March. Deborah and I would love you stop by and weave a little bit!

Planning vacation mode for the Bluebonnet Crafters online store

While we’re traveling, the Bluebonnet Crafters online store will be on vacation mode (February 21st to March 2nd, 2024). There won’t be any listings visible on Etsy during that time, but you can always see all our looms on the Loom Catalog page. I will be checking messages as time allows. I hope that you will find this “early warning” useful with your order planning.

The Weave Together retreat is sold out, but if you’d like to see what it is all about or get on the waitlist, please visit the Weave Together website.

We can hardly wait for this experience,
and maybe, just maybe, get to meet some of you!

Welcome 2024 with Flowers!

Posted on by texasgabi

I can hardly think of a better way to start the new year than with a fun, creative, purposeful pin-loom project.

Let’s beat the winter blues by weaving a Flower Top for warmer days to come!

In a nutshell:

  • Sleeveless, easy-to-weave, comfortable tee, suitable for beginning weavers.
  • Finished garment size: 24″ (M-L) or 27″ (XL-XXL) wide and 27″ long.
  • Loom: Original TURTLE Loom F-fine sett for sock/fingering weight yarn.
  • Yarn: A total of 926 / 1059 yards + about 50 yds for the crocheted borders, light-weight yarn.

The pattern is available on the Bluebonnet Crafters Etsy store, click HERE.

As so often, the Flower Top pattern comes with a story:

A couple of springs ago I noticed a Berroco knitted top pattern named Fleurine, which is worked in one of my favorite summer yarns “Remix Light”. I instantly fell in love except … I wanted to weave it! The idea for the Flower Top was borne.

I also love to sample yarns, and Berroco offers small samples of their new yarns twice a year in the form of “Yarn Tasting” kits. These samples are perfect for many crafts, including pin-loom weaving. In most cases the amounts for each yarn are just enough to weave one hexagon “flower”. That’s why each flower of the sample model is woven in a different Berroco summer yarn that I gathered from past Yarn Tasting kits.

While this is the story of how the Flower Top came about, the pattern can be woven in any yarns you like or might have at hand. Make all flowers in the same yarn, or “go wild” and make each flower different, for example in precious hand-spun or go crazy with scraps.

The example is woven on the Original TURTLE Loom™ F-fine sett for sock/fingering weight yarn, but you could use the R-regular or XF-extra fine sett looms as well … or mix and match!

The pattern is provided in two sizes that can be worn by many. Shown in the photos is the smaller size. Model Josephine is very petite, and she wears the top with a good amount of ease. I’m an XL, and I wear the same top with little ease. The pattern includes the chart for a larger size and some suggestions for further adjustments, and as usual, pattern support is provided to assist with your needs.

This garment will qualify if you want to participate in the Garment Challenge or get your Weaving Buddy badge!

You can find the pattern on the Bluebonnet Crafters Etsy store, just click HERE.

Special thanks go to Gale Zucker, www.gzucker.com, on Instagram @galezucker, for her amazing ability to bring out the best of hand-crafted items in photography, and to Josephine Ankrah, Instagram @sweetjsphn, who once again convinced with her ability to perfectly model the Flower Top.

A Cozy Candle Cozy

Posted on by texasgabi

Recently, I sampled Lion Brand’s Local Wool yarn and fell in love with the rustic character. Even more, I noticed how nicely it fulls after a run through the laundry machine. Perfect features to make little candle cozies!

You will need the Original TURTLE loom kit, R for worsted weight yarn, and Lion Brand Local Wool or a worsted weight yarn of your choice. Choose any colors/ combinations you like, one “petals” color and another one for the “leaves” bottom.

Weave 3 hexagons each in those two colors.

To assemble the leaves, weave in the end tails. “Secure” the thread with the first stitch by stitching through the yarn (splitting the yarn), then weave along one side of the hexagon. Clip the yarn.

Layout the three hexagons with the starting tails in the center. Use each starting tail to sew adjacent hexagons along one side, then weave in the end. Clip the yarn.

The finished leaves bottom looks like this. For the further assembly it doesn’t matter if you have the wrong or right side facing towards you.

To shape the petals cup, layout the remaining three hexagons the way they come off the loom (starting tail facing away from you towards the top, ending tails to the right).

Use the end tails to whipstitch together adjacent hexagons along TWO sides as shown (you start at the center bottom of the cup and work your way out, then up the cup sides).

Turn the right side out. Your petals cup will look like this.

Now fold over each tip and secure the tips with 2-3 stitches as shown.

Next you will attach the petals cup to the leaves bottom. Use a separate end of yarn in the petals color and start between the cup and the leaves. Leaving a tail, work small running stitches in a circle to connect the cup to the bottom. At the end of the round, double-knot the ends and clip. The following pictures show some details:

At this point your candle holder is ready to use (shown), or you can choose to full your project for a more rustic expression. I washed my finished candle holder together with some towels in my top loader laundry machine on a regular cycle. After that I tugged it into its desired shape and let it air dry on a flat surface.

For lighting, you can use a variety of LED lights with your new candle holder. I’m showing a few, they are all about 2″ in diameter.

If you are not into candles … the flowers will hold treats, too!

Make your candle holders in different colors for different occasions … so far I’ve used

  • Maple (orange) and Moss (green) for fall/Thanksgiving.
  • Apple Pie (red) and Moss (green) for traditional holiday colors
  • Blue Jeans (blue) and Vanilla Bean (natural) for a winter wedding table decoration.

And if you only have time to weave one hexie or only have small tea-LED-lights … we’ve got you covered with this project from our 2017 Advent Caldendar WAL …

Merry Christmas to All … Happy Holidays!

Ta-Da! The Original Jewel F – Fine Sett is Here!

Posted on by texasgabi

The first batch of Original Jewel F looms is ready, and we know that some of you have been really, really waiting for it.

Without further ado, here is the new Jewel F loom, “Original” size, which means it works well together with other “Original” TURTLEs like the hexagon and diamond shapes. “F – fine sett” for sock/fingering yarn … American weight 1 – 2 and British weight DK with a knitting stitch gauge of 24-26 work best. Slightly thicker/thinner yarns will make beautiful denser/lacier fabrics.

This wheel sampler shows just a few examples of yarns that work very well on the new Jewel F.

Here’s a closer look at the sampler yarns:

  • Inspirations Patons Kroy Socks yarn is a sturdy, squishy sock wool that comes in many solid and variegated colors.
  • Desert Garden by Dyelicious Yarn has some colors that are dyed with TURTLE looms in mind. I used Lupine for this sample.
  • Many of Berroco’s yarns are perfect for (pin-loom) weaving. I am in love with Lumi, which creates a solid fabric with a festive sheen.
  • Holst Garn Titicaca is a lace weight yarn. Two strands held together create an amazing, super-soft fabric. I found this yarn at the Yarn Barn of Kansas.
  • Another Berroco yarn, Vintage Sock, is a very pleasant to weave, sturdy and easy-care blend that comes in many colors.
  • Fine-sett TURTLEs can’t be without one of the best cotton yarns that I know of, Scheepjes Catona.

If you miss out on the first batch of Original Jewel F looms, don’t worry, there will be more. Batch 2 is in the making and will be ready before Christmas. You can signup on Etsy to be notified when we list more, or you can contact us to get onto our list. That way you will keep your space in line and we will let you when your loom is ready.

When you get your Jewel loom, a great first project is to make some tree ornaments!

The yarn I used here is Chaos Fiber Co Christmas Time, a variegated green/red fingering weight yarn that creates a plaid-like effect while weaving.

How To Make A Tree Ornament:

  • Weave two jewels on your new Original Jewel F loom (or use your Jewel R with thicker yarn).
  • Sew the shapes together along the edges, leaving an opening for stuffing.
  • To give the ornament more strength, insert a piece of cardboard or plastic canvas (you can find the cutting template here).
  • You could also bend into shape or weave a fairy light chain, which will ad a romantic lighting to your ornament. Or use any stuffing of your choice for a more 3D effect.
  • Add a hanger.
  • Embellish with anything you like: Bows, bells, garlands, or embroider a name or a date.

Ready to make, give, enjoy!

Don’t Forget the Kitchen Twine!

Posted on by texasgabi

This year, when you do your grocery shopping for the holidays, make sure to get some extra kitchen twine. Together with the Original TURTLE Loom R it may serve as a holiday emergency kit …

Weave up a stack of hexagons on your Original TURTLE loom (R – regular sett). Each hexagon requires about 6 yards of twine. Remember to weave loosely, since the twine has not stretch.

Now you will be prepared to:

Have some coasters for the beer.

Just weave single hexagons and weave in the ends. Done!

Have a basket for the dinner mints.

You will need three hexagons. Follow the instructions for the Easy Tassel Basket but skip the crochet border, and tie the flaps with simple single-string bows.

Battle the gravy spills.

Sew four hexagons together to make a puzzle block. Instructions can be found in this video.

Have a welcoming restroom.

Use single hexagons for make-up pads or wipes, offer four-hexagon puzzle blocks as guest towels.

Keep the kids busy with a bean bag toss.

Sew two hexagons together. Before closing the sides completely, fill the pouch with a handful of beans. Use any basket or bucket as target. (Idea from Paint Drop Toss Game)

Tip: Decorate the hexagons.

Optionally, you can decorate any of the projects with washable markers … another way to keep kids of all ages entertained while waiting for the meal.

Using dotting motions to apply the colors works well.

Do the dishes.

Seven hexagons make a nice flower dishcloth! Instructions for making a flower dishcloth can be found here.

Of course, you can still use the twine to tie the turkey or the roast! Most of all: Stay calm and weave on.

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

All supplies and props – except for the loom of course – were obtained at a HEB grocery store.

Quilt Weaving 201

Posted on by texasgabi

If you own just any one pin loom, quilt-style project opportunities are endless. However, the growing number of pin-loom shapes and a better understanding of how to weave them opens the doors to even more, playful quilt designs that all seem to call “Pick me, pick me!”

This blog introduces one of those more complex designs, the “Flowers, Stars, and Hearts” table topper.

The design uses three looms: The Original TURTLE Loom™ (regular hexagon shape), the Original Jewel (jewel shape), and the Original Diamond (tumbling block shape), all in R-regular sett. Now take a closer look at what you will get … Do you see the flowers, stars, and hearts?

For this autumn version of the table topper I used Hobby Lobby “I Love This Cotton” in 336 Cinnamon Cedar (a variegated yarn resulting in red, yellow, and green jewel weavies, 2 balls), and one ball each of 18 Bruschetta, 40 Sage, and 14 Gold.

The design may look overwhelming, that’s why I put together photo-guided step-by-step instructions for weaving and assembling the table topper. The pattern will be half-off in our Etsy store this week, no coupon required.

Go get the “Flowers, Stars, and Hearts” pattern HERE.

But wait! We’re not done yet … imagine that you use the same design and start playing with different colors … you may get a classic holiday design, or radiant stars , or a kaleidoscope, or … That’s why the pattern not only includes a chart for the autumnal table topper and some more examples, but also a printable blank chart, so that you can design your own.

Happy quilt weaving!

Easy Polka Dots with Hexagons

Posted on by texasgabi

Designing with hexagons can be tricky, but it is also full of amazing surprises: This blog is about how easy it is to achieve Polka dot effects with hexagons!

Let’s start with looking at a small block of six hexagons (top left of the following graph). They are arranged in two rows, three hexagons each row. The first row has the sequence of “background, background, dot”. If you feel like dancing, you could say “skip, skip, dot”. The second row starts with a dot and has two background hexagons that follow.

Because of hexagon geometry, the dots between the rows are offset just right to make a classical Polka dot pattern.

Now you just need to repeat those “steps” within each row, and repeat those two rows, to any size you like. There you have your polka dot pattern!

To demonstrate, I made a Polka Dot Cowl in autumn colors … and did I mention that cowls are perfect medium size pin-loom projects, perfect for trying out crafting ideas … and perfect for gift giving?

The Autumn Cowl was woven on the TinyTURTLE™ Loom F-Fine sett with a yarn that is unfortunately discontinued (WEBS Camp Color Fingering, colors Audiophile and Somewhere Over the Rainbow). You can substitute any sock/fingering weight yarn or use the TinyTURTLTE™ Loom R-Regular sett with worsted weight yarns.

If you like the background plaid effect of the sample cowl, look for a yarn with “micro stripes”. Here are two examples:

Tempe Yarn’s Desert Garden is dyed with TURTLE looms in mind.

The variegated yarn on the left is Dusty Miller, on the right is Lupine. A suggestion for the dots is Desert Shades in Merlot (the “real” colors are actually more vibrant than in this photo).

Call the store for assistance at 480-557-9166 while they are updating their online shop.

In my stash I had these yarns from the Chaos Fiber Co.

The Micro-Stripe color is Birthday Party, combined with “dots” of Tonal Minis in Turquise Pop, Hot Pink, Hot Orange, and Lemon Drop. Use one or all!

The cowl measures about 21.5″ in the round and is about 9″ tall. You can easily change the size by adding/subtracting rows and repeats. The modeled cowl for example has one extra repeat, which brings it to 27″ in the round.

Here is the chart for making the cowl:

For your own Polka dot projects, and no matter which hexagons you’re using, here is a Hexagon Polka Dot Design chart for you. Print it in landscape layout for best results. If you need a larger chart, print and tape together as many copies as you need.

HexagonPolkaDotDesignChart-V10Download

I hope that you enjoy this little lesson in “Designing with Hexagons”. There’s more to explore in these articles on the Handwoven/Little Looms website.

Lastly, if you are curious (like I was) about the origins of Polka dots, here is an article that I enjoyed reading about the history of polka dot patterns.

I want to thank Gale Zucker, www.gzucker.com, on Instagram @galezucker, for her amazing ability to bring out the best of a hand-crafted item in photography, and to Josephine Ankrah, Instagram @sweetjsphn, for perfectly modeling the Polka Dot Cowl.

The TURTLEs are looking forward to seeing your Polka dot projects!

Car Coasters are a Thing!

Posted on by texasgabi

I hope that I’m not the only person who was not aware that people use coasters for the cup holders in their cars … It took Tammy Anderson’s recent Facebook post with a picture of her newly created coasters to inspire me that woven hexagons would perfect for that purpose.

Photo credit: (c) 2023 Tammy Anderson. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

I’ve been using napkins for years, particularly during this hot summer.

Napkins no more! From now on, I will have handwoven coasters for all cup holders in my car, and just because I can, they will be seasonal!

MATERIALS: Let’s start with some autumnal coasters, woven on the Original TURTLE Loom™ R-regular sett and using Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Cotton” in color 336 Cinnamon Cedar.

HOW TO: This is probably the most perfect beginner project with a purpose that I can think of: Just weave a hexagon … weave in the ends … DONE!

I decided to weave the ends back into the weaving, which maintains an even edging all around. The “extra threads” are barely visible and just add to the coasters ability to soak up a few more drops of condensation.

After weaving the tails back in, just clip them.

Applications are endless, here are a few suggestions:

  • Make a set of 4-6 coasters as a great gift for someone who gave you a ride or is on the road a lot.
  • Think ahead and make stocking stuffers for friends, family members, colleagues.
  • Make those coasters in team colors, or make a set in someone’s favorite or car colors.
  • Great little something for a new driver? First car?

Start with transforming your car today …

The 5-Point Ooops Story

Posted on by texasgabi

Fellow pin-loom weaver Teresa Evans recently acquired the new Original Diamond F loom, because she wants to make Greta Holmstrom’s amazing Star Shawl from the Little Looms Fall 2023 magazine.

Teresa posted this picture, excitedly showing her sampling efforts.

“Oh, that looks pretty” I thought instantly, and then “Wait a minute … there are five points, not six! And it still looks awesome!”

I had to try it, so I “re-purposed” some diamonds from another project and made a 5-point and a 6-point star. Both work just fine, and the reason is that the flexible bias edging allows for both layouts to settle as needed!

I shared my observations with Teresa, and after a good laugh about her not-intended 5-point star, we instantly started brainstorming Christmas decorations …

What started as an “oops” is turning into a great holiday crafting opportunity.

And Abby the Tabby will make sure that Teresa is getting it right this time … for both projects, the shawl and the Christmas decorations …

Photo credits: All photos except the two-star sample picture are provided by Teresa Evans. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Little Looms Fall 2023 Magazine

Posted on by texasgabi

Wow! The new Little Looms Fall 2023 issue has taken off to new heights. Big congrats to editor Christina Garton and her team for curating another excellent collection of small loom adventures, from rigid heddle to inkle to pin looms.

As always, each of the projects has a story, and I’d like to share some of those here.

I designed the Forest Toques with the issue’s theme in mind: “It Takes Two”. I jokingly call this project the “Toque Two”.

It’s the same hat, but depending on how you turn the hexagons when you sew them together, you get a smaller or a larger hat size.

For the model I used the Original TURTLE Loom™ R and the gorgeously beautiful and soft Noro Miyabi yarn that I discovered at a local yarn store (Farm to Needle). The same hat could also be worked on the fine sett or even the extra fine sett loom.

The story of the Phoenix Rising Shawl is about dreams coming true. Since I was a teenager I’ve wanted to express the glow of a fire in a fiber project, but I never found the right yarn for it. At the same time, I’ve for many years adored the yarns of the Hedgehog Fibres company, but many of them were a bit thin for pin-loom weaving … until Merino Aran became available. The vibrant colors for “fire” and “ashes” caught my eyes, probably because I had just shared the story of Phoenix rising from the ashes with a friend who needed some encouragement.

Sampling the yarn on multiple pin looms revealed that the Original Jewel R loom created perfect radiance, combined with “ashes” hexagons from the Original TURTLE Loom R … and the Phoenix Rising Shawl was born. Thank you, Christina, for calling it a “showstopper shawl” in the editorial!

Greta Holmstrom is occasionally test-weaving new TURTLE looms, and I think it was about two years ago when I sent her some, including a diamond or tumbling block shape. How awesome to see Greta’s Star Shawl in this Little Looms issue, combining hexagons and tumbling blocks! You can weave the shawl using the Original Diamond 2″ F and the Original TURTLE Loom F, or – if you prefer to use worsted weight yarns, use the “R- regular sett” versions of both looms.

Debbie Shelmidine was our April Travel Turtle host last year, and we mentioned then that she is a veteran pin-loom designer who has published designs in Handwoven as far back as 2008 and also in the very first Little Looms issue in 2016 before she took a design break. How precious it is to see her comeback in Little Looms Fall 2023 with the perfectly-fall Autumn Leaves Runner! Debbie wove the leaves on the Elongon™ 2″ R loom in Peaches & Cream cotton and embroidered the leaf stems … brilliantly easy and beautiful!

There is much more to the issue, of course, and you can read more about it on the Little Looms website. And if you have questions about any of the projects that you can make with TURTLE looms, please contact us any time!

PS: If you saw our ad in Little Looms Fall 2023, you’ll know that there’s still more to come … the Polka Dot Cowl.

Soon … not yet …

Diamonds are for Weaving

Posted on by texasgabi

Let’s welcome the Original Diamond, F, pin loom to the TURTLE loom collection!

The Original Diamond pin loom, F, creates a diamond or rhombus shape with a wide angle (60°) that in crafting is often referred to as “tumbling block”. The loom sides measure slightly over 2″, designed to work perfectly together with any other “Original” TURTLE looms.

Did you know, that it takes three diamonds to make a hexagon?

While jewel shapes go very well with hexagons and certain triangles … occasionally the new diamonds will come in handy to fill some gaps.

And then, designer Greta Holmstrom, who had been one of our test weavers for that loom, surprised recently with the news that one of her project designs using diamonds had been accepted to the Little Looms Fall 2023 magazine!

Congratulations, Greta, on your beautiful Star Shawl!

If you are looking for more inspiration, I started a Pinterest board “Diamond and Tumbling Block Ideas” with some suggestions on how to use tumbling blocks.

The new Original Diamond, F is now available in our Etsy store.

Please contact us if you have any questions!

FAQ

Q: Is the Original Diamond, F the 2″ diamond loom that the instructions for Greta’s shawl asks for?
A: Yes, it is. All “Original” TURTLE looms have a side-length of just slightly over 2″. The new Original Diamond, F is designed to work perfectly with all other “Original” TURTLE looms.

Q: Can I use the Original Diamond looms for any other designs that ask for a 2″ tumbling block?
A: Yes. Both, the bias weaving method and the yarn that you will use, will impact the final size of your woven diamond, enough to adjust for a good fit within your 2″ project.

Q: Is there a diamond loom for the regular sett?
A: Yes, there is an Original Diamond, R. It will start shipping by July 1st.

TURTLEs in Canada!

Posted on by texasgabi

We welcome Kelowna Yarn & Needlecrafts in British Columbia, Canada, to join the group of retailers who carry TURTLE looms!

Store owner Cheryl Brown and her team offer TURTLE looms in their Kelowna store as well as online on the website.

See which looms are in stock! Look here for regular sett and fine sett looms. If the looms that you are looking for are not available, contact the store and ask if they can add your wish list to their next order.

Vineyards play a significant role in the beautiful Kelowna area, and Cheryl mentioned that it is sometimes called “Napa North”. This inspired me to celebrate Kelowna Yarn as a new TURTLE retailer with some grape-themed projects: Here are grape cluster coasters and a table runner project for you to make (and you don’t have to live in Canada to make them!

A grape cluster coaster, worked on the TinyTURTLE loom R-regular sett, makes a coaster size that is just right for a wine glass. If you follow the same pattern but use the Original TURTLE Loom™ R-regular sett, it will make a coaster for a bottle (center) .

I used Queensland Collection Costal Cotton yarn in 1034 Concord and 1042 Seaweed to make the samples. You just need one ball of those two colors to make one bottle and several glass coasters.

This grape table runner is a slightly larger project, but still easy-to-make on the Original TURTLE Loom R-regular sett.

I used The Fibre Co. Lore in shades Wise (grapes), Ambitious (leaves), and Spiritual (background) for the sample. I wet finished the table runner, but it could also be fulled.

Here are the Instructions for Both Projects

  • For a coaster, weave eight hexagons in grape color, and two hexagons for the leaves.
  • For the table runner, weave sixteen hexagons in grape color, four hexagons for the leaves, and nineteen hexagons for the background.

Use the following chart when you arrange the hexagons. Sew hexagons to hexagons together into rows first, then connect rows to rows. I used simple whipstitch and the tail ends for the sewing.

Weave in all ends. Block as desired.

These projects are beginner friendly and versatile … You can use a broad variety of yarns (cotton and wool are just examples). The same projects can be worked on the fine sett looms, and even a mix-and-match.

For more grape-spiration, check out the grape table topper in “Easy Weaving with Little Looms” 2018 and the Grape Pillow project in this blog post.

Make A Turtle!

Posted on by texasgabi

Our turtle mascot Charlene has been capturing the hearts of stuffed animal lovers of all ages, everywhere, and now we are making the pattern available so that you can make your own!

This pattern includes three sizes … the instructions are the same, just different looms are used.

Explore possibilities … thick or thin yarn … one color or many … medium head on a large turtle … make your turtle(s) unique! Use the “tummy” to embroider a name or date to make it extra special for the recipient.

Would you like to weave in company? Right now, during the month of May 2023, you can join us on Facebook or Ravelry for a Turtle Weave-Along! Find more information about that on the TexasGabi blog HERE.

View or download the pattern:

Turtle-Pattern-Final-V10Download

Earn Your Weaving Buddy Badge!

Posted on by texasgabi

To celebrate our 6th anniversary we decided that it is time to start honoring customers who are making pretty and practical projects with their TURTLE looms. TURTLE weavers who have turned at least 100 hexagons and/or jewels into finished projects can contact us and request their Weaving Buddy badge!

Read on to see how to be eligible:

  • You have woven at least 100 hexagons and/or jewels and turned them into a finished project. This could be a single project, for example a garment or a blanket, or multiple projects that add up to at least 100 hexagons/jewels.
  • Your count may include regular and elongated hexagons of any size as well as jewels.
  • Make any project(s) you want. Use any pattern or your imagination. Use any yarn you wish.
  • Contact us when you are ready and we will discuss the details. We will ask you to send us photos that we can add to the Weaving Buddy Wall here on this site and a little info about which looms and yarns you used.
  • We will ask for your permission to post your project picture(s) here on this website on the Weaving Buddy Wall (we will set that up when we receive the first submissions).
  • Upon acceptance, we will send you a Weaving Buddy pin that we have made just for this purpose and a certificate that confirms your accomplishment.
  • We have a little over 400 badges to grant. There is no time limit … we will grant the badges until we run out.
  • We also have a small number of “honorary” badges to give to people who are dedicated TURTLE fans and deserve recognition just for that. For example, my husband will probably never weave and assemble 100 hexagons, but he got the very first badge because he patiently endures me and all the looms! If you know of a person who you think deserves an honorary badge, please contact us with your suggestion!

The certificate will mention your name and the unique badge number.

The badge is an antique die struck pin, measuring about 1 1/4″ point-to-point, with a magnetic back (it will ship with two magnets to help it hold better).

We are probably as excited about this program as you are, but that doesn’t mean that it will be perfect from the beginning! If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or contact us.

Badge design and logo © 2023 Bluebonnet Crafters, LLC. All rights reserved.
The badge is not for sale.

Customer Projects Showcase – April 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

Spring is springing these days, isn’t it? A friend wrote me that it is sunny and warm today where she lives, and 29F and snow in the forecast for the next day. The good thing is that any weather is weaving weather! This month we have two projects, a how-to tip, and an announcement or two …

I hope that you saw my mosaic Bee Queen table topper in the new Little Looms Summer 2023? If you’re not up to making that many hexagons right now but want to “bee busy”, you could make something like Susanne Eakin’s bee hive wall hanging, using the Tiny TURTLE F … and don’t forget the adorable (PennyTURTLE) flower!

I always like when people contact me and share their weaving stories, as Linda Aprin did! Linda watched the video “Weaving with one hand” and then shared a few ideas about things that she did differently. I appreciate that she allowed me to spread the word to others who may find this useful!

Linda writes:
“Instead of clamping the loom, stabilize it with Dycem, the blue stuff in the picture. That lets you easily turn the loom. Also, instead of a clothes pin, use a clip like the one in the picture. It lets the yarn slide and helps the work flow instead of starting and stopping.”

Jane Grogan has for many years made Christmas tree ornaments for her family and friends. One year she made 30 adorable little turtles! Jane wove two TinyTURTLE R hexagons and added felted feet, head, and tail. She decorated with a little ribbon, added a hanger, and ready is a cute turtle ornament!

ETA April 30, 2023: Jane saw your comments! She provided a pattern – with template for the body – for you all to make your own adorable turtle ornaments. Leave a shoutout thank you in the comments section of this post if you plan to make some turtles! Here is the pattern for you:

JaneGrogan-TurtleOrnamentPattern-1Download

That said, there is a “Turtle Weave-Along” coming up this May! The WAL will be from May 1-23, and ALL turtle makers will be welcome. More details will become available shortly on the TexasGabi blog.

One more announcement … I’d like to invite you to come back and read our blog on April 19 (hint, hint … signing up on the right to be notified about new blogs will make it real easy). We will celebrate our 6th TURTLE anniversary with launching a Weaving Buddy program … see you then!

(Photo credits: All project photos are by their respective project owners. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Humble Beginnings of “Summer and Winter” Weaving

Posted on by texasgabi

I owe you several blogs, for example an update on the 2023 temperature blanket, the next customer projects showcase, more info for the Garment WAL, but how do I explain this blog? … You can call it a confession of an addict.

Fellow pin-loom weaver Glorian posted a picture of the cutest little purse that she discovered at a thrift store, and she added that she bought it because it reminded her of pin-loom weaving.

A closer look at this stunning little treasure revealed that it is a “summer and winter” pattern, something that has enchanted “big loom” weavers for centuries.

What is “Summer and Winter”?

Weavezine explains it well … “Summer and Winter is a block weave. This means that you can create designs by building up blocks of pattern against a background cloth. Summer and Winter uses four warp threads for each unit of design. These four threads comprise both tie-down and pattern threads.”

On occasion it had crossed my mind to see how such complex patterns like “summer and winter” do on pin looms. Glorian’s post however made me decide to try it out “right now”.

This blog summarizes very humble beginnings. Unlike my usual blogs, this is more a WIP notebook. I hope that sharing my ideas and observations may inspire others to try it out as well, and that together we may bring this beautiful pattern approach to the smallest of looms.

How I Wove my “Summer and Winter” Sample

Block patterns require 4 warps. To achieve that I wove two hexagons on top of each other: The first hexagon is in the pattern colors rose and lavender, the next hexagon on top of that is in the “background” color gray. I used the TexaTURTLE R-regular loom to have enough space in the center for one framed flower. I used DK weight yarn to make it easier to move the threads between layers (I used Yarnspirations Caron Little Crafties, which proved to be perfect for the job). For both hexagons, I wove the first part in rounds as usual, to establish the “warped” centers of the hexagons.

Sorry, no pattern … I counted the threads on the picture and tried to get as close as possible. There is enough space for one framed flower, and I added some sidebars.

Each row is woven twice. First, using the pattern color thread, I worked the pattern by bringing the threads from the underlying hexagon to the top and wove a regular plain weave for each patterned area. Each second weave is done with the “background” color … filling in the background, and diving down under any pattern threads to proceed with a plain weave there for the areas where the background should not be visible.

Here is the finished sample on the loom, off the loom, and with a crocheted border. The yarn ends can be stuffed into the space between the layers instead of weaving them in.
If done right (which in many instances I didn’t for my sample weave), the back of the fabric is an inverse of the front.
This picture shows on the finished piece how the threads have switched layers during the weaving.

“Further Research Required” …

The sample is merely a proof of concept, a lot can be improved. For example:

  • Proper “over/under” needs to be worked out, particularly when changing colors.
  • Pattern writing and charting options need to be explored.
  • For the next samples, simpler patterns than a flower in a wavy frame will help to better understand the mechanics.

A Few More Thoughts

  • If you are a knitter, you may know the concept of double knitting or reversible colorwork, where you knit two layers of fabric in different colors, and switch the colors between the layers to work reversible patterns. The knowledge that you may have from this knitting approach may come in handy for “summer and winter” weaving.
  • This method will work well on square or rectangle pin looms. When weaving, use any traditional warp/weft method (wind the warp only before you weave). Just wind the warp threads to get ready to weave. I suggest to weave 2 rows of plain weave before starting any patterns.
  • Usage: Because this method requires a lot of concentration and patience, it is unlikely to expect a lot of people making king-size blanketsl However, as the sample shows, just one simple weavie can be a welcome treat. It’s a great learning experience, and … any “summer and winter” project will certainly make people wonder how you made it!
  • If you like the pattern but don’t want to deal with a complicated weaving pattern … you can always embroider it!

Did you enjoy reading this very different type of blog? Leave a comment below!

Blue Bunny Loves You

Posted on by texasgabi

I just finished this “new baby” gift. Easter is right around the corner, but as we know, stuffed bunnies are appreciated year round … by all ages.

All it takes is any square pin loom and some yarn (scraps are welcome). I used the Square 2″ R-regular loom, which has become my go-to loom for so many projects, from testing out design ideas to making fun things in little time. I used Yarnspirations O’Go Big Donut yarn, color 29008 Mint Julep, from my stash. This yarn is discontinued, and you can substitute any worsted weight yarn you like.

If you use the Square 2″ R loom you will need about 140 yards of worsted weight yarn for the bunny, and about 3 yards in black for the face.

For the tail, which is optional, you can either make a pompom or weave one hexagon on your Original TURTLE Loom R-regular.

You can embroider the eyes, use safety plastic eyes or little pieces of felt, or use your BabyTURTLE loom to weave them.

Here is the bunny chart …

You will need to weave 64 squares (32 for the Front and 32 for the Back).

Blue Bunny measures 13″ (ears down) and 18″ (ears up).

Assembly: Layout the squares according to the chart. If you work with multiple colors, move the squares around until you like it. Sew the squares together. I sewed the squares into long strips first as shown in the second picture, then sewed those strips together.

(left picture) Put the Front and the Back on top of each other – right sides facing each other – and sew along all sides, but leaving an opening at the side for turning and stuffing. For the paws, when you come to the small end sides, sew a straight seam (center picture). For the ears, sew along the edges and pull to close (right picture).

Turn the bunny right side out. Sew tight the ears as shown (they will stay unstuffed). Stuff the bunny as desired and close the opening.

Neck: With a separate piece of yarn, starting from the center back, sew small running stitches around the neck area. Pull in as desired. Knot, and weave in the ends.

Face: Use this close-up photo to guide you for stitching the face.

Tail: If you weave the tail, make one hexagon. Secure a tail end with a stitch, then work running stitches along all edges. Pull in a little, slightly stuff, then pull close. Sew the tail into place.

Optional limb shaping: Sew through all layers along the arm and leg joins (straight for the arms, diagonal as shown for the legs). This will add a little bit more shape to the body.

Quick variations: Use only 1 square length to make a bear, dog, or cat.

I hope that Blue Bunny has gotten hold of your heart and that you will help to multiply this rare species.
Post if you do!

Welcome Little Looms Summer 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

By now we have to say that “as usual” the new Easy Weaving with Little Looms Summer 2023 issue is filled with top quality project ideas and informative articles. It is my honor to have contributed two projects, the Queen Bee Table Topper and the Lemon Drop Kitchen Towel.

Working with small hexagons opens the doors to play with colors and create artful drawing-like designs, almost like in ancient mosaics. The Queen Bee Table Topper features a bee on a honeycomb background, all in natural hexagon shapes. Weaving the hexagons on the PennyTURTLE™ loom is relaxing and fun. The tried and tested Scheepjes Catona cotton yarn provides the perfect colors and fabric character for the project.

Inspired by Vintage fabric patterns, the Lemon Drop Kitchen Towel features an “all over” display of lemons with leaves.

The pattern consists of regular hexagons and half hexagons that are all woven on the Original TURTLE Loom™ R – Regular sett using Universal Yarn’s Clean Cotton, a soft and squishy, 100% reclaimed cotton yarn. Our article “Six Ways to Make Half Hexagons” will help with making the half hexagons.

The pattern repeat invites to adjust the size of the towel if desired, and you can even make just one lemon with its leaf and a border for a nice hot pad or dish cloth. The Lemon Drop kitchen towel can also be worked on the Original TURTLE Loom F-fine sett, using a thinner cotton yarn … like the Scheepjes Catona!

Stay tuned for one more story that we will share with you in just a few days: We will launch a rewards program where our customers can earn an honorary Weaving Buddy badge for completing TURTLE projects! More information will become available here on the blog … sign up to be notified about new blog posts (in the right column) so that you don’t miss it!

For your convenience, we offer the printed edition of Little Looms Summer 2023 in our Etsy shop. The publisher Long Thread Media offers a digital copy, and we can highly recommend a subscription.

Customer Projects Showcase – March 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

On the verge of spring in the northern hemisphere, there is still need for warming accessories, but also time to get some happy colors out!

Pin-loom veteran Jane Grogan, designer of the “Lilas au Printemps” wedding shawl in the Little Looms Spring 2022 magazine, uses small amounts of pretty yarn to weave single hexagons for greeting cards. A great way to showcase precious (handwoven) yarns or some pretty leftovers. Any of the Original TURTLE looms will create the perfect size hexie for a standard greeting card.

TURTLE loom customer Lisa Robinson recently finished this awesome scarf, where the beautiful yarn provides instant eye candy. Lisa wove the light worsted yarn on her Original TURTLE F-fine sett in plain weave to achieve a dense fabric. She worked half hexagons and triangles (method adopted) to accomplish the smooth edgings along the sides and the pleasant curving of the scarf ends.

Today, March 9th, is the third anniversary of the first Covid shutdown in the United States. Data analyst Kristin Briney (Instagram, Ravelry) used the TinyTURTLE F-fine sett to capture the Covid experience with visual representations of Covid fatalities in the United States in 2020 and 2021 … Impressive pieces that make you stop and think.

Let pin-loom weaving carry you through good and bad times!

I hope you find these projects and activities inspiring. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below, and if you have a project that you’d like to see featured in a future customer story post, please contact us!

(Photo credits: All photos are by their respective project owners. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Customer Projects Showcase – February 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

There’s just not enough time in the day, in the month … to write everything I want to write about, but here are some new and awesome customer projects for you to enjoy …

New TURTLE loom enthusiast Shereen decided to make a pin-loom temperature blanket and joined us in the Pin-Loom Temperature Blanket Weave-Along Facebook group! She is using the TinyTURTLE™ loom (R-regular sett) and tracks high and low temperatures for each day. You can follow her and other weavers’ progress in the Facebook group – and also join any time to make your own temperature blanket!

Long-time customer Suzanne E. is a true yarn gourmet. Look at her beautiful heart, worked on the TinyTURTLE™ loom (F-fine sett) and appreciate the delicate combination of unusual color shades … Use such a heart as wall hanging, pillow cover, or table topper year round to decorate for a home.

Kathryn O. has been a TURTLE customer since the first loom release. Kathryn always surprises me with her new ideas tinkering around … her Tinker Shawl (as I call it), woven on the TinyTURTLE™ loom (F-fine sett), is a great project to study! Be inspired not only by the shape of the shawl, but also by the colors that she is using, and her playful placements of hearts and flowers.

Designer Greta Holmstrom released a new pattern for a Team Spirit Skirt, woven on the TexaTURTLE™ R loom. The pattern is very versatile and can be easily adjusted to accommodate different sizes and lengths.

This is also a great pattern idea for our Pin-Loom Garment Challenge 2023! You can follow and participate in the Pin-loom Garment Challenge on the TexasGabi blog.

Bee inspired!

I hope you find these projects and activities inspiring. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below, and if you have a project that you’d like to see featured in a future customer story post, please contact us!

(Photo credits: All photos are by their respective project owners. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Hexie Love Blanket

Posted on by texasgabi

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! My gift to all of you is this pattern for a heart-shaped heart blanket that I call “Hexie Love Blanket”. And it’s not just for Valentine’s! Make it to welcome a new baby, as a wedding shower gift, or a “Thank you, Mom” blanket for Mother’s Day. The centers of the flowers offer a great space to embroider a name, a date, or a little message!

A reason why I designed this blanket is that I want to show how using hexagons in different directions can effect shapes: Depending on how you turn the hexagons, you’ll get a “slim” or a “wide” heart. I wrote about this in the article “Designing with Hexagons: Basic Concepts” … and now you have a project to try it out!

Yarn: I used Hobby Lobby “I Love this Yarn” in colors 466 Drizzle Me This (2 balls) and 950 Pink Neon (1 ball). Of course you can use any colors of your choice … the design would also be great in patchwork colors or colors of the 1960ties or 70ties!

You will need about 500 yds of the background/border color and 250 yds for the hearts and flowers.

Loom: The blanket weaves up quickly on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in R-regular sett for worsted weight yarns. The finished blanket will measure about 42″ wide and 39″ tip-to-top. If you want to make a larger blanket, you could use the same pattern with the TexaTURTLE™ in R-regular sett.

Ready to Weave?

Weave:
(55) white hexagons
(38) red hexagons
(4) white half hexagons (Half A, click here for instructions)
(2) red half hexagons (Half A)

Use the chart to assemble the blanket. I recommend that you turn the chart and begin at the right side. Sew the hexagons into rows first, then rows to rows. A simple whip stitch will be fine. You can see how I sew hexagons together in the Elf Basket video on YouTube.

Sew in any remaining ends and clip to about 1/4″ (the ends will settle during blocking, after which you can do a final clip if needed).

You can add the half hexagons right away, or insert them into their spaces when the rest of the blanket is assembled, as shown here:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 20230213_210628_resized_1.jpg

Optionally, add a nice touch with a crocheted border. I used the same yarn and a crochet hook G-6/4mm.

The first round is single crochet (sc) stitches. Start anywhere, joining the yarn with a slip stitch. The next picture shows how many stitches to work … along the sides where the yarn makes complete turns, work one stitch in each turn. Along the sides where the yarn makes wavy turns, work 2 sc, skip the next yarn turn, work 3 sc, skip the next yarn turn, work 2 sc. Work 2 sc into each corner, work sc2tog into each bend.

At the end of the row, join with a slip stitch into the first sc.

For the second round, work scallops as follows: Skip 2, then work 5 double crochet (dc) into the next stitch. Skip 2, work 1 sc into the next stitch. Repeat all around the blanket (adjust with sc at the end if there’s not enough space for another scallop).

Join with a slip stitch into the top of the first dc. Break the yarn, weave in remaining ends.

Block as desired. Clip yarn ends if needed.

Enjoy your blanket, and share pictures!

Pin-Loom Garment Challenge 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

Announcement!

We’re kicking off a weaving challenge today … Weave a pin-loom garment by Thanksgiving this year for a chance to win a professional photoshoot by Gale Zucker!

This challenge is open to all pin looms, that’s why it will be moderated on the TexasGabi blog. Hop over and check out the Kickoff post for more information and cool tools like guides for Pattern Resources and a Project Planning.

Come weave with us!

The Ditta Vest

Posted on by texasgabi

From the early beginnings of my pin-loom journey I have been dreaming of make clothing items. Decades ago it was quite the standard for pin-loom weavers to think of making wearables. While there is much less the “need” to make clothing today, it can be fun and useful.

Ditta is a one-size-fits-many vest that will keep your back warm while gradually evolving into a flattering bolero-style front.

It can be worn open, or closed with a shawl pin.

The vest is woven on the Original TURTLE Loom™ R-regular sett for worsted weight yarn.

I used Purl Soho Linen Quill Worsted yarn, a beautiful natural and soft fiber blend that is fun to weave and awesome to wear.

You can use the same pattern with the F-fine sett and the XF- extra fine sett Original TURTLEs as well (and even a mix!) and use different yarns.

The pattern includes a blank chart so that you can create your own designs: Make the vest in a single, pretty yarn, use up scraps to make a patchwork vest, or plan yarns and colors in detail to make it “your” design!

Get the pattern at the Bluebonnet Crafters Etsy shop. We decided to ring in garment weaving with a 50% off sale until February 15th. No code necessary, the discount is automatically applied when you purchase the pattern.

Here is a 360-degree view of the Ditta Vest that also shows a little bit more the one-size-fits-many. I’m 5’5″ and wear size XL/14 clothing, for reference.

Suggestions on how to modify the size are in the pattern, and I’m happy to help with any questions that you may have.

If you decide to make the Ditta Vest, please share pictures! We will be tracking the Ditta Vest on social media with the hashtag #DittaVest.

There’s more to come!

Our ad in Little Looms Spring 2023 also announces that we will conduct a year-long pin-loom garment challenge this year: Weave any garment, on any loom, by Thanksgiving this year, to win an opportunity to have your garment photographed by professional photographer Gale Zucker! The details will be on the TexasGabi blog soon.

Special thanks …

go to Gale Zucker, www.gzucker.com, on Instagram @galezucker, for her amazing ability to bring out the best of a hand-crafted item in photography, and to Josephine Ankrah, Instagram @sweetjsphn, who added so much character to the Ditta vest by the way she models it.

Customer Projects Showcase – January 2023

Posted on by texasgabi

New year, new ideas! Frequently, customers share pictures of their projects on social media or contact me directly, and this year we would like to start showcasing some of them here on the turtleloom blog. The goal is to post 3-5 projects in a blog on the first of each month. Sounds like a New Year’s resolution? Here’s the start!

Ravelry pin-loom fellow Lynne just finished her Cathedral Window blanket from Little Looms Fall 2022 (project on Ravelry). It was exiting to follow her row-by-row progress in the “Looms to Go” group, and the result is second-to-none! Lynne plans to make another Cathedral Windows blanket in natural tones … we can hardly wait to see it. You can find more information about the Cathedral Windows blanket in this post.

Taking a break from blanket weaving, Lynne also made this Firth of Clyde cowl (project on Ravelry). We introduced the pattern for this cowl as a welcome project for our new retailer Weft Blown in Scotland. You can find the free instructions for this cowl in this post.

One of our Australian customers, Kaye, was inspired by our owl blanket. But she took the idea and some further online inspiration to a whole new level … this is her owl blanket, woven on the PennyTURTLE™ !!!

Greta has been a TURTLE loom customer from the beginning. By now she has not only published her designs in multiple Little Looms and Handwoven magazines, but she also offers amazing patterns in her Etsy store. Here is her “Forest Fairy Capelet”, for example. Add her store to your Etsy favorites for a growing resource of hexagon patterns that are out of the ordinary!

Did you enjoy seeing these customer projects? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

And if you have a project that you would like to see shared in an upcoming Customer Project Showcase, please contact us.

How it works:

  • All we need is a picture of your project and a brief description.
  • The project can be after a pattern or your own.
  • You grant us permission to use your photo in our blog; you will be credited by name and you will keep the photo copyrights.
  • Selecting projects for posting will be at our discretion.
  • We will not be able to reimburse you in any way, but there’s a good chance that you will have a lot of fun sharing your work this way!

(Photo credits: All photos are by their respective project owners. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

TO A GRAND 2023!

Merry Christmas, All Y’All!

Posted on by texasgabi

TT22 and Linda are sending their warmest holiday wishes from Iowa!

Shortly after TT22 arrived in the Driftless Area, the snow set in … time for Linda to take TT22 on a test run …

Linda is experimenting … for the cute Christmas basket she put 8 random hexagons of her pretty wool together (2 rows of 4 hexagons sewn together, then closed along the short sides to form a tube. Sew the tips on one end of the tube together to shape the bottom … it’s a 4-hexagons-in-the-round basket). Then, full the basket and let it dry over a small wooden square. Santa surely seems to be pleased!

Best wishes from all of us for a joyous, peaceful holiday weekend.

(Photo credits: All photos by Linda Canton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Welcome, Weft Blown!

Posted on by texasgabi

Howdy! I would like to share the exciting news that our TURTLE looms are now available at Weft Blown, a weaving and spinning supplier in West Kilbride, Scotland, which is also known as Craft Town Scotland.

Photo credit: Weft Blown. Used with permission.

Some of you know store owner Ange Sewell and her team, who for years have welcomed pin-loom weavers in person at their store near the beautiful North Ayrshire Coast, as well as online. Ange plans to relocate in 2023 , but will still be in West Kilbride.

To celebrate Weft Blown as a new stockist, I designed a quick and easy cowl, inspired by the Firth of Clyde and the impressive island scenery, like the Isle of Arran, right off the shore near West Kilbride.

When Ange and I were chatting about yarns that have something to do with Scotland (but are also available in the United States), The Croft yarns from West Yorkshire Spinners came up. I had sampled those yarns a few years ago and fallen in love with them, and using them in a welcome project seemed a delightful choice.

Whether you use Shetland wool (I used The Croft Shetland Tweed Aran and Wild Shetland Aran Roving), a handspun yarn that you made, or any worsted weight yarn of your liking, the Firth of Clyde Cowl works up quickly on the Original TURTLE Loom R – regular sett, even in time for the upcoming holidays!

Ready to celebrate? Download the free cowl pattern now!

Firth-of-Clyde-Cowl-FinalDownload

And here are a few suggestions for how to wear your cowl

  • The cowl measures about 27″ in the round and about 11″ tall, without measuring the hexagons tips (with tips it measures about 13″).
  • Just slide it over your head and tug it into a comfy position, or …
  • … wear it over your head.
  • If you do that, it’s almost like a hoodie …
  • … or a kerchief.
  • You can also fold it in half, like a turtle neck (no pun intended).
  • That way you have a smooth edging at the top, and playful tips at the bottom.
  • Or you can use the cowl as garden decoration … well, we hope you don’t!

Thank you for celebrating with us! Maybe some of you will get a chance to visit Weft Blown.
And to those who will make a Firth of Clyde cowl, make sure to share some pictures!

TT22 Is Going Back to Iowa!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Linda Canton in Iowa
will be our last TT22 host this year, for December.

Linda and her husband Dan live in the very unique Driftless Area of north-east Iowa. She writes about herself “We are an off-grid family, living in a fixed up timber-frame barn (well, still working on it). We are both recently retired (mostly … I substitute as a bus driver), and loving it.”

They share their home with “pandemic puppy” Tex (he just turned 2), a Texas Heeler who keeps them on their toes and outside, hiking their woods and trails. Linda’s comment on the photo: “He barely tolerated the photo session…can’t you hear him thinking – you gotta be kidding, Mom …”

Linda on the topic of hobbies: “How long do you have? Fixing up old places (a turn of the century Norwegian log cabin, our barn/home), cutting wood, stacking wood, hauling wood, burning wood (just kidding … we heat with wood), spinning fiber, knitting (see my favorite felted mittens from last year), making braided rugs, sewing … learner of much, master of none. But it sure is fun to try!

  • Some of Linda’s handspun yarn.
  • Linda’s favorite knitted, felted mittens.
  • Linda and her husband love fixing old places, including this Norwegian cabin.

About her pin-loom experience and plans Linda writes “Never used a hexagon loom, have tried to buy one, but they are (always) out of stock! Popular buggers. I do have an old 2 inch and 4 inch Weavette, along with a pile of squares. After reading a Little Looms magazine, I have set my sights a bit higher than acrylic squares … What would I like to make with the TURTLE? Don’t know yet … make some hexagons and see what shapes I can put together … a hat? Mittens? A sweater? I’m excited to see what I may make! I certainly have lots of yarn …”

TT22’s adventures of living off-the-grid with Linda, Dan, and Tex this December will be shared here on the blog … stay tuned!

(Photo credits: All photos except title are by Linda Canton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for December Host

Posted on by texasgabi

Here we are … 2022 is coming to an end … there is one more opportunity to host TT22 during the final month of the year, December !

If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.

No hexagon weaving experience necessary … anyone who wants to weave hexagons is welcome.

Signup is open now, and will end Thursday, December 1st, at 6 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile … In case you’re wondering why we’re running a little bit late … TT22 is currently on a 4-day cruise, visiting Catalina! TT22 and Charleen want to share this photo with us, and they write “The tile and the turtle card were two things we purchased on Catalina, and the towel animal is something that the cabin stewards make for the guests and put in the cabins. Tomorrow we’re going to see Ensenada …”

Photo credits: All photos are by Charleen Rice. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

The “Extra Fine” is Coming!

Posted on by texasgabi

It was during one of the Covid lockdowns when our CNC Meister and I were bored and decided to tackle a question that had been on our minds for a while: How “fine sett” can we get?

Our pin supplier joined in and provided a variety of thinner steel wires, and the testing began.

The CNC router kept routing and drilling until it got to a point where we had to use a magnifying glass to see the holes.

Trying thinner pins convinced us very quickly that what we’re currently using for the Square fine sett looms is the closest to what can be woven comfortably, without having to add a supply of band aides for pricked fingers to each loom kit.

We decided to settle on a loom that is “fine” enough to weave “finer” sock and fingering yarns, like this Lion Brand Sock-Ease.

Several popular sock and fingering yarns list a gauge of 30 sts/4″, which weaves up a nice but light fabric on the fine sett looms. We wanted an “extra fine” option, where the fabric is dense enough for clothing and similar projects.

Above pictures show the yarn example Rico Design Superba Bamboo Uni, available through Universal Yarn, on the new XF loom (left); fabric comparison XF (left) and F ( right); hexie off the XF loom. The header picture also shows that yarn, woven on all three Original TURTLE looms.

Another example is Lang Jawoll, shown woven on the XF extra fine sett on the left, and the F fine sett on the right.

The Original TURTLE loom XF expands the use of thinner yarns without jeopardizing the comfort of weaving.

6/2 cotton yarns like the popular Bluegreass Mills, available through the Woolery, now enter the category of yarns that weave well on TURTLE looms at about 12 epi, and with that the doors open to create a new range of beautiful kitchen items like hand towels and accessories.

Weaving single stranded Size 10 crochet thread on this loom still generates a light fabric, but it now generates a nice, light density for curtains or lacy table toppers.

When will the Original TURTLE Loom XF be available?

The loom is now available in our Etsy store: “Original TURTLE Loom™ XF “extra fine sett”

Also at the handweavers studio in London,

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Meredith and Denise CP (check your emails, please)! They are the winners of our treasure hunt contest and will be the first to receive a new Original TURTLE Loom XF.

Treasure Hunt!

Posted on by texasgabi

The Handweavers Studio in London is now fully restocked … and there’s more! In support of the store’s tag line “A treasure trove for textile creatives” we decided to do a treasure hunt that is open to all TURTLE friends in the UK … and anywhere else.

Store owner Dawn and Alan and their team are now carrying the 1″, 2″, and 4″ Square looms, either to be used together with Elongons or on their own. They have also added the new, unique Jewel loom!

However, that’s not all … There is a new treasure hidden on the Handweavers Studio website, and if you find out what it is, you can enter to win that treasure! Entering for a chance to win is easy: Leave a comment on the blog when you find the treasure.

ETA: Denise CP was the first to find the treasure: It’s the Original TURTLE Loom XF – extra fine sett. I will tell the story of the loom in the next blog on Monday, but in a nutshell, this loom weaves finer sock yarns (knitting gauge 30sts/4″, weaving gauge about 12 epi) and will most likely be the finest sett loom that we will have in our product line.

YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THAT LOOM … just enter a comment below. Ask any questions that you may have about the new loom, write what you’d do with such a loom, or just say that you want to win it!

How it works:

  • Leave a comment on this blog.
  • One entry per person please, multiple comments from the same ID will count as one entry.
  • You can enter now until Sunday, November 20, 2022, 6 pm CT.
  • We will raffle off one (1) of “the hidden treasure”; the winner will be determined by random drawing.
  • The winner will be announced some time on Monday, on our blog.
  • No purchase necessary. No substitutes, no cash.
  • This giveaway is conducted by Bluebonnet Crafters, LLC. It is open to pin-loom lovers internationally unless there are any legal restrictions in your country that prevent us from shipping to you. (Note: In case you win, we will pay for USPS International First Class shipping or contribute to the postage in the equivalent amount of that. You will have to pay for any extra shipping cost and any custom and/or tax incurred by your country.)
  • We will use the contact information only to determine the winners. We do not share that information.
  • In case you win, we will ask for your permission to post your first name, state or country.

Ready? Go hunt!

Autumn Greetings from California

Posted on by texasgabi

TT22 traveled all across the States (again) to California, where Char’s Liquid Amber tree provided the proper autumn welcome.

Char had not woven on a hexagon pin loom before, so she and TT22 spent some quality time watching the instructions video on YouTube together, after which the first hexagon – using the pretty yarn that October host Chris had sent along – was a breeze.

All excited, Char decided to visit her local yarn store The Knitting Tree, LA, where she found some Malabrigo Rios in beautiful autumn colors.

She writes: “It was so much fun making hexies that so far I have made five more, with a start on the sixth. I have a project in mind to use them in but want to make a few more hexies before seeing if it will work.”

It looks like the November team is off to a good start. Well, we all know that this is because Saphire is supervising! Keep up the good work, and have fun!

(Photo credits: All photos by Char Rice. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

TT22 is Going to California!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Char Rice in California
will be our TT22 host for November.

Char lives with her husband and certain feline pets (see below) in southern California.

Her very broad crafting skills and interests include working with beads (wirework, off-loom bead weaving and a little loom work), and she knits (mostly lace, aran, and fair isle), weaves (she has a floor loom, rigid heddle, and a plethora of smaller looms), and braids (kumihimo). She also likes to travel and is interested in photography, fresh flower arranging, and rose and Epiphyllum gardening.

Char says about herself that she “[has] been interested in fiber arts for quite a while but didn’t really learn and become interested in weaving techniques until I was in college.”

  • 8-Shaft waffle weave study, worked on Char’s floor loom.
  • Meet Rella, Saphyre, and Kori … the dedicated guards of all things fiber and wire.
  • An example of Char’s tapestry work.
  • Char continues her father’s passion for collecting and growing Epiphyllum plants.
  • Travel impression from visiting Catalina.
  • A walk in the neighborhood.

Asked if she has worked on TURTLE looms before, she answers “Not yet but will be this month!” She plans to make “something having to do with fall and/or flowers.”

You can follow Char on Ravelry, but TURTLE mascot Charlene (yes, she’s so proud to have a namesake!) wants to be in the picture, so we’ll probably do a blog or two this month, right here …

Meanwhile …

TT22 is currently on its way to California … October host Chris put TT22 to work one more time before packing up, to get enough hexies for this adorable table runner (Chris is not only speedy in court transcription, but wove up a weaving record with this one!)

(Photo credits: All photos except title and last are by by Charleen Rice. Last picture by Chris Thornton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for November Host

Posted on by texasgabi

Inspired by TT22’s visit to Stephen King’s home in Maine, Charlene decided to get the novel “Fairy Tale” on Audible … and I haven’t seen her since then. But … it is time to determine where TT22 will go for Thanksgiving this November!

If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.

No hexagon weaving experience necessary … anyone who wants to weave hexagons is welcome.

The picture shows Chris’s first ever hexagon, woven on the day that TT22 arrived, using yarn that September host Sarah had put into a little care package.

Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, October 30, at midnight US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile … TT22 had the most amazing time leaf peeping in Maine …

  • This year, leaf peeping season has been colorful and impressive.
  • Chris definitely understands to add a beautiful color palette to support the scene.
  • Combined with some squares, Chris turned the hexies into a hexagonal prism ball!
  • Another highlight was a visit to Stephen King’s home …
  • TT22 comes prepared, all dressed up appropriately in a spooky bright red attire.
  • “Sometimes” Chris has to work, and TT22 was allowed to come along and watch her transcribe legal conversations at lightning speed!
  • Then Chris took TT22 on a boat ride on one of the many lakes in Maine …
  • This picture doesn’t need any caption other than that this is beautiful Maine at its best!
  • And of course, with all the water, blue is the yarn color of the day!

(Photo credits: All photos except title by Chris Thornton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Holiday season is next! Chris made this beautiful poinsettia.

A Candy Corn Mouse

Posted on by texasgabi

Fellow pin-loom weaver Pamela shared a post, showing a most adorable crocheted mouse by Stephanie of CrochetVerse, which is an adaptation of a free pattern by Pops De Milk. Pam prompted to continue the inspirational crafting chain with “Someone design a woven version of this.” … and I felt called.

So that more people can weave such a mouse, I decided to use only one loom. I used the Square 2″ R and some Sugar’n Cream cotton yarn that I had at hand in the desired colors, but any square loom and matching yarn will be just fine. Using the bias weaving method (as shown) may stretch slightly differently, but traditionally woven squares will work, too.

Weave:

(2) orange squares
(1) white square
(3) yellow squares

Sew the two orange squares to the white squares (simple whip stitch will do, no matter which weaving method you used).

Then sew the two orange squares together as indicated.

Sew the three yellow squares together as indicated.

Next, attach the yellow strip to the long orange edge … you will need to hold in the yellow a little bit.

This is what your piece looks like when all square are sewn together.

Using a yarn tail or separate piece of yarn, work a running stitch along the long yellow edge. This will be used to gather the back end of the mouse (see below).

Now fold the piece in half, wrong side out, and sew along the bottom edge.

Turn the piece right side out, stuff …

… then pull the ends of the running stitch yarn to completely close the back. Make a knot, then hide the ends inside the mouse.

Accessorize your mouse with tail, ears, feet, and a face as you like.

I provide a brief description of what I did below.

In a nutshell … I embroidered the eyes with black embroidery thread in a star stitch. The nose and mouth are straight stitch.

The tail is made of yellow yarn held double. Join the back of the mouse with a slip stitch, then chain 12 or desired length, fasten off.

Ears: Using a long tail, working with the white yarn, make a magic loop, slip stitch and chain 1 into loop. Work 4 single crochet, then pull the magic loop close to shape a half round. Use the same long tail to make another magic loop and work the second ear the same way. Fasten off, sew ears to head.

Back feet (make 2): Using yellow, chain 4, work a triple picot (chain 2, slip stitch into the 4th chain; repeat twice). Work 4 single crochet stitches into the back loops of the chain, back to the beginning. Fasten off. Sew feet to the yellow part of the body.

Front feet (make 2): Using orange, chain 3, work two picots (chain 2, slip stitch into the 4th chain; repeat once more). Work 3 single crochet stitches into the back loops of the chain, back to the beginning. Fasten off. Sew feet to the orange part of the body.

Happy fall, all y'all!

TT22 is Going to Maine!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Chris Thornton in Maine
will be our TT22 host for October.

Chris is a freelance court reporter/stenographer who lives with her husband of 30 years in Old Town, Maine.

Hobbies? “Anything to do with arts and crafts: Knitting was my gateway drug for spinning and weaving (3 floor looms, several tapestry looms, rigid heddle looms and inkle looms)” But then there is also sewing (garments and quilting), basket weaving, and baking bread …

She also shares her home with Flash – a teacup Australian Shepherd. Flash will interrupt herding the birds in the backyard to become TT22’s buddy for the month.

Chris started pin loom weaving on a Zoom loom in 2019 and has added several triangle and square continuous strand looms since then.

When asked if she has woven on a TURTLE loom before, she replied “As they say in Maine, ‘nevah’!  Looking forward to it!”

So are we! Chris is thinking of weaving a hexagon flower …

You can follow Chris on her Instagram account MaineWeaver, where this month she will be sharing TT22’s autumn adventures in Maine.

Meanwhile …

Old Town, Maine, is the home of Old Town kayaks and canoes … Charlene had to check it out instantly … I think she’s ready to take a dip in those beautiful lakes …

(Photo credits: Photos 1-3 by Chris Thonrton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for October Host

Posted on by texasgabi

TT22 arrived “home” safely in New Mexico, and has mostly recovered from its trip half around the world to Australia (see pictures below). Now comes the question “Where will TT22 spend the scariest month of the year?”

It’s time to determine the next host, for October.

If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.

No hexagon weaving experience necessary … if you have a friend who is new to (hexagon) pin loom weaving, please share this post and invite them to host TT22!

We will try to keep the signup short, to give the next host as much time as possible. Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, October 2nd, at midnight US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile, TT22 wants to share a few impressions from its stay at the Misfit farm, and its trip to Australia …

  • The month started with a warm welcome by Belle at the Misfit Farm.
  • TT22 enjoyed all the perfect yarns at TLT Yarns & Handcrafts in Ruidoso, NM.
  • Then it was time to start its longest travel ever … thank you, Sarah, for taking TT22 to Sidney, Australia!
  • It’s a long flight, and TT22 was nervous, but Sarah and TT22 managed to get a lot of weaving done.
  • Sightseeing in Sidney.
  • TT22 even got some souvenir yarn!
  • And then … the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.!
  • TT22 almost got a knot in its weavie, trying to say the name of the park … Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa.
  • It was a wonderful “welcome home” to the farm by TT22’s new friends!
  • TT22 shared all the adventures and ….
  • … the yarn was sniff approved. TT22 will miss those furry friends!

(Photo credits: All photos by Sarah Cole. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

TT22 is Going to New Mexico!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Sarah Matula in New Mexico
will be our TT22 host for September.

Sarah lives with her husband, 3 horses, 13 llamas, 3 rescued alpacas, 19 chickens, 2 turkeys, 2 dogs, and a cat on a farm in New Mexico. Yin Yang (pictured) keeps an eye on the farm, while Sarah manages a Legal publishing team across Australia, NZ and Philippines.

In her free time Sarah enjoys hiking with llamas, shearing, spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, looking at patterns, and collecting yarn.

Sarah weaves on anything from pin loom to floor loom. Here is her latest project on her 3 ft tri loom.

I asked her what she has made so far with pin looms, and while she states that “joining is my Achilles heel” she recently did make this beautiful star pillow, inspired by TT22 April host Debbie’s weave along.

While TT22 is en route, Sarah is doing some “warming up” weaving, exploring 3-1 twill. It looks like it will be an interesting month!

You can follow TT22’s stay at Sarah’s (and possibly more travel) on Facebook at the Misfit Farm. Sarah’s very photogenic dog Heidi (on Instagram) volunteers to add some reporting contributions as well.

(Photo credits: Photos 1-4 by Sarah Matula. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Charlene is hard at work to prepare a passport for TT22 … “just in case”!

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for September Host

Posted on by texasgabi

We may have difficulties getting TT22 away from Maryland, where he has been playing hide and seek with Deetzie either in the gardens or at the Black Sheep yarn store (… no wonder, with such a yarn selection!)

However, it’s time to determine the next host, for September.

If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.

No hexagon weaving experience necessary … if you have a friend who is new to (hexagon) pin loom weaving, please share this post and invite them to host TT22!

Signup is open now, and will end Wednesday, August 31st, at noon time US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile, TT22 wants to share a few impressions from his August diary on Ravelry …

  • The trip across the country went smoothly, and Crow and I had great chats along the way. Thank you, Beth, for sending Crow along!
  • Exploring my home for August … a brook in the backyard! Instant favorite. It’s the Charles Run that ultimately feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Had a great time with Deetzie’s grandson! We didn’t get much weaving done, but we enjoyed making noise together.
  • Look at those Black Eye’d Susans! I learned that they are the state flower of Maryland. From Texas I know that they make excellent natural dye …
  • I felt famous when we visited the biweekly Sit&Stitch at the Hereford Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library…no one had seen a hexagon loom before!
  • Then we visited the Perennial Farm in Glen Arm and I helped Deetzie to buy two Chelone (Turtlehead) plants.
  • This is one of the Turtlehead plants … not sure if it’s the pink or the white one … I like them both, and this way Deetzie can always remember that she bought the Turtleheads when the TURTLE was visiting!
  • But my favorite place was the Black Sheep yarn store … yarns and colors galore! Perfect place for hide and seek, and weave, and hide, and weave, and hide …

(Photo credits: All photos by Reeves Walker. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

TT22 is Going to Maryland!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Reeves “Deetzie” Walker in Maryland
will be our TT22 host for August.

Meet Deetzie, a retired Latin teacher who now works part time at the Black Sheep Yarn shop where she teaches rigid heddle loom classes.

When she is not at the store, she loves to spend quality time with her husband, her three daughters, her grandchildren, and her two dogs.

In addition to weaving, she likes to knit (like this adorable balloon elephant), crochet, and garden. The latter she jokingly refers to as an “euphemism for weeding”!

Deetzie got her first TURTLE loom in 2020 and has made several beautiful projects since then, like this turtle in its nest, or the Elongon scarf below.

She does not know yet what she’s going to make when TT22 arrives, but she’s definitely ready to have a great time!

You can follow Deetzie and TT22’s adventures this month on Ravelry, where Deetzie is known as FactaeManu. Very fittingly for a fiber loving Latin teacher, this Latin phrase means “Made by hand”!

Meanwhile … Charlene enjoyed reading the comments of the host applicants. She loves the story of the turtle rescue, and she got the band aids out to “tape up Pam’s finger, so that it heals faster”.

All this said, we hope to see you all again when we are looking for the next host!

(Photo credits: Photos 1 – 4 by Reeves Walker. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for August Host

Posted on by texasgabi

Are you ready for the next Travel Turtle 2022 chapter? We’re looking for a host for the (most likely) hot month of August … spend some quality time with a small craft and invite TT22 to your home!

 If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

No hexagon weaving experience necessary … if you have a friend who is new to (hexagon) pin loom weaving, please share this post and invite them to host TT22!

Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, July 31st, 6 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile … TT22 has been having a great time exploring bright colors at Beth’s house this month …

Welcome Elongon and Square in 3″ R!

Posted on by texasgabi

The new Little Looms Fall 2022 magazine is stealing the show! It makes it difficult to squeeze in the announcement that “Hey, we have a couple of new looms!”

First, there is the new Elongon 3″ R … a larger elongated hexagon loom with regular pin spacing for worsted weight yarns.

With 3″ side length this loom is great to make quick progress on larger projects, like the Cathedral Window blanket, but it is still very comfortable to hold and to work with.

Next, there is the new Square 3″ R loom, to match the above Elongon and also with regular pin spacing for worsted weight yarns.

The squares work up quickly and can be used on their own or together with any other looms that work with or complement a side length of 3″.

I enjoyed making the Cathedral Blanket with these looms, using a wonderful wool, Berroco Lanas.

I hope to chat about working the “stained glass” effect a bit more in the near future, because I think pin loom weaving is naturally perfect for that.

Of course the usability of the new looms goes far beyond stained glass effects. You can use them for pretty much any other project on any other Elongon … the results are “just a little bit bigger”!

Side by side hexagons woven on the Elongon 1″ and Elongon 3″

Little Looms Fall 2022 Magazine – A Giveaway!

Posted on by texasgabi

Did you see it? We’re tickled pink and humbled to see that the Cathedral Window blanket made the cover!

To share the happiness, Charlene suggested to give away three printed issues of “Little Looms Fall 2022”, one each day of this (long) weekend.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Thank you for your participation!

All you need to do is leave a comment below and name your favorite projects in this issue (and there is no wrong answer, if you ask us).

We will randomly draw a name, once a day, this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, at random times, out of all comments available at that time and post your name right here if you win.

How it works:

  • Leave a comment below. What are your favorite projects in this issue?
  • Leave only one comment. Multiple comments do not increase your chance to win.
  • You can enter now until Monday, July 4th, 2022 when at some point of our choosing we will draw the last winner.
  • The giveaway is for (3) Little Looms Fall 2022 magazine issues, one per day.
  • The winner will be determined randomly from comments left on this post.
  • The winners will be announced every day, here on the blog.
  • No substitutes, no cash.
  • This giveaway is open to fiber enthusiasts internationally, unless there are legal or other restrictions in your country that prevent us from shipping to you. (Note: In case you win we will pay for USPS International First Class shipping or contribute to the postage in the equivalent amount of that. You will have to pay for any extra shipping cost and any custom and/or tax incurred by your country.)
  • We will use the comments/contacts information only to determine the winner.
  • In case you win, you agree that we may post your name as stated in the comments here on this blog when we announce the winners.
Charlene wishes you good luck!

And the winners are:
Day 1: Linda Canton
Day 2: Tammy
Day 3: Jessie (please check your email for details)

TT22 is Going to Iowa!

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Beth Seedorff in Iowa
will be our TT22 host for the month of July!

Beth lives with her wife Sarah, her two little sons, and a friend in the part of Iowa that is south and north of Illinois (look at the map and see the “nose” in the east that explains how this is possible). Beth teaches  junior high and high school band at the school, but still finds enough time to “dabble in all kinds of crafts”, preferably when they involve fiber.

Sure enough, her social media accounts show plenty of beautiful crocheted, knitted, and woven projects, like this Ginny’s Meadow Cowl.

Her “How did she do that?” Isafarmo socks (all slip-stitch crochet) even won the grand prize at the county fair!

TT22 is on his way, but with the holiday it will take a little time. In the meantime you can check out Beth’s work (and sign up to be notified when TT22 arrives) on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Ravelry.

Can you believe that we’re half through the year already? I enjoy looking at what the first half has brought to us, and I will say that everything exceeds my expectations. There are still six more stories to be told … well, five more, after Beth, so if you want to get a chance, don’t give up! Sign up at the end of the month!

(Photo credits: Photos 1 – 3 by Bethany Seedorff. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Charlene is already going through her stash, looking for baby friendly yarns, since Beth said that she plans to make something for her little boys!

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for July Host

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Can you believe it? We’re starting the second half of the year! And Charlene now firmly believes that there is a Christmas in July …

Let’s determine where TT22 will spend the month of July… If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

Signup is open now, and will end Thursday, June 30th, 12 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

PS: Did you see Kathryn’s adorable patchwork turtle Tanana? Kathryn and Charlene are working on writing up instructions for how you can make your own precious memory turtle … they want to share those instructions with you in a few days, right here on the blog …

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like North Pole …

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Some of you already know Kathryn Olson, our Travel Turtle 2022 host for the month of June, with her very creative, unconventional, colorful projects of many fiber crafts. But not everybody knows that last year she moved to North Pole, Alaska!

Meet Kathryn, who lives with her daughter’s family, and a dog Pua, eight cats, and two birds, Mellow and Little Foot. When asked, Kathryn described herself as “I do yarn”, which includes crocheting, knitting, tatting, weaving and pretty much anything that involves yarn.

Her favorite projects are shawls and dolls. For TT22’s stay Kathryn hopes to explore the surrounding fiber world and maybe make a box turtle.

Charlene is a bit jealous that TT22 will see Alaska, but – and I quote Charlene – “I’m looking forward to hopefully see many pictures of the state where the sun in the summer doesn’t go down, and where they have rather unusual wool from cows …”

You are invited to follow TT22’s and Kathryn’s adventures in North Pole on Instagram account @kathryn1160.

(Photo credits: All photos by Kathryn Olson. Title photo by Stephanie Cannizzaro. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle ’22 – Announcing the June Host

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Congratulations!
Kathryn Olson from North Pole, Alaska,
will be our host for the month of June!

Charlene fainted almost instantly on the news that TT22 will go to (the) North Pole. We will introduce Kathryn as soon as Charlene has recovered …

Before she fainted, Charlene asked me to quickly make a scarf for TT22, out of her favorite alpaca yarn from Winterstrom Ranch.

And it should be like the lozenges scarf that Cocoa Bear had in the Little Looms magazine!

Her biggest concern however is that she thinks that there can be only white yarn in Alaska … and that it is all frozen … and that TT22 will get frozen pins!

I tried to convince her otherwise, but … I think she just wanted to faint …

A scarf for TT22 (great for dolls and bears, too!)

Welcome Tempe Yarn & Fiber!

Posted on by texasgabi

There is a rumor that one enthusiastic TURTLE loom lover (Hi, Melinda!) significantly influenced this: Welcome to our new TURTLE retailer, Tempe Yarn & Fiber in Tempe, Arizona!

In Germany, toadstools are a symbol of good luck, so I decided to design a toadstool mug rug (or stuffed toadstool!) for the occasion, to wish the team at Tempe Yarn all the best.

Let’s celebrate all together! Read on for the toadstool instructions!

Use any worsted weight yarn. Tempe Yarn offers a broad variety of high quality commercial yarns, but they also feature a line of unique to the store “Dyelicious” yarns. I used their Desert Oasis, a worsted weight wool that works perfectly with regular sett TURTLE looms, for the toadstool mug rugs.

I used the new Original Jewel R loom that you can now buy at Tempe Yarn, or online in our Etsy store if you’re not within driving distance to Tempe. The “dots” are optional, but if you wish to add them, I used the BabyTURTLE™ loom for those.

How to make a toadstool mug rug:

Weave 3 jewels in the “cap” color.
Weave 1 jewel in the “stem” color.
(Optional) Weave 3 – 5 Baby hexagons for the “dots”.

Layout the three cap jewels as shown and sew them together, using the tail ends.

Sew the “stem” jewel into place as shown.

Weave in all ends.
Optionally, add the “dots” to the right side of the toadstool.
The finished toadstool mug rug measures about 9.5″ tall and 8.5″ wide.

Serve with a beverage and cookie of your choice.

You can also make a stuffed toadstool …

Make two toadstools.

Right sides facing, sew them together, leaving a small opening. Turn. Stuff. Close the remaining opening.

It doesn’t have to be a toadstool! Use different yarn colors to make different mushrooms, for example an all natural “Steinpilz” (porcini mushroom) with a brown cap and beige stem, or choose your favorite colors to create your own mushroom, dotted or not!

  • Toadstool with 4 random dots, in Desert Oasis Sangria and Whisper.
  • Mug rug or stuffed toadstool!
  • All natural “Steinpilz” (porcini mushroom), in Desert Oasis Grounded and Whisper.
  • “Create your own mushroom”, in Desert Oasis Amethyst, stem in Ships Gray, dots in Dusty Rose.
  • “Create your own mushroom” in Desert Oasis Dusty Rose, Stem in Ships Grey.
  • Party of Four!
  • Be inspired …

If you live in or near Tempe, stop by the store. If you travel through Arizona, consider adding a visit at Tempe Yarn to your itinerary! Either way … Happy weaving to all!

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for June Host

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Charlene and I hope that you’ve been following TT22’s stay at Laia’s in Oregon on Instagram this May … Laia treated TT22 to weaving and relaxing at stunning cultural places and to yummy indulgences … superbly photographed!

But now it’s time to determine where TT22 will spend the month of June… If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

Signup is open now, and will end Monday, May 30th, 12 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Charlene and “her” donut wish you a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.

A Jewel Christmas Tree Ornament

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As a teacher or parent, you may be familiar with “writing prompts”. Well, consider today’s project suggestion to be a “weaving prompt”! In short, two jewel weavies make a perfect base for a Christmas tree ornament, and I leave it up to you to decorate yours any way your imagination will lead you …

How to make a basic tree ornament:

  • Weave two jewels on the Original Jewel R loom.
  • Use the starting tails to sew the sides together, leaving a small opening to stuff the ornament.
  • Slightly stuff the ornament with Polyfil, yarn ends, or any stuffing that you have at hand. Do not overstuff.
  • Close completely.
  • Thread the end tails of the jewels in a tapestry needle. Make a couple of securing stitches through the tip, so that the yarn doesn’t pull in. Knot the tail ends together … this loop can serve as the hanger for your ornament.
  • Decorate the tree any way you like with charms, beads, embroidery (you could also embroider before sewing the jewels together), ribbon, mini ornaments, …

The first example ornament is slightly stuffed with Polyfil. I left it largely undecorated, but threaded a wooden star bead onto the end tails for a topper.

For the second ornament, I used a fairy light string as stuffing!

Everything, including the battery pack, is inside the ornament (you can feel for the switch through the fabric).

Consider also use just one jewel and stiffen it!

Christmas craft items don’t seem to be in the stores just yet, but I think it is never too early (and never the wrong time) to think of holiday crafting. I hope you agree!

… humming “Oh, Tannenbaum!” …

Morning Coffee Pocket Pig

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Yes, I’m one of those people to whom yarn occasionally “speaks” as to what it wants to become … Cleaning up some yarn remnants this morning, a small amount of pink, ugly yarn crossed my path and went straight into the cat pad bin. “No, no, no!” it called out. “Pig me, pig me!” With a chuckle, and remembering the mention of pocket pals in the most recent post, I picked up that yarn and went to work.

15yds of any worsted weight yarn is all you need, and some black for the eyes and the nostrils. And if you don’t have all looms that I used, just substitute … you could even use all squares for a “square pig”!

Here is what to make:

Assembly:

  • Sew the two hexagons together along four sides to prepare the head.
  • Attach the two ears along the top as shown.
  • Weave in the ends of the Baby hexagon. With black yarn, attach it as the nose with two cross stitches.
  • Embroider eyes.
  • Gently stuff the head and close the remaining two sides.

Have another coffee and enjoy your pocket pig!

Weaving Triangles on the Jewel Loom

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The Jewel loom is so full of potential, it is hard to keep up with writing about it … consider this an “emergency” post, to help out some desperate fellow weavers in need, and to inspire others!

As previously mentioned, the jewel shape can be seen as a regular hexagon, with an equilateral triangle attached to it. An equilateral triangle is a triangle where all sides have the same length.

What if you just want that triangle piece, or that piece of the jewel in a separate, solid color? The answer is easy: Use a weaving needle as “bar” across the loom, then use a normal continuous strand weaving methods for triangles for the weaving. If you need some help with that, you can take a look at “Weaving a Triangle on a Square Loom” which follows the same idea.

Put the “bar” across the pins with the circles for a small triangle that will match in length the short sides of the Jewel loom.

Put the “bar” across the pins with the lines for a larger triangle that will match in length the long sides of the Jewel loom.

These two positions are a match to the jewels woven on that loom, but you can really place the bar anywhere you want for other projects.

What to do with those triangles? Well, the small triangle gives you the tip of a jewel shape in a different color.

Quickly join the pieces together, using the mattress stitch.

But you can use those triangles also on their own … six triangles make a hexagon!

You will also see in future projects how you can use the large triangle as a “filler” in certain designs.

If you have any questions about weaving triangles on the Jewel loom, please contact us!

Happy triangle weaving!

Off to Oregon!

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When Laia sent me a few pictures for her introduction, I was spellbound by the beautiful colors, the crisp fibers, and the meticulous crafting …

Meet Laia, who will be hosting TT22 during the month of May!

Laia lives and works in Portland, Oregon, and her two cats Westley and Rory are very generous and share their apartment with her.

And yes, Laia loves photography!

From a fiber perspective Laia is best known for her inkle and tape loom weaving, but she also knits, spins, and weaves tiny tapestry.

She added pin loom weaving during summer 2020 “because of pandemic boredom”, and since then she has made numerous projects from flower dish cloths to a flower cowl and a butterfly blanket. One of her ongoing projects is her “epic” sock scrap yarn blanket …

Coming up next … Laia plans to welcome TT22 with some yarn from Portland-based dyers …

You can follow TT22’s stay with Laia this month on Instagram (Whaledaughter), and also get inspired by some of Laia’s beautiful handicrafts on Ravelry (Saberpirate).

(Photo credits: All photos by Laia. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle ’22 – Announcing the May Host

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Congratulations!
Laia Robichaux from Portland, Oregon,
will be our host for the month of May!

Charlene is all excited … is TT22 going to see that HUUGE mountain?

And will TT22 be traveling across the country in a covered wagon like during Oregon Trail days?

Dreams are popping up …

But Charlene is a responsible turtle … she uses one of her Audible credits so that she can listen to a story about the Oregon Trail, thinking of TT22, while helping with polishing more Jewel looms … she knows that a lot of people are waiting. She does her best that there will be more looms ready soon … VERY soon …

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for May Host

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Did you see the awesome loom party that Debbie organized for TT22? Just wow!

Another WOW for the lovely Heart and Flowers Mat that Debbie and TT22 crafted this month.

Debbie in her own words: “Hearts and flowers are my theme”, and with that she makes the chart for her project available to all fellow pin loom weavers who would like to make this project.

Debbie used scrap yarns from her stash, but you can of course use any yarn and colors to your liking. Thank you, Debbie!

But now it’s time to determine where TT22 will spend the month of May … If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

Signup is open now, and will end Thursday, April 28th, 6 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

Meanwhile …
Charlene seems to be a little bit pre-occupied (or should we say distracted) by Bonnie’s new Jewel gnome, but more about that later. For now she did do her duty and added Debbie’s adorable heart hexagon to the map.
Charlene thinks that the heart is from TT22 to her … JUST her …

(Photo credits: All Heart and Flowers Mat photos by Debbie Shelmidine. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Happy 5th Anniversary, and Welcome Jewel!

Posted on by texasgabi
WE ARE SORRY! Most of the first batch sold out in half a day …
there will be more! Sign up to be notified (click on “Let me know when it’s back”).
If you have special requests, please contact us.

When we launched the first TURTLE loom on this day in 2017, our business advisor said that “small businesses that make it to five years, are going to make it”. Well, here we are, and we sure hope that many more years will follow.

We’re by far not done with hexagons, but there was that jewel shape that kept itching us, so we decided to add that to the mix. Are you ready?

Meet the Original Jewel R! (shop)

“Original”, because it matches the size of the Original TURTLE Loom. Those looms can be used together to make even more projects.
“Jewel”, because of it’s special, five pointed diamond shape.
“R” means that the first Jewel loom is designed to work with worsted weight yarn. (Yes, Bonnie, there will be a fine sett Jewel later this year!)

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and watch this introduction that tells you a little bit more about the loom, how to use it, and what you can do with it (trust me, the latter is just the beginning).

Yes, weaving a Jewel is totally easy. If you are already familiar with weaving TURTLE hexagons, you may find this Quick Start useful, which focuses just on the differences between weaving a hexagon and a jewel shape:

If you are a complete beginner, here are some row-by-row instructions:

Jewel looms are now available in our Etsy store, and don’t worry if they sell out … they are here to stay, just like our small business!

Soo Much History!

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TT22 arrived safely at his April host and was welcomed with an instant weaving session. TT22 and his new host Debbie then got to chat over a cup of fiber coffee …

Meet Debbie, who lives with her family in Norfolk, NY. Debbie is a multi discipline fiber crafter, but her pin loom resume alone is one of the longest you can imagine. It’s like an amazing NOT BORING history lesson of pin loom weaving!

Debbie’s projects on Ravelry go as far back as 2007, the early years of names like Jana Trent and her eloomanation website and blog, early days of the Looms to Go group (Debbie is one of the admins), and the years when Weavette looms were THE 4″ square pin looms of the day …

It’s difficult to pick just a picture or two of Debbie’s pin loom creations, so here is a little slideshow:

  • Felted tools bag on front cover of Handwoven Nov/Dec 2008
  • Weavette star pillow
  • Double Heart Pattern (2008)
  • Smile Tapestry for Nick
  • Flower Hat (2009)
  • Little star ornament
  • Weavette potholder.
  • Square with yo-yos
  • Little star
  • Star pillow
  • Christmas ornament
  • Heart pattern (2008)
  • Charlotte admiring Debbie’s Chevron bag in the first issue of Little Looms (2016). NB: Left page shows a flower project by now-editor Christina Garton!
  • Family Tree (2008)

Debbie recently picked up pin loom weaving again, has been teaching classes, and got her first TURTLE loom earlier this year, which brought TT22’s travels to her attention.

Follow Debbie and TT22 during their April weaving adventures on Instagram and on Ravelry.

Hope to see you there!

Meet Jewel!

Posted on by texasgabi

New loom time! At first, it looks like a hexagon with an extra triangle on the top … It makes a special pentagon shape that in the quilting world is often referred to as “jewel”.

Meet the Original Jewel, R, our first jewel shape pin loom!

Take a look at some examples of how quilters have been using jewel shapes: Ideas for Jewel Shape Pin Loom Projects (Pinterest)

Being able to weave jewel shapes, however, goes far beyond that. Let’s take a look at this list:

  • Two jewels make a heart shape, and because of their geometry you can combine those hearts in all kinds of ways into all kinds of items…
  • Six jewels make a full circle, or wheel. Now just think about how using colors will make those wheels look different: All in a different color, two iterating colors, three … hearts! Add to that some interesting effects that variegated yarns will add …
  • Weave a jewel in two colors …
  • Now go 3D … make a little basket … ta-da!!!! Surprised?
  • Combine jewels with other shapes like hexagons and diamonds … for example, you can use the new Original Jewel together with the original TURTLE Loom!

How to weave it? It is true that just because you can build a shaped loom doesn’t mean that you can weave it. However, in case of the jewel, it actually turns out to be very easy (once you know how to do it):

You begin by weaving a hexagon, continuous strand in the round, until you have the hexagon shape with the triangle at the top and bottom and the warps in between.

Now you switch to the continuous strand method that is used on triangle looms, weaving in “U” swings.

The last row “locks” the weaving, and you can take the finished jewel off the loom without doing anything else.

The first, Original Jewel loom for worsted weight yarn (R-regular) will start selling in April (on our anniversary, April 19th). Don’t miss the announcement, right here on the blog.

In the meantime, enjoy some of the sample projects below …

  • Hearts — 3D stuffed heart, scrubbie cloth, and little wash cloth (yarns: Yarnspirations O’Go Big Donut in Spiced Ginger, Rico Design Creative Bubble in color 006, Hobby Lobby I Love This Cotton in Rose Bud).
  • Going 3D — Wavy little basket (yarn: O’Go Caron Big Donut in Spiced Ginger).
  • Combining shapes — A sunflower to remember the Ukraine … hexagon center with jewel petals and blue hearts border (yarn: Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn).
  • Full circle, or wheel — Each jewel is woven in a different color (yarn: Lion Brand Mandala Ombre in Happy).

All rights are reserved.

Travel Turtle ’22 – Announcing the April Host

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Congratulations!
Debbie Shelmidine from Norfolk, New York,
will be our host for the month of April!

Charlene had been reading all the comments, and was dreaming of shopping at 5th Ave in NYC, and having birthday cake in Oregon, and she LOVES making infant items … it was good to have Mr. Random at hand to make a neutral choice.

Now Charlene wants turtle pancakes with maple syrup, since she learned that the state tree of New York is the Sugar Maple!

Thank you to all who signed up for a chance to be the next Travel Turtle host … for those who didn’t get a turn yet, please try again next month!

Coming up next … It looks like our April host Debbie has a lot of pin loom history to share, so stay tuned for her story …

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for April Host

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Charlene and I are amazed how different the first three months of Travel Turtle have turned out to be, each month with a completely unique, interesting approach!

Now it’s time to determine where TT22 will spend the month of April … If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

Signup is open now, and will end Tuesday, March 29th, 6 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.

In the meantime …
Charlene has completely taken ownership of the travel map.
She adored the beautiful soft, red hexie that Angela sent from Pennsylvania.

And at first she was puzzled when she receive this “hexie” from Carol, which shows the state flag for Colorado … how did Carol do that?

Of course, TT22 had the answer. Carol wove the hexagon in pieces! TT22 says it tickled quite a bit, particularly when Carol wove the triangles, but the results are certainly worth it.

But now … READY, SET, LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU’D LIKE TO APPLY TO BE TT22’S HOST FOR APRIL!

(Photo credits: Last photo by Carol Dowell. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Carol Made A Sheep Pillow!

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TT22, as usual, is having a blast. He now would like to be called “TURTLE in residence”, because he spent quite some time in Carol’s studio in Colorado. He made friends with Nico, a poodle/west highland terrier mix that in Carol’s mind ended up with the hyper from both. TT22 doesn’t mind at all (and Charlene is jealous again)!

Carol and TT22 were busy and created a super cute sheep pillow!

Carol used some leftover stash acrylics, and embroidered random sheep onto the hexagons. She also wove half hexagons and triangles, for straight pillow edges, then crocheted everything together. The finished pillow measures about 10″ x 10″.

Carol suggests that you let your imagination run free when you make the sheep. While she provides some of the sheep patterns for embroidery, she also encourages you to just go with the flow and make some on your own.

Why a pillow, I asked? The brilliant answer: You don’t have to weave in ends or worry about ugly backs because they are hidden. 

Thank you, Carol, for this cute March madness fun-spiration!
And y’all … stay tuned for the April sign-up early next week …


(Photo credits: All photos by Carol Dowell. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

TT22 in March

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Hi, Charlene here … there are quite some developments with Travel Turtle going on right now …

Terry (TT22 January host) is working on a gorgeous shawl, made of differently sized and shaped hexagons, joined together with crochet … and all of that in those beautiful colors.

Angela (TT22 February host) sent TT22 on his way to his next destination, and she is keeping us on the edge to see what her hexagons will be turning into … did you see that beautiful red color?!?!?

Carol (TT22 March host) informed us that TT22 arrived safely in Colorado!

He probably needs a little rest, which will be just enough time to introduce his new host, Carol Dowel.

Here is her story:

“My name is Carol Dowell.  I live on the plains of Colorado.  My husband and I are retired and recently moved from the country to town.   

I learned to knit and crochet before I started school.  Watching a lady spin yarn from an angora rabbit’s fur while it sat on her lap at the Stock Show made me want to learn to spin. A gift of a small floor loom gave me the tools to learn weaving.

My current passion is weaving on “pin” looms. I started on the Zoom loom and now have many different sizes and shapes. The stained glass table runner was to see if I could make all of the shapes using only my Zoom loom  The sheep vest is my latest project and was made using my Turtle loom.

I have a studio called “Two Barns”, behind our home, where I spin, weave, knit, crochet, tat, quilt, paint, do beadwork and anything else fiber related. It has been a fun place for our grandchildren and great grandchildren to learn and play.” 

Gabi here … Charlene is off pouting, because the “Two Barns” sounds like a perfect, huge fiber playground for TT22 to spend the month … we are all looking forward to hear more about it, soon!

(Photo credits: 1, Terry Neal. 2, Angela Tong. 3-6 Carol Dowell. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle ’22 – Announcing the March Host

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Congratulations!
Carol Dowell from Yuma, Colorado,
will be our host for the month of March!

Charlene could hardly wait to pull out her book to see some pictures of Colorado. Colorado is closer to Texas, so maybe she can have a tea with TT at some point? Oh, Google says it’s still 893 miles … which means “no tea”.

When Zoom heard Colorado, she instantly crawled out from her project to come over and chat with Charlene … Zoom thinks that SHE is the most important State Fact of Colorado, since her home, the Schacht company, is right there in Boulder!

TT’22 is getting ready for the trip, and if you haven’t already, take a look on Instagram at his time with Angela.

Coming up next … we will share a little bit about our March host … stay tuned!

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for March Host

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We all know that February is a short month, but it seemed extra short to me! I hope you all enjoy following TT22’s stay with Angela on Instagram.

Charlene is excited to find out where TT22 will go next … It’s time to determine our next host, for the month of March. If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section.

Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, February 27th, 6 pm US CT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.

Meanwhile … if you have noticed that the shop is low on stock on several looms … we are making looms as fast as we can, but right now the weather is not cooperative. We like the temperature in our workshop to be above 50F for lacquering … and there hasn’t been much of that recently. But the weather will get there soon … we’re confident!

TT22 Update: Good bye, Arizona — Hello, Pennsylvania!

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TT22 said his goodbyes in Arizona and is now in Pennsylvania to meet Angela … and a lot of snow!

TT22 made a lot of friends during his January stay in Arizona, and the month just seemed to have flown by.

Lots of loom hugs for Terry, who has been a fabulous first Travel Turtle host.

Ice and wind and snow don’t make it easy to get to the next destination, Pennsylvania, where TT22 will meet our new host, Angela.

Angela is a well-known fiber arts designer and instructor who has published many knit and pin loom designs in a broad variety of publications. In her free time, she loves to craft beautiful pottery.

TT22 feels honored to be able to spend some time with her.

About pin looms Angela writes “In 2010 I got my first pin loom and loved weaving with it immediately. It was a 4 inch pin loom. I seamed the squares together to make a doll blanket. And I continue to collect different sizes and shapes of pin looms.”

TT22 got very excited when he heard that Angela may want to make a coaster or a hot pad during his visit. His favorite from her previous work has always been this one, with the tiny little embroidery heart.

Oh, he can hardly wait to get started!

Charlene is very jealous that TT22 will meet Angela in person! But she knows that the next-best-thing-to-do is to follow Angela’s amazing social media posts. If you wish to follow Angela and TT22 during his February visit, look for Angela on Instagram and/or visit Angela’s Facebook page.

(Photo credits: 1-3, Terry Neal. 4-7, Angela Tong. All rights reserved.)

Travel Turtle ’22: Announcing the February Host

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Congratulations!
Angela Tong from Yardley, Pennsylvania,
will be our host for the month of February!

Charlene is already studying the next destination … There is so much history!

… and she loves the pretty color of the Mountain Laurel …

… and she is also very concerned about the long journey, and … it will be so much colder in Pennsylvania than in Arizona!

For the next few days, TT’22 is still in Arizona at his host Terry, and you can follow his January travel journey on Instagram.

Coming up next … we will share a little bit about our February host … stay tuned!

Travel Turtle 2022 – Call for February Host

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Are you enjoying the Travel Turtle report on Terry’s Instagram account? Lot’s of looms, pretty yarns, unusual “freeform” project inspiration, nice people, good food, and stunning Arizona sightseeing make it a perfect vacation retreat! Terry is an amazing host, and I think we’ll probably have to rope Travel Turtle ’22 out of Arizona.

That said, TT22’s visit to Arizona will be coming to an end next week, so it’s time to look for a host for the month of February.

If you are interested in hosting the Travel Turtle 2022 during February, please leave a note in the comments section of this post.

Sign-up is open now and will close Sunday, January 23rd, 9 pm US CT. The winner will be announced after I had a chance to talk with the future host.

Do you have a question about this adventure? You can see what the Travel Turtle adventure is about in the January post. If you have further questions, please contact us.

While you’re waiting … here are some highlights from TT22’s travel report so far (All photos are courtesy of Terry Neal, all rights reserved. See full report on Instagram):

My 2022 No-Stress Patchwork Project

Posted on by texasgabi

I’m a little late in chatting about my 2022 no-stress patchwork project because I needed some lead time to be able to show the idea … all no-stress, of course!

This year’s project idea is a culmination of my love of yarn cakes … and getting stuck out of town a few weeks ago. I “had” to stop at JoAnns to find something to do, and I discovered Freelance yarn cakes by JoAnn’s Big Twist yarn line. These cakes feature pleasant color combinations in worsted weight acrylics. While the knitting gauge says 14 sts/4″, it certainly looked and felt “just right” for a regular sett TURTLE . Later sampling confirmed that indeed this yarn is pleasant to weave. It creates a dense but not stiff cloth.

The yarn comes in 10 color combinations. I got “one of each”.

Doing less than one cake per month should be doable, even if life gets hectic. The idea is to do some relaxing weaving just off the cake, then put the hexagons together to make a blanket.

The first cake resulted in 43 hexagons on the original TURTLE Loom™. The design will be in rows of 14, which will yield about three rows per cake, enough to get a good impression of the color run of that cake.

The “First Cake”

  • Yarn is Big Twist Freelance, color Purple Red Orange Multi.
  • One cake yielded 43 hexagons on the original TURTLE Loom R-regular.
  • I wove off the cake, but I cut the yarn to make solid colored hexagons, except for some white/purple sections where the colors just changed too frequently.
  • Leftover yarn ends that I cut out be fore color changes will make nice tassels.
  • The yarn is fun to work with, but it changes sometimes from thinner and shiny to slightly thicker/puffier and dull. Those changes do not affect the weaving, though.
  • Based on the yield of one cake (43 hexagons) I plan the blanket to have 3 rows for each color with 14 hexagons per row. The spare hexagon is saved in case another color is one short, or it will be used in another patchwork project.
  • I did block my work, because a reviewer of the yarn had shared the concern that the yarn bleeds. I do not detect any color bleeding in my piece.

The next color – randomly selected – will be “Blue Green Multi”, which is a nice combination of wintry pastel colors.

I’m excited to see how this will work out.

Will you join in this year? What are your plans for a no-stress patchwork project?

Travel Turtle ’22 en Route to First Destination

Posted on by texasgabi

Travel Turtle ’22 is all packed up and on its way to Gilbert, Arizona, a small farm town that grew into a city on the outskirts of Phoenix. There, it will meet our first host Terry, a dedicated fiber enthusiast.

January host Terry is an indie dyer by profession, and her hobbies include knitting, spinning, and art weaving. Terry has been pin loom weaving for long enough that she doesn’t remember when and how it started. And yes, she has woven on TURTLEs before and has several fine-sett hexagon looms in her collection, and Squares, too. When asked what she’s made with those looms so far she replies:

“Mostly I have been experimenting with all the different yarns, including some of my hand dyed yarns.  It’s fascinating to see how the squares and hexagons work up different when you change yarns.
I am currently working on making enough elongated hexagons to do a scarf or cowl of some sort.  The way I work my projects is to collect a lot of the pieces and let them tell me what they want to be.
The best part of using the Turtle looms is that I make one piece and something is completed, a finished piece. I get instant gratification by making one hexagon.”

  • Experimenting with different yarns.
  • One of Terry’s shawl designs.
  • WIP in progress!
  • A piece of art: Tea cozy.

Asked about her plans for TT’s visit Terry contemplates that she is still thinking about it (but there are already rumors that she might engage her husband in some small sightseeing around Gilbert):
“I have some wonderful small skeins of worsted weight yarn that I have been stashing in great colors.  Since this will be my first experience with a regular sett loom, I want to make as many hexagons as I can, and then let them become something more grown up over the next year.”

I think we are now ALL looking forward to following along! Terry will be reporting TT’22s travel adventures directly through her Instagram account, you can follow her here: Spinfiber on Instagram. Also, look for hashtag #travelturtleloom2022 on other social media.

Last not least, I certainly felt happy to have Charlene around to help with the travel preparations …

  • Charlene has been a tremendous help in getting everything ready.
  • All packed up and ready to go!
  • Charlene?? Charlene!!! No, no, no! Not you, too!
  • Pouting does not help.
  • Remember that you will have your own story to tell soon?
  • Good Charlene!

Travel Turtle ’22: Announcing the First Host

Posted on by texasgabi

Congratulations!
Terry Neal from Gilbert, Arizona
will be our first host, for the month of January!

Our new mascot Charlene instantly started to help Travel Turtle to learn a little bit about Arizona, while I work on travel arrangements … it is all very exciting.

The interest in hosting Turtle has exceeded our expectations … if your name didn’t get drawn, please follow along Turtle’s journey, and we hope that you will sign up again for hosting Turtle in upcoming months.

In a few days we will share a little bit about our January host and also report about Travel Turtle’s departure … stay tuned …

2022 Travel Turtle Adventure

Posted on by texasgabi

Let’s work on some fun, good times for 2022! We made a one-of-a-kind TinyTURTLE that we will send on its way to travel across the United States this year. And you can become part of the adventure! Here’s how …

The Plan

  • Every month, the Travel Turtle 2022 will visit a new pin loom weaver.
  • The “Travel Turtle host” will be determined via a random drawing every month.
  • The “Travel Turtle host” will at least weave one hexagon (but make as many as you want), post at least one picture during that month (but post as many as you want), autograph the travel host page in the instructions booklet, and then send the Travel Turtle off to it’s next destination.

How It Works

  • Each end of the month we will hold a signup here on the blog to enter to win to be the next host.
  • You do not have to be a TURTLE customer, and you can be new to pin loom weaving, as long as you are willing to learn (we’ll help!)
  • The loom is not for keeping … the loom will travel all year and (hopefully) come back to Texas in the end. If you’re a host, we’d like to ask that in the interest of all you’ll do your very best to take good care of the Travel Turtle. If something happens (lost, stolen, damaged) you are not held responsible, though. We’ll work on our end to keep the adventure going, if possible.
  • The first year’s adventure is limited to hosts in the United States … we’ll see if we can manage international shipping time in the future.
  • TT22 will visit a state more than once! If you live in a state that TT22 has already visited, NO PROBLEM!
  • The Travel Turtle 2022 kit includes a unique TinyTURTLE “R” for worsted weight yarn, a locker hook weaving tool, and an instructions booklet. The new TURTLE mascot Charlene that’s in the picture (from our Little Looms Spring 2022 ad) will not travel along … she will be busy telling her own story later this month.
  • Paying for shipping to the next host … if you wish to help with that, fine. But we’ve set a budget aside to pay for it, so no worries … you can participate as a host either way.
  • Yarn … any worsted weight yarn is fine. If you don’t have any, we’ll work it out when your name is drawn.
  • Sharing on social media … Yes, please! I suggest hashtag #travelturtleloom2022 to make it easy for others to follow the adventure. Positive, on topic vibes only, please … if you have any problems or concerns, please contact us directly.
  • We will moderate the travel adventure through the turtleloom blog (I suggest that you sign up to be notified about new blog posts).
  • Our travel map shows where TT22 has been. As the host, please send in a hexagon, woven on TT22. Please note that throughout the year it is ok to have more than one host in the same state.

This is indeed an adventure, but I hope that it will be fun for many, and that you will all enjoy following the journey. Since this is the first time we’re doing this, please ask any questions that you may have, and I’ll update the information on this blog if needed.

Ready, Set, Enter for January!

If you would like to be the first host for the month of January, leave a comment on this blog, indicating that you are interested in becoming the January host for Travel Turtle. Enter before Tuesday, 01/04/2022 6pm US CT. We’ll use random.org to determine the winner. I’ll contact the winner, and when everything is set, the first journey will be announced here on the blog.

2021 No-Stress Patchwork Project … Concluded

Posted on by texasgabi

How has 2021 worked out for you? Quite a roller coaster, wasn’t it? But here we are.

My 2021 no-stress patchwork project has been repurposed to become a regular project . I’ve enjoyed weaving up single skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and I still have one and a half skeins to go. I will keep it “no stress”, weave up the remaining yarn for more hexagons to join the 200+ that I have so far. Then … I think those hexagons will become a “cape blanket”: A round blanket with an opening along the radius, so that it can be worn like a cape.

With that, my “official” 2021 projects turned into one-weavie coasters! These coasters are also meant as an encouragement to those of you who had big plans this year, but then life happened. Whatever you have, and even if it is just one weavie, call it your 2021 project and enjoy!

What about 2022? Another no-stress patchwork project … absolutely! I will start by putting together sample hexagons from yarns that I tried out, and leftover hexagons from some projects.

But there has also been increased interest in doing more temperature blankets. If you would like to learn more about that, consider joining us on Facebook (any pin loom is fine!)

2022 promises to become a good pin loom weaving year with lots of inspiration. This will be the first year with four (!) Little Looms publications, and each of them will contain at least one hexagon pin loom project. The first one might already be in your mailbox, so fasten your seatbelts!

It’s Here: TexaTURTLE in Fine Sett

Posted on by texasgabi

We’re doing a “Quick Release” to give this loom the best chance possible to be with you for the holidays.
Shipping speed and timely delivery cannot be guaranteed, that is out of our control. But we can get the first batch on its way asap.

You can buy the loom in our Etsy store: TexaTURTLE™ Hexagon Pin Loom Kit – 6″ F – for Fingering/Sock Weight Yarn

If the looms are sold out, you can sign up to be notified on Etsy so that you will know right away when we list more. Please note that the sign-up features is not available on the Etsy app. Just go to the shop through a browser app.

The TexaTURTLE™ is currently the largest TURTLE, measuring about 6″ side to side. The loom kit ships as usual with everything you need: The loom, weaving tools (Afghan crochet hook, 8″ weaving needle, packing comb), and instructions.

Just add yarn! The fine sett pin spacing allows you to use thinner yarns of sock/fingering weight. Yarns with a knitting gauge of 24-28 sts/4″ typically work well. Like all of our fine sett looms, the weaving results in a fabric with about 10 epi (ends per inch).

A note about the larger amount of yarn that is needed to weave the center section (about 6.4 yards):

  • Default TURTLE method: Wrap the full amount of yarn (11 times for the TexaTURTLE F, see stamp on loom back), then weave back and forth as usual. In the beginning you will have a lot of yarn to pull through, though!
  • Partial weave: Wrap 6 times and weave up the yarn. Then wrap a little bit more than the remaining 5 times and weave the remaining part. For the first row, overlap the the new and old yarn by weaving one row where both yarns have the same over/under movement, “sharing the same shed”.)
  • Use the weaving method as shown for the Janus hexagons (just all in one color). We plan to provide photo-guided instructions that will show how to use the method on the TexaTURTLE F here on the blog.

There is no locker hook option for this loom. Aluminum hooks that long won’t be sturdy enough to stay straight. If you like to use a locker hook and don’t mind weaving the longer rows in sections, the 2.75mm locker hook (6.5″ long) works for all TURTLE fine-sett looms.

Ready, set, loom! We’re looking forward to seeing your creations!

Black Friday at the Woolery

Posted on by texasgabi

I love traditional Black Friday sales … well, except standing in line at 3 am in the cold rain (which – for the records – I never did). Therefore I was really excited when the Woolery chose to take on another TURTLE loom and celebrate that with a Black Friday deal!

I assume you don’t have much time to read at the moment, so here is everything in a nutshell:

I made a sample project with this yarn, a Super Easy Sock Yarn Cowl, and recorded a project walk-through that shows how to make it:

You can find written instructions for the cowl on the original blog post for the Super-Easy Sock Yarn Cowl.

I also want to show that many patterns that work on one TURTLE loom will work on another TURTLE loom. I used the Elf Basket from last year’s 12 Fiber Gift of Christmas at the Woolery as showcase. For the sample I used URTH Uneek Cotton yarn:

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving ... 
I'm thankful that I can share my love for weaving with people like you.

Raffia Danish Medallions Ornaments

Posted on by texasgabi

Oh, the bliss! Easy Weaving with Little Looms Holiday 2021 is here!

It is showtime for the TURTLE Elongon 2″ R in this issue, with Edith’s adorable Foxy Birch Blanket in one of her favorite yarns, Blue Sky Fiber Woolstok, and my Painted Pillow, in one of my favorite “doodle” yarns Noro Kureyon.

And there is so much more (including my article about joining pin loom squares, may the TURTLEs forgive me)! Get the printed copy right here, or check out the digital or subscription offers directly from Long Thread Media.

But because this is a “holiday” issue, we also decided to treat you to a free project, as it was announced in our advertisement: The Raffia Danish Medallions Ornaments are an interesting way to explore a classic hand-manipulated weaving method that looks great on both sides.

Universal Yarn’s Yashi raffia is the perfect fiber for the ornaments, because it creates an instant stiffened fabric that stays flat without further treatment.

The ornaments are designed so that once you take them off the loom, they are (almost) ready to go onto the tree.

Get your Original TURTLE Loom “R”, then download the pattern and have a wonderful time!

20210923-RaffiaBaubleOrnament-V10Download

Harvest Hues Winner

Posted on by texasgabi

It was so much fun to read the comments! Cat toy (with catnip or … a bell!) seems to be the most popular suggestion, but dish scrubby (Hobby Lobby carries the hedgehog scrubby holders again this year!), acorn, pin cushion (good one), gnome (yes, we really should have another gnome), pumpkin , dryer ball (hmm … haven’t made one of those yet), shower loofah (yass!), potpourri sachet, soap sack, pot scrubber, or hacky sack. All of the above would work! Click on the links to see some examples.

But before we go any farther, let’s congratulate Melinda Crittenden on winning the skein of I Love This Cotton in Harvest Hues! Melinda, check your messages for some more information.

The project in the picture is a little sponge puff, made of the leftovers from the one skein of “I Love This Cotton” that I used to make the Leaf Pile Hand Towel.

When I weave hexagons, I measure start and end tails as recommended in the instructions, so that I have enough yarn to sew the hexagons together. This does leave clip ends that can be used as stuffing for something, or to make a “leave no ends behind” hexagon: Just knot the clippings together and weave away! It will be fun and funky, and is very functional.

I also had enough of the cotton to weave one more “normal” hexagon, and while the lavender sachets are extremely popular and the idea for a soap sachet invites itself because of the cotton yarn, I wanted to do something different.

I decided to make a little sponge puff: Sew the two hexagons together along five sides with simple whip stitch. Get a sponge pouf made of netting (or any other type of netting, even some plastic produce netting will do). Clip the thread that holds the netting puff together, then stuff the hexagon pouch as desired. Cut the netting (depending on the pouf, you will be able to make 2-4 sponge puffs). Close the remaining side of the sponge puff.


It feels soft to the skin, will lather soap nicely, and it will dry out reasonably well after each use.

Happy fall weaving!

Leaf Pile Hand Towel

Posted on by texasgabi

I had some “yarn research” to do at Hobby Lobby last week, and I discovered a new color of “I Love This Cotton” named Harvest Hues (362) … what an inspiration to ring in fall crafting!

This cotton yarn works perfectly on all “regular” TURTLE hexagon looms, and the Original R was at hand, so I started weaving right away.

As with all variegated yarns, each hexagon will look differently so that you always want to know what the next one will look like. The smooth and soft yarn is therapy to the hands as you work with it. No surprise, the one ball that I bought wove up quickly.

The stack of hexagons started to look like a pile of leaves.

Laying them out randomly, it turned out that 24 hexagons make a great hand towel for kitchen or bath. Just about one ball of yarn!

The towel is worked sideways. Use this chart to randomly layout your “leaves”.

Use mattress or whip stitch to join hexagons into rows.

Use whip stitch to connect the rows with each other.

The finished towel measures about 21″ x 16″ before washing.

Crochet a hanger at the top of the towel as follows:

  • Join the yarn with a slip stitch in the corner of the top hexagon.
  • Work a single crochet stitch into each yarn turn along the edge (7 sts).
  • Chain 10.
  • Turn, and close the loop with a slip stitch into the first sc. Cut yarn. Weave in all ends.

Are you ready for fall? Happy fall, all y’all and a GIVEAWAY!

Let’s have a little fun: To celebrate fall crafting, we’re giving away one ball of “I Love This Yarn” in 362 Harvest Hues (Just the yarn, no loom), enough to weave one hand towel, three dishcloths, or make anything else your heart desires. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post … what do you think is the project shown in the top left corner of the following picture? Post by Wednesday, September 8, 2021, midnight CDT! Mr. Random will determine a winner, which will be announced Thursday morning after 10 am CDT.

Six Ways to Make Half Hexagons

Posted on by texasgabi

If you put multiple hexagons together to make a project, you may notice that the edgings are in most cases not straight, but more or less zig zag. While this can be a nice design element, there are times where you just want to have that “straight line”. This is where half hexagons come to the rescue, to fill in the gaps. But … why six ways?

As with hexagons, half hexagons also have their own geometry story to tell. For example, there are two ways to half a hexagon:

Hexagon A folds along the longest diameter, which makes a shape that is shown here. We call it Hexagon A, because it seems to be the more commonly used half hexagon form in fiber arts.

Hexagon B folds along a side of a hexagon, which makes a shape that is shown here.

You can weave these two shapes of half hexagons in different ways:

  • Weave a full hexagon and then fold it in half. It’s not cheating! This approach can add strength to a border where you want it, for example around a blanket or for a garment opening, like the front of the Hope vest.
  • Weave half hexagons on your TURTLE loom and use a tool to bridge the missing side. This is a great when you need a small number of half hexagons to complete a design, for example for the Wings Shawl.
  • Use a TURTLE half hexagon loom. Having a special half hexagon loom for weaving comfort makes sense when you want to make projects that require a lot of half hexagons.  The first half hexagon looms will become available in 2022.

Two ways to half a hexagon, three methods to weave them … six ways to make half hexagons!

This blog includes instructions for weaving the two forms of half hexagons on current TURTLE looms. The weaving method is the same on all TURTLE looms, no matter how big or small your loom is, or if it’s regular or fine sett, or if you are weaving regular or elongated hexagons.

Download the guide to weaving half hexagons on TURTLE hexagon pin looms:

20210625-GuideToWeavingHalfHexagons-V10Download

There are many more stories to tell about half hexagons, and we will do so here on this blog, over time. Sign up to be notified about new blog posts so that you don’t miss anything!

All rights reserved. Contact us if you have any questions.

Did you find the bonus treat?

Weaving A Triangle On The Square Loom

Posted on by texasgabi

Weaving fellow Deborah Carpenter Bagley recently started a “2021 Mystery Weave Along – Quilt Edition” in the Facebook Pin Loom Weaving Support Group. It’s a three week weave along towards a small quilt-style project, made of triangles and squares that can be woven on any pin loom(s) that make those shapes.

I decided to participate in this relaxing event. I chose the Square 2″ F-fine sett loom that weaves up quickly, and some Paintbox Cotton 4-ply yarn from my bucket with yarns that I want to sample. Deborah offers 2 – 4 color options, and I chose the two color option to keep it doable as a small project aside.

Weaving a triangle on a square loom with equidistant pins (pins are distributed evenly along the sides) is like weaving a continuous strand triangle … all you need is a spare needle along the hypothenuse (the longest side of the triangle) to support the weaving process.

While there are many, good instructions for that type of triangle weaving available on the Internet, I received several requests from fellow pin loom weavers who wanted to see a triangle woven on the Square loom. For all of you who asked …

Weaving squares goes fast, and weaving triangles goes faster. No surprise that the desire to weave more is taking shape. Deborah’s three color version might make a seasonally timely “red, white, and blue” theme, and the four color version makes me think of Amish-style quilting …

You can still join the weave along on Facebook. Great opportunity to practice your new triangle weaving skills. See you there!

(S)Watch This!

Posted on by texasgabi

One useful application of pin loom weaving is that you can test a new yarn for weave-ability in just minutes. It will not replace proper sampling for a project, but it is a quick way to find out what a yarn looks and feels like when it is woven, and it provides an instant piece of cloth for blocking.

Take for example this collection of scrumptiousness, which was part of my haul from this year’s Yellow Rose Fiber Fiesta where I “discovered” Winterstrom Ranch, a full service mill, with an intriguing variety of yarns in different blends, weights, and colors.

For my sampling, I used the Original TURTLE Loom™ R-regular (about 7.25 epi) for the thicker weight yarns, and the Original TURTLE Loom™ F-fine-sett (about 10 epi) for the lighter yarns.

My conclusion is that all yarns weave up and block beautifully.
The yarns have only little stretch, perfect for weaving. The yarns are smooth and not stiff.
I wove a hexagon each and sewed them together into a flower shape prior to blocking, just for fun. I blocked in cold water with a little bit Eucalan, for about 20 minutes. All fibers gently fulled, minimal shrinking, all color fast.

But see for yourself!
Winterstrom Ranch is one of the vendors at the CHT 2021 Conference Marketplace this weekend …

Swatch … Always …

A Fiber Runs Through It

Posted on by texasgabi

The theme of the CHT conference 2021 is “A Fiber Runs Through It”. It reminds of the river walk that meanders through San Antonio, TX, but it also inspires to think of fibers and how they “run” through our weaving.

This post shows a quick project that was inspired by the theme: A little lavender puff with small pieces of fiber randomly running through it.

The project uses fibers that will be available from vendors at the CHT Marketplace!

The puff front is woven of a Windmill Crest Farms custom blend alpaca yarn Trilogy ( 75% Alpaca, 15% Bamboo, and 5% Silk waste) in strawberry pink. The back is woven of Morning Glory/Titan (80% Alpaca, 20% Bamboo), a marled yarn in natural colors that weaves up into a cloth with a vivid effect. Both yarns are fingering weight that weave up beautifully on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in fine-sett.

The “fiber that runs through it” is organic Texas cotton sliver from Conserving Threads, who offers a wide variety of natural fibers.

Weave the lavender puff hexagons:
– Following the loom instructions, weave one hexagon in Morning Glory/Titan for the back.
– Start weaving the front hexagon in Trilogy until you switch to weaving back and forth.
– Prepare 4-5 sliver pieces (see below) and weave them in randomly:

Prepare the sliver pieces:
– Pull an end of sliver off the rope, about 3″ long.
– Split that end into 2-3 pieces.
– Gently twist each piece, so that it doesn’t fall apart when handled.

Use a crochet hook to gently pull a piece through the shed from the previous row. Continue weaving, pack well.

Each front will look unique! When finished, lift the hexagon off the loom.

Sew the puff:
– Turn the front hexagon. The “right” side will be the side without ends. This will lock in the sliver pieces and prevent fraying.
– Put front and back hexagons on top of each other – wrong sides facing – and use the tails to sew along five sides (use simple whip stitch).
– No need to turn.

Stuff the puff:
– Use a small amount of stuffing (we used polyfil, but you could even use some of the leftover cotton sliver).
– Add about a teaspoon of dried lavender flowers to the center of the stuffing and fold close.
– Insert the stuffing into the puff and close the remaining sides.

Give a lavender puff to a friend. Put one under your pillow.
Gently squish the puff to release more lavender aroma.
Enjoy!

Come Visit Us at the CHT Conference!

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All TURTLEs are busy preparing for an appearance at this year’s Contemporary Handweavers of Texas conference in San Antonio, TX. The great news is that the vendor market will be open to the public, so anyone can come!

We will not just bring all TURTLEs, but also exhibit some of the projects that have not been on display before, including the Wings shawlette, the Indian Blanket flower afghan, and the Hope vest. There will be more on display, as space allows … let us know if you want us to bring any other specific project that you’d like to see!

Besides the TURTLEs, we will have all currently in print Little Looms magazines available for purchase, as well as the current Handwoven May/June 2021, SpinOff Summer 2021, and PieceWork Summer 2021 (all published by Long Thread Media).

The hours for the Vendor Hall (Grand Ballroom E and F) are:
Thursday     4 pm – 7 pm
Friday 11 am – 5:30 pm  AND  7:30 pm – 9:30 pm (“Moonlight Madness”)
Saturday 10 am – 12 noon  AND  1:30 pm – 7 pm

Make it a road trip … the conference offers free access to the remarkable CHT weaving exhibit, which is an awesome opportunity to get inspired by an exquisite variety of masterly handwoven treasures. And if you have not been to San Antonio before, add a visit to the historic Alamo (One of the tour guides is a fellow pin loom weaver … ask for Laurel!) and the River Walk.

While exercising good COVID habits (wearing masks and cleaning hands and tools frequently), we will have a sample table to try out the TURTLEs, and we will be there to answer any questions that you may have.

As simple as that … hope to see you, soon!

Happy World Turtle Day!

Posted on by texasgabi

This year’s World Turtle Day (May 23, 2021) is presented to you by Shelldon and Shellington, who are both creations of fellow pin loom weaver Susan Pihl.

Susan wrote recently that she was inspired by our turtle mascot Charlie, the first ever stuffed turtle project that we made, using the only TURTLE loom that was available at the time, the Original TURTLE Loom™ for worsted weight yarn.

Now that our hexagon pin looms come in multiple sizes, Susan used several to make her own turtle … meet Shelldon!

As it is the nature of stuffed turtles, you can’t just have one turtle, so Shelldon quickly got a friend, Shellington.

Here’s a brief anatomy of (or you could say instructions for) Shelldon and Shellington. All credits go to Susan, with a big thank you for sharing!
Susan used Loops & Threads Impeccable on regular sett TURTLE looms:

– The body is made of two Original TURTLE Loom hexagons, sewn together and gently stuffed.
– The head is made of two TinyTURTLE™ hexagons, sewn together and gently stuffed.
– The front flippers are made of TinyTURTLE hexagons, folded in half.
– The back flippers are single hexagons woven on the BabyTURTLE™.
– Join all pieces as shown in the picture.

Susan used small black beads for Shelldon’s eyes and French Knots for Shellington’s: Work one eye, then stitch through the head to work the other eye, holding the yarn in a little bit, which adds a touch of perfect shaping to the head.

Shelldon and Shellington are best buddies and decided to decorate with TURTLE looms this year, to celebrate their favorite holiday, World Turtle Day.

Mishell prefers to watch the events from the sideline, resting comfortably on her turtle pad.

We understand that not all turtles can be woven, but they can still celebrate! Vogue street fashion has it that this year it is “in” to “wear” a turtle loom if you are not made of woven hexagons.

Whether you consider to make a Charlie, or a Shelldon, or your own creation, we all hope that you will have a wonderful World Turtle Day!

Photo credits, except the “Charlie” project photo, Susan Pihl. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Did you make a turtle? Send us a picture, and we’ll add it here to the Turtle Gallery:

  • “Stress free weaving” turtle by Donna B.
  • Freddie’s turtle by Michele R.

Designing with Hexagons – Going 3D (Part 2)

Posted on by texasgabi

Ready for more 3D? Handwoven posted the next blog article about designing with hexagons … Part 2 of Going 3D covers sharing hexagons between layers, fun ways to gain volume and change width, and a few handy tips.

Read the article: Designing with Hexagons: Going 3D (Part 2)

For your convenience, here is a list of all projects mentioned in the article.
Please note that if you are now a subscriber to Little Looms magazine, you will have access to all projects that were published in previous issues!

Forget-Me-Not Pillow
Cocoa Bear, in Little Looms Holiday 2020
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 20180929_163151_resized.jpgAspen Clutch, in Little Looms 2019
20180512_123357_resized (2)Grape Table Topper, in Little Looms 2018
IMG_3494Grape Pillow
Stuffed Toys A Sheep and a Pig Hexagon Pin Loom image 2Stuffed Pig Toy
Flower Power Emoji Meter
GVt 22nd century hat22nd Century Hat
sloth GVTWell, you already know him, but here’s the link again …
Take it Like a Sloth!

Go ahead, go 3D!

Dreams Come True

Posted on by texasgabi

I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to take these pictures for years …

When we first moved to Texas more than a decade ago, I was inspired by seeing the Indian Summer Blanket wild flowers in this little field. A real blanket like this would be awesome … “I want to make this!”

It took many trials and errors to find a way to express the shape of the blooms, and in the end, hexagons were the answer.
I sampled many yarns, because I wanted the colors to be as close as possible to the “real thing”. I found Scheepjes Catona, a cool summer cotton, that seemed perfect for the purpose. It comes in over 100 colors, including shades that were close.

Then … the opportunity to make the blanket for Easy Weaving with Little Looms Summer 2020.

Finally, this spring, the Indian Summer Blanket flowers are blooming again, and Texas weather is at it’s best. The blanket that looks and feels like a field of Indian Summer Blanket flowers … in the field that provided the inspiration.

Never give up on ideas that inspire you.
Dreams come true.

The Hope Vest

Posted on by texasgabi

It has been a great privilege to tell the story of Diana and Handspun Hope in Handwoven May/June 2021. A story of “stepping up” to help widows and orphans in Rwanda. A story of building a way to live in peace, with food and shelter. And a story of reaching out to the rest of the world, through fiber.

It is our wish that the Hope Vest will encourage weavers to explore the all natural, handmade fibers from this country far away. See and feel the pride that the women in Rwanda put into their work.
You can call it a weaving adventure in may ways, filled with hope for a better life.

Handspun Hope provides three lines of beautiful yarns: Ethiopian Handspun Cotton (top left), a precious Angora and Merino Blend (top right, used for the Hope Vest), and Organic Merino Wool that comes in different weights (bottom left in worsted, bottom right in bulky) . Visit Handspun Hope online to learn more and shop these yarns.

The project guide for this vest is available on the Handspun Hope website: Buy the pattern.

Weave the magic, share your thoughts!

Honey, It’s A Spring Wreath!

Posted on by texasgabi

I happen to spot hexagons almost everywhere (and I hear you all laughing!) Therefore it is no surprise that the “beeing kind” spring theme at JoAnn Fabrics pulled me right in. A laser cut wooden honeycomb décor caught my eye: Those holes needed fabric … woven hexagons! Conveniently, JoAnn Fabrics also carries Lion Brand’s Bonbon yarn minis which are perfect for hexagon pin loom weaving, so a pack of “601 Nature”, a honeycomb wood décor, and I checked out the store minutes later.

The TinyTURTLE™ hexagon pin loom in fine-sett is the perfect weaving companion to weave the “bonbon” cotton and create hexagons that are exactly the right size to cover the hexagon shapes in the wooden template.

Feeling inspired? Read on for instructions!

I decided to only fill the full hexagon shapes on the wooden template (16).
I wove a bunch of hexagons and moved them around until I liked the looks: With the colors at hand I simulated the looks of a honey comb, and the hexagon shapes behind “leaves” would be backed with green. The pink and purples would serve as flower centers (5).

Go ahead and create your own, or follow along to make what I made!

For extra fun, I used all colors. For the honeycomb I wove:
(2) natural
(6) light yellow
(3) beige
(2) brown
Add (3) green hexagons for the leaves areas.
Use the photo to join the hexagons. Hexagons to rows first, then rows to rows will work best.

Great assembly practice, and the seams don’t have to be pretty, because they will be covered by the wooden template!

I stapled the sewn hexagon patch to the back of the wooden template.
Note: Don’t press the stapler too hard, because otherwise – even with 6mm staples – the ends may show through (if that happens, just pull the staple back with a knife carefully). You can also hot glue the hexagon patch in place.

For the flower centers I wove:
(2) pink
(1) lavender
(2) purple
Weave in the ends.

  • Adding the flower centers: Insert crochet hook from top to back. Catch two center strings of the hexagon.
  • Pull hexagon center through to the wrong side.
  • Staple or glue the center to the back of the wooden template.
  • Gently shape the flower center.

PS: There is still plenty of time to finish this project in time for Mother’s Day.
PSS: I left the wooden template untreated, but you could lacquer it or even paint it for additional effect.
PSSS: As of this writing (4/24/2021) all place & time items are 50% off at JoAnn’s.
PSSSS: I’m really done now. Thank you for reading!

Enjoy making it! Enjoy decorating with it!

Earth Day 2021

Posted on by texasgabi

The idea started yesterday when I was reading an article by Handwoven editor Susan Horton, “WIFs for Earth Day Weaving”, with a call to plan or weave a project that’s good for the planet.

I realized that If I make one hexagon every day until Earth Day (April 22, 2021), I will have seven hexagons to make a flower table topper! I will use this post to track the daily progress on my earth friendly weaving for the week to come …

For Day 1 I raided my yarn ends bowl, which yielded just enough to make my first hexagon … the classic “Leave no ends behind” hexagon, edition 2021.

For Day 2 I decided to try a new yarn. Lion Brand features a “Sustainable Stitching” yarn collection, and I was curious to try out their “Just Hemp” (100% hemp) yarn. It is a 5-Bulky weight yarn, but it weaves up nicely into a dense fabric on the Original TURTLE Loom™ R – regular. I recommend using a locker hook for the weaving and packing after each row.

Day 3 is a recycle day, using pretty ribbons that remind of blissful chocolates.
Use a locker hook and take your time for the weaving. Skip pins as needed to accommodate the thicker ribbon.
Day 3 derailed a little bit … once I took the hexagon off the loom … it looked like a holiday ornament, so that’s what it turned into: My first holiday gift for 2021 is done.
Will have to make up a day for the Earth Day flower …

Day 4: To compensate for yesterday’s repurposed hexagon, I chose to weave two hexagons today, of different Berroco yarns: Remix Light, which has been one of my favorite, 100% recycled yarns for years, and the new Chai, which with 56% linen and 44% silk deserves to be called a sustainable yarn. Both yarns get two thumbs up for weaving on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in fine-sett!

Day 5: Feedbag ties come in handy when you need something thin and strong to tie something. But those ties also weave very well! For today’s recycle hexagon I held two strands of ties together, which creates a nice basket weave on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in fine-sett. Extra bonus for having more than one color!

For Day 6 I consulted my yarn sample basket once again, and Lion Brand’s shiny Nuboo won the “pick me!” contest. Made of sustainable 100% Lyocell (bamboo pulp), Nuboo is listed as worsted weight. However, the yarn is more on the thinner side and very smooth: It weaves up beautifully – with a great sheen and drape – on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in fine-sett.

For Day 7 I wove “plarn”, plastic yarn, a rather popular way to recycle plastic bags. About half a bag from an 8-pack of HEB hamburger buns, cut into 1/2″ strips, is sufficient to weave one hexagon on the Original TURTLE Loom™ R – regular. Take your time, weave loosely, and skip a pin or two as needed. Weave in the ends anywhere back into the hexagon and use a different yarn for sewing.

And here is the Earth Day Flower! … Table topper, wall hanging, backyard yarn bombing, …

I hope you feel inspired by the things you’ve seen. Earth friendly doesn’t mean that it has to look cheap or won’t be any fun. There is no need to suffer or miss out on anything. We have so many options these days that living earth friendly every day is very possible and does not have to be a burden.

When the Easter Bunny Steals the Elf Basket …

Posted on by texasgabi

Remember the Efl Baskets? It only takes a few more steps to turn that pattern into an Easter bunny basket … and more …

You can never have enough baskets (particularly those that hold treats). To make your next basket, try the Elongon™ 2″ R-regular loom (because that will give you extra tippy ears). You will need about 20 yards of yarn. I used a variety of Caron Simply Soft, Caron Cakes, and Caron Latte Cakes yarns. Leftovers are awesome for this project!

Follow the instructions for the Elf Basket: Start weaving the “ear” color (I used off white), then weave the stripes in any contrasting color that you’d like. Fold two tips on opposing sites and sew them into place with just a few stitches. These sides will be the back and the front of the bunny. The remaining two sides have the tips which are now the bunny ears!

Add a pompom tail (wrap yarn around 2 fingers 20 times and tie off and trim; or use a store bought pompom). For the eyes, I used 12 mm safety eyes (or embroider, use buttons, or felt). Two leftover ends of yarn may serve as whiskers.

Adding handles is optional … Join two strands of yarn in one corner. Crochet about 25 chain stitches. Slip stitch into the next corner (on a side with a “ear”). Fasten off.

And who is this? Easter … Yoda?!

For a Yoda-style basket, weave two hexagons like for the Elf basket, and two hexagons in solid green (these will be the “face” and the back of the head). Assemble the basket as usual.

Flip and sew the tips of the solid hexagons.
Hold in the “ears” with an extra piece of yarn and shape into style. Add eyes … fill with your favorite candy … all year long!

Happy Easter!

Wings

Posted on by texasgabi

The “Wings” shawl shown in a recent Handwoven Reader’s Gallery article comes with a special story … please allow me to share …

Fellow pin loom weaver Carolien and I like to go yarn shopping together … virtually, since we live a few thousand miles apart. Two years ago on her birthday, Carolien visited “Stephen and Penelope” in Amsterdam, and “we” bought a skein of Qing Fibre Merino Singles.

The yarn created a fabric as light as a feather, and I decided to make a shawl. When I needed a little bit more yarn, I took my inspiration from Stephen West’s love for bold colors and unusual shapes, very much stepping out of my comfort zone.

The finished shawl felt perfect. I decided to name it “Wings”, reminding of long distance friendships without borders. Wings that envelop the wearer with soft and gentle comfort. Wings that free.

It was a precious moment when I was able to show the finished shawl to Stephen during a knitting event and share the story with him. Perfectly Stephen, he did not hesitate to model the shawl. (Thank you, Stephen, you rock!)

Last not least, Wings encouraged me to enter new territory and have it professionally photographed. I’m a big fan of Gale Zucker … The way she saw Wings through her camera lens is second to none. Thank you, Gale Zucker, let this just be the beginning!

Ready to make your own Wings?

The hexagons are woven on the Elongon 2″ fine-sett TURTLE loom. The shawl requires one skein of Qing Fibre Merino Single in Cuttlefish and added accents are worked in small amounts of Chaos Fiber Co Tonal Elite Sock in Hot Green and Purple Pop (the latter is also used to crochet the border).

Follow this chart to layout and assemble your “Wings” shawl:

The observant weaver will notice that the design includes four half hexagons … do not worry, by the time you will get to weaving those … you will find the instructions right here on this blog!

Happy birthday, Carolien!

Designing with Hexagons – Going 3D (Part 1)

Posted on by texasgabi

The next article from the “Designing with Hexagons” series is now available on the Handwoven website. The title is “Going 3D”, and the article will come in two parts, because there is so much to tell about making things with “just hexagons”.

Read the article now:
Designing with Hexagons: Going 3D (Part 1)

We hope that you will enjoy the article and find it useful.

“Do you have instructions for those projects?” – Yes, we do, for most of them. Here is a list of links …

Sloth
Bear Ornament
Flower Petals (just follow
the instructions in the article
and use as shown).
Turtle Mascot
Mouse
Pickle Ornament
Motorbike
Amulet Pouch
Coin Purse
Paint Drop Toss Game
Coming soon …

The Lozenges Scarf – A Bias Study Project

Posted on by texasgabi

If you have that one skein of precious, beautiful worsted weight yarn, here is a project suggestion for you … You can use the bias fabric feature, as it is described in the article “Designing with Hexagons: Basic Concepts”, to stretch your one skein supply and make a cool scarf on your TexaTURTLE loom!

Here is how it goes: Weave up your skein into hexagons, then watch the following video that shows you how to connect hexagons on the bias for maximum stretch:

The Lozenges Scarf as shown is made of 14 TexaTURTLE hexagons and results in a scarf that is about 80″ long, unstretched. You can adjust the length by using more or fewer hexagons.

Wear your scarf wrapped twice or three times for volume, open as “duster” accessory, double for a warming and decorative effect.

You can use different TURTLE looms and yarns, too … the first Lozenges Scarf was actually featured by Cocoa Bear in the Little Looms Holiday 2020 magazine. That scarf was woven on the TinyTURTLE fine-sett loom, using sock yarn.

Struggling with joining hexagons? This project is great “first time” joining exercise that is as easy as it can get. Watch stitch-by-stitch instructions here:

Go ahead and give the Lozenges Scarf a try! Easy to make, lots to learn, fun to enjoy.

TURTLE customer Lynne B. made this TexaTURTLE scarf earlier this year (see her comments below). While the joining direction for her hexagons is random, the scarf turned out to be lovely! And … don’t miss those humongous pompoms! Brava, Lynne!
(photos posted with permission)

Thank you, Lynne for sharing!

Lozenges Scarf, wrapped around a tree, showing stretched and un-stretched hexagons.

Turtles are Back!

Posted on by texasgabi

After an “interesting” week of rolling blackouts, frozen water pipes, and cold coffee, we are very happy to say that all turtles made it safely through this record breaking winter weather in Texas. There’s still cleanup and repair work that needs to be done, but we will start shipping and making looms again.

Thank you, all, for the many kind words and comments that we received!

Turtle Will Go Hibernate for a Little While …

Posted on by texasgabi

Long story short, Texas is in an extremely cold and long stretch of winter weather, and our workshop has no heating. If “winter” is just a couple of days, as usual, we can make up for that time, but right now it looks like there won’t be any lacquering possible until the end of the week.

What that means … Our Etsy store will look empty, but:

Be assured: While loom production will hibernate, we’ll still be chatting hexagons and projects and answer any questions that you may have!

To hibernate, Turtle chose one of Beth’s flower scarves made of 100% wool Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok which creates a light, soft, and warm fabric … perfect for a good cuddle.

Stay warm, be safe!

Designing with Hexagons

Posted on by texasgabi

Late last summer, I received and email from Handwoven editor Susan Horton … if I would be interested to write an article about designing with hexagons. I checked twice to make sure that she really meant me, and she did.

Of course I’d love to! My enthusiasm resulted in a table of contents that exceeded the word count that was allotted for the planned article.

Long story short, over the next few weeks you may expect three articles that will cover a selection of topics around designing with hexagons. While those topics apply to all fabric hexagons, the examples are taken from experience with pin loom woven hexagons.

The first article covers basics concepts, including observations on arranging hexagons, some ideas on shapes that you can make when you put hexagons together, how you can integrate fabric direction into your designs, and lastly a list of sources for inspiration.

Also, the article includes a link to download free hexagon design templates, so that you can start drafting your own designs!

Read the article: “Designing with Hexagons: Basic Concepts”

I want to thank Long Thread Media for this opportunity, and it is my hope that many readers will find these articles useful and will benefit from them for years to come.

Hearts! … or How To Tame Bias Woven Squares

Posted on by texasgabi

It’s the time of the year where it’s cold outside and warm, pink, and red everywhere else. Valentine’s Day is approaching! While it’s still about a month to go, this is the time to start crafting for it!

In this blog we will take a look at “shaping fabric”. Bias fabric can be tricky to understand, but if we master its properties, we can put those special features to work and make beautiful things … like hearts!

We are going to make a little Heart Wall Accent. Instructions are below, but if you prefer, you can watch this how-to video:

We used the new Square 2″ fine-sett loom for this project. However, the instructions will work for any square loom of any size that allows you to weave the continuous-strand bias weaving method.

SUPPLIES
One square makes one heart. A Square 2″ fine-sett woven motif needs 2.7 yards of any sock/fingering weight yarn. We used Scheepjes Catona in colors 114, 222, and 238. Have some extra yardage for the hanger and the optional tassel.
The base (holding 3 hearts) is about 2.5″ wide and 9″ tall. We used chicken wire ribbon, but you can also use felt, fabric, wood, or any other material of your liking.

MAKE A HEART

Weave one square and take it off the loom. Have one yarn end facing up/away from you, the other one to the right.

Hold the center of the square down, then slide the yarn end that is facing away from you towards the center.

This will gather the fabric of the top half together.

Secure the gathered fabric with a few stitches in the back of the heart.

Stretch the sides of the remaining square to round the sides into a heart shape.
The “shaping” will work for most yarns. If your yarn slides or bounces back, block/stiffen it after completing the heart.

Gently pull the other yarn end to round the sides of the heart.

Slide in the fabric on the other side to match both sides.

Secure the tail, weave in and clip the end.

Your heart is now ready to use. Keep the remaining tail to attach the heart to a base, or use it as a hanger if you want to use the heart the way it is.

Optionally you can use your Square loom to make a tassel . We used 15 wraps of yarn. Tie it at the top loop, clip the bottom loop. Wrap and secure the tassel head and clip the ends even. Done! If needed, the video shows the making in more detail.

ASSEMBLY
For the base, cut a 9″ piece of chicken wire and carefully bend the ends.
Use three strands of yarn to make a hanger (you can also use a piece of ribbon or make a string using crochet, lucet, or any other craft of your liking).
Attach the tassel to the bottom of the wall accent.
Enjoy!

The hearts can be used for many other crafts: Make Valentine’s cards, for example. Or applique them to a pillow. Stiffen them and make a hearts mobile!

Happy Valentine’s Day … every day!

“No Stress” 2021 Patchwork Project

Posted on by texasgabi

What a year 2020 has turned out to be! I don’t think any of us had a clue when we started our “No-Stress” 2020 Patchwork Project last year as to how much we would need that “no stress” aspect for our crafts!

But here we are, at the beginning of a new year. Those of you who participated in last year’s project and those who have been watching the progress from the sideline have indicated a clear “Let’s do it again”!

We mentioned last year that any loom is ok, but this year I want to put more emphasis on that: I will have two “no stress” patchwork projects to work on, one on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in regular and fine-sett, and one on a Schacht Zoom loom, as an example for “any other loom”.

Let’s review what this project is all about:
This is a pin loom project that carries on throughout the year. Work on it as time allows, but without stress or frustration.

  • Keep it simple and flexible, because … life happens!
  • The idea is to weave motifs and sew them together into a project as you go (see project ideas below).
  • Use sample/swatch weavies, leftover weavies from other projects, or weave one in a pretty yarn that you like.
  • Use any loom you like. I do suggest, though, to just use one loom size, because that makes it easy to add to your project as you go. Examples: I will use the original 4″ hexagon looms in both, the “regular”and “fine sett”, because they create the same size hexagons. I also will use a Schacht Zoom loom for a second project, as an example for a non-hexagon loom.
  • Weave as time allows, until December 31, 2021. Maybe one a day, but most likely less, because there will be busy times throughout the year when there’s just no time to weave.
  • Start late (you don’t have to start January 1st), end early (if you reach a point where you like the project and the year is not over, just consider it done).
  • (Optional) Keep notes in a little notebook, but keep it simple: Date, material, optional brief comments (for example for a special occasion). With or without writing down notes, the patchwork project will have stories to tell!
  • (Optional) Take a picture once a month to record progress throughout the year.
  • Unless you know what you want to make, start with the first motif in the middle and work around that center. This way, the resulting project is determined by how many weavies are woven. That will make it “no stress with guaranteed success”: Just make one motif, the 2021 project will be a coaster. If you make some, it may be a trivet, shawl, or table runner. If you go crazy and make 2 or more every day … here is your king size bed cover!

At the end of the year you will have a project that you can call your 2021 Patchwork Project and that you can be proud of, no matter what it turns out to be. Take a look at some of the projects from 2020:

  • elliejellybean on Ravelry
  • Kathryn Olson on Facebook
  • Kathryn Olson on Facebook
  • Kathy Gleason on Facebook
  • Susan Pihl on Facebook
  • Texasgabi

Will you join in this year? You can follow along here on the blog, or in the Facebook Pin Loom Weaving Support Group, or in the Ravelry “Looms to Go” group.

The Squares are Coming!

Posted on by texasgabi

We are happy to announce that the new Square 2″ fine-sett loom is now available.
The new Square 2″ fine-sett loom is a perfect companion to the Elongon™ 2″ fine-sett hexagon.
Learn more about this new loom in our launch video:

The new Square has the same pin spacing as the tips of the Elongon 2″ fine-sett. This means that the squares result in a very similar fabric that will match nicely when both shapes are used in one project.

The pins are thinner than the hexagon looms (but without beeing too thin), to allow to work more comfortably in a tight space.

The beginning pins are marked with lines like on the hexagon looms. The widest point of the square has a convenient, wider space between the pins that will allow you to weave comfortably to the last row.

The weaving is easy: Just start weaving bias, as if to begin weaving a hexagon, until you “run out of space”. Lock the weaving with one last woven row, and the square is done.
Not sure how it works? The following video shows how to weave a Bias Square:

The Square 2″ loom kit is now available at our Etsy shop.

Not sure what to do with such a loom? We invite you to explore the possibilities with a table topper pattern and a free worksheet.

FREE Worksheet: Exploring Elongated Hexagons and SquaresDownload

The 5th Fiber Gift of Christmas

Posted on by texasgabi

If you have heard of the phrase “The 12 Fiber Gifts of Christmas” you most likely heard it from The Woolery, a company who has been serving the needs of fiber artists for over 30 years. During the holiday season, the Woolery features a different fiber related product each week for 12 weeks.

Our Original TURTLE Loom™ for worsted weight yarn is the 5th Fiber Gift of the 2020 season!

While the special is over, the Woolery continues to offer the Original TURTLE Loom kit. Here’s where you can find it at the Woolery. Click here to see the kit at THE WOOLERY.

The Woolery does not only have a scrumptious selection of weaving equipment and accessories, but they also offer a great variety of not-so-typical yarns.

I could not resist to make … a basket (!) with one of their yarns, the Cestari Mt. Vernon.

I hope you will find it entertaining and useful to watch me make an Elf Basket in this new project video:

I am a big fan of Handspun Hope yarns, whose 100% Organic Merino wool was the Woolery’s 4th Fiber Gift of Christmas this year! I quickly grabbed some Rich Salvi and Voca Peach from my stash and made another Elf Basket …

Inspired? The Woolery carries Handspun Hope 100% Merino Yarn in many colors!

DON’T MISS! Learn more about the 12 Fiber Gifts and enter weekly to win the fiber product of that week on the Woolery website: FOLLOW THE 12 FIBER GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS

Welcome, Elongon 1″ R!

Posted on by texasgabi

While the new Elongon™ 1″ R loom for worsted weight yarn has its stellar premier with the Scandinavian Stardust Doilies in the new Little Looms Holiday 2020 magazine, the possibilities for this little loom of course go far beyond applique.

Each side measures 1″, a hexagons only takes 1.6 yards of yarn, and you can weave it up in a matter of minutes.

Perfect for prototyping ideas, making “mini” versions of anything, and just the right size for doll clothes and accessories, … or quick gifts!

One example are these personalized coasters.
With the holidays coming up, make one for each family member, loved one, colleague, or friend, and choose their favorite colors or color themes. And if you won’t be able to have an in-person gathering, those coasters ship very easily!

Weave and sew some thoughts about each recipient into each coaster as you make it!

Here are instructions:

For each coaster, you will need a total of about 14 yards of worsted weight yarn, about 7 yards in two colors of your choice. I used Universal Yarn Uptown Worsted, a super soft, fun to weave, anti-pilling acrylic yarn with a delicate sheen, available in many colors.

Weave 4 hexagons each in two colors.
Weave in the end tails (see pictures below), but save the starting tails for sewing.

First, sew the inner set of four hexagons together.
Use the following pictures to guide you: Starting from the center, sew each side with about 5 stitches. Do not weave in the ends.

Next, add the remaining four hexagons: Use the tails to sew in each hexagon as shown. Use about 5 stitches per side. Weave in the ends.
Your coaster is now complete!

Here are some color suggestions for your inspiration, and …
reversing the colors instantly allows for two different coasters.

You can’t go wrong with classic red and green holiday colors. Play with different shades of red and green to achieve different moods, from jolly to calm and rustic.

If your recipient is a little human, maybe a super hero color scheme will do the job, like Spiderman or Superman. Choose soft pinks and purples for the little unicorn or princess lover!

For a newly wed couple, make a set of “his” and “hers” coasters in their wedding colors.

Choose colors according to a recipient’s hobby, for example hunting.

Match a holiday decorating theme, for example “peppermint”, or a recipient’s home décor colors, like this Norwegian Blues example.

If all else fails, patchwork is a very adorable option:
Use different colors of the same yarn or different yarns all together, to make each coaster unique.

We hope you feel inspired …
Don’t forget the hot cocoa, and Happy Weaving!

Little Looms Holiday 2020

Posted on by texasgabi

May I begin with sending a round of applause to the Little Looms editor team for this amazing inaugural holiday edition of Little Looms! In just a few months the team crafted an amazing magazine with incredible content in superb quality! I can hardly wait to try Anne Merrow’s interesting Tree Scarf or Angela Tong’s Rigid-Heddle Bread Bags … Oh? Yes! There’s pin loom weaving, too! And there’s so much to tell …

First, there are the Scandinavian Stardust Doilies, our daughter’s first very own published design. She used one of her favorite yarns, Woolstok by Blue Sky Fibers, one of her favorite Elongon looms, the Elongon™ 2″ R, and another loom that was not even released yet! Long story short, please welcome the new Elongon 1″ R loom!

The new Elongon 1″ R hexagon pin loom allows you to weave small elongated hexagons using worsted weight yarns. For the Scandinavian Stardust doilies these hexagons are appliqued onto the base fabric, but of course you can use them for many other projects as well … I think they are the perfect size for doll accessories!

Then, there is the Cocoa Bear, a very huggable species of teddy bear, made of Berroco Ultra Wool Chunky on the TexaTURTLE™, Original TURTLE Loom™, and optionally the PennyTURTLE™.
The Little Looms editors included very detailed instructions, including photos, which makes it very easy to follow.

Beware … making those teddies is VERY addictive! I’m currently working on my fourth teddy and will present them in the upcoming blog posts. The first “friend” is Mrs. Cocoa, made of the same yarn, but in very ladylike colors, and featuring a cape and a purse (stay tuned for details).

Lastly, for your convenience you can now order the print edition of the Little Looms Holiday 2020 issue along with your looms from our Etsy store. If you don’t want to wait, you can get the digital edition instantly and directly from Long Thread Media.

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a winter-long craft excitement!

Trick or Treat!

Posted on by texasgabi

Hurray! It did not take fellow pin loom weaver Teresa very long to find the “Coming soon” message for our new Square 2″ fine-sett loom! Teresa will receive one of the first Square looms as her treat, congratulations!

The new Square fine-sett looms are perfectly matched to our fine-sett Elongons. Simply weave the continuous strand method like you would when you start weaving a hexagon … until the square is complete. Joining is a breeze, since the edgings are the same between the looms.

The combination of elongated hexagons and squares allow for even more design possibilities, but you can of course use the squares on their own for other projects that require sock/fingering weight yarns.

The Square 2″ fine-sett loom will become available in November 2020.

Previously published Trick or Treat message:

A secret message to TURTLE loom followers … We’ve hidden some unusual news on our blog website … if you find it, describe what you found in the comments section of this blog. The first correct answer gets a “treat”!

Beware of the Candy Monsters!

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Here’s one more “spooky” project: Make two candy monsters for your little puppeteers! When I went to JoAnn Fabrics this summer I noticed a Red Heart “mini” yarn display. For pin loom weaving, I like to have a variety of coordinated colors, in small amounts, in one unit. I couldn’t resist to sample the yarn, and with Halloween coming, the “Monster” color run seemed to be a great choice.

I used the Original TURTLE Loom™ R for worsted weight yarn for my weaving. The yarn is very pleasant to weave, it is very smooth and has little stretch, which is perfect for weaving. Each color yields two hexagons and some leftovers, (you might get three by keeping the tails just a little bit shorter than suggested).

One “mini” is enough to make two child-size puppets, a Frankenstein monster and a ghost! Each puppet measures about 3.5″ wide and 7.5″ long Read on for instructions.

For the monster head, take a purple and an orange hexagon and sew them partly together, as shown.

Fold the orange hexagon in half, then sew the second purple hexagon to the other half of the orange and to the rest of the first purple hexagon, as indicated.

For the monster body, put the two green hexagons together and sew the two sides shown, this will shape a sleeve.

Fold the body as shown, then sew the body to the head.

Decorate the puppet as desired with eyes and some hair. Think of the age of the recipient to make safe choices.

Work the ghost the same way, use the photos to guide you with the color choices.

VARIATIONS:
– Red Heart offers many different color runs, you can make puppets for different seasons, occasions, and themes: Yes, there is a “Holiday” color run, so that you can make some mischievous elves. And you could also make some playful unicorns (“Rainbow”), or fairies (“Rose Bud” or “Spring Mix”) and princesses (“Princess”), or how about “Americana” for Elmo and the Cookie Monster?
– If you have a grownup puppeteer with larger hands, you can use the TexaTURTLE loom and two “Mini”s to make a larger puppet.
– On the topic of larger “puppets”… the TexaTURTLE sized project in wool would make a great oven mitt, just sayin’.

Have a happy and safe Halloween, all y’all!

Spooky Cat Hot Pad

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Let’s welcome October with a quick spooky project (ok, just barely spooky, but cute): A spooky cat hot pad.

In our Hobby Lobby yarn talk last week I mentioned that I like to use the “I Love This Cotton” yarn double layered. I showed last year’s pumpkin hot pad as example.

The Spooky Cat hot pad uses the same “I Love This Cotton” yarn in 102 Glowing and 02 Black Sparkle (Please note that the Black Sparkle contains 3% Metallic Polyester which most likely is not heat resistant. You could use a plain black instead.)

You will weave (1) hexagon in each color on the TexaTURTLE™ loom for the head, and (2) hexagons in black on the Original TURTLE Loom™ for the ears.

Using two strands of yarn, embroider the faces on each large hexagon. Use the photos for details.

Fold the “ear” hexagons in half and whip stitch them to the two layers of the head.

Using the orange yarn, starting at the bottom tip, work one round of single crochet, connecting both fabric layers.
Work 2 sc on each tip.
For the hanger, work a loop with 20 chain stitches between the ears.
Weave in ends.
Enjoy!

Yarn Talk: A Selection of Hobby Lobby Yarns

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My favorite season is autumn. Because of the weather, yes, but mostly for the fact that this is the time when the new fall/winter yarns are released!

This year, I decided to do something new and share my sampling thoughts with you in a video, starting with a selection of Hobby Lobby yarns that I tried out recently.

Please let me know what you think about such a presentation! Are you enjoying it? Do you find it useful? Would you like to see something different? Leave a comment here on the blog …

But now, enjoy watching!

All the sample hexagons are put to “good use”: I add them to my Patchwork 2020 project!

Is there a particular yarn that you like best?

Cute! A Hedgehog Scrubbie Holder

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Last week, I stopped at Hobby Lobby to take a look at their new yarns. Taking a “shortcut” through their fall decoration department turned out to be not a shortcut, though, particularly when an adorable little hedgehog, holding a scrubbie pad, caught my eyes. “It needs some color, though …”

On to the yarn department, to find some seasonally colored scrubbie yarn. The plan to make a scrubbie cover was confirmed!

Back home I wove two hexagons on the Original TURTLE Loom™. It goes so fast, you probably won’t need more than one cup of tea or glass of wine to finish the job.

Using any of the tail ends, sew the two hexagons together along four sides, insert the scrubby that comes with the hedgehog, then close completely. Weave in any remaining tails.

I call this a pin loom doodle project … a project that just happens by chance, low key, no stress, but a lot of fun.

When this scrubbie is used up, I’ll get a utility sponge and cut it to shape, and maybe the next scrubbie will be – very seasonal – in red, for the holidays!

Hobby Lobby offers the hedgehog with scrubbie online, but they seem to be very popular and at the time of this writing the item is sold out. Check with your local Hobby Lobby if you have one (and don’t forget to bring your coupon). If you are out of luck, Hobby Lobby and many other home decoration and crafting store are great (or dangerous) places to find a substitute to display your seasonal scrubbie, for example a pretty little plate or dish. Or consider using a “last one of the set” dish that is collecting dust in your cupboard!

Happy fall, y’all!

The Janus Hexagon

Posted on by texasgabi

Projects that look interesting on both sides are the theme of Handwoven November/December 2020. Weaving hexagons with two colors and changing colors after every row creates a unique pattern where the right side of the fabric shows the opposite pattern to the wrong side … two opposite faces, like Janus. (Meriam-Webster, Janus, “: a Roman god that is identified with doors, gates, and all beginnings and that is depicted with two opposite faces”)

The weaving pattern will work on all TURTLE hexagon looms. For this demonstration and for the Janus doily project we used the Original TURTLE Loom™ and Universal Yarn Uptown Worsted, a quality acrylic yarn that is super soft and comes in many colors.

Weaving a Janus hexagon is not complicated, you just have to look out for a few things. Even better, we’re explaining a different, speedy method to fill in the center of the hexagon: Instead of the traditional back-and-forth weaving, we are using what we call the Afterthought Layer Weaving Method™. Everything is explained in the following video.

Using a different loom? You can! The weaving method is the same for all TURTLE hexagon looms, but you need to adjust the number of wraps: Use a little bit more than half of the recommended wraps for your loom to weave the last “layer”.

What to do with Janus hexagons? Here are just a few ideas about arranging those hexagons differently. Add to that using different colors!

And don’t forget the chocolates!

“Cold Feet” Home Remedy – A Footstool

Posted on by texasgabi

20200130_170501_resizedOur house has concrete floors, which means – even in Texas – the floors are COLD during the winter, causing uncomfortably cold feet when sitting at the desk for prolonged times.

Hexagons to the rescue to make a pretty and practical footstool! If you can get your feet just a few inches off the cold floor, it helps them to stay warmer. Continue reading “Cold Feet” Home Remedy – A Footstool

Last Minute Hat Ornaments

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January 1, 2019 … You plan to start in August and knit (real) hats for all your relatives for Christmas.
December 20, 2019 … You are on your way to the family Christmas gathering … the hats didn’t happen (and not much else, either).

TURTLEs to the rescue, to make some minutia hat ornaments for everyone! Continue reading Last Minute Hat Ornaments

Ready to Ship!

Posted on by texasgabi

We would like to let you know that all items on our Bluebonnet Crafters Etsy store are “ready to ship”, so for the remainder of this year we will do our best to have your purchase in the mail the next USPS day, with the shipping option of your choice.

Here is a link to the USPS “Holiday Deadlines” chart so that you can determine if your order will still arrive in time for Christmas: 2019 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

We constantly relist looms as they become “ready to ship”, but don’t procrastinate … it is first come, first serve.

Have a Joyous Time!

2nd Anniversary Giveaway Winners

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THANK YOU for all the kind comments, and that you are sharing the excitement about the new “Little Looms 2019” magazine!

espo119002-1[1]I think this 4th edition of the “Little Looms” magazine is the best so far: Seven pin loom projects contribute to a nicely balanced representation of little looms. Projects from shawls to bags to home decoration and more. Techniques from simple to intricate. Yarns that surprise in their effects. Beautiful photography, excellent instructions, and informative articles. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

But now, drum rolls for our winners:

On our blog: Susan P. from North Carolina
On Facebook: Alicia W. from Maryland

Congratulations! We will contact the winners and send out their “Little Looms 2019” copy as soon as it becomes available.

PS: Photo credit for the Happy 2nd Anniversary hexagon goes to fellow pin loom weaver Carolien. Used with permission. Thank you, Carolien, and I think you started another tradition!

Weaving Some Handspun Hope Today …

Posted on by texasgabi

Dedicated to the people in Rwanda who show strength and determination to overcome the genocide tragedy that started 25 years today, April 7th, 1994.

I made the “Easy Tassel Basket” in Rich Topiary, the border and tassels are Cosmos. The basket displays a skein Natural.

100% Organic Merino Wool from the True Vineyard Ministries yarn shop.

Free basket instructions on Ravelry: Easy Tassel Basket

 

 

Step with the Right Foot into 2019

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Make sure to step with the right foot into 2019! If you need a reminder, put an ankle moebius on your right foot.

20181224_110708_resizedMake the cowl on the original TURTLE Loom™️ with about 42 yards of worsted weight yarn; we used hand-dyed yarn from The Sheepwalk™️ in “Retro” colors.

Instructions are on Ravelry, and if you have any 7 hexagons floating around, it’s a true last minute project before the party begins.

To an amazing 2019!

May it be filled with peace, health, happiness, prosperity, and friends.

 

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Feeding a Fad …Weave an Ankle Cowl

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Just a few days ago I saw a picture circulating on social media, featuring a knitted “ankle scarf”. It looked photo-shopped, but I had to chuckle about the idea, and the idea didn’t leave me. Today I discovered the first ankle shawl knitting pattern on Ravelry, and I decided that maybe the idea is not as ridiculous as it initially seemed … Continue reading Feeding a Fad …Weave an Ankle Cowl

Come and See – (2) Car Seat Baby Blanket

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20180816_162701_resized-crI love yarns that are put-up in “cakes”. The colors are guaranteed to work together, it’s fun to weave instantly off that “one big thing”, it’s exciting to work towards the next color to come, it’s a mystery to the end to know how many hexagons you actually will get in each color. Continue reading Come and See – (2) Car Seat Baby Blanket

Weave & Stitch Along – Charity Project FAQ

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FacebookProfileIn Week 5, we started a special project , making little purses for a charity group “Stitches of Love” who provides handmade back-to-school items to needy children in Arizona. A few questions have been asked that may be of general interest, so here’s a special blog for this special project! Continue reading Weave & Stitch Along – Charity Project FAQ

Memorial Day Poppy Flower

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Memorial Day … Remembrance Day … Decoration Day … are names for a holiday that reminds of those who have given their life in wars. There are many traditions that developed along the history of this holiday … one of them is to wear a poppy flower. Continue reading Memorial Day Poppy Flower

1st Anniversary Giveaway … and a Mystery Announcement

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Some tell us “Yep, you’re here to stay!” and others warn us “It’s just beginning!” and we feel humble and grateful for our first year of TURTLE hexagon pin looms. Thank you to all who have made this possible and have been with us on this amazing journey. Continue reading 1st Anniversary Giveaway … and a Mystery Announcement

Santa Gnome is Coming to Town …

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all TURTLE Loomers! We’re gearing up and looking forward to an exciting 2018, hope you’ll join us.

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There ain’t no white stuff on the grounds in Central Texas, but them green is good lookin, too!

More information about this adorable gnome, using Berroco Ultra Wool and Berroco Plush, can be found on Ravelry:

TURTLE Hexagon Pin Loom: Santa Gnome

Angels …

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When I was thinking about weaving something nature, I thought of weaving a leafy garland, or using little wood twigs for snow man arms, or to weave something with straw (still thinking about that), or weaving something with angelically white feathers … (rabbit trail) … angelic … (rabbit trail) … angels … (rabbit trail) … can I make an angel? Yes! And it’s SO EASY! Continue reading Angels …

Baby’s First Thanksgiving

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I get the notion of “Baby’s First Christmas”. However, the first Thanksgiving of each of our children has a very special place in my heart, as this was the first time for many of our relatives to meet our new additions. Continue reading Baby’s First Thanksgiving