All you need to spin your dreams
Welcome one and all, we have started back at work for the year and boy is it hot in the workshop! I am anticipating Autumn and Winter with relish at the moment as the afternoons are so very humid and the workshop has very little […]
Lake Dewar Lodge was the beautiful venue for the Australian 2012 Majacraft Magic Camp, organised for us by Mandie (of Ewe Give Me the Knits) and Janet (of Nanny’s Spin on Things). These two ladies are amazing! Not only beautiful and talented but full […]
OK, I am going to show my ignorance here – thankfully, I have since been educated.
I was under the impression for quite a while that hand weaving was pretty much restricted to creating two dimensional pieces. I was very impressed to see these images of weaving completed by Rona Betts (Thumbelinaspins of Ravelry) Mum bought in to show me. The ideas behind this beanie seem very interesting to me and can see how she has moved the reed segments in her Dynamic Heddle loom to create really interesting effects in the overall shape.
I am quite a hat fan as I like being warm and I am becoming limited to the Friar Tuck hairstyle these days so this beanie has really fired my imagination. To me, it looks like it would be possible to weave almost a cone shape piece of cloth by starting with the reeds segments far apart and then moving them in to create the smaller top part of the hat. I would think that it would even be possible to start with the reeds tight, weave in elastic and then move them out wide and slowing back in to create an elasticated rim.
Here is Rona’s story in her own words
“Redlands Spinners was having their annual camp at Bribie Island the last weekend of August. I had only just found out a couple of weeks before that I could go. I was given a sheet of paper a week before about what was expected and saw that there was a beanie contest and the beanies were being donated to the seafarers. One of our members who had recently passed away had knitted over 2000 beanies for the seafarers and this was a way to remember her. Since I absolutely knew that I could not knit a beanie in time I thought about what I could do. I had just received my majacraft loom and had warped it up to play with. On it I had some Noro sock yarn in fun colors. So I put two and two together realising that weaving does not take as long for me to do as knitting I went to work and in one evening “presto” I had enough woven for a hat. I did not win a prize for the best beanie but had the best time making it! Love my Majacraft Loom!”Here are a couple more pictures of the No Sew Hat:
I find Majacraft is a great place to work when the opportunities to form connections with people who create amazing things come up – like what Rona has done with her weaving.
Until next time.
Andy
The title says it all really! Lexi Boeger aka Pluckyfluff is hosting a camp over the weekend of October 27 and 28. I have had the good fortune to take part in one of Lexi’s classes/camps and she is AWESOME! She has Auras to try […]
Pat Old from Tauranga sent me a couple of links off the web of weaving created by a very skilled weaver called Peter Collingwood. He made some modifications to a large loom that I understand were quite complicated. He was able to achieve the following […]
The Dynamic Heddle loom has only been out a short while and already I am getting some amazing pictures sent through to me of what people are creating. Mandie Chandler from “Ewe Give Me The Knits” sent me this image of a floor rug that has been woven from ‘upcycled’ blankets. The weaver is Jeanetter Bastion from Australia (Jeknit on Ravelry).
Until next time
Andy
Bendigo has come and gone and I have been hearing lots of interesting stories from the people who were able to attend. Several of our dealers had the new looms on their stands to demonstrate and sell. So here are the first two people in […]
One of the things I enjoy most about working with Majacraft is people. I have been privileged to meet some incredibly talented and creative people and I confess I get a bit star struck when I think that I have actually met people like Lexi […]
Working on The One Wheel customisation for Suzy/WoolWench and listening to Coldplay. There should be something to show next week… I love this job!
Here is a really cool story that quite a few people have brought to our attention recently. Suzy from Holland/New Zealand (WoolWench on Ravelry) has had a very unique idea on how to become the proud owner of a new Aura. She has made a […]