Weaving at and for school

Earlier this year, I posted about our library theme for this school year... "Weave your way through the library."


My students started out weaving on an inkle loom. They really enjoyed this, but we had an unfortunate incident at our fall open house... some curious child pulled the weaving off the side. I haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, but all is not lost. There is enough completed weaving to make several bookmarks.


Since open house, students have been weaving on the peg looms I purchased. They're allowed to weave one row for every book or every 50 pages they read. The response has been wonderful! We have three completed pieces,


...and three almost ready to come off the looms. We'll make something for our new principal out of these weavings at the end of the school year.


I took one of my Weaveette looms to school to show the students how a pin loom works. They loved it! I've ordered another one to keep at school for student use. The kids liked the bookmarks I was weaving so much, that I decided to weave some for our Santa's Secret Shop. Our school colors are green and gold. I couldn't find the exact colors I wanted, but the kids really seem to like the Pistachio and Lemon Zest Read Heart Designer Sport that I chose. I started on our road trip last week. I was able to weave 47 plain weave bookmarks from the skein of Pistachio. For the Lemon Zest, I decided to follow the patterns in my book Modular Textures: Patterns for the Weavette & Weave-It Looms by Licia Conforti. I've complete 11 bookmarks so far. My goal is to weave two skeins worth of bookmarks to donate to Santa's Secret Shop.



It takes me about 20 minutes to weave a bookmark. I would dearly love to tat bookmarks for Santa's Secret Shop, but I know I could never tat as many as I can weave!

Mom's been weaving!

This is a Thanksgiving table scarf that Mom just finished weaving for my sister Janet. Isn't it gorgeous? Mom found a mistake when she was finished... remember that blind man on the galloping horse, Mom! ...so she's planning on weaving another with no mistakes. I am so lucky to have such a talented Mom!

Influences

My parents have had the greatest influence in my life, which I'm sure is true for many people. My love of needlework and fiber arts definitely comes from my mother. Mom is a fabulous seamstress, knitter, crocheter, and weaver. She encouraged the three of us girls to sew when we were in school. Janet really got into making halter tops in college! Lisa and I learned to knit, and I also learned to crochet. A couple of years ago, Mom walked me through the basics of weaving, and we plan to attend a week-long weaving class at John C. Campbell Folk School this summer.

Last year Mom took classes in liturgical weaving. She is particularly interested in stoles, and these pictures are of her first completed project. She has plans for another stole, and I will be tatting three crosses to embellish it. I'm planning on tatting the "Basic Cross Pattern" from Lyn Morton's Tatting Patterns. The basic cross is square, which Mom can put on the seam at the back of the stole. Lyn's "Traditional Cross" will embellish each side of the front of the stole. I actually started the first cross the day I broke my arm. I'm using Marilee's "Golden Glow." I can't wait to see the finished project! I know. I know. I have to get the cast off first!