Well Twi-hards, the time is here. That special day in November when you no longer have to dream of powdery white skin and the smell of blood (and teen angst) in the morning. You can live it, man. Well, vicariously through the screen presentation of the much anticipated debut of the Twilight Saga's New Moon.

To celebrate, we've ditched the not-so-vamp-friendly knitting needles for a kinder, gentler (read: can't be used as a stake) yarn tool: the Knifty Knitter Flower Loom, to make the Ode to Alice Cullen wrist warmers. Gather 'round, Twi-sters!

Travis Meinholf and I both have work in MoCFA's Open Source Embroidery show, and although I'm sad I couldn't make it out to the opening, this video of Travis Meinolf describing his weaving installation makes me feel like I was there! [via Teagan Tall]

From CRAFT:

Check out CRAFT, Volume 08: Weaving!

Buy the back issue in the Maker Shed.

"Sister" Diane Gilleland's project guide to weaving without expensive equipment, Weaving Un-Loomed, comes to us as an e-book, elegantly situating itself somewhere between environmental consciousness and convenience. It starts up with an introduction to weaving's concepts and terms, then inspires you with pattern ideas and material choices.

The five projects inside really do have something for everyone, especially if you already have a bit of basic sewing experience. My favorite part about the projects is how easy it is to find the materials in your stash already. Twill tape and a bit of fabric become a funky woven tablecloth, old magazine pages become colorful woven jewelry, and don't even get me started on what I now want to do with my yarn stash! Not only are the actual weaving materials easy to find, but the tools are even easier. A stiff scrap of cardboard becomes a loom, and the tines of a fork are used to tighten up your work. This is the perfect introduction to weaving concepts if you're not sure you're into weaving yet.

If the idea of an e-book gives you pause, fear not. This 60-pager with big, bright photos is friendly to your shelf space and your printer because each project comes with a text-only instruction sheet designed to be printed by itself for crafting away from the warm glow of the screen.

Twill tape placemat:

Woven applique:

Throughout the e-book are links to resources for materials (bet your paper book can't do that), and at the end there's a resources section for more loom-less wonders. Check out Diane's page about the book, where you can download a free sample project! Happy weaving!

More:

• Checkin' In: PDX Crafter Sister Diane Gilleland
• Book Review: Kanzashi In Bloom by Diane Gilleland
  
• Pet Spotlight: Diane Gilleland's Cat Pushkin
  

If you have a lamp with a ho-hum shade, try dressing it up with this simple weaving project. Use brightly colored rickrack for a casual look, or try a series of neutrals for something more sophisticated.

Residents of Wellington City, New Zeland joined forces with the folks behind OutdoorKnit and beautified this fence on a corner in their community where development has come to somewhat of a standstill. A group gathered on a Sunday afternoon to weave colorful hearts into the spaces on the chain link fence. The effect from a distance looks as though all the hearts are simply floating in air. I love this kind of craftivism, and seeing folks of all ages participate makes it even more wonderful!

Artist Julia Sherman of Workspace 2601 has recently opened a new exhibit at the Social Environmental Art Gallery in Portland, Orgeon.

"A Room-A Loom" spans the space of the gallery, creating an environmental loom. The loom itself is really simple and anyone can be taught to to use it in about 5-minutes. People are invited to gather together the material of their choice and to contribute to the weaving of this collaborative textile. Materials used thus far have included weeds, old clothing, Halloween costumes, computer cables, bubble wrap, plastic bags, John Baldessari's toilet-paper, Sheep Dog fur, raw wool, yarn, pants, jeans, blankets, burlap sacks, palm fronds, pom-poms and more.

Exploring Sherman's web site, you can see room looms that have yet to be woven, along with works in progress and completed weavings as well.

Steven Leckart at BoingBoing Gadgets interviewed his mom, a weaver, for mother's day. I like the unabashed shop talk.

By the time I was in elementary school, most every holiday season my teachers each received a handmade scarf, compliments of my family. Instead of knitting on the couch, my mom handcrafts scarves, rugs, and towels in a private studio on a foot-treadle floor loom the size of Smart car.

This design is based on the traditional Danish Woven Heart you see at Christmas and Valentine's Day. Here, it's updated for Easter, and a lovely way to present small gifts of candy.

Tala writes:

After finishing my first scarf, I came up with an idea to hugely improve on the initial idea and make weaving on such a simple set-up much faster. I wrote a tutorial (this one uses power tools!) and thought your readers might like to give this addendum a try- it takes a little bit of effort, but makes the project so much easier.

Recently I decided to teach myself to weave, and to do so as cheaply as possible. Just about everything for the project was re/upcycled, from the yarn (old t-shirts) to the loom (scrap wood from building cat toys, leftover nails and lots of tape). I thought it was a pretty cool and simple way to approach the craft, with a lot of potential for variation and expansion and so wrote up a tutorial. I hope you all like it!

CRAFT: 08 our Weaving issue has lots more on the craft. Pick up this issue now in the Maker Shed!

The cover star of CRAFT Volume 08, the Weaving issue, Travis Meinolf continues to be up to great things. He regularly updates his Action Weaver blog with his newest happenings, workshops, and weaves. One of the coolest projects he worked on as of late is a collaboration with tailor Roy Slaper. Back in 2007, Travis hand-wove his own denim (apparently to to impress Sensei Nakajima on his visit to CCA), and Roy recently helped him to fashion the denim into proper jeans.

Here are the jeans in progress:

And the finished jeans soaking:

Great job, gentlemen! These are straight professional-looking!

If you haven't already gotten your hands on CRAFT Volume 08, you can still pick one up in the Maker Shed. It comes with a cardboard loom designed by Travis. You just cut it out, follow his instructions, and weave away.

A friend-of-a-friend made these neat little zipper purses out of old Dorito bags. They are surprisingly robust. I will make it my life's goal to have her explain how she did it so I can share the process with you.]]> [<a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/02/zipper_purses_from_chip_bags.html" />Read More</a>] [<a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/02/zipper_purses_from_chip_bags.html#comments" />Comments</a>] http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/02/zipper_purses_from_chip_bags.html http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/02/zipper_purses_from_chip_bags.html Weaving Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:48:03 -0800 Craftster member Beach recently tried out her floor loom for the first time, and I love the cozy, organic feel of her very first weaving project--a scarf.

Craftster member Beach recently tried out her floor loom for the first time, and I love the cozy, organic feel of her very first weaving project--a scarf.

If you're interested in learning basketweaving but not ready for a whole basket project, Mary Ellen sent in this tutorial for making a bentwood star.

Kristin at Craft Leftovers shows you how to wind butterfly bobbins for your weaving, knitting, or crochet! Plus you can use them for organizing your random bits in your yarn stash.

Related:

Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine
Craftzine readers can now get $5 off a yearly subscription by entering the code MCRAFT. That's just $29.95 for 4 quarterly issues!

Join weaver Travis Meinolf of actionweaver.com as he shows you how to make a loom from paper index cards as well as the basics of weaving 101 in this CRAFT Video Podcast. Travis is featured in the current Weaving issue of CRAFT: 08.

Use this template on his site to trace onto your paper index card.

Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine
Craftzine readers can now get $5 off a yearly subscription by entering the code MCRAFT. That's just $29.95 for 4 quarterly issues!

Take a little video tour inside the new issue of CRAFT: 08, our Weaving issue where you'll learn the basics of weaving from using a paper loom to making your own! The summer issue celebrates the season by featuring fun projects from sewing a ruffle dress to making your own cold-brew coffee. View the complete table of contents.

Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine
Craftzine readers can now get $5 off a yearly subscription by entering the code MCRAFT. That's just $29.95 for 4 quarterly issues!

Related:

• CRAFT: 08 The Weaving Issue - On Newsstands Now!


• San Francisco CRAFT: 08 Release Party this Saturday!

From the pages of CRAFT: 08

"Weaving on the Go, Build Your Very Own Lap Loom and Warp it too!" by Kristin Roach, pgs 58-61. Preview CRAFT: 08 the Weaving Issue now in our Digital Edition.

CRAFT: 08 is on newsstands Tuesday, August 5th!

Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine
Craftzine readers can now get $5 off a yearly subscription by entering the code MCRAFT. That's just $29.95 for 4 quarterly issues!