weaving with fabric and a sewing machine

I’ve never really gotten the hang of using a traditional weaving loom.  I always get mixed up with my thread paths, and before I can figure out how to get a rhythm going, I get bored and move on to something else.

However, I have discovered that weaving with your sewing machine is the bomb!!  I love this technique so much– I’ve been working with it for almost a year, and I’m doing all kinds of interesting things.  Once I finish one project, I have ideas for several more, and off I go!

I will be teaching the technique at Quilting with Machines, in Ohio this October.  I will be sharing tips, techniques, and enthusiasm– and plenty of samples, samples, samples!  Won’t you join me?  I’d  love to get you all addicted to more fibery ways!! (evil grin!)

Niddy noddy, not too shoddy

In light of my recent addiction to saying the word niddy noddy, I thought it might be a good time to show my non-spinny friends just what the heck I’m talking about!

This is a niddy noddy!  It’s a completely useful tool for making skeins of yarn.  You hold onto the center post, along with your end tail of yarn (from your spinning wheel bobbin).  Then you make clever little flicking movements with your wrist, resulting in the figure eight niddy noddy wrap.  My niddy noddy has an 18″ post, which makes a 2 yard skein.  If you count the number of yarn lengths in your skein, you know how much yarn you have, which is useful if you knit or crochet.

Now, you know-dy what a niddy noddy is!