This is my log of my adventures with the potholder loom and I will add to it from time to time.

Have a good day!

Franco Rios

Comments

francorios (not verified)




Good purchase at the thrift store. 7 ounces of cotton yarn for 2 dollars US!



Great purchase! Avalon Weaving Loom #9922 for one dollar! Plastic loom, a bag of loopers, yarn, instructions. Looks like it was never used. Instructions are copyright date 1977. This is gonna be fun.

 

Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)



Playing with the Avalon loom. Following the instructions I have been using the hook to weave through the loops and stretch the loops over the pegs. Pop goes the potholder
As I tried to finish the edges of the piece, it popped off the loom and some of the loops are unweaving themselves.
Having seen Noreen Crone-Findlay's video on weaving on potholder loom I noticed Noreen used a chopstick to help stabilize the piece. So I thought I would use a chopstick to recover the piece. Here I have restored the weave using the chopstick to catch/hold the loops. Here is the completed piece. As we see, the elastic of the loops reduces the piece about 50 percent. Time to start the next one. Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)


Once I finished the first piece with loopers, I decided to follow Noreen Crone-Findlay's advice and I ditched the loopers. Then I watched Noreen's youtube video on weaving the square loom with yarn.

See "How to weave with yarn on the potholder loom "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FC9_LpTLZs

Okay, second piece was started last night at home and continued on the commute to work. Above you see the work mostly finished. I'm using the wire hook because it comes with the kit. I did squeeze the hook with pliers to make it narrower. I am using 4 ply cotton yarn, a variegated color pattern and I lost the label so I don't know who the maker is.

Above I've laid out the yarn on top of the warp so I can be sure the next loop has the correct length.



Then I will move the end of the loop from the right side to the hook on the left side before pulling the yarn across.




The loop is pulled across. Following Noreen's advice I have kept some slack in the piece to prevent the weave from getting too tight to work.

And here it is all woven. Now to work on finishing the edges.

One thing worth mentioning. Usually people will ignore me when I weave on the train or the bus. This time when people saw the the potholder loom they wanted to talk about it. People had them as children or they just bought one for their children.

These little looms have touched people lives and they react emotionally when they see it.

Fascinating.

Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)

Weaving is finished. I left long tails on the yarn so I could weave them to the same corner.



Then I used a four strand braid to make a hanger loop on the piece. I tied it to the corner.


I hooked the loops together one after the other all around the edge as shown by Noreen Crone-Findlay on her video.


Here is the piece with finished edges and a braided loop!

More to come!

Have a good day!

kbird (not verified)

Thanks for sharing!  I love to see how people approach their weaving...

Kay

francorios (not verified)

I'm working on a different pattern now. I'm using up some scrap yarn while I work out the detail. Nothing earth shaking, just something a little different. Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)

Is there any tips for tying on new color thread? I think if I put the knots near the edge it will be less visible? Have a good day! Franco Rios

francorios (not verified)

Here is the yarn that I bought for $2 US.

It looks like rainbow sherbet.

Have a good day!

francorios (not verified)

 

 

Here are some of the potholders done on the square loom. All done with cotton yarn. The corner loop is just a four strand braid. Have a good day!

Noreen Crone-Findlay

Your potholders are looking wonderful, Franco!

There are several approaches to joining yarn. One is to tie a knot at the edge, and then weave in the ends later.

Another way is to tie a knot, in the middle of the row, and leave the ends hanging until the square is totally woven. Then, untie the knot, and, with a darning or tapestry needle, weave in the ends.

By the way, it's much easier to use a crochet hook to chain the ends, than the weaving hook.

Isn't it lovely how people respond to the potholder loom? When I weave in public with it, people ALWAYS come up to me to talk about it!  Knitting and crochet don't elicit a response like that, although tatting does :o)

By the way, I am working on a totally awesome new potholder loom book, with a ton of projects and techniques. I am aiming to get it released this summer.

I am also working on a Lily Speed-O-Weave loom book that I think that you will love, so watch your thrift shop and garage sales etc, to see if you can find one! I know you'll love it!

:o) Happy Weaving, Noreen :o)

 

 

 

francorios (not verified)

Hi Noreen, Thanks for the clues on joining the ends. I am thinking about weaving out to the ends of the loops. I have located a long crochet hook, q(uilting hook?), about 12 inches long which looks adequate to replace the wire hook. I'm looking forward to your book this year. Have a good day! Franco Rios

Noreen Crone-Findlay

Hi Franco

An afghan hook (looks like a very long crochet hook) is great for both weaving the squares and chaining the edges.

But, if you can't find one, a regular crochet hook will serve just fine for chaining the edges.

Happy Weaving!

Noreen :o)

 

francorios (not verified)

Yep, got the regular crochet hook for chaining the loops. Have a good day! Franco Rios

francorios (not verified)


I bought the six sided peg frame loom for 25 cents at a yard sale. I found instructions for the six sided loom on the internet. Such a deal!