What will you weave and stitch? Share your decisions and progress here.

Halloweave Police Department includes Sheriff Dracula, Sargeant Werewolf, Cadet Hulk. Oh, Mayor Thor is pretty scarey himself. Just kidding.

Nobody will come put you in jail for asking questions or changing your mind or your one of a kind weaving. Do not forget. If you are still scared and hiding in the closet, there is safety in numbers. 

Comments

Queezle

and I went ahead and purchased a pdf pattern, and downloaded it.  This month, I will try to work through the pattern using commercial fabrics.  It will teach me about sewing, including zippers, interfacing, etc.  Hopefully that will make me ready to weave the ideal fabric starting at the end of the month.

10ashus

...to carry insurance cards, a lipstick, and lunch money. Bolivia Warmi's convention pouch project was the inspiration.

Oo-ooh. Scarey. Only 16 more days to decide on colors, ideas for embellishment, and shop.

http://weavolution.com/project/bolivian-warmi/conference-neck-pouch

Queezle

I agree, that is an amazing project.

I am already realizing that my proposed project might be too difficult, however maybe - I can make my purse using various samples or, errr, unhemmed dish towels.  I really want to focus on the scary part - the seams, the zippers, and something else I've never done - interfacing. 

10ashus

I agree. Our goal is the scarey parts, the assembly. The pieces you choose to join could be something you wove earlier. (I vote for the unhemmed dish towels.)

10ashus

I believe that I read you have a collection of woven squares to join and seam. If you have the time, post a before photo showing your pile of squares.

Joyce (not verified)

piles of squares.  One from a 6x6" pin loom and the other from a 4x4".  And I'm still weaving squares!  We leave for TN tomorrow so the pile will grow.  Last night I counted 36 squares from the 6x6" loom.  I'll post pics when we return.  And I'll be returning with a Cranbrook loom in the car!  

Queezle

This starts on September 30th? 

Today I will go to the fabric store and investigate interfacing.  It will be a whole new world for me, and I think I am ready for it.  Will also go through my handwovens to see what I want to use for sewing, and look to see if I can find an acceptable commercial lining fabric.  Hopefully my stash has enough coordinating scraps of cloth that I don't need to supplement it with much.  My only serious concern is fabric for the strap (yes Francine, this is me expressing more longing for a glimakra band loom). However, I will consider the project finished when the body is finished (ie lacking a strap).

10ashus

Eek. I will need a strap also. A neck strap. A twisted yarn cord or braided like hair cord or narrow band or store bought ribbon/chain? Uncertain. Maybe after the wet finishing the fabric will tell me what it wants.

Queezle, it is the seams that count. 

Frenzy. Organized chaos. Looking into my crystal ball at the coming week. Joyce is barreling down the hills and by-ways with loom wood poking out and yarn flying from the windows. Queezle is cutting up her favorite sweat shirt for lining with pieces of interfacing on her left cheek. 10ashus is trapped and bound by the cord winding about her legs and arms.

Ain't this fun? We will all be ready to join our seams in October. Then, have 31 days to do it.

Queezle

OK.  Two hand-woven dish towels, never hemmed, selected.  These were from a warp put on my 4-harness loom in 1998, and only woven up a couple years ago.  I probably do not have quite enough for the bag's exterior, so I also purchased some dark blue heavy fabric (designed for outdoors), a lighter fabric for lining my bag (for a pop), two zippers, two types of interface, and thread.  Halloweave starting material

10ashus

Are you a Planner or Improvisor? I plan; then, usually end up improvising because my plan seldom works. (I also enrolled in a writing course starting Oct 3 - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/start-writing-fiction )

My Doctors Frankenstein Plan

  • Week 1 - Weave pocket and strap.
  • Week 2 - Join pieces to make neck pouch.
  • Week 3 - Weave scarf.
  • Week 4 - Join seams to make a hooded scarf with pockets.

Queezle

This weekend, I plan to iron in the interfacing, and cut a couple pieces of the hand woven, and maybe of the commercial lining fabric.  My one hold up is sewing machine bobbins.  The local shops do not have the correct size, so I am waiting on Amazon.  Its my hope, pending bobbins, to get the pieces all cut, edges sewn for stability, and to do my first bit of actual sewing this weekend. 

I also plan to get a project page for this started.

10ashus

My neck pouch has decided to move south, actually southeast. I decided I'd rather have the bag on my hip. Only change will be a slightly longer strap. Hmmm. A brain storm just passed. Weave long. Use ties to shorten the strap. Then, I could wear it both ways!

Cowboys in the western movies toted their guns both ways - neck strap and hip holster.

 

 

 

Queezle

I know I am over thinking it.  But I will still do another zippered pouch before the larger purse.  I found a plain-weave sample using 8/2 and 10/2 cotton (a tiny bit seersucker).  And I scrounged up a commercial fabric scrap for liner.  More seams.  I still do not sew straight.  Pictures to come.

Joyce (not verified)

on the pin loom during last week's travel to TN.  Tonight I decided to start winding a warp for a couple of core spun Alpaca rugs that will be gifted to my parents housekeeper.  She's become my friend and keeps me updated as to how my folks are doing.  Shhh, don't tell my folks!  I'll work on trying different joining methods for the squares this weekend. There are some things that I find easier in the daylight hours. Handsewing is one of those things.  Oh, and I have my new to me Bexell loom.  She'll be a winter project getting her cleaned up and ready for weaving!

10ashus

It is only Day 4. You are amazing women. You must sleep well at night from exhaustion. It is a wonderful trait to realize pleasure is important to a successful life.

Queezle

You make me smile.  How wonderful is that housekeeper!  I wish I could find someone like that for my mom.  Your expression of gratitude is heartfelt, and a wonderful gesture.  You go girl!

10ashus

Oct 1-7: weave the pieces for a pouch

I only have 5" left to weave on my strap. I will be making My First Seam this weekend.

10ashus

Ordered the yarn for project 2, the hooded scarf. It arrives 10/15.

This project almost did not happen. The yarns I selected were too expensive for my budget. BigWhiteDog recommended that I search eBay for mill ends. If the yarn has not the right qualities for weaving, I can afford to donate it to the charity resale shop.

Queezle

I'm pretty happy with this halloweave house.  Project 3 is on track, and I think its going well because of the practice I had with projects 1 and 2 (the small zippered pouches).  Now, I could still screw it up with the lining and finishing at the top of the bag, but so far, so good.

10ashus

You can put Doctor in front of your name. Nice seams.

10ashus

Ta-da!

Details & photos on my Project page

http://weavolution.com/project/10ashus/halloweave-neck-pouch

Joyce (not verified)

I'm home after going to TN for the first week in October, then to IN for the funeral of my best friend's mother, home for a week of work, back to IN to help my friend, back home for a week of work and just returned from the funeral of another dear friend's Grandfather!  I've got a lot of squares to join before the end of Halloweave!  

Squares to join 

Edited to say it was my friend's mother who passed away, not my friend.  My brain is mush!

Queezle

Joyce, what a trying time for you.  But I just love your squares!  These will be beautiful stitched together.  And do take care of yourself.

Queezle

Finally done. This project was beyond my little portable brother sewing machine's capability, fabric was too thick! To attach the tab on the zipped, I couldn't turn in one end of the fabric, too thick.  So there is one end of the tab with its raw edge showing:

    But the final bag is pretty nice.  Its a bit larger than what I really wanted, but I know I can make another one that is just a bit shorter.

Thank you, 10, for giving me the push I needed to learn to sew.

Queezle

OK, I might be done with this halloweave house.  I have learned so much - thank you, 10, for organizing this.  It truly did give me the push that I needed. 

10ashus

It is a mystery. Where did my post go? I remember reading your latest news and responding. Here it comes again.

Joyce, I sincerely hope you take time to rest up after the events of recent weeks. I have plans for a hooded scarf. We will be stitching those seams all the way to the finish line. Your little squares have me wanting a minì-loom. 

Queezle, I am enjoying your bag almost as much as you are. We could form a mutual admiration society.

Queezle

I've hopped over to the active arachnids as i no longer have sewing projects!  But that is certainly temporary.  I will never look at an old sample the same!  And my son has asked for a handwoven zippered pouch for his dungeons and dragons dice and related materials.   I might even order in some more zippers.  I really appreciate this group!

Joyce, I hope you are doing OK.  My thoughts are with you.

Joyce (not verified)

I had forgotten that I actually like handsewing and joining the squares go fairly quick.  Pictures of progress tomorrow when there's some daylight.  Thank you 10 and Queezle for your kind thoughts and good wishes.  This coming weekend will be the first in many months that will be completely open.  I plan to join all of these squares!  10, the pin loom is all part of the loom acquisition rabbit hole.  It's the baby of the loom family!

10ashus

When I was winding the yarn for the scarf warp, I counted the ends and checked my notes twice. Tonight I finished threading the heddle. Counted the ends again. Verified the number by my notes one more time. Aurgh grr!!! I need 10 more ends.

Since the 2 warp bundles are already threaded through the rigid heddle slots, my solution will be to use the peg and direct warp the last ten ends.

 

 

  

10ashus

Go, team. Go. 5 days left in the Halloweave Challenge!

Every one of us has completed our goal, to join two pieces of fabric. But. Will the Doctors finish their projects?

I have just begun weaving the hooded scarf. I have no event or task scribbled on my calendar for Thursday or Friday. I will weave, weave, weave. Hopefully weaving enough inches to make stitching seams by Oct 31 a possibility.

Will Joyce finish getting her little blue squares joined into a blanket?

Stay tuned for the exciting final days.

Joyce (not verified)

are joined.  3 more to go then I can join the strips.  I think I'll be able to get this done!

10ashus

...the hooded scarf. The last 2 days of October I have many time commitments. It will be a difficult to finish, but I am thinking positive.

  1. Weave ends in
  2. Wet finish
  3. Sew seams 

Joyce (not verified)

thinking positive, 10. Got some weaving time in yesterday and will have time today.  Hope you get some time for yourself!

skitz

 Up until now I have woven most with anything but wool.  I have decided that I want to make a blanket with my hand spun yarn hanks that are too short for a single project.  What is the best yarn to use for warp?  Most of the hand spun is between dk and fingering.

Joyce (not verified)

I'm not going to finish getting the squares joined by midnight.  I discovered 4 squares were turned 90 degrees, a very noticable mistake.  But, I will finish the project this week.  Wonder if I should move to the Procrastination House!?  Wink  This has been fun and it certainly gave me the motivation to do something with all of those squares!

 

10ashus

I bet the gremlins turned those squares. I am glad you came and played with me. The motivation was felt here too.

10:30 p.m. I just got home from a neighborhood Halloween Party, only to discover my magic wand was in my skirt pocket and ruined in the washing machine. Alas. Alack. My fairy godmother is on vacation in Venice. The scarf with hood and pockets may not get finished until next week also. But. Maybe the scarf with just the hood; or, the scarf with just pockets could get finished.

Queezle

is a nice destination.  You both have had good intentions and made really superb progress. 

Group Audience