Weaving with Linen

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Fabric Dyeing - the EASY way

Fabric dyeing is the best! Don't limit yourself to the colors you can get in the store. Make your handmade items, fabric, elastic, or even ready-to-wear garments any color you want! And it's easy. I'll show you how to dye an adorable baby gift - no special equipment needed.

She shares more dyeing tips here

Adding Twist to Splitty Yarns

If you're finding it difficult to work without splitting stitches, it might be worth changing the direction that you wrap the yarn around the needle. It's not quite that straightforward: if you switch to wrapping the yarn anti-clockwise (as in the Eastern style) then you also have to knit into the back of those stitches when you come to work them to avoid making twisted stitches.

Learn more about this technique on YarnSub

Pressing vs. Ironing

Need Motivation?

We all have them: those WIPs (works in progress), taking up precious space. We've purchased extra project bags and come up with creative storage solutions. But if you're not ready to completely abandon that WIP, what's holding you back from finishing it? 

Need some motivation? Craftsy shares twelve suggestions on "How to Get Motivated to Finish a Crafting Project"

Show and Tell - August

Laura B. brought some Cheviot roving she purchased in Durango as well
as a bobbin of handspun from the roving. Laura knit the lacy shawl
form handspun for a friend. 

Colleen J. shows the needle-felted picture she is working on. She took
a class in Durango recently on the technique. After felting, the piece
is to be wet-felted. Colleen is also knitting a shawl.

Jeni V. has been sewing: she constructed a large project bag with removable
sections. Jeni also brought three shawls to show the members.

Sandy W. has been spinning, and she recently took a silversmithing class
and made a ring. Sandy showed the members the sweater she entered in
the county fair. She knit the sweater with her own handspun. The pattern
is on Ravelry and is called Spring Showers

Sue O. crocheted a purse using ribbon yarn.
Sali A. modeled the poncho she knit from her handspun scraps

Needle Tatting - August program

Needle Tatting supplies, tools, and information

Sue O. prepared an extensive program on needle tatting for the August meeting. She brought supplies for members who were willing to try the technique and information if members wanted to learn more. Sali A. won one of the needle tatting sets shown at upper right.

Left column: Sue O. shows the sample that she was going to demonstrate.
Members were given a copy of the pattern. Sue O. demonstrates the
technique of casting the stitches on the tatting needle. Jeni V. was willing
to try using the tatting needles. Right column: Members watch Sue O. as she
explains the process of needle tatting. Sali A. (who won the drawing for
a set of tatting needles) watches as Sue O. walks Sandy W. through the
process of needle tatting. 

Snippets

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Sewists might enjoy making some of the projects on Quiltscapes' Snippets

County Fair Exhibits

some of the Fiber Arts exhibits at the Fremont County Fair
Riverton, WY
August 2017

Hand-spun yarn on display in the Fiber Arts area at the
Fremont County Fair
Riverton, WY
August 2017

Hand knits on display in the Fiber Arts section of the
Fremont County Fair
Riverton, WY
August 2017

Celtic Cruise

near Portree, United Kingdom and Dublin, Ireland

Julie W. and her husband David recently returned from a twelve-day Celtic cruise. They visited Ireland, Norway, Isle of Skye, United Kingdom, Denmark, and other areas. The photos in the post are from their travels.  (click on any of the photos to enlarge)

Left side: Kieran Foley's trunk show at Constant Knitter in Dublin, Ireland,
near Dublin, Ireland, in front of the Linen Center in Belfast, Ireland. Right
side: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland, street scene in Dublin, Ireland

Scenes from the Linen Center in Dublin, Ireland.
Top right a clock tower in Belfast, Ireland

Linen Center in Dublin, Ireland

Top: Front of the Linen Center in Dublin, Ireland, Cottage Pie - Dublin, Ireland
Bottom: Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Ireland - cab for six
passengers; Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Left: Isle of Skye - fleeces and sheep
Right: (top two photos) Shilasdair yarn shop and dye exhibit on the
Isle of Skye. Bottom right: Beth Brown-Riensel spinning linen at the Linen
Center in Belfast, Ireland

Linnen Center (Belfast, Ireland) demonstrations 

Top: Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland; Tivoli Gardens in
Copenhagen, Denmark - Julie Wright, Diane Matarangas, Heather Bailey.
Bottom: Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland; docked at the Isle of
Skye - Zuiderdam Holland Americaship

David Wright at Garn Kriastiansand, Norway sporting a hand-knit
Norwegian sweater. Bottom left: Annemore Sunbo's collection of hand-knits
from the trash. Right: Annemore Sunbo Studio in Kriastiansand, Norway - old
Norwegian sweater, tag on a modern hand-knit Norwegian sweater; shop
owner at Barn in Kriastiansand, Norway. Her husband is from Salt Lake City.

near Copenhagen, Denmark

Meeting Reminder

Please bring $1.00 for the use of the building. 

Program - Needle Tatting by Sue Oakley

                 (please bring a size 0, 1, or 2 crochet hook if you have one)

REACH clubhouse is located at

622 N. 8th W.

Riverton, WY 82501

Let's Talk Tatting

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Sue O. is going to demonstrate needle tatting at the August guild meeting. She is bringing extra tatting needles so members can try the technique. Please bring a size 0, 1, or 2 crochet hook, if you have one.

The Twist Collective provides a bit of information on the three types of tatting: needle, shuttle, and cro-tatting.

Plan to attend the Guild meeting this Saturday, August 19, 2017 at the REACH foundation in Riverton, to try needle tatting.

Weaving Tiip

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Dyeing Fabric

Know Your Hands

The way we hold a crochet hook—and the reason we find one hook and handhold more comfortable or effective than another—is determined in part by the shape of our hands, the length of our fingers, and muscle memory development. Our lifestyle affects how we use our hands. Someone who swings a hammer every day will hold and use a crochet hook differently from someone who types all day. By being aware of our strengths and weaknesses, we may even be able to prevent repetitive-motion injuries.

The two broadest categories for crochet handholds are overhand (or knife hold) and underhand (or pencil hold), but there are several variants to these holds.We’ll consider six main holding positions (by far not all the ways a crochet hook can be held) that I have observed while watching crocheters’ hands at work (which I actually do a lot). For some holds, most of the movement lies in the fingers; for others, the work is in the wrist. As you read through the holds, consider which allies most closely with your preferred handhold. If you crochet frequently, it is useful to learn more than one hold. Particularly if you are experiencing hand strain, practice the modifications listed in the Notes, including considering using a different type of hook.

Check out the information on the six ways various crocheters hold their hooks on Interweave's post: Know Your Craft: Know Your Hands.

Weaving In Ends

A video that demonstrates how to weave in ends for crochet or knit projects.

Crafty Podcasts

Podcasts are a wonderful way to engage your mind while sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, weaving, spinning, etc.

Interweave complied a list of craft-related and non-crafty podcasts that may be of interest to you.

Exercises for Crafters

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Repetitive tasks such as sewing, stitching and knitting can create stress on the muscles and joints in our wrists and hands, neck and shoulders. Stretching frequently certainly helps.

Loopy Ewe shares videos of exercises that can help relieve tension and stress for repetitive movements. The videos are for neck, shoulder, hands and wrists. 

Same Dye, Different Fiber

Maia R. shows two skeins dyed
 in the same dye pot

At the July guild meeting, Maia R. showed two skeins of yarn she dyed in the same dye pot at the same time. The colors were totally different. The reason for the variation can possibly be explained by a recent Interweave article entitled, Case Study: Same Dye, Different Fiber.

Knitting Tip - Freeze Yarn Overnight

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Freezing Yarn Overnight will dispel most unwanted odors. Works on cigarette smoke, cooking odors and other assorted smellies.

Before ripping out mohair and other fuzzy yarns, freeze them overnight. The cold will help the fuzzy fingers untangle and make it much easier to frog and rip.

No fancy tools needed either. Just pop your fiber in a plastic bag to protect it and pop in the freezer!

- Donna, Your Friendly Knitting Doctor 
Noble Knits

Summer Shoulder Bag

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Beth Hester said, "When designing this Shoulder Bag I was thinking of the summer ahead, upcoming travels and family gatherings. In addition, I wanted to use up some short ends of dyed reed that had accumulated from classes and other projects. 

This basket's size is 3" x 13" x 13" tall and each row of weaving is about 3 feet in length. In the pattern I'm giving you the 'Recipe' I used, but I encourage you to think of your particular needs, get out your leftovers, add a pound of 5/8" Flat for stakes and some weavers, gather your rim materials and choose the style handle that appeals to you."

The free pattern (PDF project sheet) can be found here.

Weaving Yarn Guide (free)

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To avoid unnecessary guesswork and to help make the most of those beautiful yarns, the experts at Interweave have put together a useful, FREE eBook on hand weaving supplies to ensure your success in selecting the perfect weaving yarns and hand weaving supplies. Start with an article providing valuable tips for weaving with yarn, including how to allow for loom waste and take-up. Then learn about designing with a new yarn for either a 2-shaft project or 4-shaft project, or start on the scarf pattern that we’ve included. Finally, take a look at our must-have guide to yarn for every weaver, including details on ends per inch, conversions, a reed chart, and more.

Warping a Cricket Loom

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Warping the Schacht Cricket Loom utilizes a technique called “direct warping,” this means that you are measuring your warp directly on your loom. The Woolery Guy makes warping a Cricket Loom look easy in a step by step tutorial.