Lighting a Weaving Studio

Well, I've done a fair amount of shopping for supplies in the past week. Last week I mentioned the new table loom and warping board. I've been hard at work dressing the loom for MTSU scarves and will soon have some new woven projects to share with you. Until then, I've got a couple of in-progress photographs for you. This new table loom is a much less daunting task to prepare for weaving, so I'm able to work on it even when I'm at home alone.

Warping board full of threads for MTSU warp.

My new table loom. I think I'm going to name it Webstuhl (German for weaving loom).

Yarn for the MTSU scarves.

New lighting materials.

I have been struggling with lighting when I photograph my work, both in-progress and when I complete it. I used to really enjoy photography, but I would often take photographs outside of wildlife and nature. I was never comfortable with setting up lighting and posing items/people. However, I'm finding that a lot of those skills are extremely important for introducing others to my artwork through the internet so I am re-learning that skill set. Today we went to the store and bought some lamps and a few light bulbs to try to improve the lighting in my studio. I should be able to set them up this afternoon and be more open to sharing my WIPs (works in progress) with you.

Headband Photo Tutorial and Store News

Okay. I promised that I would make a photo tutorial of the shell headband pattern. This is happening today. Before I work on that though, I need to update you on a special offer on our Online Store. In an attempt to keep a larger stock of items, I invited my close friend Kelly to post items she has made. I bring this up to inform you that she is raising money for the American Cancer Society through Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and is offering her handmade items for donations to this cause. She has several items in the online store with "Made by Kelly" in the description and I have marked them with an "On Sale" tag to make them easier to find. The proceeds from the sale of these items between now and the walk this October will be donated. If you live nearby and can pick up the item, then you can also choose to donate the shipping price, or we can refund that back to you. Whichever you prefer. Storenvy does not allow us to list free shipping on our items.

I have kept this post in draft form and updated it throughout the day as I worked. Instructions for the pattern are in the captions for each photograph.

Easy Shell Headband

Photo Tutorial

First you will need some worsted weight yarn and a size H crochet hook.

Chain 5

Yarn over twice (this starts the treble crochet stitch)

Insert hook in the 5th chain from your hook

Treble crochet (End of Row 1)

This is where you will work the stitch when the pattern says to tc in same st.

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, tc (End of Row 2)

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, tc in next stitch and top of ch from previous row (End of Row 3)

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, 2tc, tc in next stitch and top of ch from previous row (End of Row 4)

Close up of the end of Row 4

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, tc in next 5 sts (End of Row 5)

Close up of the end of Row 5

Stitch where you will work your first shell

Ch 4, turn, sk 3 tc, shell (3 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) in 4th tc tc in ch 4 (End of Row 6)

Close up of the end of Row 6

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, shell in top of shell (the ch 2 space), 2 tc in ch 4 (End of Row 7)

Close up of the end of Row 7

Ch 4, turn, tc in same st, tc, shell in top of shell, tc, 2 tc inch 4 (Close up of the end of Row 8)

Ch 4, turn, tc in next 2 sts, shell in top of shell, (tc)3. Repeat. (End of Rows 9 & 10)

Close up of the end of Row 10

 How to make a treble decrease (tc dec):

Yarn over (YO) twice, insert hook in st and pull up a loop. (4 loops on hook)

YO and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook)

YO and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook)

YO twice, insert hook in next stitch and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook)

YO and pull through 2 loops (4 loops on hook)

YO and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook)

YO and pull through all 3 loops (End of tc dec)

Continuation of Pattern:

Ch 4, turn, tc dec, shell in top of shell, tc dec, tc (End of Row 11)

Ch 4, turn, shell in top of shell, tc in top of ch 4 (End of Row 12)

 Placement for stitches of Row 13

1st Stitch

2nd Stitch

3rd Stitch (top of shell)

4th Stitch

5th Stitch

6th (Last) Stitch in top of ch 4

Continuation of Pattern:

Ch 4, turn, tc in next 5 sts and in top of ch 4 (End of Row 13)

Ch 4, turn, tc, tc dec, tc in next 3 sts and top of ch 4 (End of Row 14)

Ch 4, turn, (tc dec) 2, tc in top of ch 4 (End of Row 15)

Ch 4, turn, tc dec, tc in top of ch 4 (End of Row 16)

Ch 4, tc in top of ch 4 (End of Row 17)

Ch 14

Bring both ends together

Here is where you will slip stitch

Insert hook

Slip stitch (End of Row 18)

Enjoy your new headband!

Weaving

 Since I have been weaving when on Google Hangouts, I have made much better progress on that lacy shawl. It is officially cut off of the loom and I am working on using macrame techniques for the fringe.

The beginning of the fringe. It is a variation of macrame square knots (aka Solomon's knots)

You may have already seen this picture on my Twitter feed to the right, but I made the decision to continue this pattern versus the other photograph posted. Now that the shawl is off the loom, I am looking to start a new project on there. Unfortunately, the yarn I bought to make a rug seems to be clashing with the warp that is currently on there. I need to remove it and try something different. I'm not sure what yet, but I will figure it out either today or tomorrow.

Now for the exciting news that has consumed my thoughts for the past several days: I bought a table loom! It is the exact make and model that I fell in love with in the fibers studio during college. It's a Leclerc Voyageur, for those of you who know about such things. Here's the post of it from eBay. I was shocked when I found it on eBay! It is a newer model, so I have been unable to find one used in the past 2-3 years I have been looking. I like this model because it is easy to use and is a great teaching tool. It folds up for easier transport and because the levers are at the top of the loom versus the side, it can be used by both left and right handed people. 

Not only is it the model I wanted, it is an 8-shaft which means I can experiment with more complicated woven patterns! (Patterns like twill designs and plain weave are made with 4 shafts. There are more advanced patterns out there, and an 8-shaft loom allows me to weave most designs I would ever want to try.) Of course, I will probably play around with twill patterns before I experiment with designs I am unfamiliar with simply because it is the beginning of the school year. Also I need to focus on filling up the store before people start Christmas shopping. 

Included with the loom was a warping board and some yarn. This is fortunate because I needed something to count out warp threads for the new loom. I have a few bags of warp that I counted out for the floor loom when I still had access to a warping mill in college. Unfortunately these would not fit on the new loom, so I am very grateful to have the warping board included.

The loom was listed as local pick-up only. In Michigan. 9 hours away. Fortunately I have a younger brother who was visiting up there. And he was awesome enough to go look at the loom for me and is bringing it back to Tennessee today. So, sometime tonight I will have my new loom in my hands. Hopefully the floor loom, Loomie, will not get jealous. I tend to have multiple projects going at the same time, so I shouldn't start neglecting either of the looms or my crochet hooks and knitting needles.

Crocheted Hats

A few of my friends have commissioned hats from me recently. A photographer friend asked me to make him a hat when he was visiting to teach me about lighting product photography. It is crocheted, but I need to check to make sure it fits his head before I do any finishing on it and photograph it for my records. Also, one of my cousins convinced her mom to pay me to make a "One Direction" hat for the concert she is going to this month. She wanted a slouchy beanie with their logo on it. I loved her conversation with her mom: "You'd be helping Andrea with her new business!" She is much better at marketing than I am. :P 

Anyways, here is a picture she sent me of her new hat: 

1D is One Direction's logo

I also am making a baby hat for a different cousin who is about to be a new father, a couple of hats for an art trade, and a hat for my cousin who was just diagnosed with cancer. (I have a lot of cousins. I may have to start giving them nicknames for when I mention them on here. Let's see...First one mentioned we will call Cool K, second will be Jellyfish, and third will be Power Ranger.) I have finished the snowflake hat for Power Ranger's sister and I love it! But I can't send one hat up to the family before finishing both of them. That would be foolish on multiple levels. So for now it is sitting in my yarn studio waiting to be shipped.

Isn't it adorable!?

Motivation

Hello again everyone! Over the past few months I have been focused on learning how to take care of the house and cooking more. Now that I'm starting to get into a routine with all of that, I am looking at my yarn and how I can schedule my time to include making more items. 

The next few posts are updates on all the snazzy things I've been working on.

Motivation

The friends I've made from Jon Acuff's "30 Days of Hustle" have been extremely encouraging and motivating. I wanted to give them a quick shout out and all the hugs the internet can muster! Several of us will pull up Google Hangouts and work on our goals at the same time to cut down on some of the loneliness that often accompanies working at home. I usually end up crocheting or weaving when we mute our microphones and get to work. It's exciting to introduce people to my yarn interests and I love sharing what I've been working on (which is part of the reason I've been neglecting the blog, so I apologize for that).

I've also started up a crochet group with a friend that meets on Friday nights. While we don't have many people join us every week, we always have fun and end up getting a lot of work done. About three weeks ago I brought a friend and taught her some basics of crochet. She has already made several items and has become a "Crazy Yarn Lady" who crochets wherever she goes! Her enthusiasm is contagious!

Online Store

Okay guys, I have officially opened up a Store to sell my work online. I was going to warn you but I never got around to writing a 'Coming Soon' post. I'm extremely nervous about this venture, but I'm excited to extend my business beyond just my family and friends.

Anyways, here is the link: http://andromedafibersart.storenvy.com/

I will add a permanent link on here something this week. Let me know what you think!