The beautiful bell pull that you see here is the very first little loom project of Lynn Manning, who is from Peru, New York (Ravelry handle—ADKzookeeper). I’m impressed with her sense of design and think she made the most of the two-color weaving pattern. Simple lines—not in the least bit gaudy. The branch display is brilliant. And don’t miss her “what if?” variations at the end of the pattern.

Lynn writes that this is the first time she’s joined two pieces together and that she isn’t happy with the way the stitches show. I used to be uptight about my own seams, thinking they should be invisible, but I’ve come to view handsewn seams as part of the “look”. (In the same way that I want my handspun yarn to reflect that it was made by hand.) The product of a little loom will never look like it came off of a multi-shaft floor loom. We can accept that and move on. When I look at a little loom project, I don’t critique the seams. It just doesn’t bother me as long as they’re consistent and the ends are woven in. What about you? I give you Lynn, seams and all…

Directions:

Weave five squares on a 4″ Weave-It, Weavette or Loomette loom
1 square in plain weave
3 squares in Crossroads pattern
1 square in Envelope pattern from the Weavette pattern book

Arrange them as you see and stitch together using an overcast stitch.
The top plain weave square is folded in half and stitched to form a rod pocket.

The bottom square (envelope) I turned the bottom 2 corners up in back to make a point.

I dug out an old brass bell and polished it. I attached it to the point with a macrame (square knots) cord. (eloomanator’s note: You could also crochet or make a braided cord.)

I used a branch I had kept from a camping trip to go through the rod pocket.

Other things to do with this project:

• Attach a ring to the top instead of using a branch. (or anything else that catches your fancy!)
• Hang something other than a bell from the bottom:
1. small bouquet of dried flowers
2. feathers
3. Loom Blooms
4. felted fairy or a menopause doll (Noreen Crone-Findley patterns)
5. a special rock in a wire woven nest (oops! better be a small one)
6. small wooden shapes (tree, flower, snowman) that you could change with the seasons

I also thought that without the 6 square limit, you could:

• For your front door:

1. make a “Welcome” bell pull. Stitching one large letter onto each square
2. make a street address bell pull. Stitch on large number onto each square
3. name plate for your child’s bedroom with their name on it

My old leather wallet is falling apart. Zipper broken, etc… I’ve been considering replacing it. This little project fills the bill. Or the bill fills it. Designer Karrie Weaver of the California Bay area, promotes little loom weaving at her blog, Girl On The Rocks, and with her great YouTube weaving tutorial. Thank you, Karrie!

Woven Mini-Wallet

The wallet has spots for at least 2 credit cards, and a pouch for cash.
There is a protective cover that folds over the cards, and snaps shut to
keep everything in place.

Weave:
three 4” squares
two 2”x4” rectangles
one 2” square.

• Sew a credit card pocket (2”x4” rectangle) to a 4” square, positioning it near the top. Check to make sure a card will fit in it. Sew only the bottom edge of the pocket (the long edge of the 2”x4” rectangle).

• Position the bottom pocket (2”x4” rectangle) along the bottom edge of the previous work to make a bottom pocket. This will overlap with the top pocket a little bit, and that’s okay.

• Take the second 4” square and stack it behind the work. This will allow you to take care of several seams at once. Now, if you seam around three edges of the entire work you will be sewing the three edges of the money pouch leaving an opening at the top. This will also attach the bottom pocket to the wallet. (See red lines in the attached figure.)

• Position the last 4” square to serve as a flap to cover the credit cards. Sew it on! Then add a 2” square for a closure flap. Add a button or snap and you are done.

This could be made to have more pockets, but Jana said only 6 squares!

Two projects today from weavers who are thinking along the same lines—that is, how to contain some of the paraphernalia that we fiber folk accumulate and drag around. Crochet Hook Case is from Angie McCormick (Rav handle—mountainangel) in North Carolina. What a great idea to keep those pokey hook points from snagging everything in your tote bag. And a very clever use of a weaving pattern, I might add! The Scissors Cases are from Chris Kaden (Rav handle—mymindiswhorling) of Bordentown, New Jersey. I like her idea of fulling to make a thicker fabric for pointy objects. Congratulations to Angie and Chris for keeping us all in order!

Crochet Hook Case

Materials:
4×4 Weave-It Loom
Scraps of Lion Brand CottonEase: I used Lime and Wheat
Tapestry Needle
Size 00 Crochet Hook

All six squares are in the Diagonal Stripes Pattern from Weave-It Weaves. Three squares use Lime for first three layers and Wheat for the final layer
Three squares use Wheat for the first three layers and Lime for the final layer.

Line up the squares so that the raised threads fall vertically so it will hold in your crochet hooks. Sew together with tapestry needle and yarn as in the picture.

Cut three 30” strands of Wheat and three of Lime. Braid the strands using two Wheat and one Lime for one strand and 2 Lime and one Wheat for the other. Tie overhand knots in the ends so that the strands measure about 19”.

Fold in half, find the center of the outside of the cover flap and using a crochet hook, pull the loop through a few stitches, push ends of the woven strands through the loop and gently pull snug.

Roll up starting at the narrower end, fold down the top and bottom squares, wrap the braids around and tie in a bow.

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Scissors Case

Chris says:
“This was a fun project! Not only did I get to weave on my Weavette, but the finished product will help keep me organized with my future weaving projects.

The scissors holder is made from two 2”x6” Weavette rectangles. After weaving the rectangles, simply sew one on top of the other, folding the top rectangle down on itself, about 1 1/2” to 2” from the top. I used a running stitch just inside the edges, with a back stitch at the top opening where the holder will see the most stress.

The variegated scissors holder is made from Woolbearers worsted weight mohair/wool blend. The purple holder is Patons Classic Wool Merino. I chose to full my scissors holders in the washing machine. The Woolbearers holder would have been fine, since the thick yarn made a nice tight weave. The purple holder woven with the Patons had a loose enough weave that it was hard to slip the scissors in. As you can see from the picture below, the Patons wool shrunk a lot more to make a smaller case. In addition to holding scissors, both are great for holding a Weavette weaving needle and a yarn needle.”

If someone gave you an assignment to make a star from five squares, would you be a bit perplexed? Think you were being tested for admission to Mensa? Call me befuddled. So the Six Square Smackdown Honorable Mention goes to Debbie S. in Virginia for this clever star ornament made from 2” squares! She shows it as a hanging ornament, but I also can also envision it as a pillow made from 6” squares, or a fairy wand in 4” squares, or a pincushion/sachet, or a… Really, the idea of stretching those squares along the bias into a diamond shape to squeeze in another piece opens up a LOT of possibilities. How about a pentagon shape for a quilt? Crown of a hat? Bottom of a bag?

Debbie blogs as Crochet Lady at Weaving Along. Do visit to see some other nifty ideas for handheld looms, including her amazing trademark “tapestries”. I turn you over to Debbie now:

MATERIALS:
Yarn needle
2” loom
12 yards of sport weight yarn (Red Heart 0230 yellow)
12 yards of Lion Brand gold Lame´
(Yarns will be used together as one. Whatever combination of yarn that you use, it needs to result in a tight and stiff fabric for this ornament.)
Small amount of stuffing material
Two star buttons

DIRECTIONS:
1. Weave five 2” squares using both yarns held together.
2. Stack two squares together and sew two adjacent sides together. (Use a 24″ length a yarn because you’ll be using it throughout.)

3. Fold back both unsewn corners until you get a triangle. (The second side gets folded back in the opposite direction so you end with a triangle that has two flaps and an inside pocket.)

4. 3.Sew 3rd square to one flap of the first two squares, sewing two adjacent sides of the squares. Fold back the flap again so that you have a stack of triangles sewn together.

5. Repeat last step until all five triangles are sewn and stacked.

6. Bring together last two flaps. Sew the ends of the squares together at the end the thread is currently on.
7. Sew only one side of the last flap together leaving a opening for stuffing.

8. Push the whole thing down flattening it out to form the star. Push at the arrows to flatten out star.

9. Stuff and sew the last opening, adjusting fullness before closing it up.

10. Sew a length of metallic thread through the center of both front and back and around each side, to emphasize the star shape.

11. Sew a button to either side, connecting the buttons through the center of the star.

12. Push the sides of the star in between points to plump up and refine the shape. Add a length of lame´ through the top for a hanger.

We have a winner! Congratulations to Dawn Rogal in Bellevue Washington! Dawn blogs at More Art, Less Housework, so I’m guessing that the sheets didn’t get ironed while she perfected this little gem. Everything about her project inspires and appeals to me—its simplicity and usefulness, flexibility and just overall charm—a zakka basket with a new twist! (If you don’t have a basket handy that suits the purpose, you can also knit or crochet a base out of linen, hemp or cotton. Think flat-topped hat, upside-down.) And now I turn it over to Dawn:

This sweet “zakka” inspired basket is so cute and so handy. You can use it for everything from carrying and storing your current weaving project to taking a snack on a picnic or wrapping a special gift for a friend.

The project uses:
• six basic weave squares
• 1 fat quarter of fabric (22.5” x22.5”)
• a basket with a 22-inch circumference (this is the length of the squares once they were sewn together)
• 1 yard ribbon
• thread, fabric glue, scissors, large sewing needle
• sewing machine (optional—the minimal amount of sewing could easily be done by hand)
(eLoomanator’s notes: Get the basket first! If your basket opening is larger than 22”circumference, you’ll need more woven pieces and more fabric than listed here. Dawn lined her basket for a really polished finish, but depending on the end use, you might choose to eliminate that step.)

To make your basket:
1. Begin by stitching your woven squares together side to side. Match the squares by placing the finishing knot in the lower right. Pick a “right” side so that your stitching shows only on the “wrong” side. You may use sewing thread, coordinating embroidery thread or matching yarn to sew the squares together. (eloomanator’s note: You could also use woven rectangles or stacked squares for a taller fabric portion.)

Note: At this point measure the length of your sewn squares. This length will be the circumference of the basket that you will need. The basket used in the example is 22” in circumference.

2. Finish by sewing the first and last squares together to form a tube. The tube should fit exactly inside the top of the basket.

3. Make a pattern for the lining of your basket. Trace the bottom of the basket; this is your first pattern piece. Measure the circumference of the top and the height of your basket; this is your second pattern piece. Before cutting out your pattern pieces add a ¼” sewing seam to all sides. Add an additional ½” to the top of the side piece.

Note: Your basket will likely have curved sides. Do not worry about taking these into consideration in your pattern pieces. The fullness will be gathered as you sew. The important measurements are the bottom piece and the top circumference.

4. Cut out your fabric. Sew the long side piece short ends and right sides together to form a tube. Press your seam flat.

5. With right sides together place seam on center of one long edge of the bottom piece; pin. Take the opposite side of the fabric tube and place it on the opposite long edge of the bottom piece; pin. Take the midpoint of the fabric tube (between the pins) and place it at the midpoint of the short edge of the bottom piece; pin. Take the opposite midpoint of the fabric tube and place it on the opposite short edge of the bottom piece; pin.

6. Continue to pin the fabric tube to the bottom fabric gathering excess to the corners. Sew, gathering as much excess fabric to the corners as possible while still making your seam neat. Turn inside out, right side of the fabric facing out. Check your seams for neatness. Turn back, right sides forming the inside of your basket lining, trim seams.

7. Tuck the lining into the basket. Turn the top of the lining down, wrong sides together, so that the top of the lining is even with the top of the basket; press.

8. Overlap the right side of the top of the lining to the wrong side of woven squares. The overlap should be ¼” and fabric lining should still be closest to the basket and the woven squares inside the lining. Stitch together using the sewing machine. (You can hand stitch this but the sewing machine will give you a stronger seam.)

9. Tuck the lining and squares inside the basket. Using fabric glue, glue the lining to the top of the basket. Make sure that the top of the lining is even with the top of the basket; don’t glue the woven squares. (eLoomanator’s note: If your basket has accessible holes under the top rim, you can hand stitch the weaving and lining to the basket.)

10. Using the large sewing needle, thread your ribbon. Weave the ribbon through the top of the squares taking a stitch every inch or so. Be careful to weave between the yarn and not through the yarn. Cut the yarn ends such that when open there is 6” to 8” inches of ribbon.

eLoomanator’s note: It was REALLY hard for me to actually pick a winner. So many wonderful projects, all coming to these pages in short order. Stay tuned…

Up until now, all of the published patterns for little looms have been limited to three overshot threads at a time. Why stop there? I give you this pattern with a daring five overshot threads, henceforth known as Wide Wale Corduroy. Woo hoo! I’m loving this pattern which is the same on the back, except the ribs are vertical instead of horizontal. Its very deep texture would be perfect for afghans and rugs. Easy to weave and you can use a much bulkier yarn than possible for plain weave. The samples from left to right and top to bottom are: Brown Sheep BULKY Lamb’s Pride, Noro Big Kureyon, Rowan Cork, and the sportweight one is Louet Gems Opal. You can see in that sample that a little bit of the windowpane thing is going on, which would be more pronounced in a lighter weight yarn. This pattern would be perfect for a heavy ribbon yarn, too. Wide Wale Corduroy works for the 4×4 Weave-It or Weavette and the 5” Weave-It Rug loom. It doesn’t come out just right at the end on the Weave-It 2″ loom or the Weavette rectangular looms, but if absolute symmetry is not an issue for your project, you can still do it.

O=Over
U=Under

WIDE WALE CORDUROY
Wrap three continuous warp layers. Change color if desired, and measure yarn for needleweaving.
Weave as follows—
Row 1: plain weave
Row 2 & 3: (U1, O5)x5; U1
Row 4-plain weave
Rows 5-16: (repeat Rows 2-4)x4

On Weave-It, Weavette and Loomette looms, always go OVER the loop of yarn that’s outside the pins. That loop isn’t mentioned in any written pattern. It’s a “given”.

Six Square Smackdown update: nine entrants with 13 projects! The “reveal” will be on Feb 11th and I’ll blog each and every entry over the next few weeks, while the Square Deal Weave-Along takes a short break. (Please don’t post your entry on your blog until I’ve had a chance to show it here.) They’re all worthy of recognition. It will be very difficult to choose the prize winner(s). And yes, there WILL be more contests!