Catching the Sun
The Off the Grid—3D Challenge is over and we have a first place winner of the vintage Weave-It™ Rug Loom! Our illustrious judge, Margaret Arafat*, was bowled over by Lynn Manning’s strikingly beautiful piece. Some of her words were “unusual that it isn’t fiber”, “very innovative”, “airy”, “so lovely”—and I totally concur. Lynn, if you remember, made her first small loom project just a few months ago for the Six Square Smackdown contest. Lynn is from Peru, NY (Ravelry name—ADKzookeeper). I think she has a future in designing small loom projects for publication.
If you’ve experimented with wire on a small loom, you know that the needle-weaving part is the hardest thing to do. Lynn has creatively avoided that final step with an innovative technique that preserves the integrity of each piece. While technically not “woven”, this project points out yet another way to use our versatile little looms—one that I had never considered. Thank you, Lynn!
This is a “fly by the seat of your pants” project. My challenge was to use supplies I already had to complete this project. There are no hard and fast rules to how to put this together…..it’s whatever works for you!
Tools
• 2” Weave-It™ or Weavette™ loom
• 2” x 4” Weavette™ loom
• jewelry pliers with rounded tips
• wire cutters or old scissors that will not be used for paper or cloth
Materials
• 24 gauge wire
• jump rings
• assorted beads
Instructions
• Construct eleven squares in the following manner:
1. With wire, warp 2” loom using standard warping pattern. Bend starting end under wooden loom frame for later.
2. Measure wire end 2.5 times around outside edge of loom. Cut.
3. At each cross around the edge of the loom, weave wire end around the “X” and continue on to the next one. This holds the wires in place so you can take it off the loom.
4. Finish by wrapping wire neatly and trim excess.
5. Remove from loom and wrap starting wire end neatly. Trim excess.
• Following the same instructions, weave one piece on a 2×4” Weavette™ loom.
Planning & Assembling
• Lay out squares and beads in an arrangement that pleases you.
• String beads on sections of wire, use jump rings to attach beads to squares.
• Wrap groups of wire in the squares to create openings to suspend beads.
• Make a hanger by twisting 2 strands of wire together and attaching to corners of 2”x4”woven piece.
*Margaret Arafat (our 3D Challenge judge) is the current president of the Fort Worth Weavers Guild and newsletter editor of Contemporary Handweavers of Texas. She is also a member of the Handweavers Guild of America and Complex Weavers. In addition to her considerable skill with a floor loom, Margaret is a small loom weaver!
All 3D Challenge projects will all be posted in coming weeks, so keep watching. There are some interesting ideas that you won’t want to miss!
Wow! I didn’t get into the action soon enough to plan anything using 12 squares, but I am blown away by the innovation!!
Congratulations to the winner!
Will we get to see any of the other entrants projects?
Nancy in Houston
All of the projects will be posted in coming weeks.
Wow! this is an awesome piece, very creative.
Hello, my name is Mei and I am into wire jewelry.
I will bookmark your site so that I can visit again.
Mei/WireBliss
This is awesome! My congrats to the winner!
What a fabulously creative use of the small loom! Congratulations to the winner! Oh, to have such imagination!
wow. That is a stunning piece. Very creative. I can only imagine the work and time that went into making it!
I would like to thank Jana for her fantastic blog and website devoted to these little looms. These were what got me excited about these looms. With her loom competitions, she’s encouraged me to stretch my imagination! I just received my prize of the Weave it Rug Loom and I’m just thrilled!
A winner worthy of winning to be sure. This is both beautiful and clever (geez - I wish I could think outside the box like this!)
weaving rays into trash bags…
Recycled Tote Plastic Bag Rug—Plastic Bag Bag, lovely!—-more–Recycling part 5: Only in San Francisco—sushi, Woven plastic grocery bags in wooden boxes–more–swim thru this site tofind made from recycled plastic bags—-more– dELiZiOsO!, wove…
TRABALHO MARAVILHOSO!
PARABÉNS NOVAMENTE!
ESTOU IMPRESSIONADA COM SEUS TRABALHOS!
OBRIGADA…
BEIJO
That´s very nice and creative.
Неплохой топик…
психолог/ менеджер по кадрам Some of her words were “unusual that it isn’t fiber”, “very innovative”, “airy”, “so lovely”—and I totally concur. Lynn,…