A lightbulb moment

It's amazing what a bit of time away from something can make it 'click' when you get to trying it again! I felt this way the first time I tried tatting. I just couldn't get the knots to sit correctly. There was a lot of pulling hair (figuratively speaking of course), throwing the shuttles down in frustration, and scissor action! I put it away after being brought to the brink of tears of frustration. A short while later, having refused to be beaten, I tried again. AND SUCCEEDED! I don't know why or how, but it clicked.

So, I felt (almost) the very same thing when I first tried loom bead weaving with the shedding device. The first two rows were okay, but it was downhill from then on! I followed the instructions - specifically a Mirrix video on YouTube - but it just didn't seem to be working! I didn't want to up the frustration level so decided to just leave it for another time.

My loom is empty since I cut off the panel for the purse, so I thought I'd try loom bead weaving with the shedding device again. This time, I used double delicas (size 8), with Nymo for the weft and top stitch thread for the warps. I figured it would be easier to do with larger beads. So I set to warping, getting the shedding device and the heddles on with ease. I watched a recent video that concentrated on the weaving part, and wove as followed it. And guess what, it WORKED!!!! The beads were going into their spaces nicely, and there were none out of place at all!!!!! It's just a sample, so I'll have to try it on a 'proper' project before I give a full review!

So I cut the sample off quite quickly and was once again left looking at a naked loom! I thought I'd make a start n the patterns I designed for the side of the violin. I made the mistake of taking out my stash of delicas and other beads. I ended up having three projects I wanted to work on. So I warped the loom for three. Here is what WAS on the loom up until this afternoon.

I'm not entirely happy with the middle bracelet, but someone likes it so I'll finish it and give it to them. I wasn't happy with the bracelet on the right, so I undid it and changed the deign entirely. There is an element still to be added. This will be done when it's been cut off the loom as I think that will be easier.

I'm absolutely loving the design for the side of the violin. I also drew these up, and will loom them eventually as well. Hopefully they all look s good!

If you're still awake after reading this, thank you for doing so, and I hope you enjoy! Happy beading, and enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Not quite conquered but almost there!

The thing I was fearing the most is over...at least partly! A a participant in the Social market for a Mirrix, we have to post a YouTube video every two weeks. I had NEVER posted a video, let alone a recording of myself! But yesterday I decided to grab the bull by the horns and go for it. I was worried about not making it long enough (i.e. more than 2 minutes) but it actually turned out longer than I had anticipated - close to 11! I cut out a little to shorten it - according to YouTube it was going to take at least two hours to upload!

Anyway here is the result.



Yes that's really the same person speaking in both sections. My voice seems to have had a mind of its' own last night :) Sorry about the quality. As said this is my first time recording a video. Hopefully by the end I will be better and more confident. But otherwise I hope the content is of interest. If there is something you would like to see, please let me know and I will try to oblige.

For now I have to head to bed, tomorrow is work. I also need to decide what project to get onto the loom after I'm done weaving this sample. I've still got the shedding device and yarn setup on there. I think I may try out some patterning in weaving the it it off and. Just keep as something to look at. There is a particular project I want to really make a start on, but need to buy the beads for it - about 35-40 colours in total I think. I have a little of some of them but they're being used on other loomings. I may start buying slowly to replenish stock then I can start. It's quite a...large project but is a very exciting one. Hopefully I can begin on it soon.

I bid you a good night and good Monday!

Everything needs trying at least once

I cut the blue bracelet off the Mirrix the other day, and wanted to try using the shedding device with the next looming. I think that was a little too ambitious for the first try. Before I began, I watched YouTube video on setting up the loom for bead weaving with a shedding device. The warping was easy enough, and is now embedded in my mind.

I thought it was all systems go! Unfortunately one of the sheds was not defined. I did follow instructions to place the second lot of heddles to the right of the first lot of heddles, but it wasn't working! Through sheer frustration, I removed the second lot of heddles and started again. I continued attaching the heddles the next day, and sat back happy. I went to check the sheds and NO!!! It wasn't working!! I removed all heddles and cut the warps off! I warped for 9 beads wide and stopped for lunch. I read through the sheet that came with the loom, as well as the PDF from the Mirrix site. There was an AHA! moment. I'd rotated the shedding device the wrong way after attaching the first set of heddles! I also used the trick of passing the spring bar through the warps. I set the heddles and when I checked the sheds...THEY WORKED! I worked the first row as in traditional looming, then proceeded with working with the shedding device. I think this needs LOTS and LOTS of practice to get the hang of. It seemed ok with one or two rows before going pear-shaped!

I found it difficult to get the beads between the warps, and then get them to stay put as I pushed them down towards the V formed by the shed. I seem to have misplaced some, as you can see in the photo above. I find it too time consuming and difficult to work with. And the warp threads show more when you use the shedding device - theyre doubled. All this is most likely due to my not doing it properly. I think for next time (yes I like to punish myself), I may use larger beads to get the basics down. In the meantime, there is another bracelet in browns, gold and white, on the loom. Much faster :)

A New Way To Warp? (For bead weaving.)

On Sunday we visited Caravan Beads and while Claudia taught, Barry (the lovely owner of Caravan) and I sat down and tried to figure out an easier way to warp. (All his idea.) We expanded a bit on a fairly new method that was developed at our last workshop and although this has not been sufficiently tested I thought I'd share our ideas with you blog-readers out there and perhaps I could get some input.

This new warping method has two parts. Those of you who are already pros at putting heddles on might not need the second part (the comb). It was developed with beginners in mind and just helps to separate the warp threads and allows you to see what you're doing much more clearly. (Note: This blog post is meant to be understood by those who have warped the loom before. Once tested more thoroughly, we will post more detailed instructions.

Here we go:

The first step is to make a small, cardboard comb from anything you have lying around. Cut slits in it (as shown) on both sides. You should have as many slits on one side as warp threads you plan to have. On the other side, cut the same amount plus one extra. We will assume that you will be working on the left side of your loom, and putting your heddles on right to left. In this case, the extra notch should be on the front right. (see picture.) If you were warping in the other direction, the extra notch would be on the front left.

Tie onto the warping bar like you would when you are warping the loom normally. 

Loop the warp over the loom and through one dent in the coil. Then put the warp in the first RIGHT BACK slit of the cardboard comb. 

Bring your thread around the bottom of the loom and back to the warping bar. Instead of doing a U-turn at this point, simply WRAP YOUR WARP THREAD AROUND THE BAR and CONTINUE BACK TO THE TOP. (This is the new, easier way to warp and can be done without the comb.)

When you bring your warp thread back to the top, put it through the same dent in the spring as your last warp. (Note: This is only done when bead weaving with the shedding device.)

Bring this warp thread down and into the front notch of the comb. Make sure you put it in the notch that is on the exact opposite side of the one your last warp thread was put in. Leave the extra notch empty. 

Bring your warp thread under the loom, around the warping bar and back up to the spring as you did before. This time, bring your warp thread to the next dent over. 

Continue to do this. (This is the sequence: Up over the loom, into one dent of the spring, into a back notch of the comb, under the loom, around the warping bar, over the top, back into the same dent as the last warp thread, into a front notch of the comb (make sure this is done sequentially), under the loom, around the warping bar, into another dent of the spring... etc. etc. etc.....) This should create a scenario where you have two warp threads per dent in the top spring of your loom and each of those is separated in the comb, front and back. 

Two warps in each dent: 

Tie off on the warping bar when finished. Remove clips. 

Move warping bar down, and then move comb down to just above where shedding device will be. 

Place shedding device on loom. Unscrew bar. Take one heddle at a time and loop it around the FRONT warp threads, one at a time, right to left. Because of the comb, they will be well separated and easier to see. 

Next, flip the warping bar around so the bottom small bar is on the top. 

Move the front right warp over from the current notch it is in to the "extra notch"This will leave room for you to grab the warp thread behind and make it easier to see. It will also insure that you bring the back warp thread to the RIGHT of the one in front (If you were doing this in the opposite direction, to the LEFT.) At this point you may want to loosen your tension slightly to make it easier to grab the back warp threads. 

Loop your heddle around the first back warp thread and onto the bar. Easy to see, isn't it?

Now, move the front warp thread that is second to the right over one notch to the right. This opens up a space for you to see the next thread you will be looping your heddle around. 

Continue to do this in sequential order, remembering to move each front warp thread over to the right before you grab the next back warp thread. It isn't hard to remember to do this since the comb sets everything up very clearly. 

Remove the comb.

And you're done! Ta da!

*We recommend any of the C-Lon threads of cords for warping your loom depending on the size of bead you use.