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Applehead has a complete tutorial on how to crochet a basic five petal flower. This is a great pictoral step-by-step reference for those that don't crochet as often and sometimes get stuck. Crochet flowers are the perfect embellishments for your projects like a hat, bag, or scarf.
flower power... — applehead (via CRAFT: blog)
Marie-Christine of Fuzzy Galore has created a Moebius capelet. Her pattern includes instructions on how to knit the long rectangle and directions on twisting it, thereby turning it into a Moebius strip. Looks like a super fast project you can make on size 17 needles.
Moebius Capelet — Fuzzy Galore (via CRAFT: blog)
Once famous for its brocade, local authorities are now fighting to preserve the dying art of weaving in Nghia An Commune in the northern province of Yen Bai.
Not long ago, almost every girl in the village knew how to work a loom, but imports of Chinese cloth have led to the virtual extinction of the traditional cottage industry.
However, the local authorities have stepped in to help revive the centuries old handicraft.
Since the Nghia An authority set up a weaving team, which is funded by Yen Bai's Tourism-Commerce Department, many foreign and domestic visitors have started coming to Nghia An,
said Hoang Thi Duoc, the vice president of the commune's Women's Union.
Visitors enjoy watching weavers work their looms, and welcome the chance to buy beautifully made brocade,
Duoc said.
The local authorities have provided the village with 12 looms on which local women weave handkerchiefs, pillow cases and bedspreads — ranging in price from VND12,000 to VND30,000.
It is hard work and incomes are small — each woman can expect to earn around VND15,000 a day, but scheme has helped revive the traditional art of weaving and brought a measure of prosperity to the village.
Reviving the lost art of brocade weaving — VietNamNet Bridge
Nazli makes the cutest crochet hats to the likes of owls and frogs. The owl hat even looks like a pilot's hat when it's on.
Hats — Nazli Çetiner (via CRAFT: blog)
Folk legend Norman Kennedy visited Aberdeen Gallery to present a hand-woven suit to curators.
The suit is a historical monument of Scotland's weaving heritage.
Norman is an expert spinner and weaver, and has been practising this rare craft for more than 30 years. The suit was hand-woven by Norman in preparation for his move to the United States.
He has only worn it twice, as they weight of the thick green tweed proved to be more suited to a Scottish climate that than of New England in July.
Norman first proudly wore his hand-crafted fabric when he was invited to sing in the US in 1965, and its second outing was for meeting Maria Von Trapp in the mountains of Vermont, where she fed him fried chicken and apple strudel.
Receiving the suit on behalf of Aberdeen Art Gallery, Assistant Keeper Victoria Ward said she was delighted to accept this unique representation of weaving in North-east Scotland.
By making this generous donation to Aberdeen City's costume collection, Norman is playing an important role in preserving traditional skills for future generations,
she said.
Folk legend presents hand-woven suit to Aberdeen Art Gallery — Aberdeen City Council
The October guest speaker was Lisa Waller from Alice Springs Beanie Festival.
This was the 10th year of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. An old university friend of Lisa's is the artistic director and invited her to help run it. Lisa ran workshops and helped to write a book.
The lady who started the festival used to travel teaching indigenous people how to run household budgets and quickly realized that they had more basic needs. She started to carry needles and yarn so groups of ladies could sit around at night and learn to make beanies. Winter nights get very cold and many indigenous people sleep out or in unheated, badly insulated houses. The idea of making beanies took off and so the festival was started to show the beanies and provide a market. It now attracts entries from USA, UK and Japan. This year there were 4,000 beanies entered; 9,000 people went through the exhibition in 3 days and there was a turn over of $100,000.
Before the festival Lisa went to Ernabella in the Musgrave Ranges, north western South Australia. Ernabella was started as a mission for the Pitjantjatjara people. They have retained their language and have a tradition of handcrafts including spinning on spindles, and weaving. The Ernabella choir started the Adelaide fringe festival when their request to perform was turned down. The choir master took them to Adelaide in a rented truck to perform in a church.
The women spin on basic spindles similar to a Turkish spindle made from sticks of wonga vine. They were offered spinning wheels but prefer their own spindles and used to spin sheep wool, sometimes mixed with emu feathers, when Ernabella was still a sheep station. Lately they have not been able to get fleece but a request to the Canberra guild resulted in some fleeces being sent to them. They don't like dyed wool, preferring the natural colours.
Many of the women are old and have poor eyesight and other health problems but they really enjoy being creative. Lisa showed slides of the women at work and some of the displays at the festival. The organizers are committed to charging real prices for the beanies. There are 2-hour workshops costing $10 run at the same time as the festival. There is an organised tour in 2007.
If your group selects a topic to study each year, consider asking for a Weaving Box of woven samples. Some items do not have details of materials or drawdowns but are nonetheless inspiring. Your group may like to take the challenge to analyse a draftless sample.
Contact the Guild if you would like to borrow a box.
We have boxes of:
Twills, Tartans and plaids, Rosepath, Overshot, Summer and Winter, Tapestry, Bound weave, Braids, Lace weaves both hand manipulated (like Leno) or loom controlled, plain weaves, etc
A full list is available on application.
Canadian Living has a tutorial on how to take your old jumpers and turn them into some great looking tote bags.
The leather handles made from a length of recycled leather belt, strap or dog leash is a nice touch.
Recycled sweater totes — Canadian Living (via CRAFT: blog)
Two new Australian Merino wool products took centre stage at October's Intertextile Fabrics Fair in Shanghai, highlighting Australian Wool Innovation Limited's (AWI) collaboration with key Chinese manufacturers.
The launch of the two textile innovations, Merino Travel and Merino Retro, builds on the strong reputation Australian Merino wool products have established in the fast-growing Chinese market.
Intertextile is one of the leading apparel fabric trade fairs in the world.
Australian wool steals show in China as mulesing options on track for 2010 — Farm Online
We are starting to plan for Continuing Threads, our 60th Anniversary Exhibition. The proposed space will be less than half the size we had in 1997 but we hope that all members will make something. We will also have space for sale items.
If you have a skill we can use or you would like to learn we want to hear from you as it takes many heads and hands to put it all together.
We expect a wide variety of woven, spun, felted and braided items that will demonstrate our expertise to visitors to the Exhibition Hall, Darling Harbour.
Get busy with your items
Exhibited items must have been made within the last two years.
Up to 3 items per member/Network Group for exhibition, up to 10 items for sale with more in storage to restock those sold. An item can have many parts eg a spectrum of hand dyed skeins of silk for embroidery rather than just one skein for sale, or a set of placemats for exhibition.
Members who submit items for sale will be encouraged to spend time on the sales table during the exhibiton.
Entry forms are due in May 2007. Refer to coming issues of the Guild News for more details.
Items must be delivered to the Guild Rooms by 7 June 2007. Due to the limited space available a selection may be made by the exhibition committee to ensure that the very highest standard of work will be exhibited.
There will be a vote for the most popular exhibit.
2007 Continuing Threads Exhibition Guidelines, Entry Form and Sales Form
Project Gutenberg has a new book available for free download that may be of interest to Guild members: Make Your Own Hats by Gene Allen Martin.
Make Your Own Hats by Gene Allen Martin — Project Gutenberg (via Feòrag NicBhrìde)
Helle Jorgensen creates amazing sea creatures that are crocheted, knitted and embroidered with reused plastic bags.
Sea Creatures — Helle Jorgensen (via CRAFT: blog)
Another quick project you can add onto your holiday gift list, providing you don't mind the baby's head being mistaken for an apple.
Apple Hat — KnitList (via CRAFT: blog)
Ram Wools has a free pattern for crochet slippers that look like little booties.
Crochet Slippers — Ram Wools (via CRAFT: blog)
Sheep in the city has a tutorial on making adorable stitch markers.
The Stitchmarker: A Tutorial — sheep in the city (via CRAFT: blog)
Roxycraft has created some cool free patterns to make three different kinds of crochet ornaments. Choose from Bo the Snowman, Rory the Reindeer or Santa Baby.
(via CRAFT: blog)