Tapestry Weaving

I have a hankering to weave. Apparently, my son's school has integrated the history of fiber arts quite fully into their curriculum. I love this. He's learning about Persian rugs and Kente cloth and I am itching to weave soooo badly.
So...today i whipped out the kiddie loom I snagged at a garage sale and dove into a Seahorse tapestry.

So far:

We'll see how it goes. The kids did paper weaving:

Well played, K-12. Well played.

Squid Motif

Squidling Motif

Here is a little guy that you can whip up fairly quickly with little yarn. He is good as a bookmark, pin, applique or as I'll show later, add-on to one of my favorite patterns. (not mine) 

 Materials:

G hook

worsted yarn (red heart in examples) in body color

second color scraps for eyes

optional buttons or felt for eyes

Stitches:

dc  -  double crochet

hdc - half double crochet

sc - single crochet

ss - slip stitch

ch - chain

1- ch 3, 2dc in furthest chain (3dc)

2- ch 3  turn dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each dc across (6dc)

this makes the pointy bit at the top of our squid's head.

3- turn, ss in first two stitches. chain 2 hdc in same stitch, hdc in next stitch (should end up with to centered hdc)

4-ch 3 turn, dc in same stitch, 2dc in next stitch (4dc)

5- ch 2 turn, hdc in same space, hdc in next two stitches, 2 hdc in last stitch (6hdc)

6- ch 3 turn, dc in each hdc across (6dc)

thats our body.

now we move on to the tentacles. Sorry, our squidling only has five. :) 

chain 20

sc in first chain from hook

hdc in next chain

sc in next chain

now we'll work back toward the point through the opposite side of the same chains.

sc in bottom loop of last sc

hdc in bottom loop of hdc

sc in bottom of sc 

ss to point, cut and finish off.

should have one tentacle with a pod on the end. 

second and third tentacle are made together. 

chain 5

sc in fist chain from hook, hdc in next chain, sc in next chain ss to last chain

come back down toward the point using the bottom loops of stitches we just made

sc, hdc, sc, 

ss together and chain 15

ss to body beside first leg. 

ss to next legless stitch at bottom of body.

ch 25

sc in first chain from hook

hdc, sc, ss down chain (back toward body) 

then work back toward point through bottom loops of previous stitches

sc, hdc, sc, ss  cut and finish off.

Now your squidling should have three legs dangling from the bottom of his bod. 

chain 5

sc in fist chain from hook, hdc in next chain, sc in next chain ss to last chain

come back down toward the point using the bottom loops of stitches we just made

sc, hdc, sc, 

ss together and chain 10

ss to body beside first leg. 

ss to next legless stitch at bottom of body.

ch 20

sc in first chain from hook

hdc, sc, ss down chain (back toward body) 

then work back toward point through bottom loops of previous stitches

Now, if I did this right, squidling should have five legs. 

You can move onto eyes and weaving in ends. 

(But, if I want to morph him into a badass necklace, I modify the legs making only three spread out more so that one is on each outer edge and one is in center. then I attach him to this pattern: (which I make in the same color) instead of the called-for flower. That gives him an additional three legs and makes him wearable!) 

Squidling's eyes can be buttons, felt circles or crocheted. If I stitch them, I just do six sc in a magic ring and then leave a long tail to whip them onto the body with. 

He's very easy to modify or tweak! 

Stash Attack!!

Because my mum is awesome, she came back from her two week vacation with a scad of souvenirs and goodies for the kiddos...and because she's also the BEST, she knows exactly what sort of goody to get her somewhat yarn obsessed daughter.

NEW STASH!!

 That's Baby Alpaca there on the right. :)












Thanks, Ma

I Can't Quilt

I've tried to quilt. I really love them. Something about the patterns, the little bits of cast off fabric all reassembled into a thing of beauty...it gets my happy going. I've been known to participate in bidding wars with little old ladies when the hand stitched quilts come up at auction. I took a class on the history of fiber arts and swooned over every crazy quilt.

But I just can't do it.

I have a quilting block or something. Pun intended. So when I had my kiddos, I really really wanted to make them quilts...and I didn't. I imagined it, making a block for each milestone, every birthday, etc. The finished, gleaming quilt would be presented at graduation or possibly on the eve of their wedding (which had damn sure better come after graduation) and lovingly received.

Yall know I write fantasy right?

Okay, so what's a mom who can't quilt to do? Well, this one is going to crochet. It's all I've got, really. My eldest grub was reading a story last week, Josephina and the Story Quilt, for lit class, and since we home school, that meant I was reading it too. It got those old quilt pangs going again, and I decided if I couldn't sew them a memory blanket, I could certainly crochet them one.

So we're off. One square per year so far and I'm up to four each and counting. I'm hoping to have all five of the youngest's done this week and finish up eight for my boy before long. It's a ton of fun.
Why would I do it if it wasn't?

Best part so far has been picking out the specific squares for each year. I've found some great ideas! (bless you, Ravelry) And planning the ones I might do next. I'll get pictures up as soon as possible, and hopefully, show as I go.

:)
Happy hooking
Frances