The Winter 2024 issue of “Easy Weaving with Little Looms” is dedicated to the theme “Inspired by Art”, and after reading it, I nickname it the Louvre issue. The read is like a visit to an art museum: Educational, emotional, thought provoking, and encouraging to create.
I feel honored to have two designs featured in this issue, and I would like to share what inspired those projects because they are great examples for “you never know what inspires you”.
The first project is the Amaranth Stole. Last year (yes, it takes at least a year from having an idea until it’s printed in a publication) I found a set of mini skeins at a local yarn store, the Sated Sheep. I had no clue what to do with it, but I just could not leave it behind.
This was the summer when fellow pin-loom weaver and artist Sam Hammer conducted his first artist-in-residence weave-along for the Pin Loom Weaving Support group on Facebook. One day, he posted this photo of one of his amazing backyard plants, and I instantly knew that my new yarn treasure was meant to weave “something like that”. The Amaranth Stole was borne.
The stole is made using the Original TURTLE Loom™ F and the Original Jewel F.
Later that year I treated myself to participating in an Arne & Carlos Advent knit-along for a Christmas stocking. I enjoyed watching the daily episodes and listening to Arne and Carlos sharing stories from their daily happenings.
One day, Arne showed a piece of fabric that he had discovered for his new kitchen, and he talked about the famous strawberry thieves pattern it featured. His presentation instantly sparked the idea of “Can I weave this?”, and as they say, the rest is history … the Strawberry Thieves wall hanging was borne.
The project is woven using the PennyTURTLE™ F.
These are just two out of the 18 projects in this new issue, and then there is so much more in the features. From Hundertwasser to Matisse, rigid heddle looms to tapestry, weaving techniques and how-to instructions … this issue provides inspiration for hundreds of hours of crafting in years to come.
We offer the printed edition of this issue in our online store. However, if you are ready to start building the best little looms weaving library that one can wish for, I highly recommend a subscription to this magazine at the Long Thread Media website.
Be inspired, weave on!
Credits: Amaranth photo by Sam Hammer, used with permission.
You say this next issue is “Art” and I’ll have to sit and read it through. But I have to say that the weavings you do are art, and that is why I’ve bought your loom varieties. You inspired me to do art in this form. And I love the ones looking like quilts. Thank You.
What a lovely comment, Karey. Thank you! The magazine editor Christina Garton actually talks in her introduction about weaving being seen as art versus creating something functional that happens to be pretty, and I agree with her that I feel it is both.
Comments like yours give me an extra boost to create … thank you for that!