TT22 and Linda are sending their warmest holiday wishes from Iowa!
Shortly after TT22 arrived in the Driftless Area, the snow set in … time for Linda to take TT22 on a test run …
Linda is experimenting … for the cute Christmas basket she put 8 random hexagons of her pretty wool together (2 rows of 4 hexagons sewn together, then closed along the short sides to form a tube. Sew the tips on one end of the tube together to shape the bottom … it’s a 4-hexagons-in-the-round basket). Then, full the basket and let it dry over a small wooden square. Santa surely seems to be pleased!
Best wishes from all of us for a joyous, peaceful holiday weekend.
(Photo credits: All photos by Linda Canton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Congratulations! Linda Canton in Iowa will be our last TT22 host this year, for December.
Linda and her husband Dan live in the very unique Driftless Area of north-east Iowa. She writes about herself “We are an off-grid family, living in a fixed up timber-frame barn (well, still working on it). We are both recently retired (mostly … I substitute as a bus driver), and loving it.”
They share their home with “pandemic puppy” Tex (he just turned 2), a Texas Heeler who keeps them on their toes and outside, hiking their woods and trails. Linda’s comment on the photo: “He barely tolerated the photo session…can’t you hear him thinking – you gotta be kidding, Mom …”
Linda on the topic of hobbies: “How long do you have? Fixing up old places (a turn of the century Norwegian log cabin, our barn/home), cutting wood, stacking wood, hauling wood, burning wood (just kidding … we heat with wood), spinning fiber, knitting (see my favorite felted mittens from last year), making braided rugs, sewing … learner of much, master of none. But it sure is fun to try!
Some of Linda’s handspun yarn.
Linda’s favorite knitted, felted mittens.
Linda and her husband love fixing old places, including this Norwegian cabin.
About her pin-loom experience and plans Linda writes “Never used a hexagon loom, have tried to buy one, but they are (always) out of stock! Popular buggers. I do have an old 2 inch and 4 inch Weavette, along with a pile of squares. After reading a Little Looms magazine, I have set my sights a bit higher than acrylic squares … What would I like to make with the TURTLE? Don’t know yet … make some hexagons and see what shapes I can put together … a hat? Mittens? A sweater? I’m excited to see what I may make! I certainly have lots of yarn …”
TT22’s adventures of living off-the-grid with Linda, Dan, and Tex this December will be shared here on the blog … stay tuned!
(Photo credits: All photos except title are by Linda Canton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Here we are … 2022 is coming to an end … there is one more opportunity to host TT22 during the final month of the year, December !
If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.
No hexagon weaving experience necessary … anyone who wants to weave hexagons is welcome.
Signup is open now, and will end Thursday, December 1st, at 6 pm US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.
If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.
Meanwhile … In case you’re wondering why we’re running a little bit late … TT22 is currently on a 4-day cruise, visiting Catalina! TT22 and Charleen want to share this photo with us, and they write “The tile and the turtle card were two things we purchased on Catalina, and the towel animal is something that the cabin stewards make for the guests and put in the cabins. Tomorrow we’re going to see Ensenada …”
Photo credits: All photos are by Charleen Rice. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
TT22 traveled all across the States (again) to California, where Char’s Liquid Amber tree provided the proper autumn welcome.
Char had not woven on a hexagon pin loom before, so she and TT22 spent some quality time watching the instructions video on YouTube together, after which the first hexagon – using the pretty yarn that October host Chris had sent along – was a breeze.
She writes: “It was so much fun making hexies that so far I have made five more, with a start on the sixth. I have a project in mind to use them in but want to make a few more hexies before seeing if it will work.”
It looks like the November team is off to a good start. Well, we all know that this is because Saphire is supervising! Keep up the good work, and have fun!
(Photo credits: All photos by Char Rice. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Congratulations! Char Rice in California will be our TT22 host for November.
Char lives with her husband and certain feline pets (see below) in southern California.
Her very broad crafting skills and interests include working with beads (wirework, off-loom bead weaving and a little loom work), and she knits (mostly lace, aran, and fair isle), weaves (she has a floor loom, rigid heddle, and a plethora of smaller looms), and braids (kumihimo). She also likes to travel and is interested in photography, fresh flower arranging, and rose and Epiphyllum gardening.
Char says about herself that she “[has] been interested in fiber arts for quite a while but didn’t really learn and become interested in weaving techniques until I was in college.”
8-Shaft waffle weave study, worked on Char’s floor loom.
Meet Rella, Saphyre, and Kori … the dedicated guards of all things fiber and wire.
An example of Char’s tapestry work.
Char continues her father’s passion for collecting and growing Epiphyllum plants.
Travel impression from visiting Catalina.
A walk in the neighborhood.
Asked if she has worked on TURTLE looms before, she answers “Not yet but will be this month!” She plans to make “something having to do with fall and/or flowers.”
You can followChar on Ravelry, but TURTLE mascot Charlene (yes, she’s so proud to have a namesake!) wants to be in the picture, so we’ll probably do a blog or two this month, right here …
Meanwhile …
TT22 is currently on its way to California … October host Chris put TT22 to work one more time before packing up, to get enough hexies for this adorable table runner (Chris is not only speedy in court transcription, but wove up a weaving record with this one!)
(Photo credits: All photos except title and last are by by Charleen Rice. Last picture by Chris Thornton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Inspired by TT22’s visit to Stephen King’s home in Maine, Charlene decided to get the novel “Fairy Tale” on Audible … and I haven’t seen her since then. But … it is time to determine where TT22 will go for Thanksgiving this November!
If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.
No hexagon weaving experience necessary … anyone who wants to weave hexagons is welcome.
The picture shows Chris’s first ever hexagon, woven on the day that TT22 arrived, using yarn that September host Sarah had put into a little care package.
Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, October 30, at midnight US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.
If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.
Meanwhile … TT22 had the most amazing time leaf peeping in Maine …
This year, leaf peeping season has been colorful and impressive.
Chris definitely understands to add a beautiful color palette to support the scene.
Combined with some squares, Chris turned the hexies into a hexagonal prism ball!
Another highlight was a visit to Stephen King’s home …
TT22 comes prepared, all dressed up appropriately in a spooky bright red attire.
“Sometimes” Chris has to work, and TT22 was allowed to come along and watch her transcribe legal conversations at lightning speed!
Then Chris took TT22 on a boat ride on one of the many lakes in Maine …
This picture doesn’t need any caption other than that this is beautiful Maine at its best!
And of course, with all the water, blue is the yarn color of the day!
(Photo credits: All photos except title by Chris Thornton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Holiday season is next! Chris made this beautiful poinsettia.
Congratulations! Chris Thornton in Maine will be our TT22 host for October.
Chris is a freelance court reporter/stenographer who lives with her husband of 30 years in Old Town, Maine.
Hobbies? “Anything to do with arts and crafts: Knitting was my gateway drug for spinning and weaving (3 floor looms, several tapestry looms, rigid heddle looms and inkle looms)” But then there is also sewing (garments and quilting), basket weaving, and baking bread …
She also shares her home with Flash – a teacup Australian Shepherd. Flash will interrupt herding the birds in the backyard to become TT22’s buddy for the month.
Chris started pin loom weaving on a Zoom loom in 2019 and has added several triangle and square continuous strand looms since then.
When asked if she has woven on a TURTLE loom before, she replied “As they say in Maine, ‘nevah’! Looking forward to it!”
So are we! Chris is thinking of weaving a hexagon flower …
You can follow Chris on her Instagram account MaineWeaver, where this month she will be sharing TT22’s autumn adventures in Maine.
Meanwhile …
Old Town, Maine, is the home of Old Town kayaks and canoes … Charlene had to check it out instantly … I think she’s ready to take a dip in those beautiful lakes …
(Photo credits: Photos 1-3 by Chris Thonrton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
TT22 arrived “home” safely in New Mexico, and has mostly recovered from its trip half around the world to Australia (see pictures below). Now comes the question “Where will TT22 spend the scariest month of the year?”
It’s time to determine the next host, for October.
If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.
No hexagon weaving experience necessary … if you have a friend who is new to (hexagon) pin loom weaving, please share this post and invite them to host TT22!
We will try to keep the signup short, to give the next host as much time as possible. Signup is open now, and will end Sunday, October 2nd, at midnight US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.
If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.
Meanwhile, TT22 wants to share a few impressions from its stay at the Misfit farm, and its trip to Australia …
The month started with a warm welcome by Belle at the Misfit Farm.
TT22 enjoyed all the perfect yarns at TLT Yarns & Handcrafts in Ruidoso, NM.
Then it was time to start its longest travel ever … thank you, Sarah, for taking TT22 to Sidney, Australia!
It’s a long flight, and TT22 was nervous, but Sarah and TT22 managed to get a lot of weaving done.
Sightseeing in Sidney.
TT22 even got some souvenir yarn!
And then … the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.!
TT22 almost got a knot in its weavie, trying to say the name of the park … Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa.
It was a wonderful “welcome home” to the farm by TT22’s new friends!
TT22 shared all the adventures and ….
… the yarn was sniff approved. TT22 will miss those furry friends!
(Photo credits: All photos by Sarah Cole. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
Congratulations! Sarah Matula in New Mexico will be our TT22 host for September.
Sarah lives with her husband, 3 horses, 13 llamas, 3 rescued alpacas, 19 chickens, 2 turkeys, 2 dogs, and a cat on a farm in New Mexico. Yin Yang (pictured) keeps an eye on the farm, while Sarah manages a Legal publishing team across Australia, NZ and Philippines.
In her free time Sarah enjoys hiking with llamas, shearing, spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, looking at patterns, and collecting yarn.
Sarah weaves on anything from pin loom to floor loom. Here is her latest project on her 3 ft tri loom.
I asked her what she has made so far with pin looms, and while she states that “joining is my Achilles heel” she recently did make this beautiful star pillow, inspired by TT22 April host Debbie’s weave along.
While TT22 is en route, Sarah is doing some “warming up” weaving, exploring 3-1 twill. It looks like it will be an interesting month!
We may have difficulties getting TT22 away from Maryland, where he has been playing hide and seek with Deetzie either in the gardens or at the Black Sheep yarn store (… no wonder, with such a yarn selection!)
However, it’s time to determine the next host, for September.
If you are interested and available to “entertain” TT22 for a month, please leave a comment in the comments section below.
No hexagon weaving experience necessary … if you have a friend who is new to (hexagon) pin loom weaving, please share this post and invite them to host TT22!
Signup is open now, and will end Wednesday, August 31st, at noon time US CDT. I will contact the new host and make the announcement shortly after I hear back from him/her.
If you would like to know more about how this challenge works, please see the plan.
The trip across the country went smoothly, and Crow and I had great chats along the way. Thank you, Beth, for sending Crow along!
Exploring my home for August … a brook in the backyard! Instant favorite. It’s the Charles Run that ultimately feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
Had a great time with Deetzie’s grandson! We didn’t get much weaving done, but we enjoyed making noise together.
Look at those Black Eye’d Susans! I learned that they are the state flower of Maryland. From Texas I know that they make excellent natural dye …
I felt famous when we visited the biweekly Sit&Stitch at the Hereford Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library…no one had seen a hexagon loom before!
Then we visited the Perennial Farm in Glen Arm and I helped Deetzie to buy two Chelone (Turtlehead) plants.
This is one of the Turtlehead plants … not sure if it’s the pink or the white one … I like them both, and this way Deetzie can always remember that she bought the Turtleheads when the TURTLE was visiting!
But my favorite place was the Black Sheep yarn store … yarns and colors galore! Perfect place for hide and seek, and weave, and hide, and weave, and hide …
(Photo credits: All photos by Reeves Walker. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
