Thursday, September 4, 2025

Stick weaving frenzy

Today after digging up, and presenting Gary with, what's left of the giant Russian sage, which he will plant behind his fence, I took a walk, then came home and sat. 

I read Brideshead Revisited, then listened to some Shedunnit, and woke some time later. Lunch was the last of the roasted potatoes, doused with lovely long red pepper, great hot but fruity flavor, the last of the baby broccoli and a patty of spicy plant-based sausage, all roasted together for about twenty five minutes. A few fresh dates for dessert. Good thing Misfits comes tomorrow, I'm running out.

Then I got into stick weaving mode. I experimented with drinking straws in case the Tuesday group expects me to know what I'm doing, a couple of ways. 

I noticed on YouTube one video where the weaving is done without the warp threaded through the straws. It was threaded in after the weaving.  I tried that, inserting the yarn to slide the weft threads onto it, and I don't recommend it. It was difficult to get the weft to slide smoothly and keep its tension. The sample is a bit bumpy. 

I set up with the warp threads in place before trying another way 

As you see, pretty bumpy results but worth trying just to find out.

Here's the stick weaving cast of characters 

This book is wonderful and I've recommended it a lot to people interested in a different, simple approach to weaving. It's had several printings, with different covers, but it's the same reliable teaching.


And here's the stick weaving how-to using actual purpose-made sticks. This is much easier to navigate with long warp threads than the straws. Straws work better for short projects.

I made the woven bag seen on my last post using instructions from this book, seen on the cover, and made the strap which goes all round the sides of the bag with my weaving sticks.

Then I wonder how about smaller gauge sticks, briefly thought of drilling bamboo knitting needles, but think they'd probably split.  Then my miniature making self suddenly realized: big sewing needles!



So I attached the threads through the eyes of five assorted needles and I'll try this tiny size with fine yarn, and we'll see.

Good day, and there have been some legal victories in the last couple of days.

I am now in the CeraVe owners group, thanks to Mitchell, and I'll let you know how it goes. I'm hopeful that it will help my rough itchy face. It looks okay but doesn't feel that way, just now.

And I'm impatient to get my new supply of checks since I now have three people waiting to be paid, including the contractor and a couple of individuals who shouldn't have to wait. The checks were shipped last week, but I guess the weekend and the holiday probably slowed things up.

Happy day everyone! Invent something, if possible, then you can tell us about it. And remember to resist in some real tangible way.


 


29 comments:

  1. Dear friend Boud 🥰
    It’s pleasure to visit you always ♥️
    I love how much you love learning new skills 🤗
    Your stick weaving project sounds amazing 👍
    You have created some very cool work here , actually stick weaving reminded me my dear late mother who was expert in weaving traditional naras ( traditional thread woven belts that were used few years back in our area ) she had a six feet wooden frame in which she would create nara 🤗 even she tought me but I would try to avoid as growing girl 😅
    Book looks very helpful to do this job skilfully.
    Congratulations on achieving new things as well.
    I learn so much from you 🥰👍
    Hugs and best wishes ♥️♥️♥️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I just learned something from you -- I now need to find out more about your mother's weaving. You didn't take to it -- it's not interesting to everyone!

      Delete
  2. When I was 5 I invented a car with a removable hard top that you took off and put in the trunk (boot). I was so proud. My mother looked at it and said, “You think you’re so smart? They already sell those!” I still think I was clever for coming up with it on my own. On to another invention. Stick weaving looks like fun. Smart of you to test out the other way of doing it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But you did discover it, you did! My reaction to your mother is not suitable to a family blog.
      Related -- I was making monotypes before I knew I hadn't invented them, that they were an established art form! One of my earliest artist-teachers broke this to me, more tactfully than your mother might have.

      Delete
  3. How does the weaving hold its shape once the sticks or straws are removed? I've said before that I am not craft minded and I just don't "get it". I think I'll stick to reading books and writing a little for my Words for Wednesday Stories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those threads that run through the weaving are the warp threads which hold it together. It might be easier if I could show you! Or YouTube has demos.

      Delete
  4. I''m always interested in creative new ways of doing things. Yes to those who see there's a new connection between this and that! Inventions, and inventors are the people that have given our world so very much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's exciting when you can think of an alternative way to do things.

      Delete
  5. I would definitely have to see you demonstrate these techniques. Either that or a video of someone else doing it. I have no idea whatsoever what the technique looks like.
    Here in my part of Florida, a very large retirement community had partnered with the nearby elementary school to paint a beautiful crosswalk and when workers came to get rid of it last week, the seniors protested on walkers and on canes and one woman actually laid down on it. The workers had to leave but eventually, they did come back and do their stupid, ridiculous, evil work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The image showing the step by step was how I learned it. Different folks, different learning styles.
      That's wanton cruelty to erase that intergenerational work. Well, the kids learned that old people are active, anyway.

      Delete
    2. Zebra crosswalks are for Zebras, Rainbow crosswalks are for everybody.

      Delete
  6. You are so creative! That looks like a fun craft to try so I may look for a YouTube video about it. I've been busy with cross stitch and am enjoying it again.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another winter project to try:) It looks like something I might actually be able to do. Right now I'm in the middle of trying to get our rental ready for sale. Yesterday involved a junk removal company and $4000 to remove all the garbage and furniture from the house. What is wrong with people?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an expensive cleanup job. I expect you'll be glad to be done with tenants.
      There are YouTube videos about this form of weaving and you can get cheaper sticks than the $$ I have, mainly to support an artisan. Or drinking straws. You can quickly find out if you like it. I've taught this to quite young kids, seven ish and up.

      Delete
  8. As usual, I have no understanding of weaving! It is interesting to read, even if my dull brain cannot grasp it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's fine to let it flow over you. There won't be a quiz.

      Delete
  9. I find all your information on weaving interesting, even though I couldn't even manage to do crochet--lol!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I really appreciate your artistic talent ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have never heard of stick weaving. Seems like the straws were a good way to begin!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Straws are a cheap way to teach a class, but sticks are easier in some ways. They're too expensive to supply a class usually.

      Delete
  12. I’ve never seen stick weaving. Are the straws those plastic ones? Do they collapse?
    I might have to investigate. It looks like something fun I could do with the girls.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Regular plastic drinking straws. The girls would probably like this a lot. Ana might need a bit of help threading, but I bet, once they get the hang of holding the straws firmly, they'd be fine. I've taught this to quite young kids.

      Delete
  13. That stick weaving is new to me, Boud. I always learn something from you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder if your grandchildren would like learning it?

      Delete
  14. I had to go and research stick weaving - now I understand. If the project is very long it must get a bit tough to move it all down the warp doesn't it? or is that the skill - knowing what thickness warp and what size sticks to use wirhout getting silly loose tension.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You move the work down the warp in small increments as the sticks fill up. But there's a balance needed between warp, weft and stick size. As in knitting or crochet, needle or hook has to balance with the yarn gauge.

      Delete

Please read the comments before yours and see if your question is already answered!