Tag: loom

Sock Loom Attempts

Making some socks – how hard could it be? After some research, I found there are three methods:

  • Circular needles or multiple single needles.
  • Sock looms.
  • Flat

As I love gadgets and am intimidated by circular needles, I decided to try the sock loom method. I chose the original sock loom produced by KnittingBoard. It is a fine gauge loom, suitable for light weight yarns.  The loom comes with a DVD and a short pamphlet showing some basic stitches. These were OK but then I found knittingboard’s online video how-to’s – they were a great help as I could pull them up as needed on my phone as I worked.

Armed with the loom, some #1 weight yarn and a baby sock pattern, I began. As usual, when learning a new technique, I finally had a good start on my fourth try. Not sure why but my first three attempts at almost anything are not good. I do take heart that I was able to test my gauge at least 🙂

Twenty rounds later, I assessed my progress. Estimating 6 minutes a round, I feared it would take me a year to make a sock using this #1 yarn. Perhaps that is very slow – could be based on my inexperience. I scrapped that work and switched to a lion’s brand baby soft #3 yarn.

After a few rounds the progress was much better! I finished the pair in a few days as I worked in between other tasks. Success!

Update 6/13/2020: I gave these away to a new mom.

Loom Weaving

This afghan was made using the 28 inch Knitting Board loom. It covers a king size bed. It was much quicker to make than I thought using the loom. I wove the pieces and borders separately and then sewed them all together.

The weave was done done with hunter green and frost green. The border was done in the same hunter green. The pieces were sewn using the frost green and the borders were sewn on with hunter green. I didn't buy enough yarn and had to keep going back to Joann's for more - the checkout ladies were cheering me on by my third trip!

I used a 14" crochet hook to weave and then pull the threads back through.

Each woven piece took about an hour. The hunter green was used for the warp (long strands held at tension) and the frosty green was used as the weft (strands weaved through the warp strands). I doubled the weft strands for each pass - if you zoom in you can see the double strands.

The borders were all knitted on the loom in stockinette pattern.

As this was my first attempt at weaving using the loom, I just followed the simple pattern that came with the loom.

Lessons learned:

  • Don't pull the weft too tight - try to maintain even tension throughout your pieces. A too tight weft will make the piece 'pucker'.
  • Don't 'zone out' while weaving - you will lose your place and have to start over :). Luckily as the pieces are fairly small, it won't cost you too much time.
  • I used a simple sewing stitch - next time I will use the mattress stitch to join the pieces. You can see the sewing added another element to the pattern but it looks a bit messy.
  • Buy enough yarn to start

There was quite a bit of end weaving to do but it was easy to hide in the seams and border edges. I was happy it held together through the first wash!

I plan to use this technique to make some baby afghans in the future. It delights my creative soul to hold a finished product. This loom is great for weaving!

Update 6/13/2020:

I gave this afghan to my nephew as a wedding gift. He joined the Navy and moved to colder climes. It is a very warm afghan.

While making socks, another technique I learned was to use the Kitchener Stitch to join live edges. When I sewed the blocks of this afghan, I didn't know the Kitchener Stitch. When next I make an afghan, I'll try using that stitch to join the blocks. It should make a smoother finish.

I learned the stitch via this Youtube video.