From 1936 Loomette publication |
Companies who produced the old hand looms also published books of weaving and project patterns, single patterns, patterns in needlework and women’s magazines, and patterns to enclose with the looms. It’s worthwhile to try to acquire at least a few of these. You’ll be amazed at what people were making with 4” squares! |
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"Weave-It Direction Book." Medford, Massachusettes: Kiddy-Crafters, 1934.
 PDF DOWNLOAD(1.1MB) |
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"The Weave-It Book." Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products, Corp., 1936.
PDF DOWNLOAD(6.4MB) |
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"Weave-It Book." Number Two. Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products Corp., 1936.
PDF DOWNLOAD(7.5MB) |
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"Weave-It Book." Number Three. Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products, Corp., 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(5.3MB) |
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"Weave-It Afghans." Book No. 4. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc., 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(11.6MB) |
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"Weave-It Book." Number Five. Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products Corp., 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(5.1MB) |
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"Weave-It Book." Number Six. Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products Corp., 1938.
PDF DOWNLOAD(4.2MB) |
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"Wee Weave-It Woolies." Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products, Corp., 1943.
PDF DOWNLOAD(11MB) |
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"Keeping Warm With Weave-It." Book No. 9. Medford, Massachusetts: Donar Products, Corp., 1945.
PDF DOWNLOAD(5.2MB) |
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"Wonderful World of "Weave-It"." Vol. 15. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc., 1961.
PDF DOWNLOAD(7.9MB) |
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"Weave-It Magic Squares." Book No. 2. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc.
PDF DOWNLOAD(2.1MB) |
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"Weave-It" Designs For Baby." Vol. No. 9. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc.
PDF DOWNLOAD(10.5MB) |
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"Weave-It for Baby." Book Number Ten. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co.
PDF DOWNLOAD(6.1MB) |
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"Loomette Garments and Gift Suggestions." Los Angeles, California: Cartercraft Studios, 1936
PDF DOWNLOAD(3.6MB) |
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"Original Loomette Weaves." Los Angeles, California: Cartercraft Studios, 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(4.1MB) |
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"Loomette Afghans and Bags, Patterns and Specifications." Los Angeles, California: Cartercraft Studios, 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(3.4MB) |
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"The Loomette Handbook-New Weaves, Vogues and Suggestions." Los Angeles, California: Cartercraft Studios, 1938.
PDF DOWNLOAD(4.2MB) |
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"Original Loomette Weaves." Los Angeles, California: Loomette Studios, 1949.
PDF DOWNLOAD(2MB) |
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"Loomette King Pattern Weaves." Los Angeles, California: Loomette Studios, Division of Albin Enterprises, 1951.
PDF DOWNLOAD(996KB) |
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Novelty Weaving Suggestions “Jiffy-Loom pattern, Original Ideas.” Glendale, California: Calcraft Corporation, 1937.
PDF DOWNLOAD(3.4MB) |
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"Jiffy-Loom Book of Novelty Weaving." Hollywood, California: Calcraft Co., 1942.
PDF DOWNLOAD(2.9MB) |
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"Bucilla Dictionary of Magic-Loom Weaving Stitches." Vol. 152. Bernhard Ulmann Co., Inc., 1948.
PDF DOWNLOAD (3MB) - ©Bucilla Corporation. All Rights Reserved. (Permission granted to offer these files here for your personal use only.) |
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"Bucilla Magic-Loom Creations." Vol. 153. Bernhard Ulmann Co., Inc., 1948.
PDF DOWNLOAD (5.4MB) - ©Bucilla Corporation. All Rights Reserved. (Permission granted to offer these files here for your personal use only.) |
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"The Simplex Hand Loom Pattern and Design Book." Rockford, Illinois: F. B. Gustafson, no date.
PDF DOWNLOAD (872KB) |
"Weave-It" Fashion Parade for Dolls." Vol. No. 20. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc.
"Home Sweet Home with "Weave-It." Vol. No. 21. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc., 1964.
"Weave-It" Year 'Round Fashions. " Vol. No. 25. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc., 1966.
"Weave-It" New-Look Afghans." Vol. No. 30. Middleboro, Massachusetts: Hero Mfg. Co., Inc., 1968.
"Weave-It Weave-In." Spartanburg, South Carolina: Oakville Division, Scovill Manufacturing Company, no date.
"The Loomette Handbook-New Weaves, Vogues and Suggestions." Los Angeles, California: Loomette Studios, Division of Albin Enterprises, 1949.
“Loomette King Illustrated Instructions and Suggestions.” Los Angeles, California: Loomette Studios, Division of Albin Enterprises, 1951.
“Modular Textures: Patterns for the Weavette & Weave-It Looms.” Vol. 1, Revised Edition. By Licia Conforti. Williamstown, Massachusetts: Buxton Brook Looms, 2003. www.weavettes.com
“Weaving On Hazel Rose Looms.” By Hazel Spencer. Rt. 2, Box 4792, Trinity Center, California, 96091: Self-Published, 2003.
“Quilt Weaver Looms.” By Hazel Spencer. Rt. 2, Box 4792, Trinity Center, California, 96091: Self-Published.
“Weavies One.” by Margaret Stump. PO Box 255, Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, 55314: Self-Published, 2002.
" Small Loom & Freeform Weaving: Five Ways to Weave." By Barbara Matthiessen, Creative Publishing International, 2008. |
Possible sources of inspiration for original projects include sewing patterns, quilting, knitting, crochet, ethnic garments, embroidery, felting. I’m always thinking about how the little looms can be used in conjunction with another craft, not necessarily limited to fiber craft. How about embedding a weaving in handmade paper like one weaver I know? Or using them in scrapbooks? Don’t close any doors.
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I use Stitch Painter software from Cochenille (www.cochenille.com) as an aid to creating projects comprised of many pieces or ones that I’m having trouble visualizing. I enlarge the squares, drop in colors and textures, print, cut them out, then fold and tape them like paper doll clothes. Then if I like the result, I print the colored grid again and keep the folded sample with it. The second grid gets my notes about number of pieces needed, yardage required, etc. |
If this is a new endeavor, start with a small project to get the hang of it. Here are a few ideas to spark your imagination:
One square or rectangle:
pocket
patch
bookmark
covered button
coaster
brooch or pendant
picture frame mat
card or scrapbook motif
holiday ornament
package ornament
Two squares or rectangles:
iPod case
potpourri bag
pincushion
Loom Bloom
earrings
doll clothes
small purse
needle book
A few squares or rectangles:
hat
bag
box
scarf
belt
tank top
slippers
baby clothes
stuffed toys
dog coat
placemat
table runner
tea cozy
basket
lampshade
pillow or cushion
footstool or chair seat upholstery
A bunch of squares or rectangles:
shawl
jacket
poncho
skirt
rug
curtain
bedspread
afghan or blanket
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#1 Potpourri or soap bag
I sew small organdy bags for potpourri, which gets sewn into the semi-transparent liner and can be seen through the lacy weave of the bags. The bags can also hold small handmade soaps. If the bag is made of hemp or linen, it can go straight into the bath or shower with the soap inside, and function as a scrubber. The bag can hang by tie loops to dry out between uses. |
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Tools
4” x 6” rectangular loom
6” weaving needle
yarn needle for seaming
scissors
Yarn
Linen or hemp sportweight, about 25 yds.
instructions
1. Weave two rectangles in the pattern below, weaving in ends before you remove them from the loom.
2. Place wrong sides together. (Front and back are different!) With yarn needle and leftover yarn, seam the two long sides and one short side together with a running stitch. Carefully knot and weave in the beginning and ending yarn tails.
3. With remainder of yarn, twist a cord or crochet a chain cord. Knot the ends. Weave the cord in and out through the lacey weave, about 1” below the open end of bag. Tie in a bow and the adjust the length of cord, cutting and knotting the end at preferred length. OR you can use a ribbon for this step.
Windowpane Lace (Weavette book of patterned weaves calls this “Corduroy”.)
Row 1 and all odd rows: plain weave—that is, over one, under one—all the way across.
Row 2 and all even rows, except the last one: under 3, over 1, repeat to end of row, ending with under 3.
Row 24: plain weave.
The graph below illustrates this pattern. The bottom of the graph is the bottom of the loom—Weave-It, Weavette or Loomette. The rows with dark gray squares are the only ones that are actually woven, beginning at the lower right edge, with Row 1. The next row with dark squares is Row 2 and it begins at the left edge.
Rows with light gray squares are NOT INCLUDED in row count, since they are already on the loom.
White squares represent the vertical warp threads that are visible. White squares mean that you go UNDER the warp thread. Gray squares represent the horizontal weft threads that are visible. Gray squares mean that you go OVER the warp thread. For example, on Row 2, you go UNDER 3 warp threads and OVER 1—all the way across.
Again:
White=visible warp. Go UNDER with needle.
Dark =visible weft. Go OVER with needle.
Light Gray=visible weft that is already wrapped on the loom. These are the rows that you skip.
The threads wrapped around outside of pins are not included in the count or shown on the graph. Always insert needle OVER the outside threads.
The pattern repeats all the way to the top, but because the square or rectangle must end with plain weave, there will be 4 plain weave rows at the end.
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The lacy open “windowpanes” show up much better after the weaving is removed from the loom. If you hold the diagonal corners of the finished piece and give it a sharp pop, the yarns fall into groups, making the pattern even more distinct. |
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