One of the challenges of creating issue themes for Easy Weaving with Little Looms is finding ones that fit all the looms in the small-loom category. While inkle, rigid-heddle, tapestry, and pin looms are all small looms, they all offer very different types of weaving experiences. Warp-faced weaving is easy peasy on an inkle loom but extremely difficult on a pin loom. (I would say impossible, but I know too many pin-loom weavers to say anything on a pin loom is impossible.) So, for this issue I’ve decided to go with two themes: Lovely Lace and Captivating Containers.
A textured weave gives Angela Tong’s pin-loom woven Cape May Wrap a lacy feel. Photo by George Boe.
For the first theme, I’m looking for projects that use lace-weaving techniques and structures or just showcase lacy-looking cloth, even if it’s not a “true lace.” The whole project can be lacy, or just parts. Examples might include towels with leno lace borders, a crammed-and-spaced shawl, or a Brooks bouquet runner, either along the whole length or just along the borders. The lace must be woven; added lace through knitting, for example, would not count.
Malynda Allen’s Gingerbread Dishcloths and Small Woven Bin use a handwoven bin to showcase coordinating handwoven dishcloths. Photo by Matt Graves
The second theme celebrates all the ways weavers cleverly create containers, including purses, tote bags, baskets, boxes, and produce bags (the latter of which could probably fit in either theme). You can weave these items using one loom type of a combination—I’d love to see bags woven on a rigid-heddle loom with inkle handles, for example. Feel free to use kumihimo, lucet braids, rope makers, and other tools for making custom straps and handles for your bags as well. Feel free to make handwoven containers designed to hold specific handwoven items, as Malynda Allen did with her Gingerbread Dishcloths and Small Woven Bin, shown above.
Shilpa Nagarkar’s Chillar Coin Purse cleverly uses inkle bands for extra-sturdy fabric that is also visually appealing. Photo by Matt Graves
Please note that we base our project selections for each issue on contributor photographs. Please include a photo or photos of the finished item or items you’ve woven similar to the item you’d like to weave for the issue. We will review the proposals and ask for additional photographs if needed. After the project-selection meeting, we will contact everyone whose project is accepted and ask that it be submitted along with the project paperwork.
You can find the palette for the issue here.
- Proposals for projects (including preliminary photos) and articles due: 3/11/2024
- Additional photographs of projects due: 5/13/2024
- Non-project article text and photographs due: 6/24/2024
- Physical projects with paperwork due: 6/24/2024
Please use our Little Looms submission form for proposals. Submission guidelines can be found here.
Please use the address below for any questions or inquiries that won’t fit into our submission form. Please contact us and ask for a physical address to send any pieces of your proposal that cannot be emailed.
Editorial email: [email protected]
We are looking forward to seeing your proposals for projects and articles!
Happy weaving!
Christina