UPDATE: I’ve rewritten this pattern so it doesn’t involve using R16 as part of the design. You can find the rewrite on this page. Scroll down through several patterns till you get to “Ribbon Loop (rewrite).”

Though it’s not a symbol I’ve ever used before, when someone on the Pin Loom Weaving Support Group asked if there was a pin loom pattern for a breast cancer pink ribbon, I said to myself, “Why not?”

I’m in the middle of cataloging my collection of patterns and squares, but that’s really boring work. Creating patterns, weaving, and even winding skeins of yarn are all more alluring activities. And staying up later than too late–who could resist?

I drew this last night and refined it a little this morning. It's off-center, so if you're trying to follow the graph move the whole pattern one square to the left. And, uh . . . Don't try to follow the graph.

I drew this last night and refined it a little this morning. It’s off-center, so if you’re trying to follow the graph move the whole pattern one square to the left, and, uh . . . Don’t try to follow the graph.

I wove the ribbon up today while I was supposed to be cataloging. I know a graph isn’t an accurate depiction of what the finished square will look like, but I was concerned about the “corners” on the depicted ribbon loop. The loop looks more like a diamond than an oval. (In fact, the pattern is essentially, if not exactly, a mirror image of itself: two incomplete diamonds.)

***Remember: you can click on a photo to see a larger version. Click the back arrow to return to these instructions.

"Ribbon Loop" prototype

“Ribbon Loop” prototype

Reverse view of "Ribbon Loop"

Reverse view of “Ribbon Loop”

Through the magic of Paint, I was able to alter the prototype without actually making another square.

The doctored version.

The doctored version.

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Soooooooooo

I wasn’t supposed to host the WAL this week because, as LK put it, “Our much-esteemed host will be using her well-deserved time to catch up on her excellent blog”.  I don’t say it is an excellent blog myself, but “my friends tell me . . . .” (Ha ha! Name that movie and/or character . . . *ANSWER is at the ultimate bottom of this post).

Here I am, catching up on my blog and killing four birds with one stone–LA’s request, LK’s two requests, and her-and-my idea to create a template, or checklist, for future WAL hosts/hostesses. When I say “request” I mean they made a comment and I barged in with, “I was planning to do a blog post on that . . .” And I should also mention TW, who asked me how to do this in the first place—there’s no substitute for a live student, though we do pretty well on the Support Group.

TEMPLATE (which will be summarized at the penultimate bottom of this post. Template instructions are centered in this post.)

You might want to begin with a photo of the finished square or some other relevant photo.

Include the name of the pattern. You can say something about why you chose the pattern and/or its title. You can also add other introductory comments before digging into the nitty gritty.

Pattern #24: “Lines and Os”

This square has both a number and a name because it comes from the pile of numbered squares (it’s #24 in the stack) I have in my Catalog of Squares. (That gives me an idea for another blog post or page: A Catalog of Squares.) Originally #24 didn’t have a name and, after I batted several about, it ended up with the above colorless rendition.

Left is the sample pattern. Right is the original "#24."

Left is the sample pattern. Right is the original #24.

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As of today, the following information is as accurate as I can make it based on my 16 months of experience with the pin loom. Feel free to comment if you have other experiences or questions. While this post is meant as a trouble-shooting post for beginning weavers, I’m also including extra information so it will all be in one place. The information herein will serve as a glossary until I get a separate one made.

***Remember you can click on a photo to enlarge it. Click the back arrow to return to this post.

ANATOMY OF THE PIN LOOM

Pin looms have a frame and pins. Many pin looms have pins grouped (generally) in threes (three of the corners have different groupings). We call this a “three-pin configuration.” The Loomette’s pins are not arranged this way, but you can still weave with it as you would a three-pin configured loom.

The loom has four corners, three of which are numbered on the Weave-it and Weavette; Zoom Loom numbers all four of its corners. Loomette doesn’t number the corners, but there’s a notch for anchoring the yarn at corner 1.

From L: Weave-it, Loomette, Zoom Loom

From L: Weave-it, Loomette, Zoom Loom

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We got rid of a bunch of stuff today (Saturday). Company’s coming next week and we must have room to unfold the hide-a-bed couch. Stacks of stuff were loaded into the car (Polly had to stay home because there wasn’t room for her) and we drove to D.I. (Deseret Industries–local thrift store). About six guys (it took six) swarmed our car and unloaded everything quick as a wink. All those books and DVDs and old clothes and other rummage that had been piling up like a castle in the middle of the downstairs floor for–what? like, five months–were gone, poof, like Brigadoon. Read More →