This weaving pattern is an interesting one – easy to thread and fun to treadle. Plus the finished texture packs a punch! Just don’t confuse it with “M & W Threading” and you’ll be sitting pretty.

Show Notes –

More about M’s & O’s – I found a blog post from Weever Woman all about the M’s & O’s weaving pattern and she had some wonderful nuggets about the pattern along with a great overview. I encourage you to check it out here! 

M & W Threading – In this episode, I caution weavers about confusing our topic with the similar-sounding, “M & W Threading”. Just in case you aren’t familiar with that threading, I have an entire episode dedicated to it. (Maybe this can be on your list after you weave some M’s & O’s!)

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you!

The post M’s & O’s Weaving Pattern appeared first on Acton Creative.

The beauty of weaving lies in the fact that we have not one, but two sets of colors to play with. And even after the warp yarns are set, you still have so much freedom to get creative with the weft.

In today’s episode, I’m giving you examples of how color can make a difference and showing you my recent playtime with color in an overshot pattern. Hopefully, you will find a bit of excitement and create your own overshot variation using color! Happy Weaving!

Show Notes –

Overshot and the Smithsonion – Apparently, there is a National Woven Coverlet Collection at the Smithsonion! How cool is that? I found their page all about it and am excited to share it with you. The history and background is really fascinating. Click right here to take it all in.

Overshot Variations (using treadling) – Last week, I started our series with an episode where I play with the treadling in order to create my own unique version of overshot. Just in case you missed it, I have it at the ready! This link will take you there.  

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you!

The post Overshot Variations (using color) appeared first on Acton Creative.

You see, there are magical things in the weaving world called, “replacement heddles” or “repair heddles”. They are heddles that you can snap into place on any shaft you need. And while you probably won’t need them with every project, I can guarantee they will come in very handy at some point!

In today’s episode, I’m talking you through the scenarios where a few replacement heddles will absolutely do the trick versus when you may as well re-thread your project.

Show Notes –

Make your own replacement heddles – If you aren’t familiar with creating your own replacement heddles, I have just the episode for you. Wander back to episode 58 where I show you how I make your own.

Madelyn’s replacement heddles – I found a great post on Handweaving Magazine where Madelyn Van Der Hoogt takes you step by step through the process of making a quick string heddle in case of emergency. Click here to check it out.

Dress Your Loom Course –

The doors are closing! The registration window for the January 2025 Dress Your Loom Class will close on Thursday, January 16 at 4 pm CST. So if you’re ready to learn how to weave and adopt an easy method for dressing your loom, now is the time!

The post When to Use a Replacement Heddle appeared first on Acton Creative.

I invite you to include this warm, cuddly brown in a 2025 weaving project. What do you say? Are you game? In today’s episode I’m starting you off with a few ideas of what to pair with Mocha Mousse.

And if you still aren’t sure how to incorporate it, I have 3 more color combinations ready over at the AC Insiders! Just pick your tier, register, and grab access to this really helpful bonus video. Happy Weaving!!

Show Notes –

Pantone – Boy, talk about a color wonderland! I have to give props to the folks over at the Pantone website because they make any color look fun – not that the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year needs much help (hello, chocolate pudding!). If you haven’t had a chance to wander around their site, I highly recommend it! Matter of fact, I’m including it right here for you. Enjoy! 

Last year’s color – Do you know what is so wonderful about a color of the year? They don’t expire. Nope. You can use last year’s color whenever you want! So if you aren’t crazy about Mocha Mousse, you can interview last year’s color to see if that speaks to you instead. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Dress Your Loom Course –

It’s January and you know what that means? It means it’s time to open the doors to the Dress Your Loom Course! This time around, we’re going to party it up right! Our official Registration Celebration runs from January 8-16 and it will include a FREE “What Kind of Weaver Are You?” Webinar, a Dress Your Loom Student Ask Me Anything Session on YouTube, and a Quick Fire Live Q&A, also on YouTube! I cannot wait for you to join us!

The post 2025 Pantone Color of the Year appeared first on Acton Creative.

Show Notes –

Calulating the warp – The fantastic folks over at Sweet Georgia created a very helpful post all about how to calculate the warp for a project. What I like about it is the easy-to-understand explanation and the thorough nature of the writing. You really feel like they have you covered! Click here to check it out and adopt some of their techniques.  

Favorite weaving phrases – So much of learning to weave is wrapped up in the terminology and the basic concepts. Here at Acton Creative, my goal is to be sure I’m tackling them in small bite-sized pieces so you can digest them easily. Thus, I’m happy to present to you, “My Favorite Weaving Phrases”! Maybe they can become yours, too? This link will take you right to them. 

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you! https://actoncreative.net/free-resources/

The post Losing Inches at the Loom appeared first on Acton Creative.

As it turns out, these two different styles of looms have more in common than not. There are just a few simple features that separate them. And at the end of the day, you’ll still be weaving! That’s a win in every book.

Show Notes –

Tour of a RH loom – Ooooh, I found a great tour of a rigid heddle loom on Gist. If you are new to this style of loom, their tour will provide a wonderful introduction. Click here to get more familiar with rigid heddle looms. 

So you want to buy a loom! – A few months back, I created an episode all about the process of buying a loom. There are some key factors you should definitely consider before simply diving in to buy anything. But don’t worry, I’m going to walk you through it. Here’s the spot to open up all the details. 

Michele Marshall & Mingo’s Corner – Michele was our special guest on today’s episode of A Handwoven Experience. She’s a wildly talented weaver and technical genius! Please go check out her work at “mingos_corner” on IG, or “mingoscornershop” on Etsy.

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you! https://actoncreative.net/free-resources/

The post Rigid Heddle vs Multi-Shaft Looms appeared first on Acton Creative.

In today’s episode, I’ll be giving you the nickel tour of the world of wool yarn – including it’s amazing strengths and unique challenges. My hope is that it’ll inspire you to give it a try. Who knows – you may love it!

Show Notes –

Weaving with Wool – The very smart folks over at Gather Textiles did a blog post covering the process of weaving with wool, which is fascinating! They go into much more depth than I did in the video. So if you are longing for more, more, more, be sure to check out their notes (which you can find right here). 

Other fibers – Last June, I did an intro to Tencel, which is another fun fiber to explore! Its shiny goodness is perfect for SO many things and I highly recommend you add it to your list of fabulous fibers to play with. In case you missed that particular episode, I have it handy. This link will zip you right to it.

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you! https://actoncreative.net/free-resources/

The post Weaving with Wool appeared first on Acton Creative.

Enjoy episode 185 of A Handwoven Experience right here!

Show Notes –

Weaving with Textured Yarns – One of the 3 major elements included in every weaving project is texture and I found a great article from Gather all about how to include more textured yarns into your weaving projects. I hope you find lots of inspiration here! 

Design in Weaving: I’ve Got Rhythm – Just in case you missed the previous episode in the “Design in Weaving” series, I have a quick link right here. This one is so much fun! Imagine equating music with weaving and you’ll end up with magic!

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you! https://actoncreative.net/free-resources/

The post Design in Weaving: Prioritize appeared first on Acton Creative.

You might think that those two styles are just different sides of the same coin. However, because the weft and the warp have polar opposite functions, there are unique things to consider in each scenario.

So, let’s dive into the world of warp-faced fabric to see how this works.

Show Notes –

Overview of sett – Cathy Ingebretsen published an interesting 1-pager about sett – including a great description of weft-faced and warp-faced fabric. I like her summary, especially for those who are just beginning to wrap their head around sett and how it can influence a handwoven fabric. Click here to read her notes. 

Weft-Faced Fabric – If you didn’t get a chance to watch the weft-faced fabric episode, I have it right here at the ready for you! I think you’ll find it fascinating to compare the two pattern styles and I hope you try them both. Here’s the link to take you there. 

FREE Weaving Resources

Would you look at that? There is an entire list of FREE weaving resources at your fingertips on the Acton Creative website! Everything from Parts of a Loom, to 6 Weaving Patterns, to the Beginner’s Guide to Weaving Yarn – there’s a little something for everyone. Simply click here to pick which one (or all!) will be helpful for you! https://actoncreative.net/free-resources/

The post Warp-Faced Fabric appeared first on Acton Creative.

Show Notes –

Krokbragd – There is a fun style of Scandinavian weaving called Krokbragd and, in keeping with our theme, it creates a weft-faced fabric! You need just 3 shafts to weave this colorful, geometric gem and it is definitely on my list of things to try in the future. Here is a great blogpost from Petra Marciniak all about it. 

Weaving & Recycling – In today’s video, I gave you just a small taste of what you can use as your weft in any fabric. But, I thought it would be fun to throw it back to an early episode specifically focused on using repurposed items in your woven fabric. Click here to enjoy. 

October 2024 Weave Along

It’s here! The October 2024 Weave Along program has started & this time around, it’s all about the diamonds. Be sure to check out the OWAL Central Page to order your project instructions, yarn, and tote bag, as well as answer any questions you have. I can’t wait to see what you weave this time!

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