26/05/2012
diamond jubilee free shipping offer!
shop updates
free shipping knitting journal

To celebrate Her Majesty's 60 year reign, Chopped Tomatoes is offering FREE standard worldwide shipping on recipes.knit! This offer starts today and will run until the 5th June 2012. 

As Royal Mail have increased their prices this month, the shop postage rates will be going up after this promotion so place your journal order soon and enjoy the free ride! 

Have a great weekend everybody!

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22/05/2012
weaving loom restoration :: after
DIYprojectsweaving
weaving loom restoration :: after

One week later, and Weave is ready for action!

I really enjoyed this make-over. Taking the loom apart really helped me understand precisely how all the pieces worked... I know it isn't complicated, but as a total newbie I was a little overwhelmed with all the moving parts. I posted photos of the loom on the UK Weavers group on Ravelry, and I was told that it is a Weavemaster. I'm so grateful for all the advice I got from the ladies in the group with regards to fixing her up.

Here is what I did:

I took her apart and sanded down all the pieces to get rid of the thin layer of varnish...

Then I popped into Homebase and picked up this little pot of paint; jasmine leaf. It's a really soft dusty green that I absolutely fell in love with. I wanted a light colour to apply with a whitewash effect because there were bits of the loom that were darker than others and I wanted a more uniform feel instead of the mish mash of wood tones it was originally. I used this tutorial to get to grips with what whitewashing really is (I've never done this before so I'm grateful for the world of internet DIY).

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16/05/2012
weaving loom restoration :: before
DIYprojectsweaving
loom restoration table top weaving loom

About a week ago, I was offered a loom. I accepted it, and this is my story...

When I went to pick up the loom I had no idea what to expect. You see, I have never woven (except on the cardboard rectangles with pinked edges that I was given when I was in primary school!), nor have I ever seen a 'real' loom up close. It was the weekend after Wonderwool Wales, and although I showed no interest in learning to weave the week before, seeing the beautiful pieces on show in Builth peaked my interest and I wanted to know more. 

On the way to Ms. L's house (I will be referring to the lovely generous donor as Ms. L from now on), I was filled with both excitement and apprehension. The cause for excitement was obvious, I was embarking on a new journey, a new craft... more 'stuff'... But I was also worried; I have no clue where to start, how will I learn? Who do I ask if I get stuck? What if I just don't 'get' it? 

Those thoughts didn't last long after I set eyes on the loom. They all disappeared and were replaced my my obsessive Need to Clean. The loom was quite caked with layers of rust, dirt, cobwebs and greasy tufts of leftover fibres. Ms. L explained that she hadn't used it for some time, and that it was in need of a really good scrubbing before I could play with it. 

Not a problem, I said. Cleaning is what I do best, so bring it on!

To be honest, realising that the loom needed restoration was the best thing that could have happened that day. You see, it was the day before my birthday; if the loom was ready to 'go' I would have spent the entire weekend experimenting and refusing to socialise with anyone. This way, I could work on it a bit at a time and still find time for family and friends on my birthday. 

After giving it a quick wipe, I took plenty of photos of the loom, so I could have a reference of what it looked like before I got to work on it (and also to make sure I knew how it was put together so I can put it back after I've dismantled it). Here they are:

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