After my last post on spinning fractal yarn, I wasn’t quite happy with the idea. The premise of the technique is sound, but it isn’t truly a fractal in the mathematical or scientific sense of the word. A fractal is a pattern that is self-similar, and repeats itself in different scales. Image from a thermodynamics […]
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A Little Wound-up
Dear Tabby, I’m a new spinner and I am getting extremely frustrated when I sit down to spin!! My yarn is all squiggly and is getting kinked up. What is happening?!? Help! – Wound-up Wanda Hi Wanda, This a common problem for new and experienced spinners alike! The cause of this problem is that […]
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Fall Project Roundup
After a few weeks of record heat in September, October has brought with it a real bout of fall weather. We are loving the cooler temps where we can bundle up in our woolen goods and spend cozy evenings inside making things. To celebrate this changing of the seasons, here are a few of our […]
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Easy Ombre Scarf – Voolenvine Yarns Collaboration
When we decided to bring back yarn company collaborations for 2018, I immediately put Voolenvine Yarns on my list. Three years ago, I worked with her yarns in the Density Plaid Wrap. I loved the doubled threads that created the crammed/spaced plaid effect, however the speckled nature of the yarn didn’t highlight this difference in […]
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Harlequin Zoom Loom Bag
Bags are always fun to make and this one is just right for fall. Take your Zoom Loom with you and before you know it, you’ll have 13 squares woven and ready to assemble. Because you want your bag to be a dense fabric, be sure to use a wool yarn that will full (not […]
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Warp and Weft Calculator
To print the page, use “command + p” or “Ctrl + p” Printable worksheet PDF
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Houndstooth Lap Blanket
We love color and weave and this project for a lightweight blanket is a good place to start trying out 8-shaft weaving. We used the characteristic, dark, light threading, but changed the dark colors as we threaded across the warp (see warp color order chart). Weaving tip: Weave the pattern to square and maintain a […]
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Zoom Loom Summer Sachet
I can’t think of a better summer project than a handspun, handwoven, and handstitched lavender sachet. All of the pieces are small and portable; you don’t need much yarn, and the finished product is one of those can’t-quit-squishing-it projects. I spun my yarn, some on my Sidekick and some on a spindle, while I traveled. […]
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5 Fun and Easy Stash-busting Projects
Whether you’re a yarn-store owner with slow-moving stock, a yarn addict, or just someone who wants to bust their stash; we’ve got 5 easy projects that will knock that pile of yarn down. Zoom Loom Holiday Flower Lights This project was first introduced as a way to dress up holiday lights. EJ, one of our […]
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Yarn Swatching 3 Ways
What will this yarn look like when I weave with it? As a weaving instructor, I get this question every time I teach. While it is a great question, it’s one that’s hard to answer because each yarn is so different. A few years ago, we did a yarn study with the Zoom Loom, but […]
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Fringed Woven Rope Vest
“Creative, innovative, exciting, and new, all come together in this wonderful woven rope vest from designer Benjamin Collyn Krudwig and Schacht Spindle Company.” – Barry Klein of Trendsetter Yarns. These were the words uttered during the Summer TNNA (The National Needle Arts) fashion show in Cleveland as the Fringed Woven Rope Vest adorned the runway […]
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See us at TNNA this Summer!
TNNA (The National Needlearts Associatoin) Summer Show is right around the corner, and we’ve been working around the clock to prepare for our trip to Cleveland. This year we wanted to tie the whole fiber industry together, combining yarn and fiber companies in one interactive installation. This idea led to the creating of the Grande […]
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Summer Project Round Up – Kids Edition
June is right around the corner, and for many folks that means school is out, and the kids are home. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite projects that you can do with the young ones in your life! Make a Jump Rope In this project, we upcycled fabric strips and used the Incredible Rope […]
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6 Reasons Why Storage Bobbins Make My Yarn Better
Storage bobbins make my yarn better. I’ve been using storage bobbins and a bobbin winder for years, but only recently realized how indispensable they have become to my spinning. Having storage bobbins and a bobbin winder makes it so easy to rewind my bobbins. I used to tell spinners that they would get around to […]
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It Was a Vest at Times, It was a Wrap at Times – Hedgehog Fibers Collaboration
When I approached Hedgehog Fibres with the idea of a collaboration, I knew that whatever we did, it would be bold. Given her bright and saturated colors, there was no chance that this project would be boring. I chose a bright variegated colorway “Raku” and counterbalanced it with a more tonal yarn called “Poison.” While […]
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The Shape of Bay Shawl – Bristol Ivy Guest Post
A few weeks ago we posted our project, The Rain in Spain Cowl, as part of this triple collaboration between Bristol Ivy, Cashmere People Yarn, and us. We love Bristol Ivy’s use of this stunning yarn. Read all the way through for a special surprise from Bristol! Sometimes designing is an exercise in letting go. We […]
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NEW Easel Weaver
Little Looms are still gaining in popularity, and the number of projects, publications, and Pinterest boards seem to multiply exponentially. While we have been a leader in the small loom market, we knew that there was room to for another loom. Meet the Easel Weaver, the new I-loom from Schacht Spindle Company! This versatile I-loom […]
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The Rain in Spain Convertible Cowl
This project is part of a special collaboration between Casey Ryder from Portfiber, distributor of Cashmere People Cashgora yarns, Bristol Ivy, knitwear designer extraordinaire, and us! This seemed like a match made in heaven: individual threads and stories from around the world coming together in one piece. Boulder, CO, our Schacht headquarters, is the “sister […]
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Spring Wall Hanging – 3-Dimensional Weaving
Spring is just weeks away, and as the flowers are starting to pop out of the ground, we’re sharing a project that pops off of the wall! Heather, our sales and marketing director, approached me with an idea; to use pom poms in a weaving and create a spring-inspired wall hanging. As is often the […]
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Surprise Pick-up Pillow – Pillow Month
Our final installation of Pillow Month comes from Judy Pagels. You may know her as a vital member of our sales team and if you’re a retailer, you’ve certainly spoken to her on the phone or at TNNA. Judy is known for her love of texture and color, and while she’s an experienced weaver, her […]
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Clasped Weft Pillow – Pillow Month
Our second contribution to our pillow month series comes from Heather, our Sales and Marketing Director. A relatively new weaver, Heather chose to weave her project on our 15” Cricket Loom and challenge herself with a new technique, clasped weft. She also wanted to try out weaving with a boat shuttle and used the Schacht […]
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Fabric Scrap Pillow – Pillow Month
February is here, and with the frigid weather, many of us are experiencing a bit of cabin fever. We felt that by adding some new handwoven pillows into our homes, we would infuse some warmth and joy in our lives. This month, four of us here in the office will be exploring our interpretations of […]
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Weaving Rugs
We regularly receive questions regarding weaving rugs on Baby and Mighty Wolf looms. It can be done, but if rug weaving is the majority of your weaving, you may be happier in the long run with a heavier loom. The Standard Floor Loom and the Cranbrook Loom are both good choices for rug weaving. The […]
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3 Incredible Rope Home Decor Projects
As you read in our January e-Newes, our theme for January is “what was old is new” and in this post, we’re breathing new life into three vintage decor ideas. For all of these easy projects, you’ll need yarn and an Incredible Rope Machine. For instructions on how to use the Incredible Rope Machine, check […]
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DIY Scrap Fabric Jump Rope
As the new year rolls around, many of us adopt new year’s resolutions to try and better ourselves and our lives. Whether it’s a fitness goal or a desire to de-clutter your space, this jump rope project will take care of both. We want to thank Lillemor Elfgren of Limmo Designs in Sweden for the […]
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Top 10 Blog Round Up for 2017
As 2017 comes to a close, we thought we’d share a recap of our most read blog posts this year. 10: Weaving with Speckled Yarn The speckled yarn craze is still going strong, and this collaboration with Western Sky Knits has been a hit this year. 9: Festive Wine Bag This classic pattern makes for […]
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A Few of My Favorite Things – Jane Patrick
When my sisters and I were going through my mom’s things after she died, we each took turns choosing objects that we most wanted. All went well until it came to the simple kitchen tools she used every day. We cried over her rolling pin that had rolled out countless paper thin oatmeal wafers. We […]
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Surprise Snowman
Drinking hot cocoa, sledding, building snowmen; these are a few of my favorite snowy-day activities. In Colorado, it isn’t always snowy enough to build a snowman, so with this easy Zoom Loom project you can make your own snowman no matter the weather. This cutie requires just a few squares, so you’ll be finished in […]
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Winter Pocket Garland
It’s that time of year again; there’s a chill in the air, children are getting excited for winter break, and families are planning holiday get-togethers. Now is a perfect time for a family project that could become a tradition or treasured heirloom. Bring people together this holiday season with our Winter Pocket Garland. Plan an […]
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