Weekly Newsletters

Good Morning Weavers!

This past week we have welcomed 10 new weavers into the studio. New weavers bring fresh ideas and excitment that make it so fun to share all that we know. Amidst that excitment (and chaos!) we have been finishing an exciting project I’m excited to share with you…

Northern Range Wool

We are introducing a new wool line: Northern Range Wool. It is 100% Canadian wool that comes in a huge range of colours. After thoroughly testing it to be sure it is exactly what we wanted, we are happy to be offering it to you both in the form of rug weaving kits and as a stand alone yarn on September 19th. There will be a limited number of rug weaving kits at first and then a re-stock later this winter.

We’ve made a TON of rugs in our studio over the past few years. This involved a lot of experimenting with different yarns. So, how did we land on Northern Range Wool?

Step 1: Do we need a new yarn line?

The answer always seems like a yes initially but often after thinking it thought we find we just need to think outside of the box with yarns that we already have. In this instance, the wool we used to carry just wasn’t making the density of rug that we were looking for. We really wanted to be working with Canadian wool, but we needed one that would pack in nice and densely and wash up to lay flat. The search began.

Step 2: Testing new yarns

Before we commit to bringing in new yarn we need to make sure it is exactly right. This involves a whole lot of sampling. Angela made a ton of mini rug designs in the process to test if the colours were exciting enough, if the yarn packed densely enough and see how the wool reacted with wet finishing.

Northern Range Wool creates rugs that:

• Lie flat
• Pack in snug
• Are made to last
• Are a good amount of fuzzy (soft but not shedding) 

These are simple requirements but surprisingly difficult to find!

Step 3: Making full samples

Mini-rugs are great to get a feel for how things will work, but we didn’t know FOR SURE it was going to be great until we wove one at scale. Patterns read a little differently at a larger scale and new problems can also emerge. This time, we were thrilled with the result. No curling up edges, no warp showing through, no stiffening, just beautiful flat-laying rugs. It was perfect.

Step 4: Putting the cherry on top!

So we know Northern Range Wool makes excellent rugs. But what else can it do?We’ve had success with using NRW as a blanket warp! Here it is paired with Parkland Blanket Wool in the weft. If you want to weave a luxurious blanket, and save a little on cost, try using our Northern Range Wool in the warp and Parkland Blanket Wool in the weft like Mila did below:

Take a Look at the Colour Range Here:

View

Perfect for gradients, pops of bright colour or whatever you dream up! Stay tuned for more about our rug kits next week :)

Happy Weaving!

Kim

Good morning weavers!

September always feels like the beginning of the year to me. Sweaters, lattes, fall dog-park walks and of course, getting back to the loom. Here is a collection of patterns for fall to inspire your next project.

Your ticket to weaving this fall! We’ve put together a bundle with nine of our favorite fall patterns. To kick off the season, we’re offering it at 20% off.

Campfire PDF Pattern Bundle: All Nine Patterns

1. Homestead Linen Bread Bags
2. Cozy Cottage Blanket
3. The All-in-One Table Textiles Pattern
4. Lakehouse Rigid Heddle Scarves
5. Reflections Double Weave Blanket
6. Log Cabin Tea Towels
7. Pebble Pillow Covers
8. Twilight Twill Blanket Scarf
9. Toasted Marshmallow Scarf

 View

This collection is full of classic and thoughtful ways to use simple yarns. Good design, quality materials and thoughtful finishing are the cornerstones of this collection. The classic weave structures of plain weave, twill, and waffle weave are the bulk of these patterns. You can weave them exactly as you see them with a kit, or use what you’ve got and make your own versions.

This bundle is called the Campfire Collection because of the bits of red that pop up in most of the pieces. It also seems to fit the feeling of fall, wrapping up in a snuggly waffle weave blanket.

Our patterns include extra tips and tricks to help you understand the WHY of how the pattern works. Our hope is that you’ll learn the weave structure while you weave so you are not only making a beautiful woven item but you’re building your skills too. Our log cabin tea towels pattern is one of my favorites. It is fantastic woven just as written but also allows for so much play! On the tail end of a log cabin warp we had in the studio I played around a little and made this fun wash cloth for a friend of mine.

Order Pattern Bundle

Thank you for your apple recipe suggestions! I think I am going to try and make some mead with tips from my new weaver pal (thanks Chris!).

- Kim

Hello Weavers!

I’m writing this to you on Monday night after a long day threading a far-too-wide overshot project. I’m zonked but I want to check in because a lot has happened this week! We’ve been weaving like crazy, filming, organizing everything for upcoming workshops and restocking a bunch of yarn. 

Outside of the studio I’ve been enjoying outdoor time finding ways to use up all of the apples from my trees. So far the best method is to let the neighbourhood kids in the backyard and let them go to town! If you have any great apple recipes you love, send them my way :) 

In the Studio

Jamie and Evan (our video expert) and I filmed the last parts of our new online courses coming this winter. Unlike Jamie, I am far from a natural at these things and it requires a few too many takes to get “Hi I’m Kim McCollum” right. Luckily, the important stuff- like all of the exciting new weaving information, patterns, etc are turning out excellent I am so excited to share more soon.

A surprise new-to-us 60” loom was dropped off to us from local weaver Lynn McEachern (thank you!!) so we’ve been scheming about putting it together and what we will need to get it up and running. If you’re doing something similar you can read our tips and tricks for refurbishing old looms here.

I owe you a huge thank you for your enthusiasm about the workshops we are offering this fall! Most are full but you can take a look here if you were hoping to get in there are a couple of spots to weave a tea towel and a couple to weave a scarf left.

Mila and I have been doing a bunch of stock management. Fun right? WRONG! But is IS exciting to have a full studio and have our kits back in stock! We’re all stocked up on cotton of all sizes as well as our full range of GIST yarns.

Shop Yarn

I hope you are enjoying the tail end of summer and are looking forward to some fall weaving. As usual, reply to this email and let me know what you are working on if you like! I’m always curious.

-Kim

Workshops Launch Tuesday! Mark your calendars for Tuesday August 20, 8am MST (tomorrow!!)

Hello Weavers!

This weekend I spent most of the day on Saturday at an alpaca farm just outside the city for Alberta Open Farm Days. Jamie and I volunteered for the day encouraging  people to try out weaving. It was a family event so my daughter came to see the alpacas and she gave weaving a try too. She was more interested in the snacks but I still had a proud mama moment.Back in the studio, we’ve been prepping for fall workshops over the last few weeks and I want to share a bit about how you can weave with us this fall! We’ve got some brand new workshops I am really excited about. 

View Workshops  

If you’re brand new to weaving, there are a few ways to get started. 

Weave a Throw Pillow
This is a brand new class which is great for new or experienced weavers. We will be focusing on textures and play so you’ll really be able to see what weaving has to offer in terms of tactile fun. No experience necessary.Weave a Scarf on a Rigid Heddle loom
This is perfect if you want to learn to weave on a small portable loom. You’ll have your own scarf at the end of it and the skills you need to make more for your friends!

Learn to Do It All Yourself in Weaving 1!
If you know you want to learn to weave this is the way to learn how to make your own warp, dress your own loom, read patterns and more.

Weave a Tea Towel with Us
Pick your colours and off you go! These classes are on floor looms so you really get the full weaving experience and go home with a finished piece. The pattern we have on the looms this fall is a twill pattern that makes all sorts of diamonds and circles so there is a lot to play with. No experience necessary.View Workshops 

If you’ve been weaving awhile, here is how you can level up:

Weave a Parkland Throw!
There are only a couple of spots in this workshop because it uses our large looms. If you want to create an amazing holiday gift for someone VERY special while learning about Alberta wool locally dyed with plants, this workshop is for you. We have a new design this year using tansy dyed Parkland.Designing with Blocks
In this course we’ll take turns trying out different treadling, colour, and fibre options on pre-warped table looms, stretching the possibilities of the structures and seeing which variations each of us likes best!

Or join us for weaving a throw pillow or tea towel and get a little extra done because you’ll be able to dive right in!

View Workshops

Workshops Launch Tuesday at 8am. Space is limited, you must be checked out to save your spot.

I’m so excited for this fall to see some of our new designs come to life and to welcome a new batch of weavers. See you at the studio!!

- Kim