Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Free Sleying Hook

Here is one of my favorite weaving tools.  The weaving craft can get kind of expensive, but this sleying hook is free.

 I use the fake credit cards that come in the advertising from credit card companies.  I tend to misplace things, so if I only had one sleying hook, I probably wouldn't get much weaving accomplished.  By making my own, I can have one or a dozen by each loom.  If I accidently drop one, I just pick up another one and keep going.











This wasn't my own idea.  I had heard of someone making them, but drew my own pattern.  It is designed so the tips just fit corner to corner on the card.  (The pattern in the photo is drawn on a piece of paper.)  Cut out the pattern and trace around it with a Sharpie marker onto the card.  Cut the card with heavy scissors, except the circular area of the hook.  Use a hole punch for that spot.  Make sure all the edges are smooth, so they don't snag the yarn.








I make sure I give a couple to each new weaver I get a chance to teach.  This photo is of me in my weaving studio in the garage.  It's a bit chilly out there this time of year, so I decided to bring one of my small looms inside.  I just started some hand towels with Atwater-Bronson lace pick-up, using some of my designs.

Have a great time weaving!  I know I am!

4 comments:

  1. That is a fantastic idea, I must make myself a few of these as extras.

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  2. I just clicked into your blog from Facebook and love the new look! I'm a sap for my old brass sley books from Robin and Russ, but they are no more and your idea is terrific.

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  3. Thanks Sharon. I'm a bit frustrated with trying to design the top of the page. It won't let me put a title and a description, only one or the other. I wanted Daisy Hill Weaving Studio in big letters on top of the picture, with the description below. If I do that, then I can't read the description, because it is over the picture also, but the letters are too light to read easily.

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  4. This is brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

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