Making Animals for VBS

May 26, 2023 by ·

Sewing Bug

Got the sewing bug this year as preparations were made for vacation Bible school. The theme is Australia and team names are various animals found down under. Down the rabbit hole we went sewing animals to give away to the kids.

Sewn Koalas, jellyfish, clown fish, dingos and platypus. These creatures are so different and fascinating.

Got the pin looms out to create some turtles. It’s amazing how different they look with yarns of different colors both solid and variegated.

The turtles were made with a few different looms including:

  • hexagon pin loom
  • 2″x4″ rectangle pin loom
  • 2″ square pin loom

Found the sewing patterns online. Some were on Etsy others were free on various blogs. The turtles were inspired by a weave along on the Facebook Pin Loom Support Group. If you love to craft, we encourage you to look into pin loom weaving and join this private group for inspiration.

Filed Under: Animals, Pin Loom, Sewing · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pin Loom Turtles

May 24, 2023 by ·

Turtles are a heartwarming creature. And easy to make with a hexagon pin loom. The are also a great opportunity to mix variegated yarns and solids in the same project.

We joined the turtle weave-along on TexasGabi’s website. We learned about it in the Pin Loom Weaving Support Group on Facebook. Before you know it, we had woven a bale (group) of turtles! We experimented a bit. We tried different yarn combinations, different size safety eyes and used different colors for the top vs bottom of the turtle.

Pin Looms Used to Make Turtles

The main pin loom used was a hexagon. We like the one from Bluebonnet Crafters. They have this classic shape in their Etsy shop and several other fun shapes, too.

While we used a lot of other shapes for the head, feet, tail and neck, they can all be made by folding, rolling and tucking a 2″ square.

But since we have other looms, we sometimes used the follows:

  • 2″x4″ pin loom was used for the head
  • 1″x4″ pin loom was used for the neck
  • 2″ triangle pin loom was sometimes used for the feet when we wanted a different color on top verses bottom of the turtle.

We received a special request for a few turtles. They requested pink, teal and blue. So we made a few more!

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Gingham Gnome Pin Loom Pattern

May 22, 2023 by ·

This pin loom gnome has gorgeous fashion sense! Make your own gnome, hat and muff and learn a new pattern for pin loom weaving.

This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to use two colors to make a square and a rectangle with a quadrant print which looks just like gingham. The pattern has lots of photos and clear written instructions for making the gnome, hat and muff, too.

The Gingham Gnome Pattern includes:

  • Instructions to make a Gnome, Hat and Muff
  • Instructions to make a Gingham Square and Rectangle
  • 12 pages with color photos
  • Step-by-Step written instructions

PDF Download for Gingham Gnome Pin Loom Pattern Available Now.

The Gingham Gnome Pin Loom Pattern is available in our Etsy shop.

Available now on Etsy.

Buy Now on Etsy

Pin the Gingham Gnome to Pinterest

Share the love; pin this Gingham Gnome to pinterest.

More About the Gingham Gnome Pin Loom Pattern

You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make this gnome. We list it as intermediate because of all the folding, tucking and sewing but this step-by-step tutorial will make it easy and fun to create.

What you’ll need to make this Gingham Gnome:

  • Pin Looms: –4” square, 2” x 4” rectangle
  • Yarn:   Red Heart: Soft – Medium (4)
  •  BLACK #4614 – 130 yds
  •  OFF WHITE #4601 – 45 yds
  •  WHITE #4600 – 50 yds
  • WHEAT #9388 – 10 yds
  • Needle:  6” needle for weaving and yarn needle for sewing
  • Pompom Maker: – 1 ¾” pom pom
  • Stuffing
  • Beans: to weigh the gnome down
  • Crochet Hook: – size G (optional)
  • Fabric Marker: – white, dark
  • Pet comb: – metal
  • Steamer (optional)

About Pin Loom Weaving the Gingham Gnome

This gingham gnome is made with only two pin looms: 4″ square and 2″x4″ rectangle. That’s all! It’s hard to imagine that this cute little gnome is made with only squares and rectangles, but simple folds, rolls and tucks transform simple shapes into a darling toy.

The base of the gnome is stuffed with beans to give it weight and prevent it from wabbling about. The rest is filled with polyfill stuffing.

The beard is made with yarn, then combed with a metal cat come to separate the strands. Then a steam iron was used to straighten out the yarn. These little details really make the beard shine.

Get your copy of the Gingham Gnome Pin Loo Pattern in our Etsy Shop.

Buy Now on Etsy
Filed Under: Patterns for Sale, Pin Loom, Toys · Tagged With: , ,

Pin Loom Chef Gnome

May 16, 2023 by ·
Pin Loom Chef Gnome. Photo Matt Graves

This little pin loom chef gnome has a sweet tooth. Here he is serving up some cherry desserts.

Make your own chef gnome with pin looms. He’s the perfect accessory for the kitchen and makes a great gift for those who love to cook…and eat.

We love the obvious and the subtle details that turn this gnome into an accomplished chef. The toque (hat) is probably the most iconic item. But the gnome is also wearing a white apron and holding a red and white striped serving towel. All of these items were made with pin looms. There are a couple little elements of crochet (we’ll touch on that in a moment). The cherry dessert in his hand was purchased at a craft store in the miniatures/doll department.

Chef Gnome Pattern Available on Little Looms

This particular gnome pattern was designed for Little Looms and is available with All Access membership to their site. Learn more about the online subscription to Little Looms where you can buy access to all past and present patterns from Little Looms magazine.

Materials Used to Make the Chef Gnome

The main items needed to make this chef gnome are pin looms and yarn. But there are a few other items that give the gnome his polished appearance. For instance, the yarn of the beard is combed with a metal pet comb then steam ironed to straighten the threads. Here’s a complete list of what was used to make the chef gnome:

  • Pin Loom – Square: 2” and 4”
  • Pin Loom – Hexagon: 3 ¾“ diameter (2” sides)
  • Pin Loom – Rectangle: 2” x 4” and 2” x 6”
  • Needle: 5” weaving needle, tapestry needle
  • Yarns Red Heart Soft (100% acrylic; 256 yd/4 oz), #E4600 White, 200 yd; #46414 Black, 24 yd; #9274 Biscuit, 8 yd; #9925 Really Red, 5 yd.
  • SUBSTITUTION if needed: Red Heart With Love (100% acrylic, 370 yd/7 oz) #1001 White, 1012 Black, #1308 Tan, #1909 Holly Berry.
  • Stuffing
  • Miniature Cake
  • Crochet Hook Size G/6/4.00mm
  • Small Bag of Bean or Something Heavy to Weigh Down the Gnome
  • Straight Pins
  • White Fabric Marker
  • Steamer
  • Pet Comb
  • Hot Glue.

More about the Chef Gnome

As mentioned earlier, there is a tiny bit of crochet on the gnome. The apron strings are crocheted as are the cuffs at the wrist of each arm. If you don’t know how to crochet, then ribbon could be substituted for the apron strings. And the cuffs could be omitted.

All the shapes are woven in plain weave. So that portion is very beginner friendly. The project my look intimidating, but the pattern will explain step-by-step how to fold, roll, tuck and cinch pin loom woven shapes into a chef worthy of any kitchen.

Bon Appetit!

Filed Under: Kitchen, Pin Loom, Publications, Toys · Tagged With: , , ,

A Motivation to Make Beginner Friendly Sewing Patterns

May 5, 2023 by ·

Though we’ve been life long crafters, we have sewed out of utility rather than pleasure (i.e. lining for crochet bags). Our mother was much the same. She dutifully, if a little grudgingly, sewed costumes for our high school drama performances.

But when the spark ignites, sometimes a scarcely used skill can grow into a new passion. It began as a simple desire for Deborah; to make a few stuffed animals to hand out at Vacation Bible School. She poked around the internet a bit, searched Pinterest and Etsy. Then down the rabbit hole she plunged.

Sewing for Vacation Bible School

With a mix of free online patterns and some purchased on Etsy, Deborah began to sew. She made six koalas and found it kind of fun. She found another pattern, then another. Soon she was creating a large collection of creatures. She sewed and sewed.

And sewed some more. She made koalas, fish, dingos, kangaroos and many more animals.

clown fish sewing pattern

This adorable little orange fish was our first sewing pattern inspired from the VBS experience. The Clown Fish Sewing Pattern is stitched entirely by hand with felt fabric. It’s super cute. As we’ll mention in a moment, this pattern also includes traceable templates.

Creating Sewing Patterns

Deborah soon found that although there are a lot of great patterns online, sometimes there’s a void; the variety may be limited or the style not quite right. So Deborah began creating her own patterns.

A well written pattern makes the sewing experience more enjoyable, as recent experience would show. So we decided that we wanted our beginner friendly sewing patterns to have 3 key components:

  • Step-by-Step Written Instructions
  • Lots of Color Progress Photos
  • Printable and Traceable Templates at 100% Scale

Snake Sewing Pattern

One of the first sewing patterns we put together was for a snake. This one has an exaggerated brow above the eye. It gives the snake attitude. Learn more about the Snake Sewing Pattern on our blog.

snake sewing pattern

Hammerhead Shark Sewing Pattern

Another of our beginner friendly sewing patterns is the Hammerhead Shark. This time the emphasis was on the fins. Our shark stuffed animal has all the same fins that a real one has. Learn more about the Hammerhead Shark Sewing Pattern on our blog.

hammerhead shark sewing pattern

Bear Pillow Sewing Pattern

One last beginner friendly sewing pattern I’d like to highlight is the bear pillow. This character is 100% huggable. And with a few modifications, the bear can be a panda or a brown bear. Learn more about the Bear Pillow Sewing Pattern on our blog.

bear pillow sewing pattern

Whatever you sew, we wish you many happy stitchable moments.

Filed Under: Sewing, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , ,

Veggie Soup Pin Loom Tutorial

March 30, 2023 by ·
Pin loom woven fruits and vegetables.
Weave delicious looking fruits and vegetables with 4″ pin loom squares

Veggie Soup Step-by-Step Tutorial

Carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms, oh my! This photo tutorial has 60+ photos and will show you how to fold, roll, tuck and sew 4″ pin loom woven squares into these deliciously fun shapes. It’s surprisingly easy!

Yes, you need only one pin loom…the 4″ square. All of the fruits and veggies were made with one loom.

Instant PDF Download Available Now

This Veggie Soup Pattern is available as a PDF digital download at Etsy.com.

Available now on our Etsy Shop.

Buy Now on Etsy

The veggies first appeared in Little Looms 2018, a publication of Long Thread Media. We have shared rights to the pattern and it’s now available as an instant download in our Etsy Shop.

Step-by-Step Guide Includes:

  • Eggplant
  • Peas in a Pod
  • Mushroom
  • Carrot
  • Tomato
  • Broccoli
  • 60+ beautiful color photos
  • 18 well organized pages
  • Easy to follow written instructions
  • Materials list
  • Directions to make 6 fruits and vegetables including: Broccoli Florets, Carrots, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Peas in a Pod and Tomatoes.
Cornucopia of fruits and vegetables make from 4" pin loom squares
Make your own cornucopia of pin loom fruits and vegetables.

Pattern Available at Etsy

Get instant access to the Veggie Soup Pin Loom Pattern by purchasing it from our Etsy shop.

Available now on Etsy

Buy Now on Etsy
Filed Under: Patterns for Sale, Pin Loom · Tagged With: ,

Flower Blanket Weave Along and Pattern

March 10, 2023 by ·

If you love flowers and you love to pin loom weave, you’ll love this weave along! We’re making a floral lapghan. It has five iconic flowers and an adorable bee. Flowers in the pin loom blanket include sunflower, tulip, daffodil, daisy, and zinnias.

The flowers are all woven with the same background so they join together seamlessly. You can create a border in any color, we chose to use the green of the leaves which creates a sense of boundary but also allows the flowers to really take all the attention.

What You’ll Need

  • Floral Afghans Pattern (Buy this bonus bundle or join the facebook group mentioned below).
  • Pin Looms: 4″ square and 4″ triangle
  • Yarn: Caron Simply Soft or medium worsted weight (4) yarn

This is a beginner friendly project because all the shapes are woven in plain weave. And only two pin looms are needed: the 4″ square and 4″ triangle. The floral afghan measures approximately 56″x76″. This blanket was woven with Caron Simply Soft which is a worsted weight yarn. You can use any worsted weight yarn but note that Caron Simply Soft is a little bit thinner than some which makes it a great choice for beginners.

How the Weave Along Works

We’ll weave one motif each month for six months, then assemble the final blanket in the seventh.

Where to join the Weave Along

We share the free pattern with chart in the Pin Loom Weaving Support Group on Facebook. If you’re not a member, it’s free to join, too.

The weave along pattern will list materials needed such as yarn and pin loom shapes. It will include a couple charts: one of the flower layout, the other with the number of shapes and how many are needed.

At the beginning of each month we’ll post the pattern to the group. The pattern and chart will be uploaded to the files folder in the Facebook group and will be available at any time. If you join the Facebook group in the future, no worries, the pattern can be found in the files.

When you finish a flower or bee, take a picture and post it to the group and mention the weave along. It’s that simple.

If you’re familiar with Files in Facebook, you know that they are clunky, unorganized and can be a real pain to sort through. We’ve created a full PDF of the Flower Blanket and bundled it with a second flower blanket!

Flowers Pin Loom Blankets Pattern Bundle

If you’re really into flowers, you’ll love this Pin Loom Flower Blanket bundle. It includes the simple weave along blanket and the more detailed flower blanket.

The Pin Loom Flower Afghans Pattern is available in our Etsy Shop.

Buy Now on Etsy

Get your pattern today and weave at your own pace. Then when all the shapes are joined together, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the view.

Want to know more about both blankets in the bundle? Check out the blog post Pin Loom Diary: Floral Afghans for more details.

Filed Under: Afghan, Flowers, Patterns for FREE, Pin Loom · Tagged With: , ,

Pin Loom Diary: Floral Afghans Pattern

February 21, 2023 by ·
Flower Blankets to Pin Loom Weave

First you make one flower, then another. Before you know it, you have a garden of flowers and a little bee, too!

We’ll confess, the first blanket we wove was the detailed one. It has 9 flowers and 1 bee. And it takes 7 pin loom shapes including squares, triangles and rectangles. And we love it. And we wanted every pin loom weaver to make one. But….not all pin loom weavers have 7 pin looms let alone the ones used in this pattern. So, a more simplified version was created. And it uses only 2 looms. Now everyone can weave their own flower garden!

About the Pin Loom Flower Afghan Pattern

This is great for beginners and experienced weavers alike as every shape is woven in plain weave.

There are two blankets in this Pin Loom Diary: Floral Afghans Pattern available in our Etsy Shop. Each has it’s own unique design and appeal.

Blanket A is the simple version with 5 flowers and a bee. The flowers are larger and the border is a solid color. It uses only 2 pin looms. The finished afghan measures approximately 56″x76″.

Blanket B is a more detailed version and has 9 flowers with stems and a bee. The flowers are smaller to allow space for leaves and stems. It uses 7 pin looms. The background and border on the detailed blanket is more quilt-like with pops of color sprinkled throughout. The finished afghan measures approximately 48″x72″.

What’s Included in the pattern:

  • 2 Flower Afghan Patterns
  • 16 pages
  • Charts of flowers and bees
  • Table of each shape, color and quantity needed for each motif
  • Table of total number of shapes, color and quantity needed for each blanket
  • Complete materials list
  • Pattern for simple flowers: sunflower, tulip, daffodil, daisy, zinnias
  • Pattern for detailed flowers: tulip, delphinium, daisy, daffodil, sunflower, indian paintbrush, calla lily, zinnia, poppy

PDF Instant Download Available Now

The Floral Afghans Pin Loom Pattern is now available in our Etsy Shop.

Available on Etsy.

Buy Now on Etsy

What You’ll Need:

With Flower Afghans Pin Loom Pattern in hand, here is a list of the other items you’ll need to weave one or both of these floral afghans.

  • Yarn: Caron Simply Soft or any medium worsted weight (4) yarn
  • Blanket A uses 11 colors
  • Blanket B uses 15 colors
  • 6″ needle for weaving and yarn needle for sewing
  • Blanket A Pin Looms: Square 4″ and Triangle 4″
  • Blanket B Pin Looms: Square 4″, 2″, 1″ and Triangle 4″, 2″ and Rectangle 2″x4″ and 2″x6″

These designs can be used for more than just afghans. We’ve made pillows and garden flags, too. What will you make with these flower shapes?

Oh, and be sure to join the Pin Loom Flower Afghan Weave Along in the Pin Loom Support Group on Facebook!

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Floral Afghans Pattern Now Available

Are you ready to weave your own garden of flowers?

The Pin Loom Diary: Floral Afghans is available as a PDF download in our Etsy Shop.

Available now on Etsy.

Buy Now on Etsy
Filed Under: Afghan, Flowers, Patterns for Sale, Pin Loom · Tagged With: , , , ,

Sheep Pillow Published in Little Looms

January 9, 2023 by ·

Sheep are neat and so are pillows that look like them! Deborah designed an adorable sheep pillow using yarn and pin loom woven shapes.

We love this pillow because it’s fairly easy to make, yet has lots of little details that make it quite interesting. The 4″ squares give it a puffed / quilted look. The woven texture of each square adds more interest. The fleck in the yarn adds still more depth.

Sheep Pillow Pin Loom Pattern in Little Looms Magazine

Little Looms Magazine first published this “Counting Sheep” pattern in their Spring 2023 issue. You can access the pattern either by purchasing that single issue or joining their all access subscription service.

About the Pin Loom Sheep Pillow Pattern

The finished size is approximately 10″ x 11″ x 4 1/2″.

There are two weaving structures: plain weave and Loomette Weave #1. Check out our blog post for the Loomette Weave #1 pattern. Here are the supplies needed to make your own Pin Loom Sheep Pillow:

  • Pin Loom Square: 4″
  • Pin Loom Rectangle: 2” x 4”
  • 5” weaving needle
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Yarns: Lion Brand Yarns Vanna’s Choice Heather (92% acrylic/8% rayon; 145 yd/3 oz), #400D Oatmeal, 160 yd.
  • Lion Brand Yarns Vanna’s Choice Solid (100% acrylic, 170 yd/3.5oz), #153 Black, 40 yd.
  • Stuffing
  • Pins

It’s really fun to see how many people find this project so appealing. Even though it’s pin loom woven, we find that fiber enthusiasts of all kids find this little guy irresistible. So do farmers and city folk…and people who like to count sheep before they nod off to sleep.

Filed Under: Animals, Home Decor, Pin Loom, Publications · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wolf Pencil Case Pin Loom Pattern

October 22, 2022 by ·

There’s no need to scratch and claw through the junk drawer looking for a pen. Make your own wolf pencil case with yarn and pin looms to store them in. These are great for holding pens, pencils, crochet hooks, mini scissors and more. And since it’s pin loom woven, you can even weave your needle through the outside of the case when you’re not using it.

The wolf pencil case measures approximately 12” long x 7” tall x 4” wide.

Pin These Pictures to Pinterest.

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Wolf Pencil Case Available on Etsy

The Wolf Pencil Case Pin Loom Pattern is now in our Etsy Shop.

Available now on Etsy.

Buy Now on Etsy

About the Wolf Pencil Case Pin Loom Pattern

This pencil case was a special request from one of the boys…he wanted a coyote. Both wolves and coyotes are a bit dog like, so sure, it’s not a wolf, it’s a coyote!

The pattern is 5 pages which includes step-by-step written instructions. There are 10+ photos that show the pencil case at different points of construction. Instructions are for the grey wolf, though step-by-step photos are often for the black dog. The shape for the black dog and grey wolf are the same.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the Pin Loom Wolf Pencil Case:

  • Pin Loom Square: 1”, 2”, and 4”
  • Pin Loom Rectangles: 2”x4”, 1”x4”
  • Yarn:   Red Heart: Soft – Medium (4), acrylic, 5 oz/256 yds
  •             Grayscale #9931
  •             Black #4614
  •             White #4600
  • Needle:           6” needle for weaving and yarn needle for sewing
  • Safety eyes: (2) 14mm
  • Safety nose: 2cm
  • Zipper: 9” in color of yarn
  • Fabric for lining: approximately 12” x 12”
  • Can – with 2 5/8” diameter for helping sew the ends to the body of the pencil case (optional)
  • Notions: straight pins, needle and thread

Please note that there are not photos to match each step-by-step written instruction. But there are photos throughout the pattern to help provide clarity.

PDF Instant Download Available

Buy the Wolf Pencil Case Pin Loom Pattern in our Etsy Shop.

Available Now on Etsy.

Buy Now on Etsy

The pattern is for your eyes only. We encourage you to give away or sell your finished work as long as you credit yarnovations.com as the designer.

Filed Under: Animals, Bags, Patterns for Sale, Pin Loom · Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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