Thursday, August 10, 2006

KNN Breaking News: Amateur Loomer Catches World Record Slub!


[Knitting News Network] What might be a new world-record slub was caught in a loom just outside of Madison, Wisconsin this afternoon. The amateur loomer who hooked the amazing beast said that she played it for nearly an hour before landing it, but never imagined what would emerge from the skein of yarn. "I've been looming for a couple of months now, and I've pulled in quite a few keeper slubs, but this was the biggest one by far."

When asked what kind of tackle she was using, she told KNN, "I use a pretty hefty line, Lion Brand Homespun actually, and I had a good hank of it wound on a Knifty Knitter round green loom. I like a good strong line when I'm out looming, and I'm sure glad I had one tied on this afternoon."

Although it will take expert analysis to ultimately identify the species, the monster slub in question is most likely a hybrid of Barrington and not a naturally occurring yarn. With bright green, purple, gold and blue speckling its flanks, the monster measured in at just over 5' 6" in length -- record-class in anyone's book.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

A Good Yarn ... All About YPOs, YPPs and WPIs


Yarn Gauge – How Many Yards Per Ounce or Pound, and How Many Wraps Per Inch?

There are a lot of ways to measure the thickness of yarn. YPO is “yards per ounce.” YPP is “yards per pound.” WPI is “wraps per inch.” To calculate WPI, you wrap your yarn around a ruler or a pencil so the strands are just touching, and count how many wraps you can make per inch. For bulky yarns, it is best to wrap your yarn for three inches then divide the number of wraps by three. Following are some rough YPO, YPP and WPI guidelines for different sizes of yarn.

Sock weight
YPO = 175+ yards
YPP = 2400+ yards
WPI = 16 – 18+ wraps

Fingering (super fine, sock, baby) weight
YPO = 100 – 150 yards
YPP = 1600 – 2400 yards
WPI = 16 wraps

Sport (fine, DK) weight
YPO = 75 – 100 yards
YPP = 1200 – 1600 yards
WPI = 14 wraps

Medium (worsted) weight
YPO = 55 – 70 yards
YPP = 850 – 1100 yards
WPI = 12 wraps

Bulky (chunky) weight
YPO = 30 – 55 yards
YPP = 500 – 850 yards
WPI = 10 wraps

Super bulky (extra bulky or “chunky”) weight
YPO = 16 – 30 yards
YPP = < 500 yards
WPI = 8 or fewer wraps

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Loom Gauges 201


Gauging Gauges

Here's a quick review for those who already know this, and a stitch of new information for those who were out that day in Looming 201 class. Loom gauge is usually measured from the center of one peg to the center of the next peg (center-to-center, or C2C). The largest gauge looms are made with pegs that are 3/4” and over from center-to-center. These looms are used to make rugs, bulky shawls and afghans, and are good for loom knitting with fabric strips and super bulky yarns.

The Knifty Knitter looms are “large” or “bulky” gauge, and range from about 5/8" (blue loom) to 3/4" (yellow loom) center-to-center on the pegs. Large gauge looms handle bulky and super bulky yarns quite nicely, but if you want to use a worsted weight yarn, you will need to use two strands of yarn held together.

The next size down is “regular” or “half” gauge, and the pegs or pins are 1/2" center-to-center. You can use one strand of bulky yarn (like LB Homespun) or one or two strands of worsted weight yarn on a regular gauge loom quite nicely.

Smaller yet are the “small” gauge (3/8" spacing), “third” gauge (1/3" spacing), “fine” gauge (1/4" spacing), and extra fine gauge (3/16" spacing) looms. These are used for very lightweight yarns, making dishcloths, socks, felting, etc.

Center-to-Center Gauge Measurements
Bulky Gauge = ¾” to 1”+
Large Gauge = 5/8”
Regular or Half Gauge (HG) = ½”
Small or Fine Gauge (SG) = 3/8”
Third Gauge (3G) = 5/16” or 1/3”
Fine Gauge (FG) = ¼”
Extra Fine Gauge (EFG) = 3/16”

Custom Looms — Beveled Oak


Loon Looms are custom made and available in both traditional (square stock) and beveled-face styles (for greater comfort and control), and in a variety of fine hardwoods, including oak, maple, poplar, mahogany, tropical ramin and more.
Each Loon Loom is artist-decorated, and given a final finish of multiple hand-buffed coats of hard wax for warmth, beauty and durability.


Custom looms can be crafted in FG (Fine Gauge — 1/4" spacing), 3G (1/3" spacing), SG (Small Gauge — 3/8" spacing), and HG (Half Gauge — 1/2" spacing), and in lengths from 8" up to 24" and longer. Loon Looms are made with RH (right hand) cast, but can be special ordered in neutral and LH (left hand) casts.

Thank you for looking, and loom on!

Traditional Rake Looms — Felting and Dishcloths



"Oak Woods," 18" 3G (1/3") rake. Square oak, 50 pins, RH cast. $24.96

Loon Looms are individually created from oak and other fine hardwoods especially for the loom knitter, felting enthusiast, fiber artist, weaver and dishcloth knitter. Each custom-made oak wood single-rake loom is individually artist decorated, hand crafted, and given a final finish of multiple hand-buffed coats of hard wax for warmth, beauty and durability. Loon Looms are created for those fiber enthusiasts for whom the process is as important as the product, and who enjoy the feel and flow of fine fibers over beautiful wood.

Other designs available "Pine Woods," "Pheasant Feather, and "The Rose."

Loon Looms Rake Loom Kits


Many avid loom knitters would love to have a hand in making their own looms, but not everyone has the woodworking tools or expertise they need. To help creative folks, Loon Looms offers DIY rake loom kits for loomers. Loon Looms kits come with pre-drilled oak hardwood stock, the cotter pins that fit the desired gauge, and complete instructions for finishing the loom. Loon Looms kits are offered in a standard 18" length, and in gauges including FG (1/4" C-to-C), 3G (1/3" C-to-C), and SG (3/8" C-to-C).

For newcomers to pin looms, I also offer loom kits with slightly larger pins on a broader wood base. These looms are a little easier to knit on for those folks who are used to plastic or nylon large gauger looms.

Cost for a Loon Looms rake loom kit is $13.96 plus s/h/i. Cost for a large-pin rake loom kit is $14.96 plus s/h/i. Both shipping and multiple-purchase discounts are available.

Ran Out of Excuses, I Guess


Well, it took me awhile to get back into my blog, but it looks like we're back up and running. Seems that I started a blog here several years (and children!) ago, under a very old email addy. I had completely and quite intentionally forgotten what that old AOHell address was, so they wouldn't let me log back in. Trying to get back into my blog without it was a bear. And not one of those, "Oh it's so *cuuute*!" fuzzy-wuzzy girly-pink bears with stars on its belly, but rather, a large, ugly, left-over-dead-fish-and-hot-peppers-and-tinkly-bells-breath, mangy-hided bear.

As I get time, I'll be putting up pictures and info related to looming (including my custom loom business, Loon Looms), martial arts (including the martial arts competition weapons I produce at Dux SpeedChux), nursing, and other flights of franticsy.

More later. Riff-raff welcome!

[Pictured: 3G "Wooly" 24" beveled oak loom by Loon Looms.]