Searching for the Perfect Knitted Washcloth–Blog Post
Washcloths are useful. And most of us make washcloths in some way. We knit, we crochet, we weave, we make washcloths out of all kinds of things. As Lunatics, we love our American Maid™ woven washcloths, and our quick and easy Weekend washcloths. But sometimes we are on the go and want to take our […]
Mercerized Yarn vs Unmercerized Yarn? — Blog Post
We are often asked if mercerized or unmercerized yarns are better for towels. Our answer is always a resounding…it depends! Mercerized (or Perle) Yarn Mercerization is a process that makes the yarn smooth, stronger and takes dye better. John Mercer, and English textile chemist, developed the technique in 1844 to improve the dye qualities of […]
Lunar Year of the Dragon- Blog Post
Welcome to the Lunar Year of the Wood Dragon!! In the Lunar Calendar, this is the year of the Wood Dragon. The Dragon is the strongest and most creative of the characters in the Chinese Zodiac – and it is the only mythical creature. The natural element of wood softens the dragon a bit and brings […]
American Maid Sampler–Blog Post
We created our line of American Maid™ naturally colored yarns in 2011. My how time has flown! These soft, naturally colored cotton yarns are still one of our favorite yarns for towels, blankets, and clothing. Join us for a trip through the way-back machine as we look at what Katzy wrote in 2016 about weaving […]
How to USE a Color Gamp – Blog Post
Congratulations! You have woven a color gamp! Now, what do you do with it? It is a gorgeous piece of fabric…it looks great as a wall hanging, or as a throw in your favorite chair, and your grandbaby thinks it is to “drool” for. But, what else can you do with it? Our favorite reason […]
Arranging to Weave a Color Gamp – Blog Post
Deciding how to arrange the colors in a Color Gamp can lead to many enjoyable hours of planning, thinking and rearranging. The purpose of a color gamp is to see the interactions of the color in the weave structure. In a purely academic way, the way the colors are arranged in a color gamp doesn’t […]
What is a Color Gamp? Blog Post
We have been weaving gamps for a long time, and we love to answer to the question “What is a gamp?”. A color gamp is a cloth that contains a set of color stripes in the warp that are crossed by the same set of color stripes in the weft. The resulting fabric will show […]
Peachfuzz! Pantone Color of 2024! – Blog Post
Pantone has released their color of the year for 2024! This coming year’s selection is a gentle color from Pantone, called Peach Fuzz. Pantone number 13-1023 Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. As they say on their website: “Pantone’s Peach Fuzz is a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit […]
Bah Humbug – Red and Green do not Make Me Feel Festive! – Blog Post
We have constant discussions in the shop about color choices for projects. We have found that we all have our favorite colors, and we all have certain color combinations we like best. As we make kits, we take all of our opinions and try to appeal to a wide range of tastes. For years, we […]
Party with Playing Cards – Blog Post
It’s December, and in the Northern Hemisphere, we are gearing up for winter. Snowflakes fly in the crisp air, trees are frosted with icy crystals, and the warm scents of cinnamon, maple syrup, and buttered toast are everywhere. And all the delicious indoor time is often filled with parties! Playing with color is an […]