If you love the look of knit colorwork but the stranded method makes you feel a little loopy it's time to explore mosaic knitting. The method creates intricate looking color patterns, but basically you are only knitting alternating stripes, one color at a time, for two rows or rounds each. Much […]

A cheery, #stunday arrangement of blooms and herbs from my garden. #bloomscrolling

Stop by and see what's been happening in our fiber arts studio and out on the hiking trails. We've had some interesting wildlife encounters recently. #Weaving #Wildlife #Nature

Need a smile? Here's what I'm listening to in the studio today. 🤣 KAJ - Economy Plus

Another happy weaving day! The shed is opening on the loom next to an open window in the studio so I can feel a gentle breeze and listen to the birds sing as I work. #fiberart #Openings #BlueSkyArtShow

Yes, weaving in every warp end to completely conceal them takes time and patience, but I've decided the tidy finish is absolutely worth the effort. Craftsmanship matters. #creativity #fiberart #slowstitching

On the loom today I'm playing with geometry and colors that don't "go together". #WIPWednesday #weaving #creativity #inspiredbynature

When you get an antique, one-of-a-kind loom no one tells you that you'll eventually need to become (or become friends with) a wood worker.

It's opening day of the Embracing Art exhibition at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur, Alabama. I stopped by this morning and got a quick pic with my handwoven piece, "Steep Creek Trail". Really impressed by the diverse artistic talent in north Alabama!

Last week was kind of draining, so I was happy to stumble across this upbeat listen (or read the transcript) today.

I'm excited to announce that Steep Creek Trail, one of my handwoven art pieces, will be included in the Embracing Art XXIV exhibition at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur, Alabama from March 24 - May 9, 2026.

Waver - 29"W x 32"L wall hanging #Horizontal ripples and reflections waver across the surface of the water. Handwoven with upcycled home textiles on cotton rug warp. #BlueSkyArtShow #fiberarts

Grandpa used ropes for the front apron of his rug loom, but this system is less than ideal for my style of artistic poppana weaving. A canvas apron would work better. Out of respect, I'm always hesitant to make major structural changes to Grandpa's loom. 1/2

I read one book featuring a turn of the century, immigrant seamstress for the metropolitan opera and then this happens! My table is covered with sewing patterns and tissue so I can start making myself a dress. 🤣 If you're curious, the book was "The Shoemaker's Wife". Sweet love story. ❤️🧵🪡🎭🇮🇪

Go With the Flow - 32"W x 52"L wallhanging Handwoven with upcycled home textile fabrics on undyed cotton rug warp #BlueSkyArtShow #Flowing #fiberarts

Today on the loom, reflections of a stormy sunset. This project has been in my sketchbook for awhile, but I didn't have the right colors in my stash. That's one of the downsides to weaving with upcycled fabric. I can't add colors to my pallette until I find them at a thrift shop or garage sale.

I always love to see what other textile and fiber artists are making and this project is certainly an interesting one.

We just added a new knitting course to the shop! The series includes our ten most popular video tutorials and covers a variety of interesting topics you're sure to love. #KnitSky #knitting #justknitting

Happy Monday! This handwoven rag rug is heading to its new home in University Place, WA, but there are still plenty for you to choose from in our shop, kylmakoira.square.site. #handmade #upcycled #homedecor #ragrug

Sometimes reflecting on the intense, round sun leads to reflections of a soft, round moon. #BlueSkyArtShow #round

There's nothing like tying on a brand new warp to get those creative juices flowing. This is the weaver's version of a blank page or canvas. So many ideas!

These days, most of my weaving is artistic rather than utilitarian, but from time to time I still weave functional rag rugs. Here's a quick article about how I prefer to wash the rugs in our home (and how I wish I could do rug washing).

Winding the first warp onto my rebuilt sectional beams was a breeze! Weaving on Grandpa's loom is going to be so much more enjoyable now that the warp will have a nice, even tension.

Even though Agy practices textile art through sewing and embroidery rather than weaving, her article really resonated with me and what I'm trying to do in my own studio and life right now. Enjoy!

Today I built new rakes for Grandpa's loom. The old ones were bowed and creating tension problems when I wove. When you become a weaver, nobody tells you eventually you'll also become (or become friends with) a woodworker. 🤣

Under the loom it's clear that I've almost reached the end of another warp. Only a few strings left between each of the wooden pegs. #BlueSkyArtShow #Wood

I know spring is on the way when I can start enjoying "magic hour" weaving again. The golden light in my studio has been just beautiful in the late afternoons this week!

Feeling uptight about your knitting? Here's some help for that. ❤️🧶

Hi, it's time for a quick introduction. My name is Ellen and I'm a textile artist, weaver and knitter currently based in north Alabama. If you like me on BlueSky and want to see more studio happenings, head over to my website, www.thechillydog.com, to flip through my journal and subscribe for news.

After visiting Fiskars Village in the summer, it was interesting to read this article about the village in winter.

Pier - 24.5"W x 36.5"L Wallhaging handwoven with upcycled home textile fabrics on undyed cotton rug warp A pier extends across the sand, into the water and towards the #Sunlight. #BlueSkyArtShow

Aha! I have a screw loose (on the loom 😉). More than once actually. This explains why my weaving has been skewed and it has been difficult to maintain an even warp tension. Time to get out the toolbbox.

#TBT to when I was strictly weaving floor rugs with wide rag strips cut on the grain and using really big shuttles. My how things have changed around the studio.

Of all the books I have that show how to do a handwoven edge, none specify the angle at which you should hold the bundle of ends you are weaving across. I've been experimenting and it seems like this is it. Trial and error is slower than having a mentor to explain these subtleties.

Some hobbies are harder than they look… especially without hands. 🧶 (Still counts as trying.) What new projects have you started lately?

Wake - 29x32 inches Handwoven with upcycled home textiles on cotton rug warp #Clouds #BlueSkyArtShow

Experimenting with weaving a diptych. Since the two, separate pieces are meant to be displayed side by side, I'm trying to weave them side by side so they are the same length. I've temporarily laced them together with a removable mattress stitch so they don't skew or draw in more than necessary.

Want to guess what kind of remnants I used to make the dimensional bubbles in my latest water-inspired weaving project?

Big Lake Wave, Saimaan aallot, Over the Waves, Äänisjärven aallot, Love's Path, or rakkauden polku. No matter which name you prefer, this alernating, 3-shuttle Finnish rug weaving pattern is mesmerizing. Learn more about the pattern and see the latest handwoven projects now in our portfolio journal.

As an "outsider" using upcycled home textiles in my artistic weaving, I especially enjoyed this letter from Paris. Thanks for taking us along on your textile adventures @franklinhabit.bsky.social! 😘

#One red leaf standing out was the inspiration for one of my recent handwoven art works. However, the leaf transformed into something unexpected on the loom. 1/2 #BlueSkyArtShow

Yeah... I started the day by dumping out my bin of tiny fabric bits and proceeded to sort them by color so it will be easier to incorporate them into a new project. I sure hope it works out like I am envisioning. The things we do for art! 🤪

Currently reading "The Fabric of Civilization How Textiles Made the World" for the second time. Interesting how something most people now take for granted has had such an impact on history, culture and exploration around the world.

New Year, new linear study project on the loom to get me rooted in my daily weaving practice. 🎉 #BlueSkyArtShow #NewYear #weaving #dailyartpractice #folkart

Getting ready for the new year by washing the latest batch of rag rugs to come off the loom. #BlueSkyArtShow #Holiday #handwoven #slowliving #sustainableliving #upcycled #homedecor #ragrugweaving #southernliving

For me, the last week of the year is all about wrapping up loose ends, at home and in the studio. I spent much of Thursday and Friday hemming and hand stitching a batch of freshly handwoven rag rugs. #BlueSkyArtShow #Holiday #handwoven #weaving #upcycled #sustainablehomedecor #slowliving

Intermarché’s viral ad is a sweet reminder this holiday season that creativity and compassion go hand in hand. www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/12/inte...

I think I upcycled about a dozen old t-shirts to weave this "Trail Mix" rag rug. It's always fun to see how the colors worked out after I pull a rug off the loom and this one did not disappoint! 😍 #BlueSkyArtShow #OpenHouse #handwoven #folkart

"Almost Home" was one of my favorite weaving projects of the year. I like the minimalist composition and I feel like I've finally solved the technical issues I was having with both tapestry weaving and working with upcycled fabrics. #BlueSkyArtShow #OpenHouse #upcycled #folkart

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that it's been so long since I cast on a knitting project I forgot where I put my yarn winder. I circled my studio like a kid playing I Spy, but finally found it. 🤣 Can you find the ball winder? #knitting #knitsky