Tiny Weavings

I've recently gotten the hang of getting things done while the babe naps. Today it was finishing editing these photos and posting my tiny weavings up on Etsy. I made these originally for Renegade Craft last summer, all of their other mates have sold out, but I do have a handful of smaller weavings left still. They make great table textiles or coasters, or tiny decorative rugs for your table tops!

In other news, I went to get coffee with the baby this morning, and for the first time ever in my life, I was the only person in the coffee shop with a kid, and it made me look at everything from a different perspective, I suddenly felt like a real adult, which is kind of hilarious since I'm married and own a house and all these other adult things, but it was bringing the baby out that really did it. Today I am a bonafide adult person :)

Back to the Blog!

Oh man, it's been ages since I've updated this space. So much has happened! I had a baby boy 2 months ago, and it has changed my life so much for the better. He's the sweetest little guy ever, and I'm so in love with him already it bursts my heart. I'm home over the summer on maternity leave which is amazing. We get to go on walks outside every day and play in the grass. Plus, on days when my husband is home I can sneak in an hour or two of weaving. 

I've been flip flopping as to where I wanted my shop to be over the past year or so and it's gone through many incarnations, which I realize just makes it more confusing for people to find. I've gone from having my original etsy shop to renaming that shop, to adding my webshop to my squarespace to having to cancel that because I couldn't afford it all the way back to Etsy. Etsy is where I started and I love the platform and the community, so Etsy is where the shop stays!

It's here :)

I'm thinking of putting some of my mini books and postcards back in the shop even though it's mostly weaving based now. It seems kind of inconsistent to do so, but it's all me. I draw and weave and make other things too, that's what the Etsy community is all about right?

 

LOOM ROOM Site Update and New Rugs!

Hi All, My site moved a while back but it's had a ton of updates since the last post. I've set up my new blog to work with Bloglovin' which is an awesome blog reader. If you'd like to update your subscription, follow me on Bloglovin here.

There are a ton of new weaving works and illustration works up on my new site:

www.loomroomtextiles.com

Let me know what you think! I'm starting a bunch of smaller rug projects next, like table top rugs and other lower price point weavings as a lot of you have requested some smaller items.

Hope to see you at the new blog!

New Site, New Blog!

 

I've been neglecting this blog for a while, partially because life got really busy, and partially because I felt like I had outgrown this space. When I got married I changed my last name, but I didn't really know what to do with sites like this that were still in my maiden name. I made a new website with Squarespace, whose interface I like much more than my previous Indexhibit site, and I hope that having a space that is easy to update that includes a blog and shop all in one will help me post more often and be able to share the things I've been so busy making.  

Please update your blog readers, the new site www.jackiethomson.squarespace.com

UPDATE: The shop is at the same space on etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/loomroomtextiles

This shop has my weaving work and illustration work together

Feel free to email with inquiries or custom weaving or illustration projects

jkt.pdx@gmail.com

Rug Weaving Progress!

The first of the clasp weft rugs I'm working on is coming along nicely! I'm actually almost done with the first one, these pictures are from a week or so ago. Excited to share the finished products when I cut them off the loom!

Learning to Knit

 My knitting progress! I did not yet realize that I was 1 stitch too many, and so the rib stitch did not make ribs. I proceeded to knit the entire hat before really grasping that...and then ripped it out and started over. VERY glad I did. I love the final (below).

So, I've never really had any desire to knit, I love weaving, and that was fully satisfying all my textile needs, but I got it in my head that I could make a hat a few weeks ago and so I set out to teach myself how to knit. Wool and the Gang's youtube station has great tutorials, and after watching the ones I needed at least a dozen times each, I think I got a good start! Love my new hat!

The yarn, super soft alpaca, and the pattern are from Wool and the Gang. I went to their store in SoHo when I lived in NYC but I think that's the only shop they have in the US.

I think it's a good Fall to try some new things, and so far, they've all been very fun and exciting. What are you trying that's new this fall?

Shibori Indigo Dyeing

I went to a shibori indigo dyeing workshop last weekend. We did 3 samples and then 1 scarf. It was so much fun, I had no idea that indigo dye is actually green until it oxidizes with the air.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my samples or scarf yet, but I think a sewing project should definitely be on the horizon.

Rug Weaving

Here's the very beginning of my rug!

Around Here Recently

 We had a potluck! I got to use some of my weavings as table coverings, and baked a ton of cookies using the macadamia nuts we brought back from Hawaii.

 Back in the studio, got my loom warped for rugs!

Friday was my birthday, my husband baked me a sprinkle cake!

It's a good start to fall around here, I'm excited to get started on my rugs, and enjoy some of the crisp Portland weather before the rainy season officially hits. I'm taking a shibori dyeing class in a few weeks, which sounds incredible. I'll be sure to have some photos to share, we're indigo dyeing scarves to learn the technique.

Hawai'i Part 2

 These totems are part of a national park, we stopped at on our way south to the Volcano.

 We hiked out to see the petroglyphs near Kona

 We didn't see the biggest crater at the volcano because it was closed due to hazardous gasses, but this one was pretty close and ENORMOUS, I can't even imagine what the other one would be like. It looks like the land before time haha.

Fishes!

Hawai'i Part 1

 We went to the big island of Hawai'i for our honeymoon last week. It was incredibly fun, beautiful and relaxing. Can't wait to go back.

 pushing back the lava at the end of the road!

handsome husband!

Portland Pre Fall

 

It's starting to feel a little like fall is upon us in Portland, last week was still pretty warm though. I took an awesome lunch break walk for coffee at the Albina Press off of N Mississippi, they make a killer americano, and I've been working on my lap loom at home. Lets get ready for fall!

Alpaca Farm

While we were on our mini honeymoon in Hood River, we went out to an Alpaca farm deep out past the orchards. Their shop is called foothills yarn, I got 2 skeins of alpaca in fall colors to use in some upcoming weavings either on my lap loom or maybe in some rugs on the floor room. The woman who worked there said they have 52 alpaca! Great adventure

Making a Bouquet

I made my own bouquet for the big day with a mix of grocery store flowers and the help of this tutorial. It was pretty simple and fun to make and I love that I got to pick each individual flower. I'd  highly recommend going this route for anyone who's in the market for one.

We Eloped!

 

I married the love of my life on Friday! 

Cameron & I eloped at the Multnomah County Courthouse on Friday, September 6th 2013!!

We ran off promptly to Hood River for a mini honeymoon and could not be more excited 

to be Mr. & Mrs.

Wool for Rugs

About a month ago I put in a huge order for wool yarn from a Navajo shop. I'm going to be making rugs this fall! These are the sketches that I'm going to try and work from.

It took forever to wind all the skeins into balls, but they're finally done and ready to go. I rent a loom at a studio here, since Cameron and I live in a small 1 bedroom apt. I took the summer off since we were so busy with plans, and I am anxious to return to the studio and start on these.

Long Weekend

 the top of my desk

outside our back door

It's a beautiful weekend here in Portland. We're enjoying the sun and some much needed time off!

New Cup

 I bought us 2 new ceramic cups from Leif in Brooklyn last week.

I drink iced coffee year round, which makes for sweaty ceramics, so I wove this napkin a while ago for that very purpose. It's a tight twill structure in cotton so it's easy to wash too.

Cacti & Succulents - 2nd Edition

 2nd Edition of my Cacti & Succulents book is done!

 Assembly in process

 The 2nd edition has green cover stamps

 Seafoam green sewn spines

I have some of the copies up for sale in my Etsy, they're $8, have a look!

CSA Veggies

Our CSA this week gave us a crazy amount of food. It's all delicious but I have to admit I get really overwhelmed every week trying to use it all up. If you're looking for a good CSA for next year, ours is Love Farm Organics in Forest Grove, they have many Portland pick up locations, and are just the best people ever.

Summer Weaving

 I wove a set of picnic blankets for summer, they double as table runners for the indoor months that need some cheering up.

Fancy taco night. Fresh radishes, guacamole, and lettuce straight out of the ground.