About me


About me

My mother purchased two Weave-it looms, a 4” x 4” loom and a 2” x 2” loom, when I was ten years old in order to make a baby layette set for my little sister. My weaving at that time was confined to making a few 2" x 2" squares and turning them into a toga for my troll doll. 

A few years later I found the looms in the attic and began to try to weave with them. My first effort was an astonishingly ugly cushion cover that was woven in mustard gold yarn with burgundy edging plus burgundy cross-stitched decorations. It was hideous. I kept that early attempt hidden away for a number of years and then 
snuck it out to the trash. I never took any pictures of it and if I had, I would now deny it.


My next creative effort came several years later when I was living in Tucumcari, New Mexico. I decided to use the looms to make some representations of old buildings. The Crescent Creamery was one of the first building that I wove and assembled. I have always been fond of old buildings and, considering that I have been devoted to working in a medium of tiny woven squares, they have been a good subject. I soon began to put together patterns for use with Weave-it looms because I loved weaving with them but I didn’t have any pattern books to follow.

Crescent Creamery, Tucumcari, NM


In an ironic twist, at about the same time that I was considering putting together a course to teach weaving with Weave-its, I learned that the Scoville factory that had been manufacturing the looms had burned down and there were no plans to continue making the little looms. I had ideas and patterns, but no one to share them with.


That did not stop me from weaving and assembling blankets, hangings, and a variety of small items. My only concern was that something might happen to one of the looms that I had inherited from my mother because, as far as I could tell, I had the only set in New Mexico.


Victorian House, Tucumari, NM
And then the world changed again and Ebay was born. There were other people with looms and some of those looms were for sale. Like a child of the depression who keeps a full pantry, I bought and squirreled away a number of back-up looms that I continue to use. I love having a selection of looms so that I can wind several at once for a project, then weave them each in turn.

Soon after finding Ebay I found Licia Conforti, who was responsible for the Weavette™ looms--made in the same sett and sizes as the original Weave-its including rectangle looms! It was heaven.


At that point, knowing there were other people with a variety of pin looms, I wrote, printed and started selling Weavies One; Contemporary patterns for Weave-its, Weavettes and other hand looms. The book was very well received for over ten years.  


Several years ago, I was approached by Stackpole Books to write a new book of patterns for small looms, Pin Loom Weaving; 40 Projects for Tiny Hand Looms. With one exception, the pin loom projects are entirely new to this book and include a wide variety of items from really cool blankets for adults, toddlers and babies to smaller items for home and personal use as well as a number of three dimensional items, as shown on the cover.
 
Regarding the exception, Weavies One included patterns for dolls made entirely with woven squares and rectangles and a few chenille sticks as well as patterns for Amish style doll clothes. The doll and clothing patterns are available in Pin Loom Weaving along with new patterns for a variety of animals and matching house and barn totes.


I do not want to leave anyone with the impression that Weavies One and Pin Loom Weaving are the same quality of book. They have the same author and they are both devoted to making things with pin looms, but the similarity stops there. Pin Loom Weaving has gorgeous pictures, professional binding and was put together with the assistance of incredibly knowledgeable editors so that it will support, engage (and hopefully delight) the weaver and craftsperson.


If this narrative seems to have gotten hung up on Pin Loom Weaving, that very much matches my current experience. I have found that having the opportunity to share my ideas through this new book has further inspired me, so that I have a bunch of new ideas and patterns that I want to share as well. Unfortunately, the ideas are coming a lot faster than the time needed to complete them, so you may notice a number of ideas that has been posted without written patterns or patterns without completed items. Please be patient, there is no reason that I can’t get everything finished in the next five... to ten... to fifteen years.  In the meantime, I have so appreciated your thoughts, ideas and comments. There is nothing that I have posted that cannot be improved by the imagination and comments of others.


Thanks so much for visiting the Pin Loom Weaving site. Please feel free to leave your comments or to write me at pinloomweaving at gmail.com.


Meg Stump


Margaret Stump, nicknamed Meg, is a wife to Jerry and the mother of two grown children, Aaron and Taylor. She has worked in a number of fields during her adult life including sales and social work. She  is currently working as a mental health therapist.

13 comments:

  1. I have just finished looking at all the pages of this blog. I am SO impressed by your imagination, vision and skill. I also have a small collection of little pin looms but I lack your artistic eye. So far all I have done is make a few squares from leftover sock yarn to be stiched together for a scarf. Thanks to you I may actually make said scarf. Thanks for inspiring me with your wonderful blog and photos.

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  2. Dear Anon, do not give up. 99% of weaving is just doing the same thing over and over again, and hopefully finding joy in it. I hope you will send a pic of your scarf (see "contact me"). I would love to start a page of people's pin loom items.

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  3. Thank you for linking to my blog, Fiber Art Reflections. I will add a link to your blog in return. I can't wait to see your new book! I have several sizes of pin looms from 2 inch squares up to 12 inch squares, and all sizes of the Weavettes. Last year I bought the new Schact zoom loom and love it - hoping they make more sizes in the future. Happy weaving!

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  4. A mention of Zoom Looms reminded me I had received an e-mail announcing your blog - I'm so glad I found it, this is wonderful! I'm also happy to see you have a new book coming out, I'll definitely need a copy. :-)

    It's been awhile since I've woven on my Weave-Its/Loomettes, and your chicken has me itching to get them out. Time to get out the looms and your first book. :-D

    Way to go, Meg!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Cindy!
      Just to let you know, the new pin loom weaving book has all new items in it. The only exception is the pattern for the woven dolls with Amish dress, I just couldn't leave them out. Now there is an accompaning set of farm animals including horse, cow, pigs, dog and cat. I hope to have a bunch of pictures of the new items up soon. Thanks for your comment.

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  5. Is it possible to weave a triangle on the pin loom? If not if I cut the pattern of the pin loom across to make a triangle would the pin outline be the same?

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  6. Love your books. I am a knitter and crocheted and I am now making things with the pin loom. It took a while for me to get the hang of it and find a way for joining i was happy with and I am in no way expert at it, but its very addictive and have spent many hours playing with them. I have a 2 inch 4 inch and 6 inch. To date i have made a cowl and a bag incorporating knitting and crochet. I found your site accidently looking for the clever person who first had the idea of the pin loom

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for your comment. While I use crochet with pin loom weaving, I envy your knitting skills. Knitting and crochet and pin looms, like crochet and pin looms work really well together.

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  7. Are you the same Meg Stump who studied archaeology? If so, hello again!
    Julie in Hurleyville

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  8. Really appreciate you sharing this article post. Much thanks again. Much obliged.
    best collar pin to buy

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  9. Wow awesome blog post. Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
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  10. I have recently gotten done with checking out at every one of the pages of this blog. I am SO dazzled by your creative mind, vision and ability. I likewise have a little assortment of little pin lingers yet I miss the mark on creative eye. Up until this point all I have done is make a couple of squares from extra sock yarn to be stiched together for a scarf. Because of you I may really make said scarf. Gratitude for motivating me with your superb blog and photographs find this

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