<beadgeek>
Generally, in the last 35 years at least, most loom beading is done with a double weft, and isn't really weaving. You're sandwiching the warp threads between the double weft. That's the instructions with the little "Indian Bead Loom" (I have a "Genuine Indian Bead Loom" that belonged to my non-Native grandmother she got 32 years ago). So I assumed that was the standard, because it's been the standard for.. well.. my lifetime at least.
HOWEVER.. rigid heddles were used in the past by some NA weavers. They used a double warp, and a very finely carved rigid heddle that allowed matched sets of up/down warp in a box shaped loom, not a tape loom, it was basically the heddle suspended in between 2 ends with round dowels to wrap the warp/completed beadwork around.
I'm not sure if anyone makes heddle that fine anymore, but I'm going to talk to my brother about what I need to build a similar loom. I'm wondering if modification on an inkle style/string heddle loom could work for a similar effect. It's going to have to be built to spec though, which means if my brother can't build it, I'm going to have to figure out someway to build it myself with Mike's help. Maybe I could cast the heddle to get the spacing I need?
</beadgeek>
Oh yeah, and sorry R. I just couldn't picture a way to do bead weaving with a rigid heddle that would still look neat and work as well as the double weft method. I still think the double weft method would be quickest, and I think this may be too thready, but I want to try it and see.
Also, we made cupcakes!
We used this recipe but modified somewhat.
First, no almond extract. We used a full tablespoon of good organic vanilla instead. We also added a tablespoon of instant espresso to the batter. The batter? SOO fluffy. I've never made a cake with batter that fluffy.
Like I said, we made cupcakes, and the recipe makes 36 cupcakes. Plan accordingly. Reading the comments, I knew it made a lot of batter, so I used my 12 cup cupcake pans. Shorten the time to 35 minutes.
We frosted with an espresso butter cream frosting that I made WAY too much of.
Espresso Butter Cream Frosting-
1 cup of butter
1 T of vanilla, or less if you don't like vanilla as much as I do.
2 T. of instant espresso powder
2 T of cold milk
2 T of coffee
2 lbs of powdered sugar
Cream the first 5 ingredients with an egg beater, then work in the powdered sugar a bit at a time until it's all incorporated and beat it until it's light and fluffy. Give one egg beater to your husband and one to your kid, unless you have two kids, then give both to your husband, because you can't expect the kids to share one. *laughs* I'm joking of course, but Mike does like to lick the beaters.
My mom always asked "Who's gonna be the slickapot?" so we use that term too for whoever gets to scrape the edges of the mixing bowl for frosting/battery goodness. E slicked the pot happily and got all covered with coffee frosting.
Dad's coming by after work to pick up some of the cupcakes, because we really don't need 36 cupcakes.
Generally, in the last 35 years at least, most loom beading is done with a double weft, and isn't really weaving. You're sandwiching the warp threads between the double weft. That's the instructions with the little "Indian Bead Loom" (I have a "Genuine Indian Bead Loom" that belonged to my non-Native grandmother she got 32 years ago). So I assumed that was the standard, because it's been the standard for.. well.. my lifetime at least.
HOWEVER.. rigid heddles were used in the past by some NA weavers. They used a double warp, and a very finely carved rigid heddle that allowed matched sets of up/down warp in a box shaped loom, not a tape loom, it was basically the heddle suspended in between 2 ends with round dowels to wrap the warp/completed beadwork around.
I'm not sure if anyone makes heddle that fine anymore, but I'm going to talk to my brother about what I need to build a similar loom. I'm wondering if modification on an inkle style/string heddle loom could work for a similar effect. It's going to have to be built to spec though, which means if my brother can't build it, I'm going to have to figure out someway to build it myself with Mike's help. Maybe I could cast the heddle to get the spacing I need?
</beadgeek>
Oh yeah, and sorry R. I just couldn't picture a way to do bead weaving with a rigid heddle that would still look neat and work as well as the double weft method. I still think the double weft method would be quickest, and I think this may be too thready, but I want to try it and see.
Also, we made cupcakes!
We used this recipe but modified somewhat.
First, no almond extract. We used a full tablespoon of good organic vanilla instead. We also added a tablespoon of instant espresso to the batter. The batter? SOO fluffy. I've never made a cake with batter that fluffy.
Like I said, we made cupcakes, and the recipe makes 36 cupcakes. Plan accordingly. Reading the comments, I knew it made a lot of batter, so I used my 12 cup cupcake pans. Shorten the time to 35 minutes.
We frosted with an espresso butter cream frosting that I made WAY too much of.
Espresso Butter Cream Frosting-
1 cup of butter
1 T of vanilla, or less if you don't like vanilla as much as I do.
2 T. of instant espresso powder
2 T of cold milk
2 T of coffee
2 lbs of powdered sugar
Cream the first 5 ingredients with an egg beater, then work in the powdered sugar a bit at a time until it's all incorporated and beat it until it's light and fluffy. Give one egg beater to your husband and one to your kid, unless you have two kids, then give both to your husband, because you can't expect the kids to share one. *laughs* I'm joking of course, but Mike does like to lick the beaters.
My mom always asked "Who's gonna be the slickapot?" so we use that term too for whoever gets to scrape the edges of the mixing bowl for frosting/battery goodness. E slicked the pot happily and got all covered with coffee frosting.
Dad's coming by after work to pick up some of the cupcakes, because we really don't need 36 cupcakes.
Feeling: 
thoughtful
thoughtfulCaffeinate me