Month: January 2014

What Linen Is Like

Karen

Linen makes a strong warp. Known for strength and longevity, linen cloth endures for years and years. It is almost impossible to break a linen thread with your bare hands. Why, oh, why, then, is it so easy to break linen warp ends while weaving?! One reason: Abrasion. Linen is like a gentle heart. It needs to be cared for and nurtured; but don’t underestimate the underlying strength.

Bound Rosepath on the loom. Five shuttles with colorful Brage wool yarn.
Five shuttles with colorful Brage wool yarn, each one waiting its turn as weft in the bound rosepath weave. The 16/3 unbleached linen warp, completely hidden in this weft-faced weave, gives lasting strength and stability to the cloth.

At the start of this bound rosepath project I had several linen warp ends break at the selvedge. The weaving was drawing in; consequently, the ends at the outer edges were receiving abrasion from the reed, causing the ends to fray and break. So, I began using more weft for each pick, by increasing the angle of weft in the shed. By doing this, I stopped the excessive draw-in. This simple correction made all the difference. No more broken warp ends. The reed is not a threat when appropriate weaving practices are in place.

Stay gentle, my friend. Gentleness feels; so be aware of the abrasion, and make corrections. Don’t allow bitterness or disappointment to linger from times of hardship, wearing you to the breaking point. The people in your life need your gentleness. Gentleness is the underlying strength of satisfying relationships.

May your most important relationships gain strength because of your gentleness.

Your friend,
Karen

Here are previous posts with views of the bound rosepath on the loom:

Thanks Giving

Do You See What I See?

You May be Looking at the Under Side

Not Your Usual Search Engine

Relaxed Rosepath Rag Rugs

Karen

As soon as the cloth is cut from the loom, the threads begin to relax. On the loom, the warp width for these rag rugs was 27 inches (68.5 cm). How quickly everything can change! Now, spread out on the floor, the width has already narrowed to 25 inches (63.5 cm). In a week or two, the width will have narrowed by another 1/2 inch (1.25 cm). [How do I know? THIS CHRISTMAS RUG, cut from this same warp a few weeks ago, is now 24 1/2 inches (62.25 cm) wide.] Since all the looming tension is over, these rugs can just lay back and relax. Haha! That’s how I feel whenever a few demanding weeks or months finally come to a close.

Rosepath Rag Rugs just off the loom!
Not yet cut apart, three new rosepath rag rugs await final finishing. Wefts will be secured by tying warp ends into knots; and hems will be pressed and stitched.

We do need the experiences that stretch us, and we need the relaxed times as well. Life will always have its ups and downs, but there is one thing that brings consistency through it all. Faith. Faith looks back and remembers being rescued; and faith looks forward into the unknown with courage. A life of faith is a life that is full. Not full of stuff or projects, but full of meaning.

Love. Belief. Joy. These are the gifts we bring to our rescuer. Our faith in him is rewarded with his own nearness. So, whether stretched or at ease, we know with confidence that we are loved.

May your faith be renewed.

Love,
Karen

Tools Day: Weaving Rag Rugs

Karen

Handwoven rag rugs hold a fascinating appeal for many people. Does it have to do with the secure feeling of being home? After all, rag rugs are to be walked on at home, are they not? You don’t expect them at work, in the marketplace, or in palaces. A walked-on rag rug says, “Home, sweet home.”

Besides a sturdy floor loom (mine is a Glimakra countermarch loom), only a few good tools are needed to weave a rag rug. There are many different ways to prepare and weave fabric strips to make rugs, but I would like to show you how I do it with the tools that serve me well.

For cutting fabric strips:

  • Olfa Cutting Mat (24 x 36 inch) – Large enough to cut long strips.
  • Olfa Lip Edge Ruler (24 inch) – Essential for consistency and ease of measuring. The lip of the ruler catches the edge of the mat and keeps the ruler from shifting as you cut.
  • Olfa Deluxe Rotary Cutter (60 mm) – The 60 mm blade easily cuts through several layers of fabric (much better than a 45 mm blade). My other brand rotary cutter did not hold up to extensive use.
  • Ansell HyFlex Kevlar Cut Resistant Glove – My woodcarving husband suggested this for me. The cutter blade is dangerously sharp, so the protective glove is a wise idea.
Tools for cutting fabric into strips for rag rugs.
Pre-washed cotton fabric, cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) strips, to use as weft in rag rugs.

For weaving rag rugs:

  • Temple – This tool stretches the weaving to the width that is consistent with the width of the warp as it comes through the reed. I wouldn’t attempt to weave a rug without this tool.
Temple in use while weaving rag rug.
Sharp teeth at ends of the temple grip the selvedges to keep the weaving at a constant width.
  • Turquoise Cart from Ikea – Not particularly essential (a chair with a box would do), but entirely useful. Why not have a pleasant and organized way to keep the fabric strips, shuttles, and supplies close at hand?
Ikea cart beside the loom while weaving rag rugs.
A place for everything, and everything in its place. This turquoise cart from Ikea is perfect for keeping all the fabric strips in order as I weave.
  • Ski Shuttles – My favorite ski shuttle, of course, is the beautiful cherrywood shuttle that Steve made for me–a delight to see and to touch. This type of shuttle is perfect for the way I weave rag rugs. A five-yard strip of fabric, cut with tapered ends, is easily wound on the shuttle. When the shuttle is empty, I wind on another fabric strip. I overlap the tapered fabric ends in the shed. There is no ripping, sewing, folding, or pressing. Simple, seamless, secure.
Weaving rag rugs with handmade cherry ski shuttle.
Handmade cherrywood ski shuttle glides through the shed with ease.

May you rest in the comfort of your home, sweet home.

Happily Weaving,
Karen

You Can Start Over

Karen

New beginnings. Same warp, but a new rosepath rag rug. This one may be better than the last. We won’t know until the rugs are all unrolled from the cloth beam at the end. I varied the colors, the treadling, and the hems for the rugs on this warp. I wanted to start over with each new rug. A fresh start means a chance to make fewer mistakes, and it’s an opportunity to do something different.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. Karen Isenhower
Fourth rosepath rug on this warp. The stripes are created by alternating two weft colors in plain weave. The rosepath strip is created by alternating two weft colors in a rosepath treadling pattern.

Are you getting a fresh start for this new year? A new start gives us the courage to break out of a rut, or to walk away from bad habits. Who doesn’t have unstoppable optimism with new resolutions? As we are pressed by time and real life, though, our hope and enthusiasm wear away much too soon. A successful new beginning requires a new outlook; otherwise, the discouragement is even greater when we find ourselves on the old familiar path that was leading nowhere.

Our grand weaver’s perspective transcends human time. He sees the end as clearly as the beginning. Thankfully, the new beginning that he offers brings us a hope-filled outlook that makes corrective change possible. He opens our eyes to see the threads he is faithfully weaving that bring our new beginnings into his story.

(Thank you for coming into my *virtual* weaving studio for a friendly chat. Warped for Good still feels like a new endeavor to me after these nine months of getting started. I deeply appreciate all the encouragement you have given me!)

Here are the three posts that were the most popular in 2013: Quiet Friday: Rag Rugs, Conversation with Becky Ashenden, and Quiet Friday (Rosepath Band)

May your best accomplishments outlast you!

Happy Weaving,
Karen