Not What I Had in Mind

This rag rug is not coming out how I expected. The color balance is off. The green and brown do not have enough contrast in the central rosepath design. There is too much red, and it’s overpowering the neutral colors. It is time to call it quits on this one, and get a fresh start on a new rug. If I am going to put my name on something, I want the item to match what is in my mind’s eye. And this is not it!

Rosepath rag rug on the loom.
Start of rosepath rag rug. Camera lens helps view the balance of design and color. This short sample will be used to make a bag instead of a floor rug.

I like to let my personality show in the items I produce. It would be nice if someone would see one of my rag rug creations and say, “That’s a Karen Isenhower rug!” Not to be famous, mind you, but just to have an identifiable style. A name carries promise. Consistency in the weaving extends the promise and identifies the maker. I’d like my life to be a weaving like that, too, making the fair name of Jesus recognizable.

May your creations show what you are like.

As Always,
Karen

4 thoughts on “Not What I Had in Mind

  1. Hi Karen; red and green, to my mind, look well together only in November and December, and barely then!!. I like a red rug and pillows when it is dark most of the time; the setting changes everything’
    In case you are not familiar with Claudia Mills’ rag rugs, I will try to give you her website; it’s amazing what she does with log cabin and simple block weaves; the combination of lovely colors and subtlety is so recognizable as hers; a difficult thing to accomplish within the restrictions of a loom.
    The rosepath rugs you weave are very nice, Karen; keep them posted!

    1. Thanks for the link to Claudia Mills. She does beautiful work! I love the way she has developed her own recognizable style.

      You’re right about the setting making a difference with colors. I can try out various combinations and groupings of thread and fabric strips, but until they are woven together I don’t always know how they will behave. And even when woven, where they are placed makes a difference.

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