Month: June 2014

Where the Weft Is Vulnerable

Karen

The outside rows of a rag rug are vulnerable. Twining secures the weft, making it a good way to begin and end a rag rug. I cut a length of rug warp thread two and a half times the width of the rug. Starting on the left side, with the length of thread folded in half, the top half goes under, and the lower half goes over each successive warp end.

Twining at the end of a rag rug on the loom.
Twining separates the warp ends evenly and secures the weft. At the end of the row I weave in the ends, and then, beat twice with the beater to push the row of twining firmly into place.

Is it really necessary to secure the weft? When the rug is under tension on the loom it seems like everything is holding together just fine. It is tightly woven, with the weft firmly packed in. Yes. It is necessary. The rug will start falling apart the minute it is cut from the loom. Twining keeps the most vulnerable place of the weaving intact.

Faith is the vulnerable spot where you allow yourself to be loved by God. Wrapped in his mercy and his grace, our weakest point is no longer our entry into failure, but where we are kept in his security. Your faith is the point of access, the opening, for your maker to show his strength to make you complete.

May you rest secure.

Etsy Announcement!
My new Etsy WarpedforGood Shop  is open! I would love for you to come and browse. As my tried and true blog friends, your feedback means a lot to me. Please let me know what you think!

You may remember seeing the progress on some of the items in the shop, like the Warp Rep Rug, the Rosepath Rugs, and the Cutest Little Loom Rugs. The rugs you see on the loom now will be posted in my Etsy shop when they are finished!

Your Friend,
Karen

Right Now Is the Best Time

Karen

What do you do with a blank slate? Do you feel empowered or immobilized? It is easy to get stuck in over-planning instead of jumping right in and doing something. I am facing a blank slate now with the rya weaving. I finished the first two rya pieces on this warp (the first one HERE; the second one HERE), and now I have time to think about the color and design for the third piece. I have a good assortment of wool yarns to choose from, about twenty-five different colors.

Rosepath weaving on the loom. Glimpse of rya knots on the way to the cloth beam.
First rya section is seen wrapping around the cloth beam, and the second piece is on its way there, with bits of the red wool strands seen hanging down. Now ready to begin the third set of rya knots.

Sometimes all the options overwhelm me and I freeze, doing nothing instead of doing something. I can think about the next steps all day long, but until I act on the ideas nothing happens.

Opportunities come and go. If we are immobilized because we fear making a mistake, we miss the chance to make a difference in the moment. Your best opportunity is right now! Whatever you have in front of you…whatever you know to do…no matter how small or seemingly insignificant…do it. Do the next thing now. And if you don’t care for how it comes out, …there’s always next time!

May you find yourself moving forward with gusto.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Get Back to Your Sweet Spot

Karen

My feet follow an eight-step sequence on four treadles for this rosepath pattern. Even one step out of sequence makes a glaring error. I start out conscious of the order, repeating the numbers aloud while moving my feet. 3-2-1-4-1-2-3-4. After a while, my feet find a motor memory and I don’t need to concentrate as much. Now I’m in my sweet spot, throwing the shuttle back and forth, making cloth. (This flat cloth will be the back of a cushion with THIS rya weaving on the front.) I would like my attitudes to stay in their sweet spot, too.

Doubled Mora wool in antique Swedish shuttle, weaving rosepath
If I always stop at the same spot in the eight-step sequence, when I do need to stop, I am much less likely to get confused about where I left off. I like to have a filled quill ready so I can keep moving, even when I need to replace an empty quill.

There are normal interruptions in weaving, like stopping to replace the quill in the shuttle. Most of my treadling errors happen after those interruptions. With my attitudes, the disruption that knocks me out of my sweet spot is an encounter with someone who is disagreeable, rude, or unkind.

When we give a blessing, though, even to the undeserving, we come out ahead. If I show empathy, kindness, and humility to someone who does not show it in return, I end up with the blessing. If I return evil for evil or insult for insult, however, I throw that blessing away and my misstep makes a glaring error in my own fabric. Giving a blessing is the best way to get back to that sweet spot.

May you be ready for your next blessing.

As Always,
Karen