Colors on Trial
- By Karen
- January 30, 2018
- 3 Comments
This color and weave is decorated plain weave. I have nine weft colors to put on trial. Which ones will pass the test? The winners will be used to weave colorful placemats for our Texas hill country home.
All 8/2 cotton, with a small quill of each color waiting to be sampled. The two end tubes on the left are the same coral and camel as the stripes of the warp.
Eager to begin, I start weaving, despite knowing that evening is approaching. Even with good lighting at the loom, it is hard to judge the colors. I need daylight!
Weaving at dusk does not give me a true indication of how the colors work, even though I have a good light at my loom.
The morning light does not disappoint. I find that the colors that are the most similar to the coral and camel in the warp showcase the color-and-weave pattern. The slate and apple green win, too, because they add welcome color contrast. The abundance of natural light in the room makes it easy to see the impact of each of these colors.
Natural light of the morning gives a true perspective of the colors. Even the subtle differences of weft colors can be seen. Keeping the camel color in one of the two shuttles helps bring out the color-and-weave effects. Which colors win? All nine of them!
We have been given a well-lit path. When we choose to go our own way, with our own artificial light, our perceptions can be off. There is a kingdom of light where Jesus is on the throne. To be one of his subjects is to be in a place where his light reveals true colors. He exchanges our colors with his own to make color-and-weave fabric that is heavenly!
May you be invigorated with color.
Happy weaving,
Karen
3 Comments
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Quiet Friday: Linen Satin Dräll
- By Karen
- January 26, 2018
- 18 Comments
This is one of those weaving projects that puts you on top of the world. Everything about it. Linen, ten shafts, five-shaft satin weave, ten treadles, gorgeous Moberg damask shuttle, single-shuttle rhythm, full-body weaving, magical fabric. I did have more than my share of knots in the warp, and a few skipped threads and selvedge loops. But you will see no evidence of those glitches now. All you will see is the natural beauty of linen, with its characteristic unevenness. And the reflective satin dräll weave, with its light-catching trickery.
The warp is Bockens unbleached 16/2 line linen. Two of the towels use 16/1 golden bleached linen for the weft. At my husband’s request, the remaining three towels have 16/2 linen weft, in ecru. The thicker weft helps make these into robust absorbent handtowels. A table square finishes off the set.
Enjoy the process with me as I reminisce over the start-to-finish pleasure of weaving these towels.
May you find pleasure in what you do.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
18 Comments
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Beth Mullins says:
Exquisite, Karen!
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JAN says:
Nice finishing touch with hand woven hanging tab. Had you ever though of putting another one in the middle of the long edge so the towel can be hung on a hook above the sink?
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Hi JAN, I haven’t done that, but it’s a great idea. I would need to figure out how to attach it, since there is not a hem on the side. These tabs would be a little too thick to fold the ends under, but could certainly do that with tabs made with thinner threads. Have you done it?
Thanks,
Karen
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Janet says:
Beautiful towels and beautifully woven!
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Hi Janet, They were enjoyable to weave. I’m happy that you like them!
Thanks so much,
Karen
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Betsy says:
Wonderful towels! And I’m so impressed that your husband knows enough about yarn to recommend 16/2 over 16/1.
Your little bowl of pegs next to the treadles reminds me of my last project, huck placemats. I could remember the treadling, but not the 18 repeats. So I had a bowl like yours with 18 pegs, and after every repeat I moved one peg to another bowl. And every once in a while I’d crawl around the Julia counting the repeats in case I made a mistake, lol.
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Hi Betsy, Haha, I may have given the wrong impression about my husband. He specified thicker, less dainty towels, and I chose the appropriate size of linen.
What a great way to keep track of repeats. I’m going to remember that!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Nancy Nordquist says:
These are absolutely beautiful! Than you for sharing so many photos and details of the process.
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Hi Nancy, It’s a delight for me to get to share what I enjoy doing. Thank you for your kind compliment!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Joanne Hall says:
Yes, this weave is magical and so fun to weave. And thank you for the beauticul photos. Did you use your phone to take these photos?
Joanne-
Hi Joanne, I feel so “at home” weaving something like this. It is satisfying and rewarding.
I use my iPhone 7 for all my photos. Steve has a very nice digital SLR camera, but I do best with the simple little iPhone. And it’s always in my pocket or on the table beside me. I take way too many pictures, and then I whittle them down to my very favorites to share here.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Barb says:
Beautiful design, beautifully woven. The joy & pleasure you have in weaving shows in every finished project. Each time you use these towels, you will be reminded of your enjoyment of the process of weaving. Thank you for sharing your talents and inspiring other weavers to find that joy!
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Hi Barb, Your thoughtful comments mean so much! If I can inspire another weaver to find a little more joy in this wonderful weaving process, that would be fantastic!
Part of the pleasure of having towels like this in my home is getting to see others enjoy the results, too.Thanks so much,
Karen
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Angela says:
Beautiful and inspirational!
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Gretchen says:
Love these Karen!! So simple and classic… and perfect! Beautiful.
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Hi Gretchen, Yes, certainly classic! There is something to be said for age-old designs.
All the best,
Karen
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What to Do about Weaving Errors
- By Karen
- January 23, 2018
- 10 Comments
I’ve been waiting for a bright sunshiny day to thoroughly examine this tightly-woven linen satin dräll fabric. Today is perfect. Fixing errors must be done before the fabric is washed, when the weave will become even tighter. I am looking for unwanted floats where the shuttle skipped threads, and for loops at the selvedges.
In my examination I did find an errant float and a few small selvedge loops. Let’s get started.
Tools:
- Blunt-tip needle. Sharp needle tip has been sanded to a rounded tip.
- Thread. Use the same weft or warp thread that is in the area needing repair.
- Good lighting. If the fabric has a complex structure, good lighting is essential.
- Magnification. I take a photo on my iPhone, and then zoom in to see the minute details.
How to Mend Skipped Threads:
1 Locate the error. Here is a long weft float.
2 Thread the blunt-tip needle with a length of the same thread as the float.
3 Following the exact under-over pattern of the weave, start one inch before the float and needle-weave toward the float. I lay my iPhone nearby, with the magnified iPhone photo clearly showing the weave pattern.
4 Needle-weave the correct path of the thread through the float area. Continue needle-weaving along the same thread pathway, going one inch beyond the float.
5 Check the front and back of the fabric to see if your stitches match the correct pattern of the weave.
6 When you are certain that the float thread has been accurately replaced, clip the float and remove it (or, leave it and trim it after washing). Leave two-inch tails on the replacement thread, and trim after wet finishing. (I leave the replacement tails so I can find and check the repair after it is washed. This also allows for shrinkage before trimming.)
How to Fix a Small Selvedge Loop
1 Locate the loop.
2 Using the blunt-tip needle, gently ease the excess thread to spread over four or five stitches inside the selvedge.
3 The thread that has been eased in (just above the needle) will completely smooth out in wet finishing.
What skipped threads and loops would be found if I were examined this closely? Would I leave them and hope no one notices? Or, would I allow re-weaving and cutting away? A negative attitude is replaced with a thread of thankfulness. A loop of complaining is eased back in. The result is joy. A thankful heart knows joy. When the fabric is washed, the errant floats and loops are gone. What remains is the woven fabric with lustrous threads of joy.
May you have a bright sunshiny day.
With you,
Karen
10 Comments
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Re-weaving and cutting away in life – what a great analogy.
I am fascinated by your snips (scissors). Are they surgical snips? Those curved blades! I’d love a pair of my own.
Here’s to a day full of joy!
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Hi Beth, Finding those personal flaws can be a little painful for me, but putting in a better thread is worth it.
These snips with curved tips work great! I found them at a vendor at the quilt festival in Houston a few years ago. I picked up another similar pair at a needlework shop a couple years ago.
Joy to you!
Karen
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Annie Lancaster says:
Good morning, Karen! I loved your analogy! The lazy part of me would think no one might notice because change is difficult. But then the good Catholic guilt takes over and I must do something about myself!
The same with corrections in my weaving. My first thought is will anyone really see that? But I can’t unsee it, so it must get fixed!
One thing I never knew though, was that the loopy selvedges could be corrected. Thank you for sharing this technique, Karen. I am always eager to learn how to improve and correct, though I sometimes have to do a bit of self talk first!
Enjoy the sun today.
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Hi Annie, The wonderful thing about grace is that someone greater than us does the fixing. He can see clearly what needs to be done.
You are right about not being able to unsee a flaw. If there is something I can do about it, I will. If it can’t be fixed, then, I will chalk it up to the reality of being handmade.
The loop I showed here would probably correct itself in the wash, but it wasn’t hard to ease in the thread, so I did.
Happy to have another day with sunlight!
Karen
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Mary Still says:
Beautiful piece and I like what you say at the end! Bless You!
Mary-
Hi Mary, It’s a true pleasure to have you drop in with such kind words.
All the best,
Karen
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Linda Cornell says:
You are a gifted writer as well as weaver. Thank you for sharing both!
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Hi Linda, It feels like a privilege to me to be able to weave and write and have someone like you show interest. Thank you!
All the best,
Karen
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Marion Darlington says:
Life is but a Weaving” (the Tapestry Poem)
“My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has plannedHe knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.… as quoted by Corrie ten Boom
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Anticipation Is Looming!
- By Karen
- January 19, 2018
- 2 Comments
Everything starts on paper and in my mind. And then the action begins! Warps are ready now to dress two more looms. One in linen, and one in cotton. Linen for chair-seat upholstery, and cotton for kitchen towels.
Counting thread goes over and under groups of warp ends (in this case, 40 ends) to help me keep track of the number of ends being wound on the warping reel. 8/2 linen, unbleached.
Solid color cotton is wound (measured out) on the warping reel.
These are part of the coordinating textiles I’ve been designing for our Texas hill country home. (See Awaken the Empty Looms) I am looking forward to the moment these fabrics become visible! The anticipation is electric! I will know the success of my plans when I can see and feel the fabric. Every step, including getting these threads ready for the loom, gives me a preview glimpse of the actual fabric to come.
Two warp chains are prepared. This is a striped warp, and the chains will be spread separately, each with its own set of lease sticks.
Nothing like big, soft warp chains of 8/2 cotton!
Visible. Actual love is visible. It’s much more than kind thoughts and intentions. It is threads of kind thoughts that become touchable fabric in someone else’s life. Jesus Christ is the love of God made visible, in that God sent His Son so that we could fully live. How appropriate for us to make such a fabric visible for each other.
May you get a glimpse of the fabric to come.
Love,
Karen
2 Comments
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Good morning, Karen. I can see that you have been quite busy!. The work you do to make a beautiful Handwoven home for your family is definitely love in action. Generations will treasure your creations.
I didn’t realize that linen was a good upholstery thread. I have only used cottolin and that has been for towels. I am waiting until I purchase a multi shaft loom before trying linen as I have been told the rigid Heddle loom will not keep enough tension. I rather like the natural colors.
I hope you have a blessed day, Karen.
Annie
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Good morning, Annie, Linen is such a pleasure to work with, and the natural colors are so restful. You could use linen for weft on your rigid heddle loom. Many times I’ve done a cotton or cottolin warp and linen weft.
I don’t actually know if linen makes a good upholstery fabric, but thought I would try it. This is a heavier thread – 8/2 line linen. I have a small piece from a couple years ago that I wove in 8/2 linen and I like the weight of it.
Your friend,
Karen
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Awaken the Empty Looms
- By Karen
- January 16, 2018
- 6 Comments
The transformation of looms has begun! One by one, three empty looms are awakened from their rest. Two of three warps have been wound, and I have started dressing one of the looms. Soon, all three looms will be active as I weave coordinating textiles for our Texas hill country home.
Cotton and linen threads for the planned coordinating textiles.
Warp beam is clothed with a narrow-striped warp. A separate warp chain for each color and two sets of lease sticks make the beaming process a little tricky.
This loom at our hill country home has a warp designated for placemats. Color-and-weave effects will take the simple two-treadle plain weave up a notch, starting with the warp stripes. Is there anything as inviting as stripes on the warp beam? The loom that was bare now holds great promise.
Threading the loom happens in the brightest corner of the house.
Warp stripes form the base of interesting color-and-weave effects.
Love transforms people. Someone who feels empty is given purpose and hope when they are loved. A reason for being. A start toward something meaningful. Real love is extreme. Love is defined by the ultimate giving up of self-centered motives, as demonstrated by Jesus Christ. This is the extreme love that we have been given, and have been called to give. We’ve known the joy of stripes on the warp beam becoming handwoven fabric before our eyes. And we relish the thought of sharing that joy with someone else.
May you awaken empty looms.
Happy weaving,
Karen
6 Comments
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Cindy Bills says:
I’m excited to follow your journey of weaving all the coordinating textiles for your hill country home. Thanks for including us on your way!
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Hi Cindy, I’m excited about it, too! It will be fun to see it unfold.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Martha says:
One of my favorite things is to open a box of cone yarns, it is like Christmas morning. Looking forward to seeing your new weaving creations.
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Oh Martha, I’m with you! Weaving yarns are so pretty boxed up. And opening a box of them makes me tingle with excitement.
Joyfully,
Karen
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Mary says:
I am getting a malware message from my security software. Have you been hacked somehow?
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Hi Mary, Thank you for bringing this to my attention. My website was hacked a few weeks ago, but that has all been resolved. Warped for Good may have been put on a blacklist by your security software. If you can find that list, you should be able to uncheck Warped for Good. Then, you can safely return to this site, knowing that your security software will warn you if it is a problem again. I’m sorry for the hassle.
Karen
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Copyright © 2019
Good morning, Karen.
I like your analogy of artificial light guiding our way. I think the artificial light being shown by so many groups has been blinding to so many people. We think we are enlightened because it’s easier than sticking to Heavenly Father’s guide book.
Being a woman who likes colors and patterns, I think all those colors are winners too.
Hi Annie, It’s easy to fool ourselves, isn’t it?
I was surprised how well some of the colors work. The red and orange, for example, could clash with the coral warp, but here, those two colors look exceptional!
Happy weaving,
Karen
[…] the placemats I started on my Texas hill country loom in Colors on Trial? The pattern in the fabric looks nice and pretty. But it doesn’t display the striking […]