Biggest Challenge of Weaving a Pictorial Tapestry
- By Karen
- September 17, 2019
- 10 Comments
Lucia grasps Ari’s plump wrist as they bravely inch a step closer to the rabbit hutch. For them, it’s a step of faith. Sugar Pie, the bunny, is wide-eyed at their approach. You’ll see the bunny later in the weaving of this pictorial tapestry.


It is a huge challenge to work on one element, like the hands, while not being able to see it in the context of the whole picture. The row-by-row weaving is an act of faith. I peer through the wrong end of the binoculars, and stand on a chair to take pictures. And I’m reassured about the outcome. It’s not blind faith. It’s a series of carefully reasoned and thought-out steps.

We see only a small slice of life at a time. Where do my day-to-day threads fit in the context of the big picture of a lifetime? Grace is amazing! Grace is unearned good favor. Grace is a final tapestry that makes sense of all the wanderings. Grace is good favor extended by God to all who trust Jesus. So, with God’s grace we walk by faith, with carefully reasoned and thought-out steps. And we extend grace at every opportunity, holding the wrist of our fellow adventurer to walk by faith together.

Grace is amazing.
May your life make a difference.
Grace,
Karen
10 Comments
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Weaving Hearts
- By Karen
- March 5, 2019
- 12 Comments
Pulling the draw handles for each four-thread unit of weaving is like doing counted cross stitch on the loom. I enjoyed cross stitch in the 1980’s and I am enjoying this drawloom version now. Very much. I started this Heart-Shaped Baskets table runner on Valentine’s Day—a fun way to celebrate the day!


Like weaving on any floor loom, I want to have consistency in my beat and in my selvedges. Inconsistencies in these basics can detract from the drawloom imagery of the final cloth. The main thing is to keep paying attention. And keep joyfully pulling those draw handles to create more hearts of love.


Grace is a gift of favor, not an earned reward. Forgiveness is the giving of grace. And gratitude results from receiving grace. Grace makes us graceful. Giving and receiving grace with consistency is what we’d like to see in ourselves. That’s when the love of God, in whose image we’ve been made, is most clearly seen in us. So we practice what we know to do. And pay attention. And keep joyfully weaving a heart of love, by God’s grace.
May you be grace – full.
Gratefully yours,
Karen
12 Comments
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I have seen that draft in the book. It is so Beautiful on your loom!! I hope to convert my loom for drawloom someday. Enjoy!
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Very nice Karen! Looks like you are having a great time 🙂
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I am amazed by what you are able to do with your draw loom, Karen! Not only is this heart pattern delightful but also the other towels I can catch glimpses of. I definitely understand why you wanted a draw loom and I am so happy that your dream came true.
You are the most graceful woman I know, Karen and a wonderful inspiration as a Christian and a weaver.
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The more I see draw loom weaving, the more I start to think that I need a draw loom! For now, I will have to relegate it to a “one day” possibility and appreciate the looms I already have.
Your hearts are beautiful! -
Good afternoon Karen,
There is so much to learn. Thank you for leading.
Your prayer on grace touched my heart.
Nannette
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Isn’t it fun?! I love playing with my drawloom!
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Drawlooms in Montana
- By Karen
- February 5, 2019
- 16 Comments
Montana is beautiful, with snow-capped mountains and big-sky sunrises! It’s there that I took Joanne Hall’s fantastic drawloom class last week. My confidence level about setting up and weaving on my drawloom shot up 100 per cent! (And Steve got to experience fishing on the ice with Joanne’s husband Ed!) Please continue all the way to the end of this post to read about submitting a question for Joanne to answer.

Cathleen and Deborah and I wove on the shaft drawloom, the single unit drawloom, and the Julia loom set up with half-heddle sticks to weave opphämta. What joy! …even in the challenges of learning new things.







Joanne taught us how to understand patterns and drafts, and how to make our own patterns. And we dressed the drawloom—we threaded pattern heddles and ground heddles, and distributed pattern shafts. Boy, did we students make mistakes! But with quiet Joanne, there is always a way to fix anything that matters. She is a picture of grace.





Striving to look good to other people, we face unwelcome judgment. Striving to please ourselves, we face demands of perfection. But when our heart strives to please the Lord, we receive grace. Our failures fade in importance as our confidence in his faithfulness grows. Know who you are working for. The imperfect images we weave in the cloth are a humble gift of gratitude back our Grand Weaver.





Please excuse me now while I go wind a warp!
May your imperfections be greeted with grace.
Love and grace,
Karen
~What are your questions? Joanne has answers~
Are you curious about drawlooms? Are you considering a drawloom for yourself? Do you have a drawloom and wish you could ask an expert for help? Please put your question about drawlooms and/or drawloom weaving in the comments below, or send your question to me through Get in Touch. Joanne Hall’s answers to two selected questions will be included in next week’s post. Please submit your question by this Friday, February 8.
16 Comments
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Oh, how lucky you are! I am searching for the loom, then take her class. It seems to be taking forever!!
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Karen, my brain tingles at all the learning you did last week! The picture of Montana way lovely too, but I added to that my knowledge that it was bitterly cold in that part of the country! Have fun playing with your drawloom when you get set.
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Good morning Karen,
The draw down loom is something I did not know existed. At first glance, confusing. As I continued reading, exciting.
I look forward to your adventures.
Blessings,
Nannette
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Amazing! The complexity and beauty and feeling so empowered to make beautiful textiles.
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I am so happy you got your drawloom, and that you were able to take Joanne’s class this soon.
Your weaving journey har been amazing, and it is such a pleasure to be invited into your weaving world through your blog!Elisabeth
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I enjoyed seeing the pictures and reading your commentary, Karen. Is that your drawloom in the last photos? Have a wonderful time learning and weaving, and thanks for sharing your journey.
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I’m so excited to hear about your recent trip, Debbie and I are headed there in April and I can’t wait!!
Janet -
Thank you for sharing your experience and photos. Beautiful work. I am heading out there mid April and so looking forward to it. For some unexplainable reason I am so drawn to the big Swedish looms and the drawloom. I have an older Glimakra standard in storage and getting time with kind Joanne and the class I will know if it’s something for me or not. I will likely be less experienced than the other participants and your last paragraph is a reminder to not compare myself or lack of expertise but to enjoy.
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New Year of Weaving Progress
- By Karen
- January 1, 2019
- 25 Comments
This year is different. I’m going to get organized, keep every loom dressed, and bake fruit pies for my husband! Alas, good intentions are not a reliable measure of what my progress will be. I always want to do more than what I manage to get done.

Before washing and drying the fabric I examine it. I look for errors and clip off any weft tails.

I cut the placemats to a uniform size. Scraps that were cut off will be used as ribbons to mark luggage for my daughter’s family as they prepare to travel. I simply zigzagged the edges of the scraps.
I washed, pressed, hemmed, and pressed again the twelve placemats. Finishing is finished. It’s a nice way to end one year and start the next. Measurable progress.

Twelve handwoven placemats. No two alike. Basket weave, color and weave effects. 8/2 cotton warp and weft.
Thankfully, our value isn’t wrapped up in what we accomplish. Or what we don’t. We need the Lord’s grace. It’s strength that’s beyond our own strength. Grow in grace. Grow in strength. That’s my prayer this year for you and for me.
May your value be wrapped up in grace.
Happy New Weaving Year,
Karen
25 Comments
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Lovely placemats! Full of grace and beauty 🙂
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Very pretty! Happy New Year, Karen!
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Thank you for the past year. I like the grow in strength and grow in grace! May you and your loved one travel light and always find your way home. God speed in the New Year!
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Blessed New Year to You and Yours!
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Happy New Year
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Happy New Year! Blessings to you and yours through the coming year.
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Thank you for your prayers, Karen. I can always use more grace and strength.
Clever idea for the placemat strips. I will pray for your a safe journey for your family and happiness in their new home.Happy New Year!
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The placemats are beautiful and so is you home. Those chairs, the table, light fixture, everything
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Beautifully said and beautiful work! Thank you!
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Elisabeth -
Happy New Year Karen,
It is a marvel how the same resources used can become so may different things. The beautiful place mats are from the same resources, but are so different.
They represent your application of the gifts from God. Previent grace is such a blessing.
Nannette
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Happy New Year Karen, I hope it is filled with joy!
Liberty -
Your table looks lovely, Karen! You must have all the boxes unpacked! We will miss you at WOW this week, but we wish you a very happy and productive New Year.
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Absolutely gorgeous! Best wishes for happiness and good health.
So beautifully said, Karen! I love the way you reflect your faith through the creativity of your mind and heart and hands.! And your efforts reflect so much faith…as this project requires! But do be careful, standing on a chair! I have a friend who just took a tapestry weaving class and is enamored! I have shared your website with her…and I know she will appreciate your progress! Love to read how you weave your faith into these messages! Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Joyce, I appreciate your kinds words. It’s great to be connected with each other through common ground of faith.
All the best,
Karen
That’s coming along beautifully!
Hi Betsy, Thank you! It’s so much fun to have these colors to work with.
Happy weaving,
Karen
This is going to be fabulous! I can’t wait to see more.
Hi Beth, It’s hard to stay away from the loom at this point. I can hardly wait, myself, to see each row develop!
Thanks!
Karen
Can’t wait to see the finished product, it’s going to be awesome I know.
Hi, Cynthia, Thanks for your confidence. I hope it will turn out like I envision. We’ll see…
All the best,
Karen
Hi Karen,
Use it or lose it. Stand on the table too!!
More inspiration!
Adorable chubby wrists and hands. Gorge grandma. Gorge.
Drove through 2 hours lake Michigan fog today. Muted colors. The bright colors of your weaving are welcome.
Hi Nannette, Your enthusiasm is refreshing.
All the best,
Karen