Rag Rug Playground
- By Karen
- December 5, 2017
- 13 Comments
This is a rag rug playground! I am weaving miniature rugs—rosepath rag rug hot pads. My small countermarch loom is perfect for this exploration. Without tabby or with tabby? Planned weft or hit and miss? Vibrant colors or soft neutrals? Weft inlay or plain and simple? So many possibilities! My “idea bank” is exploding.
Reverse treadling adds a diamond design element at both ends of this mini rug.
Color choices are inspired by views outside this Texas hill country window.
My goal is to weave as many different versions as possible. No two alike! Sure, they all have the same 12/9 cotton warp and all-cotton-fabric-strips weft, but with all sorts of variations. Most will be gifts. Handwoven hot pads, making it to the kitchens of friends, to serve them well.
Rosepath detail.
Deep purple fabric strip is used for weft rosepath inlay over a plain weave background. Woven hot pads wind their way around the cloth beam, separated by scrap weft and warping slats.
There is no one like you, with your hopes, dreams, and pains. You touch others like no one else can. Your life makes a difference. Your life matters because it matters to God. Your Creator had good things in mind when he formed you. Lord, place us where we will best show your handiwork, where we can humbly serve those you’ve given us to love.
May you live on purpose.
Your friend,
Karen
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Keep Advancing the Warp
- By Karen
- October 17, 2017
- No Comments
This is a series of learning experiences—some easy, and some quite challenging. I am near the end of the first panel of the tapestry/inlay sampler. All along the way, I encounter obstacles. Like a broken warp end. Again. That broken warp end is discouraging. Surely, I should be able to keep that from happening by now.
Broken warp end on the right selvedge required taking out several rows of weaving so I could splice the warp.
Meanwhile, a simple line of soumak makes a pleasing border for this curve. It defines the shape with a slightly raised line. Over three, around one…all the way across. This part is nice and easy.
Soumak technique, Step 1.
Soumak technique, Step 2.
Despite another broken warp end, the warp is advanced and the weaving continues. It helps to weave in a peaceful setting.
Daily life is not always easy. Put your eyes on God, not on the obstacles you face. And don’t worry about your own inability to navigate the circumstances. Trust God to carry you. He has carried you this far, and will continue to show himself strong on your behalf. Those broken warp ends are spliced, and the weaving continues. The selvedge may show some evidence of having had trouble, but the soumak outlines and other woven features will draw the eye. There is victory in advancing the warp to continue the sampler to the end.
May you advance through the obstacles you face.
With you,
Karen
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Simply Weave Back and Forth
- By Karen
- September 26, 2017
- 2 Comments
Am I seeing the hint of a ‘cello? No complicated pattern this time, just a relaxed back and forth, meet and separate, with yarn butterflies. The only planned pattern is a curved outline at the start and end of this section, with some simple hatching in between.
Section seven of the linen tapestry/inlay sampler. Hatching is used to visually blend the two color bundles.
The relaxed back-and-forth questions and ponderings that we all have are an indication that we want to know the truth. Search to find answers. The Lord is always calling us to seek him, to search him out, to find out what he’s about. Seeking the Lord means having a heart that wants and yearns to know God and his ways. Having questions is a part of what it means to be human. Peace comes, not in finding all the answers, but in finding the one who holds the answers. He knows what he is weaving.
May you ask good questions.
All the best,
Karen
2 Comments
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Linda Cornell says:
Very meaningful. Thank you.
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Good morning, Linda,
I’m glad you found it meaningful. Thank you for letting me know.All the best,
Karen
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Crabba or Not
- By Karen
- September 5, 2017
- 6 Comments
Sometimes I really don’t know what I am doing! It’s uncomfortable. I make a guess and hope for the best. I almost skipped this section of the tapestry/inlay sampler because I don’t understand the instructions for crabba in The Big Book of Weaving. I’ve heard of crabba, and have seen pictures, but I have no experience with it.
First two attempts at weaving the diamond-shapes of crabba. 1) Too faint. 2) Too flat.
Consequently, I am attempting to weave something that resembles the crabba motif, with “rhomboid pattern shapes and stairstep contours.” My first little diamond all but disappeared. Pattern weft needs to be thicker. My second attempt flattened into a flying saucer. Aha! I need at least two pattern picks of each row. Finally, I wove three more diamond motifs. Crabba, or not, they are now a part of this inlay sampler.
Color gradation continues in the background under the inlay diamond shapes.
Visiting the loom in morning light brings a reminder that much of weaving is learning by doing. And much of life is that way, too.
We can’t know everything. But we can keep learning, even when we don’t understand the instructions. Instead of quitting, step up and make an attempt. Raise your hopes. Stir up your faith to hope for the impossible. Your brave steps today set you up for greater progress next time you face a hurdle. Place your faith in the Lord, the instruction-giver. Sometimes He lets you learn by doing.
May you hope for the best.
~~Houston update: After diverting to Texas hill country because of the Hurricane Harvey flooding last week, Steve and I finally returned home to Houston this weekend. We are very thankful to come home to a dry house, untouched by the flooding that has devastated so many in our city. Relief efforts will continue in Houston for some time. Thank you for your prayers.~~
Hopefully,
Karen
6 Comments
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Nice to read this blog Karen. I am working through a Crabba (Krabasnår) pattern at the moment also – and it sure is a learning lesson, but I am really enjoying the challenge. Looking forward to the end product. Hope you will post it to show us.
Enjoy the morning light.
Alison-
Hi Alison, It’s good to know you are working through a Crabba pattern, too. I have a two or three more sections on this sampler, and then I will take it off so that we can see the whole thing. I will certainly post it.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Ann says:
Thanks for the Houston update. I am much relieved because I been very worried about you. Best news of the day.
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Wild Linen Rya
- By Karen
- September 1, 2017
- 4 Comments
Rya knots and loops of threads look chaotic at first. These linen rya knots will never be tame, but that’s to be expected. Linen butterflies have created a swath of wild rya “flowers” planted in a smooth linen “lawn.”
Loops are clipped. Green butterfly is for the background plain weave weft.
Each section of rya starts with a butterfly made of several strands of linen in assorted weights and colors. I tie each rya knot on a pair of warp ends, leaving a loop between knots. There are two to three passes of plain weave between each row of knots. When I finish a butterfly, I go back and clip all the loops. After the loops are cut, I trim the tops of the threads to even out the rya “flower garden.”
Tops of the rya threads are trimmed. I intentionally leave a few shorter and longer threads, for interest.
Linen rya knots on a weft-faced linen background. Wild linen “flowers” growing out of a smooth linen “lawn.”
When things around us look a mess and don’t make sense, full of knots and loops, there is one thing we must do. Keep holding on to faith. Fight to keep your faith strong. Faith in Christ Jesus will carry you through uncertainty and will reveal the first ray of hope. The loops will be clipped, the threads will be trimmed. A garden of color will emerge. Faith waits for that.
May your faith be strong.
All the best,
Karen
4 Comments
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Linda Cornell says:
Thank You!
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ellen santana says:
God is good always always always. ellen
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Great inspiration as always, creatively and spiritually xoxo
Thanks
Hi Angela, I appreciate your kind thoughts!
Blessings,
Karen
It is good to be reminded that our Heavenly Father has made us all as uniquely diverse as your hot pads. Perhaps there is the bit of the weaver in him.
And I can’t quite decide which hot pad I like best! But it seems fun experimenting!
Hi Annie, It’s fun to have a project on the loom that allows for experimentation.
Yes, I’d say our Heavenly Father positively has a weaver side to him.
All the best,
Karen
Love the variations, we want to see them laid out on the floor when you cut them off!!!
Hi Gayle, Okie dokie, I can do that!
Happy weaving,
Karen
Fantastic idea and I need some office gifts!! How do you finish your ends?
Hi Janet, I plan to tie the ends into overhand knots and then trim them to about 1/4-3/8″ or so. I could have woven hems on them with thin fabric strips and then turn the hems under and stitch, but I haven’t done that this time. It’s possible to bind the edges (after tying knots) with fabric, but that doesn’t always stay looking great, especially if they are washed frequently.
These weave up nice and fast! …Besides being so much fun to do. Great idea for office gifts!
Happy weaving!
Karen
One more thing… If you plan to tie knots, it is helpful to have at least 4 inches of warp for tying. So I try to put about 8″ between mats, with scrap weft and slats. You can tie knots with less than 4″, but it can get a little tricky. I always regret it when I shorten the distance to try to save warp.
Hello Karen,
These are beautiful! What a wonderful way to play with new patterns and colors while using up fabric scraps. Plus, they’re very useful!
Can you tell me, how long is your warp and how many potholders do you think you’ll end up with? I don’t have a lot of cotton fabrics laying around, but I’m sure wool scraps would work just as well, don’t you think? In fact, with wool being naturally fire retardant, they might be a good choice:)
Thank you for sharing. I always look forward to your blog posts!!
Kathryn
Hi Kathryn, I wish I could tell you how long the warp is. This started as a tapestry/inlay project. After finishing the first of four panels, I decided I didn’t want to weave three more. The original warp was probably about 5 or 6 yards. Instead of cutting off the rest of the warp, I decided to do something fun and easy – hot pads! I have not been counting, so I can’t even tell you how many I have so far – maybe 6 or 8. And I’m guessing I’ll get 3 or 4 more.
If I were planning this from the start, I would figure the length of the hot pad (mine are about 5-6″ long), plus 4″ on both ends for tying knots (or 2″ on each end for weaving hems, plus the 4″ for knots). Multiply by the number of hot pads you want. Add about 15% take-up and shrinkage. Add loom waste. (Hmm… maybe I should do a blog post about project calculations…)
I think wool fabric would be a great choice for hot pads. I didn’t know about wool being naturally fire retardant. That’s good to know!
Thanks for asking great questions!
Karen
Hi Karen,
What is the sett on these beautiful rugs? What size reed are you using?
Thanks for sharing, great work and pictures,
Limor
Hi Limor, The sett is approximately 6 epi. I’m using a metric 25/10 reed, the rough equivalent of which is a 6-dent reed. One end per heddle, and one end per dent.
Thanks for stopping by!
All the best,
Karen