Rya for the Rest
- By Karen
- August 11, 2017
- 4 Comments
This loom doesn’t get first priority. This sweet little loom is at our Texas hill country getaway. Usually there are several fixer-upper projects to be done around the place. But I’m glad the loom is there. It calls to me to come and sit down, to get absorbed in linen threads and colors. The loom is a resting place for me. A place where ideas take shape and new dreams begin.
Sweet little loom sits in a corner of the living room beckoning me to come and rest for a while.
Green weft butterfly weaves the background. A yellow bundle, not seen, hangs under the warp and is added here and there for the “dots” in the green. Rya butterflies are in assorted combinations of colors. All linen.
I’m at the rya section of this tapestry and inlay sampler. It is a fun exercise in creativity. The rya knots are tied using a continuous weft bundle. After a few rows are woven I clip the loops that are formed, and trim them down a little to shape the pile.
Explosion of linen threads. Several sizes and types of linen are combined in the rya butterflies that are used to make the rya knots.
Weaving from the front means that all the loose inlay weft tails, and spliced wefts, are hanging down on the back.
Make time for rest. We need periods of rest built into the rhythm of our lives. Intentional rest acknowledges our human limitations and inadequacy, which leads us to put our trust in the Lord. And that is where the best hopes and dreams get their start.
May you enjoy sweet rest.
With you,
Karen
4 Comments
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Tapestry and Inlay Sampler
- By Karen
- June 20, 2017
- No Comments
It is satisfying to see this ambitious project take shape on the loom! When finished, this sampler of tapestry and inlay techniques will be a handy reference as well as a colorful hanging for the wall. It’s a much-anticipated project from The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell!
Practicing parallelogram shapes.
Linen butterflies are used for the twill inlay. Turns are made below the warp.
I don’t always understand the instructions, in which case I struggle, doing the best I can. But the more I progress, the more I understand. I am finding out what works. The text, Swedish translated to English, about unfamiliar techniques is helpful, but I often wish I had the author looking over my shoulder to guide me.
Loom with a view. Time flies, even with slow weaving, at this Texas hill country loom.
Weaving from the front. Weft tails are taken to the back of the weaving.
Where do we get instructions for living? We may consider entering the kingdom of God for that. But Jesus also spoke of the kingdom of God entering us. Invite the King in. That’s when His ways become our ways. Instead of struggling through instructions, we find ourselves learning His will by doing what we know to do. Life is a sampler, with occasions to learn, to struggle, and to soar. Let’s weave our living sampler in the shadow of the Grand Weaver, Himself.
May your sampler show what you’ve learned.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Linen Butterflies
- By Karen
- March 10, 2017
- 6 Comments
This project has been on my mind for a long time. But I purposely waited to begin until I could weave it on my new sweet little loom with a view. Four Decorative Sample Strips, it’s called in The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell. It includes four-shaft tapestry, as well as weft inlay techniques. Each of the four strips will be a sampling of 8-12 different patterns or techniques. The weft is all linen, in various colors and sizes. Several strands are bundled together and made into butterflies. I have the sections mapped out, but the actual designing is happening at the loom.
Box of linen! A variety of 16/2 line linen, 6/1 tow linen, and 8/1 tow linen.
Linen butterflies.
The box of vibrant shades of linen that sits by the loom makes me think of the wonderful colors in creation. The Grand Weaver puts an assortment of strands together, making something as only He can. The world belongs to its Maker. We are His. Sometimes we forget that it is not that He is in our universe, it is that we are in His. I love the way He puts an assortment of us together to put a splash of color on His tapestry.
May you enjoy the colors around you.
Happy weaving,
Karen
6 Comments
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Melissa Myers says:
God must love color, there is so much of it!!! I am reminded of the verse:
New American Standard Bible
Job 26;14
“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”Can’t wait to see the tapestry He weaves!!
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Hi Melissa, His tapestry will be like nothing we’ve ever seen. I’m sure he has colors beyond our imagination.
Karen
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Liberty Stickney says:
Karen,
Beautiful colors, can’t wait to see what comes from them. I love you loom with a view!
Liberty-
Thanks Liberty, Colors always seem more alive to me in linen. I’m glad I get to take my time with them and enjoy the scenery, too!
Karen
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Marjorie says:
I’m a new follower, with an unwarped, recently acquired, Glimakra Ideal. I love your site, and aspire to become a weaver, with the help of ALL my new weaving acquaintances. I have the Lundell book, although it may be water-marked by drooling before I’m able to weave anything from it. Watching with eagerness,
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Hi Marjorie, Welcome to the wide wonderful world of weaving! And welcome here in this corner of the weaving world. That Lundell book will step you through everything you need to know to dress your loom and make something beautiful. I’m excited for you! Let me know if there is any way I can help you along the way.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Almost Ruined Transparency
- By Karen
- January 20, 2017
- 14 Comments
The cotton chenille looks as if it is magically suspended in space. But it’s the linen that suspends it. 16/2 unbleached linen weft crosses 16/2 golden bleached linen warp. The two shades blend into one as they are woven for the transparency background.
Weaving a transparency from the back. The front side of the pattern can be seen after it comes around the breast beam.
Unfortunately, I had 16/1 golden bleached linen (16/1 is half as thin as 16/2) on my winding table, for the plattväv towels on the other loom. I wound a quill with the 16/1 and wove the transparency with it. It’s the wrong thread size and color. For 8 1/2 inches! Too far to undo without irreparably damaging the linen warp. This is disappointing. How did I let that happen? Take a deep breath… Move forward, and finish out the weaving with the correct 16/2 linen.
Two densities of linen. The 16/2 unbleached linen weft adds depth to the 16/2 golden bleached warp. The 16/1 golden bleached weft gives a lighter look to the web.
Just off the loom! First transparency attempt, and a great learning experience.
We all fall short. We do the wrong thing. That’s a weight to carry. Jesus breaks the yoke of our burden, and lifts the weight. We have been set free! When we finish the weaving, the chenille pattern will be the main attraction, not the error. By amazing grace, the error is overcome by the light shining through the transparency.
May your burdens be lifted.
With you,
Karen
14 Comments
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Elisabeth says:
What about embroidering a word like “love” or a symbol representing love on the darker weft? And use the teal color to reflect the pattern that is winding through the entire weave…like love is present in our lives. A simple handwritten word to contrast the strong and bold zigzag 🙂
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And what about weaving in (rows of running stitches) a very fine gold thread into the darker section to give it a slight shimmer and emphasize the importance of it? And then place something important to you in this section…or maybe just the gold is as subtle as it should be…
Love,
Elisabeth -
D'Anne Craft says:
Lovely, Karen! 16/1 is often used as weft with 16/2 as warp in transparency weaving. It makes the transparency more lacy.
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Hi D’Anne, That’s good to know that 16/1 is a good weft for this. I can see how the thinner thread makes it lighter in appearance. Maybe I should start with that next time, and use it all the way through.
Thanks for letting me know!
Karen
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Martha says:
Karen the weft mistake was not a mistake it was a design element! Love the transparency.
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Hi Martha, Yes, it is a design element now. No one will ever know…
I’m glad you like it!Karen
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Hi, Karen, Your Blog is always inspiring.There are no mistakes, only designer enhancements. . . perfection-in-imperfection. I am told that the Navajo weavers intentionally weave a mistake into each rug.When we are weak HE is strong.
From Pastor David Anderson -Finding Your Soul – “The Navajo say that is ‘“where the Spirit moves in and out of the rug.”’ God’s Spirit moves in and out of imperfection. . . a ‘“mistake?”’ We’ve spent our whole life trying to get rid of all imperfection. If we’re not there yet, surely God is! We may not have the spiritual courage to weave those mistakes deliberately, but at least we can accept them as a gift when the fabric of our lives is inevitably torn.”-
Hi Pam, a designer enhancement sounds a lot better than mistake. Thanks for sharing this interesting perspective.
Karen
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Teresa says:
Hi Karen
I’m told the Amish also make a “mistake” in every quilt so as not to boast since perfection only belongs to a God. Good for you for making the best of what you had not planned.
I got out of the habit of reading your blog for a while. I’m glad now for the reminder of what I’ve been missing. Your writings are beautiful and you are blessed with a wonderful mind and soul. Im sure you’ll never know how much you inspire people…..creatively and spiritually.
Bless you,
Teresa-
Hi Teresa, Our mistakes do help keep us humble. That’s interesting that the Amish do that intentionally. Your kind words mean so much to me!
Thank you,
Karen
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Cheryl says:
I would love to try something like this for a glass door panel. Do you have a reference for learning this technique? Looks like you sett the edges closer together and in a different post the casing as well. Would you recommend the 16/1 or 16/2 based on your design element?
Thanks
Cheryl-
Hi Cheryl, This would be perfect for a glass door panel.
Resources I recommend: Sheer Delight – Handwoven Transparencies, by Doramay Keasbey; The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell, pgs. 162-163; 166-167
The Keasbey book is full of wonderful ideas and shows work of different artists, and has some good tips and procedures. The Lundell book has 2 transparency projects, and is a good place to get your feet wet with the technique.The selvedges for my transparency: 1 (heddle) – 2 (reed), 4 times each side. This is from The Big Book of Weaving. The other transparency in the book has 2 – 2, 3 times each side.
I wanted to differentiate the start and end of the casing, to make is easier to sew, so I packed the weft in tighter in those areas.
The warp is 16/2 linen, and I do prefer the 16/2 linen for background weft over the 16/1 that I used by accident. I think the 16/2 holds its place better in the woven mesh. The 16/1 is lacier, but it is also a little flimsier and wiggles around more than I want it to. But that could be my own inexperience.
I hope that helps!
Karen
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With or Without a Cartoon?
- By Karen
- January 13, 2017
- 6 Comments
Weaving a transparency could become one of my favorite things to do. I had no idea that drawing a cartoon for this project would make such a difference. Now, I can see vast possibilities with this weaving technique.
Buckram, a stiff cotton cloth, is in my sewing supplies, specifically for making bills on caps. It is being used here to make a cartoon for the transparency weaving. The center line will be lined up with the center warp end.
I started the transparency without a cartoon. I wanted to weave a few zigzags back and forth. How hard could that be? I counted warp ends, “under 12 to the right, and then, under 13 to the left.” When I tried to change the angle of the slant, though, it was confusing. I started getting jagged zigs and zags. This cartoon has made a world of difference.
Cartoon is aligned and pinned into place.
For each row of the pattern, the cotton chenille weft butterflies go under the raised warp ends that coincide with the lines drawn on the cartoon underneath. One pick of linen background weft follows each pattern row.
How often do we think it will be easier to go our own way? We want to make it up as we go. Wait. There’s a better way. The head designer has drawn out a path. It makes sense to follow those lines. It’s a picture that’s bigger than we are. God created. He did it in such a way that shows his loving attention to those he created. And we get to follow his design. No more striving. No more trying to find our way. His way makes perfect sense. It’s satisfying to place the weft in a thought-out design.
May you see the possibilities.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
6 Comments
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Hi Karen, What a wonderful comparison to our walk with God! Yes, it is very satisfying to me also to weave transparencies. The design emerges one row at a time, and when it’s time to stop and do something else, I say “just one more row”… Glad you are having the enjoyment of following a cartoon. The fabric you print yours on is a neat idea. I have also used stiff Pellon for mine, sometimes it is also thin enough that I can trace a design through it.
All the best,
Lynette-
Hi Lynette,
“Just one more row…” Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve been saying!
Your behind-the-scenes encouragement and details have inspired me. I can’t thank you enough!
When I need to trace a picture I will get some thinner pellon, like you do. Since I had some buckram on my shelf I thought I’d try it, and it’s working out great.All the best,
Karen
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Phyllis says:
Just found your blog! I am thankful, inspired and blessed! Newer weaver here.
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Hi Phyllis,
I couldn’t be happier that you found your way here! Welcome!Happy Weaving,
Karen
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Hi, Karen,
I am a student at a University. In the course of studying weaving, trying to place a cartoon under the warp has been a challenge to all who want to make a tapestry. We’ve tried various ideas and none too successful. I’ve used buckram to repair books, but never considered using it in weaving. Thanks for the great suggestion. I’m going to share this with my fellow class mates. Pam-
Hi Pam,
How exciting to get to study weaving in a university setting! I am delighted that my serendipitous discovery gives you and your classmates something to try. Let me know how the buckram works for you!Happy Weaving,
Karen
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Copyright © 2017
Thank you for reminding us about our need to rest in the Lord. I needed to hear that today. 🙂 I, too, find rest at my loom. It is a place of creativity and prayer as I look out my window onto the pond and wildlife in my front yard. Our place requires a lot of upkeep, especially in the summer. It’s nice to have a chance to sit for a while and like you said, create and dream.
Hi Cindy, It sounds like you have a beautiful setting for creativity at your loom. I’m happy you found a nugget of encouragement today.
Happy weaving,
Karen
Thank you for that good reminder; to rest in the Lord.
Hi Linda, It’s a reminder I need often. I’m glad it meant something to you, too.
Karen