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.
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My Four-Shaft Tapestry – Will it Work?
- By Karen
- May 4, 2018
- 6 Comments
Is this going to work? Yes, I think so. I am testing things out. So far, so good. Can I follow the cartoon? Yes. Do I have a good way to hold the cartoon in place? Yes. And to put the color and value key where I can see it? Yes. Do I have enough yarn in each of the colors, values, and thicknesses that I need? No. I see some gaps, especially in the mid-to-dark value range. I am ordering more yarn today. Is four-shaft tapestry going to be as delightful an experience as I’ve long hoped? Most probably, yes! Word of the day: Yes!
Testing, testing. Blending of yarns, blending of colors, checking value contrasts.
Blending yarn colors and thicknesses gives interesting results. This is practice for some of the background area of the tapestry.
Finding out if I can follow details on the cartoon. Experimenting with adding floats in places as texture to enhance the design.
Will I be able to handle multiple yarn butterflies? I think so.
Testing some of the green hues for part of the main subject of the tapestry. Also keeping an eye on selvedges, so they don’t draw in.
Plenty of warp is available for practice. I want to test all the critical elements before I start the *actual* tapestry. This tapestry will be woven horizontally.
Words. I am affected by words—spoken by others, and spoken from my own mouth. Grace in our words can be an invitation of kindness and relief to someone who is testing our framework. When Christ’s words dwell in us, the richness of his words affect our being. And then, our words of yes and no are grace-filled bearers of hope.
May you see hope on your horizon.
With hope,
Karen
6 Comments
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The practice weaving is lovely. Timeless….
May the fourth be with you– 🙂
Nannette
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Hi Nannette, Ha ha, thank you. The practice weaving is giving me a taste of the excitement to come!
All the best,
Karen
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Joanne Hall says:
You have a great start on this project. Keep sending us updates. Joanne
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Hi Joanne, I’m looking forward to working on this! I will show my progress as it grows!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Karen
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Michele Dixon says:
I’m interested in how you attached your cartoon to the loom. I’ve never done it on a horizontal loom so I’m not sure what I’ll do when the time comes.
Love your practice piece. I can’t wait to see what you actually weave.
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Hi Michele, Thanks for the idea! I think I’ll do a post in the near future on how I attach the cartoon.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Weaving a Gift
- By Karen
- February 27, 2018
- 10 Comments
For Christmas, I gave my daughter and two daughters-in-law a piece of paper with options for a custom handwoven article from me. This new project is the start of fulfilling those promises. Marie, my youngest son’s wife, chose a throw in vivid colors.
Each recipient gets to customize her gift. As maker, I retain design decisions and final color selections.
Opening a package with new tubes of thread is like Christmas all over again! This shipment brings the 8/2 cotton thread for Marie’s double weave throw, adding to what I already have on hand. From promise to conception of an idea, to collecting threads and dressing the loom, to weaving a gift—it goes from intangible to tangible. Threads turn into cloth!
My apprentice happens to be here when the package arrives! She shares the excitement with me of opening the package to see the new thread colors.
Vibrant colors for Marie’s throw.
Love holds us together. Threads of love create a sustainable cloth of connected people. Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, as an imitator of God. Not an imposter, who pretends to be god. But an imitator, like a loved child becomes an imitator of their dad. Consciously and subconsciously. Let the character of God become your character. And let the threads of love that he has woven in your life reach into lives he’s given you to touch. Let his promise to you become tangible cloth to others.
May you be wrapped in love today.
With love,
Karen
10 Comments
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Lise says:
I love your ideas for Xmas gifts. Can you share what the choices were and what you wove for the ladies?
I make tote bags with groceries bags, it is one of my contributions to help save the planet.
Baglady, Lise-
Hi Lise, I’m glad you asked! This current project is the first one of the gifts. I haven’t completed any of them yet. I will be sharing about each gift as I come to it through the course of this year.
For this first one, the request is a throw, large, in vibrant colors. I’m excited to get it on the loom!
I’m glad you have a meaningful way to use your weaving skills!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Angela says:
What a wonderful idea!
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Hi Angela, Thanks! It’s something I had been thinking about for a couple years. And now, it helps with the question, “what shall I weave next?”
All the best,
Karen
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Maggie Ackerman says:
I love this idea of letting the recipient choose what they’d like. Ok if I borrow your form idea?
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Hi Maggie, I think it makes it fun for the gift giver and the recipient. You are very welcome to use any part of this that serves your needs. Have at it!
All the best,
Karen
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Cherie Kessler says:
Just want to say how very much I enjoy your blog, and how often I’ve used your “helps”….like the red thread between towels, the suggestions for ways to repair weavings that aren’t perfect. And the newest, unfortunately, a shorter way to remove weaving down to the fault by cutting…rather than unweaving! These, plus all your inspiration…I’m so happy when I open my emails and see an update! Thank you!
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Oh Cherie, I wish I could give you a great big hug right now! Of all the reasons I have for writing in this space, one of my biggest hopes is that I can share something that will be of value to someone else. You have really touched me with your kind encouragement. Bless you!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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I may borrow your idea. I make dish towels every year for my girls, and one year i did something similar. I chose a darker teal warp and had each of them choose three of my yarn colors they each liked that would look nice with the warp. I did a monks belt threading and each towel turned out so different. It was a fun project. If you are interested, you can see the final photo of them in my blog here:
http://jennybellairs.blogspot.com/2013/12/annual-christmas-towels.htmlI enjoy your blog posts and am glad I subscribe so I don’t miss any. Keep them coming!
Jenny B-
Hi Jenny, I like your idea, too, to let them choose the weft colors. Your monksbelt towels are stunning! It’s amazing what a range of effects are possible on one threading!
Your word of encouragement means so much to me. Thank you, thank you!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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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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Annie Lancaster says:
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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Stay Ahead of Empty Quills
- By Karen
- December 15, 2017
- 6 Comments
What a delight to weave with just one shuttle for a change! It is relaxing to weave this Swedish lace wrap. Even moving the temple and getting up to advance the warp becomes part of the natural rhythm of weaving.
Empty quill is replaced with a filled quill from the loom bench basket. Smooth operation. My foot needn’t even leave the treadle.
There is one thing that breaks my stride. An empty quill. If I have to stop in the middle of a sequence to wind more quills, I lose momentum and sometimes I even lose my place. Solution? Stop ahead of time at a sensible place in the sequence and wind quills to put in my loom basket. Then, while weaving, it’s a seamless motion to change quills and keep going. It’s a pause instead of a dead stop.
Hemstitching at the end brings the weaving stage of this piece to a close.
We need to prepare for those times when people seem harder to love. It helps to think ahead, and fill our heart basket with the thoughts of kindness and humility that are essential to keep going. We have a good reason to love each other. We have been loved first. God so loved us that he gave his son. This is the Christmas news. God sent his son to be born here on this earth to be with us hard-to-love people and to save us. That’s good news worth celebrating!
May your heart basket be filled with love.
Christmas Blessings,
Karen
6 Comments
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Angela Roberts says:
Right back at ya xoxo
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susie weitzel says:
I so enjoy your comments, suggestions and overall good advice. What a wonderful Christmas gift. Merry Christmas to you and yours
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I don’t think that I could say it any better than Susie Weitzel did, Karen.
Merry Christmas!
Copyright © 2019
Oh, how lucky you are! I am searching for the loom, then take her class. It seems to be taking forever!!
Hi Nancy, I know what you mean. I searched for quite a while, too, to find a loom. And then, all of a sudden, at just the right time, there it was! You have a lot to look forward to.
All the best,
Karen
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.
Hi Marilyn, So much learning! Hopefully, the important parts will stick with me.
It was cold, but we didn’t get the bitter Artic cold that some places were getting last week. I think they got some of that right after we Texans left. Whew!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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
Hi Nannette, It has taken me a while to peel off the confusion about drawlooms. I think I’m beginning to understand how they work. I’m super excited to get the whole thing set up!
Thanks,
Karen
Amazing! The complexity and beauty and feeling so empowered to make beautiful textiles.
Hi Shari, It seems complex until you start to understand it. It’s really pretty simple—just sticks and strings that do specific things. It opens up a world of beautiful weaving!
All the best,
Karen
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
Hi Elisabeth, I feel very fortunate that the timing of everything has worked out so smoothly.
It’s wonderful to get to share my weaving journey with friends like you!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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.
Hi D’Anne, Yes, that’s my drawloom in the last photos. It’s almost ready to weave!
Thanks for dropping in!
Karen
I’m so excited to hear about your recent trip, Debbie and I are headed there in April and I can’t wait!!
Janet
Hi Janet, You are going to have a fabulous time! I’m excited for you!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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.
Hi Denise, Since you are drawn to the big Swedish looms, I am confident that it will be a great joy for you to weave on them. I’m excited for you! Your class with Joanne will be just what you need! No need to worry about lack of expertise. Just go with an attitude willing to learn. Enjoy!
(And I know two others in the April class. You’ll be in GREAT company!)
All the best,
Karen