Short-Lived Weft Idea
- By Karen
- June 5, 2018
- 8 Comments
Now is my chance. I’d like to try one more weft idea on this double weave warp. I ended the colorful throw, and have about fifty centimeters left for a lap blanket. After the red cutting line, I am testing some black cottolin weft. It isn’t in my original plan, nor in my sample, but I want to see how it looks.
Deep plum alternates with black weft in a small test sample. Pairs of red picks mark the cutting lines between pieces.
The black weft does brighten the warp colors. But that’s not the look I’m after. I would miss the mixed shades that occur as the warp stripe colors are repeated in the weft. So I am weaving the smaller piece with the same weft sequence as the larger throw. When I see the weft choices clearly, it’s not hard for me to decide which weft option to use.
Following the fabric under the breast beam, behind the knee beam, and around the cloth beam. The four warp stripe colors are repeated in the weft, making slight variations of color in the squares.
Wisdom is a treasure. It comes from seeing things through heaven’s perspective. Beware of human ideas masquerading as wisdom, leading us in the wrong direction. The treasure of wisdom that is found in Christ leads to understanding. Looking through heaven’s wisdom, my choices become clear. And it’s not hard for me to decide to stay true to the Grand Weaver’s design.
May you walk in wisdom.
With you,
Karen
8 Comments
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Weave Past the Mid Mark
- By Karen
- May 22, 2018
- 8 Comments
“Mid” marks the halfway point on every pre-measured tape I make. I like to know when I’m starting the second half of something. It’s a target before I reach it, and a passing milestone after I cross that line.
Pre-measured twill tape has a line at the halfway point, marked “Mid.” Tail from a spliced warp end will be trimmed in the finishing process.
As I’m weaving this throw, my thoughts jump ahead. I will have a few skipped threads to fix, and spliced warp ends to clip. I think about how I will hem the piece, and wash and dry it. In what special manner shall I present the finished throw to my beloved daughter-in-law? And, my mind goes to the twelve-shaft double weave towels for my daughter that are up next, with the flowery threads beckoning me from the shelves.
Double weave with eight shafts. 8/2 cotton.
Do you see the aqua, poppy, marigold, and orchid cottolin threads that are ready to jump off the shelves and be woven into hand towels?
I’d like to know where I am in the span of my life. There is no “Mid” mark, though, is there? I’m not in charge of that measured tape. Faith in Christ, love, and perseverance—these form a foundation. A solid foundation is security for life. In this security, I think about what I need to repair and resolve and finish. And how to leave intangible gifts that outlive me. And I think about the glory that awaits. Imagine fabric of unbridled creativity in colors only heaven knows!
May your second half be better than your first.
With you,
Karen
8 Comments
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Written like the creative soul God created you as.
Midway is hard to place with life on Earth. It is not as ‘tangible’ as your weaving. I often wonder why some people have a very short midpoint and others…. much longer… What have they left behind to continue on through others?
Even so, having been gifted hand woven fabric from another generation, I cannot help but look at your sparkling colors and see the colors they will fade to be with time. Is the softness that time brings to dyes also a softness God gives to our memories left behind.
Blessings,
Nannette
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Hi Nannette, The items I have of my grandmother’s handwork is faded, as you say. Her memory lives on in me, and is softly faded to the point I only remember the good things about her.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts,
Karen
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Annie says:
Good morning, Karen. At my age, I have no doubt that I have long since passed my mid point although I didn’t really wake up to that fact until I hit fifty. The first half of my life, I believed the tangible was so important; but in the second half, I believe that it is the intangible we leave behind that will be the longest lasting.
After seeing so many beautiful handcrafted items in second hand stores, I realized that what I valued as family heirlooms to be handed down through the generations with stories may not be valued as such by the recipient of my work.
So I just try to concentrate on the enjoyment of creating whatever I make, make what I like and hope that someone else might value it.-
Hi Annie, I agree with you that the intangible seems more important now. The values we pass on will outlast the things we hand down.
Blessings,
Karen
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Linda Cornell says:
Thank you all for your reflections, uncannily, similar to my own recently… the Holy Spirit weaving through our lives. Can you recommend 4 shaft double weave patterns for baby blankets? Though the blankets will probably not last, hopefully the love that weaves them will cover those new little lives.
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Hi Linda, The only 4-shaft double weave I’ve done was a double-width throw. The double weave baby blankets I’ve woven were on 8-shafts. Both the double-width and the 8-shaft double weave projects were from The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell.
Your love will definitely have the longest-lasting impact.
All the best,
Karen
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Almost Like Weaving Outdoors
- By Karen
- May 15, 2018
- 8 Comments
I am practically outdoors in the middle of trees when I’m weaving. It’s refreshing to weave between corner windows. That’s how it is with the little loom at our Texas hill country home. I have windows beside my other looms, too. But this is different. Here, I have windows beside me and in front of me.
Corner windows for weaving pleasure. Color-and-weave plain weave placemats on the little loom.
Nature is resplendent with ornamentation and flourishes that influence my weaving. Colors, patterns, shading, and playful surprises. They work their way into my thinking and planning. Aren’t the Creator’s designs amazing?! So, to be surrounded by all that inspiration while weaving raises the enjoyment at the loom all the more.
Colors.
Patterns.
Shading.
Playful surprises.
Color – variation, pattern – color and weave, shading – two-pick stripes, playful surprise – offset warp stripes.
It is refreshing to experience the enjoyment of nature. We need that. Our minds need refreshing, too. Our minds can be freshened up. When we grow in the knowledge of God—who he is, what he is like, and what he wants—our minds are refreshed and renewed. It’s a breath of fresh air for our thinking. Like weaving out in the middle of the trees.
May you be refreshed.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
8 Comments
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Joyce Lowder says:
I am glad you see the wonders that Christ provides; they are reminders of His presence and you add to His creation when you weave with His inspirations! Thanks for sharing your faith from God! Happy weaving! Blessed weaving! 🙂
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Hi Joyce, I’m thankful the Lord gives us daily reminders of His nearness!
Blessings,
Karen
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Beth Mullins says:
Such beautiful inspiration! You are indeed fortunate.
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I enjoyed seeing the photos of nature through your eyes. It gave me a fresh perspective. As do your thoughts on our Heavenly Father. I always enjoy your posts and learn from them.
Do you move your loom from place to place, Karen?
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Hi Annie, This little loom stays in that spot by the corner windows. Steve built the loom for me specifically for our Texas hill country home, so I could have a loom to weave on when we go there. I have two other larger looms that stay in place in our Houston home.
Blessings,
Karen
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Thank you for including photos of Texas Hill country. It is beautiful and inspirational.
The triad of purple / orange / green blessed by God.
Thank you and may God continue to bless.
Nannette
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Hi Nannette, The purple / orange / green triad in nature always seems stunning to me! Texas hill country has many visual delights!
Blessings to you,
Karen
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Four-Shaft Tapestry Adventure
- By Karen
- May 1, 2018
- 7 Comments
Most of my preparation for this project has been separate from the loom itself. The loom is dressed and ready. That’s the easy part. The lion’s share of the work is in developing the cartoon. This project is my first four-shaft tapestry. My usual tapestry work is on a small portable tapestry frame. This is BIG in comparison. 93 centimeters (36 1/2 inches) in the reed.
Linen warp is tied on. Treadles are tied up. Sheds are clean. This Glimåkra Ideal is ready and waiting for the weaver.
After finding a subject for the tapestry, I have been drawing the cartoon and a cartoon key. And I have the yarn. Now, I am determining colors, distinguishing values, and arranging my yarn into a workable order. To tell the truth, the cartoon scares me. It shows me how grand a task I’ve signed up for. But there’s no turning back. I’m committed. (I will show you the cartoon when I’m further along…)
Wool, mostly 6/2 Tuna and 6/1 Fårö, with a few other wool yarns thrown in. These are some of the colors going into the planning of the cartoon.
Black and white photo helps distinguish between the different values of the yarn colors. Contrast in values help define the woven image.
The cartoon shows the intent of the tapestry designer. Likewise, heaven shows the Grand Weaver’s perfect plan. Heaven holds the true picture. Heaven and earth, two parallel realms. Jesus came to earth to bring us into that heavenly version of the tapestry. When we put our trust in him, our colorful threads in various hues and values are woven together in the grandest tapestry ever.
May you take a bigger step than you have before.
Courageously (with knees knocking),
Karen
7 Comments
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Betsy Greene says:
Oh wow. You really are in the deep end. Good for you!
I’m not so brave but I will live vicariously through you.
Betsy-
Hi Betsy, It’s a bold move, but if it works out this is going to be a terrific experience!
All the best,
Karen
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Good morning,
Now that Spring has become a verb in SE Wisconsin my weaving goes back one more seat while I try to undo the neglect of the yards here and NE Wisconsin. Yesterday I took out and re-wove ~ 10 rows of rosepath rag rug because I mis-read the pattern. Once done I realized this project is not as scary as I imagined it to be.
Today there is a quiet book to be put together for my granddaughter’s 1st birthday. And… once again I am delaying the work because I have not worked out the details of construction. We all know that in the end the quiet book will be completed and the tapestry will be completed and the rug will be completed and the maybe … just maybe this year I will be able to keep ahead of the weeds. But, boy oh boy… from this side of the project that does not seem possible.
May God bless both our hands with creativity and love.
Nannette -
Michele Dixon says:
I’m a tapestry weaver too. I’m quite interested in seeing what your 4 shaft piece turns into. I have a brand new Glimakra Standard, 4/6 so I am hoping, in the future, to expand my 2 shaft images to 4 shaft. I’ll be watching with great interest.
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Hi Michele, Congrats on your new Glimakra Standard! It’s exciting to try a new way to do tapestry. I’m glad to have you along!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Thank you, Karen. It’s such a pleasure to read your blog.
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Double Weave Throw – Take Two
- By Karen
- April 17, 2018
- 10 Comments
Nothing about the original draft is incorrect, but when I wrote it in pencil on my planning sheet, I transposed one. little. thing. The threading key. “X = plum; black square = other colors.” Exact opposite of what is written in the draft from The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell. (See When You Misread the Threading Draft, where I discover my dilemma.)
Blind to my own mistake, even as I double check my handwritten draft.
Thanks to Fiberworks weaving software I am working out a solution. I adjusted the tie-up, so the treadle tie-ups on the first, third, fifth, and seventh shafts trade places with the tie-ups on the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth shafts. It works. And now, the one little threading error that is clearly visible seems like a breeze to correct!
Tie-up adjustments bring the correct warp ends to the surface. Solid stripes of color are set to produce the desired design when woven.
One blue warp end stands out like a sore thumb. I’m glad to find this one threading error at this stage in the process.
There are times when my whole perspective needs an adjustment. It’s time for love. Love adjusts our view. At the heart level, love brings about changes in us. It re-sets our attention and motivations. Because God loved us, we can love, too. We don’t see, understand, or know everything now, which shows how incomplete we humans are. But the love that heaven knows is something we get to participate in here and now. Our cloth is far from perfected, but our love adjustments give us a glimpse of cloth from another realm.
May you make necessary adjustments.
Love,
Karen
10 Comments
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I admire your patience!
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Beautiful colors and beautiful reflections.
Thank you.
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Hi Linda, I expect the colors will really sing when we see the weft go across. Soon, I hope!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Hi Nannette, I’m so glad most things at the loom are fixable! I’m eager to see this progress, too!
All the best,
Karen
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Jill says:
Great lesson on working through frustration! Be still and know….
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Jill, There’s always room to grow. Things like this are only a catastrophe if we treat it like one.
Your quiet friend,
Karen
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I find that this type of mistake occurs now and then as I have gotten older. It appeared first in my typing, when I transpose the fingers from one hand to the other, like the i and the e. I just chuckle a little when it happens and move on. Now, I know to double check everything before I start to thread heddles. Thanks,
Joanne-
Hi Joanne, It’s funny how our eyes and hands can play tricks on us. You’re right, double check everything!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Copyright © 2019
Beautiful, Karen! Both sides are so eye-catching.
Hi Beth, It’s exciting to be so close to the end. I’m happy with how it’s coming.
Thanks so much!
Karen
Wow! Love the look of both sides!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could do a little sampling of our life choices before we jumped in and made them? Fortunately, our Heavenly Father did leave us a guide.
I hope you bring this to our WOW meeting this fall.
Hi Annie, That would be great if we could sample life choices that way. You’re right, we have a trustworthy guide!
I may not have the throw in my possession this fall since it’s a gift, but I’ll at least have the smaller piece.
Thanks for weighing in,
Karen
Love that fabric, Karen! Hope to get to see it at a WOW meeting. It’s lovely!
Hi D’Anne, I’ll for sure bring the lap blanket to a meeting. I’m enjoying these invigorating colors.
Thanks!
Karen
Beautiful. Wonderful craftsmanship.
I spent Sunday afternoon cutting out tote bags to be included in shoe box mission gifts at the Crivitz Presbyterian church. New friends were made near the weekend house. Someone donated heavy nylon advertisement banners to use. The layout of the bag produced unbelievable results not considered when looking at the original cast off banner.
While cutting out these bags, prayer. I pray to put the same craftsmanship into the gifts to people I do not know as I do to those near and dear to me.
The loom still sits while the summer explodes around me. Should I stay home this weekend and weave or transplant the volunteer raspberries in the lawn to the weekend house?
Keep doing God’s work.
Hi Nannette, Sounds like a very rewarding summer!
Thank you!
Karen