Quiet Friday: Square Dots
- By Karen
- February 23, 2018
- 16 Comments
It was six weeks ago that I began winding the warp for these towels. The thread for my next Glimåkra Standard project is due to arrive tomorrow. Just like I like it—revolving door weaving. I have no doubt that this set of towels will become family favorites. They are a feast for the eyes, and a tactile delight for the hands. Seeing the color on the reverse side takes my breath away. This whole experience has been the weaving satisfaction that I’ve come to cherish!
Square Dot towels. Ten shafts, ten treadles. Two block five-shaft satin dräll. 8/2 cotton warp. Weft is 8/2 cotton and 22/2 cottolin, and 16/2 linen for the white stripes on the red towel.
I did face difficulties near the end of the warp. The shed started deteriorating with some of the shafts, but I was determined to finish off the last towel to its full length. That meant coaxing the low profile shuttle through for a few inches. Consequently, I did have more errant floats to repair than usual. But, isn’t it wonderful that we can fix just about anything in this weaving adventure?
End of warp. What I didn’t see at the loom is that one shaft in particular was not behaving. There were at least eight floats along that one warp end. After repairs and washing and pressing, the errors are barely noticeable.
I made a warp from thread on leftover quills to weave up some hanging tabs on my band loom for three of the towels. And I found a linen piece in my “band stash” that is perfect for the red and white towel.
Enjoy the slideshow that I made for you with details of the process.
May you weave some family favorites.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
16 Comments
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Quiet Friday: Linen Satin Dräll
- By Karen
- January 26, 2018
- 18 Comments
This is one of those weaving projects that puts you on top of the world. Everything about it. Linen, ten shafts, five-shaft satin weave, ten treadles, gorgeous Moberg damask shuttle, single-shuttle rhythm, full-body weaving, magical fabric. I did have more than my share of knots in the warp, and a few skipped threads and selvedge loops. But you will see no evidence of those glitches now. All you will see is the natural beauty of linen, with its characteristic unevenness. And the reflective satin dräll weave, with its light-catching trickery.
The warp is Bockens unbleached 16/2 line linen. Two of the towels use 16/1 golden bleached linen for the weft. At my husband’s request, the remaining three towels have 16/2 linen weft, in ecru. The thicker weft helps make these into robust absorbent handtowels. A table square finishes off the set.
Enjoy the process with me as I reminisce over the start-to-finish pleasure of weaving these towels.
May you find pleasure in what you do.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
18 Comments
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Beth Mullins says:
Exquisite, Karen!
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JAN says:
Nice finishing touch with hand woven hanging tab. Had you ever though of putting another one in the middle of the long edge so the towel can be hung on a hook above the sink?
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Hi JAN, I haven’t done that, but it’s a great idea. I would need to figure out how to attach it, since there is not a hem on the side. These tabs would be a little too thick to fold the ends under, but could certainly do that with tabs made with thinner threads. Have you done it?
Thanks,
Karen
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Janet says:
Beautiful towels and beautifully woven!
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Hi Janet, They were enjoyable to weave. I’m happy that you like them!
Thanks so much,
Karen
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Betsy says:
Wonderful towels! And I’m so impressed that your husband knows enough about yarn to recommend 16/2 over 16/1.
Your little bowl of pegs next to the treadles reminds me of my last project, huck placemats. I could remember the treadling, but not the 18 repeats. So I had a bowl like yours with 18 pegs, and after every repeat I moved one peg to another bowl. And every once in a while I’d crawl around the Julia counting the repeats in case I made a mistake, lol.
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Hi Betsy, Haha, I may have given the wrong impression about my husband. He specified thicker, less dainty towels, and I chose the appropriate size of linen.
What a great way to keep track of repeats. I’m going to remember that!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Nancy Nordquist says:
These are absolutely beautiful! Than you for sharing so many photos and details of the process.
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Hi Nancy, It’s a delight for me to get to share what I enjoy doing. Thank you for your kind compliment!
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Joanne Hall says:
Yes, this weave is magical and so fun to weave. And thank you for the beauticul photos. Did you use your phone to take these photos?
Joanne-
Hi Joanne, I feel so “at home” weaving something like this. It is satisfying and rewarding.
I use my iPhone 7 for all my photos. Steve has a very nice digital SLR camera, but I do best with the simple little iPhone. And it’s always in my pocket or on the table beside me. I take way too many pictures, and then I whittle them down to my very favorites to share here.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Barb says:
Beautiful design, beautifully woven. The joy & pleasure you have in weaving shows in every finished project. Each time you use these towels, you will be reminded of your enjoyment of the process of weaving. Thank you for sharing your talents and inspiring other weavers to find that joy!
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Hi Barb, Your thoughtful comments mean so much! If I can inspire another weaver to find a little more joy in this wonderful weaving process, that would be fantastic!
Part of the pleasure of having towels like this in my home is getting to see others enjoy the results, too.Thanks so much,
Karen
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Angela says:
Beautiful and inspirational!
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Gretchen says:
Love these Karen!! So simple and classic… and perfect! Beautiful.
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Hi Gretchen, Yes, certainly classic! There is something to be said for age-old designs.
All the best,
Karen
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Quiet Friday: Painting with Yarn and Animated Images
- By Karen
- September 22, 2017
- 12 Comments
I have often wished I had the skill of artistic drawing. How wonderful it would be to portray a slice of creation using pencil lines, or pastels, or with watercolors and a paintbrush. Instead, though, I’ve been delighted to find that I can “draw” and “paint” with threads and yarn. By capturing a slice of creation through my iPhone camera lens, the hard part has already been done. All I have to do is translate the photo into a woven image. And what a joy that is!
Here is a glimpse of my process of weaving the Texas hill country Cactus and Bluebonnets transparencies.
(Don’t miss the amazing animated images at the end of this post that my son, Daniel, made of these woven transparency projects!)
May you find joy in what you’ve been given to do.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
12 Comments
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Kerry Fagan says:
Wow, love the animations!! Clever son you have.
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Hi Kerry, Yes, my son is a clever guy. I’m very happy with what he did with the pictures!
Karen
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These are so wonderful. Cool animation! Would love to see how you have them displayed.
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Hi Beth, I’m still working on the placement and display of the transparencies. I’ll take a picture when I have them up.
Thanks!
Karen
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Angela Roberts says:
Very cool, what a talent you do have.
Truly Blessed-
Hi Angela, It’s a very rewarding experience to weave a transparency. Thanks for your sweet words.
Karen
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Such an inspiration that I’m going to be taking a transparencies class next spring. Can’t wait! Yours are so amazing and beautiful.
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Hi Betsy, I’m so excited for you! I am sure will enjoy that class, and find out how much fun it is to weave a transparency. It makes me very happy to think I could have a small part in nudging you in that direction.
Happy weaving,
Karen
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Maria says:
These are very impressive!! How did you get the pictures to shift like that!!
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Hi Maria, I sent photos to my son of the original photographs and the photos of the transparencies, and asked if he could morph one photo into the other. And he did the rest. Pretty cool!
Karen
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D'Anne Craft says:
Beautiful jobs, Karen & Daniel!
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Hi, D’Anne, Thanks so much. It is nice to have a techie son who is willing to help me out when I ask!
Karen
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Quiet Friday: Kuvikas to Taqueté and video
- By Karen
- May 26, 2017
- 6 Comments
The color is rich, the drape is fluid, and the pattern in the lustrous cloth is eye-catching. “Kuvikas to taqueté” was not an easy project. Eight shafts, double treadling, and double-bobbin shuttles with slick 8/2 Tencel weft. But the fabric is incredible!
Warp chain of 8/2 cotton hanging from warping reel.
Thanks to a unusual tie-up, two treadles are pressed simultaneously, something I had not thought possible for a countermarch loom. I started with kuvikas (summer and winter), which has tabby picks between the pattern picks. The dark teal 8/2 cotton tabby weft and the bright teal Tencel pattern weft produce a tone-on-tone effect for the square and stripe patterns. These two pieces will become the front and back of a throw pillow.
Kuvikas panel 1 complete. I always use red thread for a cutting line between pieces, so there is no accidental cutting in the wrong place.
I then changed the treadle tie-up to switch from kuvikas to taqueté. The taqueté has no tabby weft. The teal and cream Tencel weft threads lay back-to-back, producing a double-faced fabric. This piece is being used as a table runner.
Finished kuvikas glistens in the sunlight.
Enjoy the little slideshow video I made for you that follows the process from three lovely aquamarine warp chains to fabric glistening in the sun on a Texas hill country table.
May you finish something that is not easy.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
Do you remember my Handwoven Thick and Thin Towels (that appeared on the cover of Handwoven), and my Black and White Towels (These Sensational Towels)? I will be teaching a workshop on that thick and thin technique at Shoppes at Fleece ‘N Flax in beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas August 24 – 26, 2017. You’re welcome to join us! I’d love to see you there! Contact the shop at the number below if you are interested.
Our weaving classes for May, June and July are filled ( but you can sign up on a waiting list!) and we still have a few…
Posted by Shoppes at Fleece 'N Flax on Wednesday, May 10, 2017
6 Comments
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They’re all going to be beautiful, Karen!
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Martha says:
Karen, these towels are stunning. What an interesting technique.
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Martha, I agree. It is an interesting technique. It’s surprising what different tie-ups can produce.
All the best,
Karen
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Shari says:
Beautiful video and great toe tapping music to go along with it! Love your work!
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Quiet Friday: Cartoon House Cartoon
- By Karen
- January 27, 2017
- 6 Comments
The fascinating thing about weaving a transparency is that it feels like color-by-number with yarn. There are similarities to tapestry weaving, for sure. But this seems ten times faster. I found it to be engaging and fun! I echo what my transparency-weaving friend says when it’s time to stop and do something else, “Just one more row…”
Warp chain of 16/2 golden bleached linen, before beaming the warp.
Threading heddles in my little playhouse, with project notes by my side, and a cup of coffee on the side cart.
Leveling string is added with extra care so that abrasion of the linen warp is kept to a minimum.
Butterflies are made from the hefty cotton chenille yarn.
Cartoon has been added. The pattern weft follows the lines drawn on the buckram cartoon, which is pinned in place.
Cartoon is removed.
Now, for the end of the warp…
After the main transparency with the zigzags, I had room to play on the remaining warp. I made another cartoon–a “cartoon” house. This gave me a chance to use a few more yarn butterflies, without it being overwhelming. Home. Sweet. Home.
“Cartoon” house cartoon. Ready for playtime at the end of the warp.
With several butterflies going at once, the transparency weaving gets even more interesting!
Now, the actual end of the warp is here.
Cartoon house just off the loom.
Welcome home! Home. Sweet. Home.
May you enjoy the fascination of learning something new.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
6 Comments
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I love these, Karen! You are truly one of the most inspiring weavers out there!
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Dear Beth, It fills me with joy to be able to share what I love to do with friends like you. I’m grateful that something I do can inspire others. Your work has certainly inspired me, as well!
Best to you,
Karen
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Sandy says:
Thank you for sharing your new thing. My guild friends & I will be attending the Mid Atlantic Fiber Arts (MAFA) conference this summer, my friends are taking the workshop “Weaving aTransparency” with Bobbie Irwin. I’m so excited for them! I never heard of weaving transparencies before, you’ve given us a cool demonstration to build our anticipation of the MAFA workshops.
Looking forward to learning something new in July at MAFA 2017-
Hi Sandy, How exciting! I just looked at the MAFA workshop choices. Wow, you have some terrific options! It would be hard to choose. Bobbie Irwin’s class looks great. I think you and your friends are going to have a fabulous time!
All the best,
Karen
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I haven’t done a transparency in years – these are wonderful. I’ve so enjoyed seeing your work in progress. You’re making me want to think about a transparency in the not too distant future.
And for Sandy who commented above, many years ago my guild brought Bobbie Irwin to teach the transparency workshop – it was the most fun. I went home and tried it using fishing line – a challenge but neat end result.
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Hi, Cindie, I know I’ll be doing this again in the near future. I hope you do, too. We can compare notes!
Fishing line!? Now, that’s very interesting! I’d like to see that.Karen
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Copyright © 2018
Oh, these are lovely! Both sides!
Hi Beth, Thanks! I’m pleased with how they turned out. I’m looking forward to putting them into use!
Karen
Karen, these are beautiful! Your color choices are wonderful.
Does your pattern have a balanced tie-up? I’m ready to try a ten shaft pattern on my ten shaft counterbalance loom, but it would have to be a balanced tie-up in order for me to use the dräll pulleys. Is the pattern readily available? Where would I look?
I enjoy reading your blog posts.
Jenny B
Hi Jenny, Thank you! Managing color choices is one of the things I enjoy most in my weaving space, so I really appreciate your compliment.
You can find this draft in The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell, p.172 (mine is “Sample 8”).
Joanne Hall tells me that it is possible to tie up the two block satin with a counterbalance tie-up. The tie-up on countermarch is a little easier than a counterbalance tie-up, but she has seen weavers able to weave this very fast on a counterbalance loom.
I’ll be interested in hearing if you try it.
Happy weaving,
Karen
I have the book. I’m excited to give this pattern a try. It has so many possibilities. My loom has been empty for over a month due to lack of inspiration and other life problems getting in the way. Hopefully I can get something on Julie in a few days.
Hopefully you won’t mind if some of mine end up similar to yours. I think it was the colors that attracted me to the weave first, and then seeing the reverse side made me love them even more.
Thanks for steering me to the pattern.
Jenny B
Hi Jenny, I would be thrilled to pieces and honored if you chose to weave something similar to mine! Oh I do hope your inspiration at the loom returns quickly, and that some of the weight you carry is lifted.
The reverse side is amazing!
In case it helps, here are the colors I used: (All Bockens)
Warp – 8/2 cotton #471 lt red (it’s coral to me)
Weft –
1. 8/2 cotton #557 slate with band of 22/2 cottolin #2003 silver
2. 8/2 cotton #470 beige with band of 22/2 cottolin #2004 gray
3. cottolin #2080 red with band of 16/2 linen #0005 golden bleached
4. cottolin #2017 rust with band of 8/2 cotton #470 beige (This one has the least contrast, and it is also my favorite.)
Very happy weaving to you,
Karen
They are just lovely! I look forward to seeing your next project.
Kay
Hi Kay, It won’t be long before you see my next project! I’m pretty excited about it…as always. 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words!
All the best,
Karen
That was a great slide show. And yes, the two block satin is such a beautiful weave. And your colors are so nice. Thanks for taking the time to share what you are weaving.
Joanne
Hi Joanne, I appreciate your thoughtful words. That means so much to me! I’m accumulating a long list of things that I want to do more of, and this two block satin weave is one of them.
All the best,
Karen
Oh Karen, I love these, my favorite color! Thanks for the slide show, it’s fun to see your whole process!!
Hi Liberty, you have good taste in color! It was fun to put the slideshow together. I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Happy weaving,
Karen
Such beautiful work AGAIN! You are an inspiration and offer such an open and positive approach to fixing weaving issues. I recently finished an M’s and O’s table cloth with many floats over the last couple of inches of weaving due to a decreasing shed. Like you I was determined to have the whole length of that cloth. I thought I’d fixed all the floats but keep finding them as I use the cloth. Enjoy your new favorites.
Hi Ruth, Oh I have floats in cloth that I use, too. They do like to hide when we have that needle out. Haha! But really, it’s a mark of distinction because it proves our fabric is handmade.
Your kind words are a sweet encouragement to me. Thank you so much!
Happy weaving,
Karen
I’m new to weaving and discovered your blog. It has been very helpful. Thank you for all the good information especially your glossary. But what I have found most wonderful are the words of hope and encouragement to trust in our Lord. I really needed that right now. Blessings to you, Karen.
Hi Angela, Welcome! It’s so good to have you here. I appreciate your kind words. You are my encouragement today!
Blessings,
Karen