Tools Day: Tapestry Frame on Display

There is nothing that hinders cello practice more than a good old cello case. Out of sight; out of mind. Many years ago I discovered that if my cello sits out in the open on a cello stand in the corner of the room, I am much more likely to practice. The same is true of weaving on my tapestry frame. By hanging the tapestry frame in a corner of our living room, I have a continual reminder to weave. And we get to enjoy a living piece of artwork in the room–artwork that grows a little each day.

Tapestry diary of little houses.

Steve made this simple holder for my tapestry frame. The 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ (2 cm x 4 cm) pine has two dowels, and is fastened to the wall with countersunk screws. The holder practically disappears behind the tapestry that it puts on display.

Pine holder for small Freja tapestry frame.
Pine board has two dowels on which to set the tapestry frame.
Tapestry frame holder.
Accessibility is the secret to daily tapestry practice. To prevent the tapestry frame from being accidentally knocked off its holder, it is placed in a corner of the room that is not in a walkway.
Super simple tapestry frame holder.
Tapestry frame holder is attached to the wall with two countersunk screws.
Small tapestry diary of little houses.
Tapestry diary for July is a village of little houses.

May you have reminders to practice your art.

In progress,
Karen

Choosing Rag Rug Fabric is Like Song Writing

Choosing fabric for a rag rug reminds me of song writing. I like to start with a pretty melody. Add some harmony. Write a good accompaniment to finish the song. Be sure to include a good balance of harmony and dissonance to make the music exciting. That’s a good description of my thought process for selecting fabric for a rag rug design.

  1. Start with a melody–a fabric in the color(s) that you want to use in your design.
  2. Add harmony–one other fabric that compliments the first one.
  3. Write the accompaniment–with the chosen pair of fabrics on the table (or in the shopping cart at the fabric store), lay other fabrics beside them, one at a time. Select compatible colors that enhance the “melody” and “harmony.” Eliminate fabrics that “sing a different tune;” but don’t be afraid of unusual combinations. Some dissonance can work in your favor to add interest and excitement to the mix.

Here are a few examples of fabric combinations I am playing around with as I plan my next double binding rag rug design.

Fabric combinations for rag rug planning. Simple tutorial.
Starting with the blue fabric at the top, I added the bold multi-color print as harmony. The black acts as contrast. The two remaining pieces could be used as accents.
Choosing fabric for double binding rag rug.
Bold multicolor print takes the melody line, and the red batik adds harmony. Two more selections bring out the yellow-green and the reds and oranges in the melody piece.
How to select fabrics for weaving rag rugs.
Dark print with green as the base color is complemented with the reddish brown. Other fabrics are included to add contrast and interest.
Process for choosing rag rug fabrics. Short tutorial.
Summer print is enhanced with the harmonizing light pink. Dark pink in small portions makes a good contrast. White serves as a unifying backdrop. Two more prints, used sparingly, could be added for interest.

You can view my double binding rag rugs on Etsy to examine some of the fabric choices I have made for previous rugs.

Classic Check; Autumn Clouds; Improvisation; Woodland Walk; Black and Red SquaresForest at Dawn; Opportunity in Disguise; Painting Sunsets.

May you find a good balance of harmony and dissonance.

With a song in my heart,
Karen

Little Woven Houses

There is something warmly appealing about a little brick house with a pitched roof and a red front door. A house, treated properly, after all, is a home. With this month’s tapestry diary I am attempting simple little houses, one at a time. These whimsical dwellings could remind you of houses you’ve known, but my houses are made of wool

Start of small house small tapestry.
Tapestry diary for this month starts with a little house.

This first little tapestry home has a closed door. The sett is not fine enough for detail that could show an open door, but wouldn’t it be interesting to see what’s behind the front door of the tiny house? For most of us, there are at least a few things that we prefer to keep behind closed doors. We have embarrassing and disorderly things that we would rather not reveal.

Red door on a little brick house.
Red door on a brick house. What is going on inside?

Think of your heart as a house. Our words reveal what we keep behind closed doors. Most of the time we don’t mean for the words to escape, but they always do. The tongue delivers what is in the heart. The remedy is to keep the heart in order. And then we won’t mind opening the door.

May your house be a home.

With heart,
Karen

How I Got Started in Handweaving

In the early 1980’s Steve and I signed up for a pottery class at Johnson Atelier in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We still have the hand-built pitcher Steve made. The big thing that happened for me, though, besides figuring out that I am not a potter, was the rigid heddle weaving class across the hall. I signed up for that class, and lo and behold, I discovered I was a handweaver at heart! I found myself in an exhilarating new story; and I acquired my first loom–a 32″ Beka rigid heddle. Weaving became my means of creative expression. Now, several chapters (and a few more looms) later, I am still a happy handweaver. It’s part of who I am.

Small tapestry, mounted on linen, with frame made to fit. Karen Isenhower
Practice tapestry piece is mounted on linen. Steve made the frame to fit. The frame is leaning on the crackled raku pitcher Steve made in our pottery class so many years ago.

That is how I want my story to be written on the inside, too. Through a discovery that redirects my whole attention. Let a new story be written! A new creation starts on the inside and makes you a new person. The writer of this terrific new story is God, Himself, who makes everything new.

May you find yourself in a true story.

Happily Weaving,
Karen