What if you finish tying up the loom, eight shafts and eight treadles, having beamed, threaded, and sleyed 2,064 ends, and the first thing you see when you step on the treadles is… that you misunderstood the threading draft? Do you undo everything and re-thread? Not likely, if it took you eleven-and-a-half hours to do the threading in the first place. I am taking a deep breath. Time to walk away and think. Maybe I can adjust the tie-up, or maybe I can use it as is—a serendipitous design. Should I laugh or cry? My idea to serve my loved ones with handwoven gifts (See Weaving a Gift) is getting off to a rough start.
Serve. I want to offer my best, especially when I’m making a gift for someone dear to me. It helps to look beyond the person, though, and realize my true service is to the Lord. Heart, soul, mind, and hands. I bring my misunderstandings and missteps of the heart to my Master Weaver, who has taken it on himself to make things right. And I’m reminded that as I serve someone with my weaving hands, the true gift is love. This double weave throw will be a reminder of that.
May you recover from your mistakes.
Humbly,
Karen
UPDATE: I have had a chance to put the draft on Fiberworks weaving software and work with it to adjust the tie-up. I think I found a solution. Stay tuned!
Karen
Thank you for your words of encouragement on weaving and on life. It is true about the mis-steps we make. It is also true how Jesus is always willing to help us through these times.
Joann
Hi Joann, Yes, our Lord is always ready to help us. That’s a comfort.
Blessings,
Karen
Good morning Karen,
My son has gifts in the kitchen second to none. His food on the buffet always wows and amaze. The ONE cake we all remember and recount with much love is the tender, chocolate layer cake that fell apart in the refrigerator before it was served. He scraped the pieces into a large mixing bowl and served it in a bowl with ice cream. It was not his plan for the cake, but it was more memorable than had it been served exactly as he planned it.
God amazes me by how things do not always turn out exactly as planned. Often they turn out better after the dust (or chocolate) clears.
Nannette
Hi Nannette, So true! When I looked at the mis-threaded version on my software, it did look interesting. Even more so, the back side of the fabric is very pretty. I haven’t quite decided whether to correct my error by changing the tie-up, or not. Or maybe settle with a version that is a combination of the two.
Thanks for sharing your story. Our family has a similar fond memory with a cake my mother-in-law made. It became known as “Flop Cake,” and has been intentionally repeated as a favorite.
All the best,
Karen
Oh Karen, what a blow! But how quickly you are recovering and you didn’t take the scissors to your project showing wonderful restraint. This throw when finished will have good memories and an important story to tell. I’m looking forward to seeing your progress and learning of the changes you make. Onward with prayerful consideration.
Hi Ruth, Yes, it is a blow when you are excited about throwing the shuttle, and you get stopped in your tracks. But no, taking scissors to it never crossed my mind. One thing I enjoy about weaving is that there are always solutions! It may not come out as planned, but there is a way around this obstacle. That I know.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words!
All the best,
Karen