Author: Karen

Handweaver and 'cellist, married to Prince Charming, mother of three superheros and three superhero-in-loves, and Lola to nine little princes and princesses. Life is a handwoven treasure, filled with hidden melodies.

The Rosepath Warp

Karen

This Swedish rosepath is a weft-faced structure, which means the warp is covered by the weft. (To see more of what I wove during my week at Vävstuga Classics, click HERE and HERE.) Yes, you can see this linen warp preceding and following the woven wool weft, but if you look at just the patterned area, the warp is not visible. The treadling is simple (weaving on opposites); and because of many possibilities with pattern and color, designing at the loom is incredibly fun! Do you ever think about the warp that lies under the pattern and color of your life?

Rosepath on Opposites at Vävstuga.
Warp is 16/3 Line Linen (Bockens) and weft is Brage Wool Yarn (Borgs). Treadle one is paired with treadle three, and treadle two is paired with treadle four. This simple treadling, combined with color choices, provides endless design possibilities.

At times I find myself so involved in my day-to-day activities that I only think about what needs to get done, forgetting the unseen warp that provides the inner strength I need.

Swedish Rosepath on the loom at Vävstuga.
Inspired by New England’s autumn foliage, this piece is an attempt to capture the glory on display in creation.

Our creator’s goodness is so constant we can overlook it, forgetting how much we need his goodness to sustain our lives. And it is his unending love that gives meaning and stability to the overlaying patterns and colors that form our days. You do not have to see the warp with your eyes to know it is hidden within the beautiful rosepath weaving. The scenic autumn New England countryside that I enjoyed last week is the creator’s rosepath on display!

(Next week: You don’t want to miss my exclusive conversation with Becky Ashenden, the delightful master weaver of Vävstuga.)

May you discover hidden things worth discovering.

Having fun with rosepath,
Karen

More Weaving at Vävstuga

Karen

Scheduled days filled with laughter, intense concentration, the pounding sounds of a roomful of weaving looms hard at work, aromas of incredible meals being prepared, camaraderie, tips and tricks from a master weaver, satisfying exhaustion after a full day of learning and weaving. That’s what Vävstuga is like. I am enjoying every minute of it.

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May you find something delightful to make with your hands.

Having fun,
Karen

Weaving at Vävstuga

Karen

I am in Massachusetts this week for Vävstuga Classics–a weaving class. It is a beautiful time of year to be in New England. The foliage is making a show in brilliant colors–a perfect backdrop to inspire weaving. In this class we are studying in depth several classic weave structures commonly found in traditional Swedish handwoven textiles. Old and new friends, common interests, great conversations, a superb teacher. I couldn’t ask for more.

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May you enjoy the scenery around you.

Happy weaving,
Karen

It Is What It Is

Karen

A closer sett (30 epi instead of 24 epi) would have produced a firmer fabric, more suitable for bag-making. But, as Steve would say,

It is what it is.

I did make one very pretty bag, lined with blue satin. But because of the airy weave, I was not enthused about making three more bags. The fabric itself is stunning; it’s just not bag fabric. When things do not turn out the way we envision, it feels confusing and unsettling.

Handwoven linen and beads fancy bag and iridescent wrap.
Two-toned beaded linen wrap and beaded linen bag. The fabric is woven with 16/1 linen, warp and weft, in a traditional Swedish three-treadle weave structure.

I invested much time, attention, and resources into this unique iridescent cloth that has little glass beads woven into it (click HERE to see it on the loom)… Now what? In my unsettled thoughts I struggled to find a good solution.

And then…In a playful moment, I threw the cloth over my shoulders and looked in the mirror. Ahhh, pretty! Then I wrapped it around my neck like a scarf. Ohhh, nice! Being 100% linen, it is a little stiff, but putting it through the gentle cycle of the washer has softened it. Wearing it will soften it even more.

In times of uncertainty, we may think we missed the creator’s plan. Be on the lookout, though, for his nearness. The part of the plan that we do not see until we are smack dab in the middle of it is the part where his nearness is revealed.

May you find solutions to your biggest challenges.

Creatively speaking,
Karen

Tools Day: Swift and Winder

Karen

When yarn comes on tubes or cones I can use it as is for weaving, but when the yarn comes in skeins I need to do some prep before I can use it for weaving. (HERE is how these skeins looked when I got them.) I use my Beka Yarn Swift and Royal Ball Winder to convert skeins of yarn into balls that I can use for winding my next warp. Most of my weaving friends use an umbrella yarn swift, but I like my Beka swift that I have had for thirty years. (If I do get an umbrella swift someday, I will get one like THIS.)

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Weaving tools: Yarn Swift and Ball Winder

How to place skein of yarn on swift and wind into a ball.
Yarn swift on the white table turns quietly and effortlessly as the yarn is wound onto the ball winder clamped to a wooden barstool placed near the table.

How to use a yarn swift and ball winder:

  1. Carefully open out the skein of yarn, and notice how it is tied.
  2. Place your two arms through the center of the ring of yarn. Sharply pull your arms apart, so the skein is fully outstretched. Turn the circle of yarn about a half-turn, and sharply pull your arms apart again. This will help even out the skein and make it unwind smoothly.
  3. Carefully place the opened skein over the yarn swift.
  4. Loosen or clip the threads (often tied in a figure-eight) that are tied around the skein; be sure to hold onto the two loose ends of the skein, the beginning and end tails.
  5. Take the beginning tail and feed it to the ball winder.
  6. Turn the ball winder handle with one hand, and allow the yarn to loosely glide through your other hand to help maintain an even tension as you wind.
  7. When all the yarn has been wound onto the ball winder, remove ball of yarn by carefully pulling it up and off. (If you want a center-pull ball, which I don’t, be sure to grasp the beginning tail so it is not lost inside the ball.)
  8. Neatly wrap the outer end around the outside of the ball so it is ready to be used.
Winding a ball of yarn from a yarn swift - how to.
If it weren’t for these tools, I would need a very patient helper to hold the skein of yarn between their hands just so, while I would take the end and gradually wind the yarn into a ball. I’m thankful for tools! (Steve is, too.)

Wisdom tools: Work and Thinking Ahead

Work means doing what needs to be done. If I’m a slacker about winding skeins into balls, I’ll have nothing to weave, and no woven handiwork to show.

65% Alpaca 35% Tencel yarn
Ready to wind the warp for the next project on my Glimåkra Standard–an alpaca-tencel shawl with a lace weave.

Solomon had this to say –

The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

What about other areas in life? What needs to be done now to ensure fruit in the next season?

May your harvest exceed your expectations.

Lovingly,
Karen