Karen – Page 160 – Warped for Good

Vintage Swedish Loom: Never Too Old

June 21, 2013June 20, 2013 Karen

This old loom has been taken apart and put back together with all new horizontal pieces. Not a refurbishing, per se, but a new edition of a vintage model. My genius husband has refashioned an old 36-inch Glimåkra Ideal loom, down to 27 inches. It is still ~~an old~~ a vintage loom, but Swedish looms are built to last; and this little pieced-together handiwork will surely outlast me.

Glimakra Ideal with Swedish rag rug — First project on newly re-sized loom. Rag rug in progress, using cotton print fabrics. (Click picture to enlarge)

We humans have a lifespan, and at some point we start falling apart little by little. An ache here, a memory lapse there, and before you know it, we see the end of the warp coming over the back beam. How will we retain our value when we are all used up and worn out?

Our worth originates in the hands of the one who made us, not in our usefulness and ability. Our master weaver will never set us aside or abandon us when we finally become threadbare. In fact, he goes out of his way to notice those who are forgotten by everyone else. You will always be a special someone to your maker.

May you carry your years with elegance and grace.

Handwoven,
Karen

Keep it Simple Sweetie

June 18, 2013June 17, 2013 Karen

A simple solution for keeping the guide string out of the way when winding a warp: Eliminate the guide string! Okay, use a guide string, but not while measuring the warp. After I select the appropriate length guide string, I line it up on the warping reel. And then — this is the simple part — I place a little piece of blue tape (fold under one edge for easy removal) on the inside of each vertical post at the spot where the guide string passes. Remove the guide string and wind the warp, following the little blue tape markers! Simple.

Rag rug warp for Glimakra Ideal loom. Read about simple solution to eliminate guide string. — New rag rug warp for little Glimakra Ideal loom. Little pieces of blue tape mark the winding path for the warp.

It is easy to complicate things. In my efforts to simplify, I occasionaly reach an impasse by trying too hard to get the perfect solution, and lose sight of the main thing.

Talking with our creator is one of the simplest things we can do. When we get caught up with trying to say the right words, we can make it so complicated that we totally miss having the conversation. Simply saying what is on your heart touches our creator. And I’m convinced he bends down to listen …just like a father.

May you find simple words to express your heart.

Simply,
Karen

Weaving Windows of Time

June 14, 2013June 13, 2013 Karen

The 8/2 cotton threads are doubled, and form an outline around the delicate 20/2 cotton threads, creating this Swedish lace. I see the 8/2 outline as a window frame around panes of glass. A repeating geometric pattern like this is a visual impression of the cycles that form our backdrop for life. The sun rises and sets; seasons follow their sequence; years come and go. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Handwoven Swedish lace using double bobbin shuttle — By using a double bobbin shuttle, the thicker outline threads are placed in the shed together without twisting.

Life hands us constant changes, but one thing we can always expect is a new day. We have been given a lifetime of tomorrows. Even when we are not able to see the sun because of clouds, the sun still rises.

In that consistency of tomorrow, no matter what the present day offers, there is a knowing that runs deep in every soul. In moments of solitude we feel it: The creator loves me. No matter what. New every morning.

May your soul be refreshed today and tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on…

Lovingly,
Karen

This Is What Makes You Beautiful

June 11, 2013June 10, 2013 Karen

A piece of woven sampling becomes a purse. I started creating this little purse months ago, but got frustrated in my design-as-you-go process and put it back in the box.

Twill pattern cottolin towel warp — Sampling at the beginning of the warp, trying out different weft colors and treadling patterns. Most of this warp was made into kitchen towels.

Determined to find solutions, last week I brought the unfinished project back out. After redesigning, ripping out, adding, and sewing… Voila! A finished purse! Finding wisdom is like searching for a solution to something you feel like giving up on. When you press through with determination, though, breakthrough comes.

Handwoven purse being created — Trying out options for adding a zipper inside the purse. Also adding a strap I wove on the band loom.

Beauty is only skin deep. Really? If it is only surface, do you still call it beauty? The outside of a person makes a first impression, but it is the inner person that leaves a lasting impact. What good is a purse that is nice only on the outside? A great purse should make you say, ooh, ahh… when you peer inside.

Inside of handwoven bag — Lined, inner divider with complimentary fabrics, zipper with braided zipper pull, and matching woven strap finishes the bag.

Wisdom that guides everyday decisions creates beauty inside and out. Wisdom must be sought out. Like digging for buried treasure, it is worth the struggle. Wisdom brings extraordinary value to your thoughts, words, and actions; and then presents you as the beauty you were created to be.

Handwoven cottolin purse — One-of-a-kind small handwoven bag, woven and designed with gentle persistence. Handwoven Fabric: Cotton/Linen blend; Lining: Cotton

May wisdom guide all your decisions.

Searching for buried treasure,
Karen

The One Thing You Cannot Control

June 7, 2013June 6, 2013 Karen

Pick after pick, the weaving continues. We won’t see the effect of this Swedish lace weave until it is off the loom and gently washed. That is when the lace magic happens. (See Laura Fry’s expert advice, such as this post, about wet finishing.) In the meantime, I keep throwing the shuttle, expecting a good outcome. Life is pick after pick, too. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, much less, next year. But we optimists do hope for the best.

Handwoven Swedish Lace on the loom — Swedish lace forms where the weft crosses these open spaces in the warp.

The future is unknown and uncertain, even in the best of times. And insecurity is that much greater when facing difficult circumstances. When I try to figure it all out, or attempt to manage everything, I realize how little I am actually able to control.

The great paradox is that when I give up my control to the one who created me, I gain everythng that matters. A few years ago I met James, a wise old stranger (an angel in disguise?) on a flight to Kansas City. James told me his approach to life. His words were a gift I still cherish today. He said, I don’t know what the future holds; but I put my life in the hands of the one who does.

May your pick after pick yield beautiful results.

Still weaving,
Karen