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.
What is the first thing I do when I have a new warp to put on the loom? Insert lease sticks. When I wind a warp on my warping reel, the ends follow an alternating over/under pattern between two pegs. This forms an “X” in the wound warp, and keeps the warp ends in sequential order. This “X” is called the lease cross, and I use lease sticks to secure it before proceeding. Hence, the lease sticks take first priority as I begin to dress the loom. Essentially, they hold the warp together.
New linen warp. As viewed from the front of the loom, two long sticks support the reed and lease sticks for pre-sleying the reed. The lease sticks are in front of the reed.As viewed from the back of the loom, the warp is under tension (from the warping trapeze). Lease sticks have been moved to position behind the beater.Warp ends are straightened and evened out behind the lease sticks.Reed is placed in the beater and centered.Lease sticks are moved forward, to just behind the beater. Ready to begin beaming the warp!
This Christmas, remember to keep Jesus first. Jesus, the humble king, was born to die on a cross that we may live. In Him all things hold together. Joy to the world!
Warp wound onto the back beam, as seen through the beater, only adds to the expectant delight. The new warp is tied on and the treadles are tied up. The next step is to wind a quill with linen thread to put in the ready boat shuttle! This is joyous anticipation for a handweaver.
Immanuel, God with us, Jesus Christ. He came to live among us. The one who came to save us lives among us. He delights in us, loves us, and rejoices over us. Imagine that! The Lord rejoices over you. The Grand Weaver delights in his creations. Why are we surprised?
Linen warp and linen weft is a recipe for elegance. The warp chain is a pleasant sight. It’s a signal that something is going to happen, that action is in the air, that a loom is about to be dressed!
When I see a linen warp chain, I anticipate an exciting project. It’s a picture of work to be done–beaming, threading, sleying, tying on, and tying up. And it’s a picture of fabric to be woven. Linen brings its own challenges, I know. Careful technique and mindful practices are a must. But I’m eager get started!
Advent. The word means “coming.” It’s the season we are in right now, leading up to Christmas. It signifies the world waiting for the coming of Christ. As a warp chain is a picture of anticipation and hope, so is Advent. And the coming of Jesus answers that hope. The story of Christmas is the story of God with us. Jesus, God with us still. A line from “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” an old carol written by Phillips Brooks, says it well, “O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!”
Through my exploration of Swedish weaving techniques, I have acquired several Swedish weaving books. Fortunately, I also found a Swedish-English weaving glossary with pages and pages of translated words. Looking up a word at a time, I slowly made my way through small portions of the books. And then I discovered Google Translate, an app for my iPhone!
Ever-expanding library of Swedish weaving books.
Google Translate allows me to type Swedish words or phrases, or try to speak them, and it gives me an English translation in return. The app also allows me to hold the phone’s camera over printed words, and the translation shows on the phone’s screen.
Multiple ways to enter text for translation. Translations give a general idea of the subject matter, even though some of the wording may be unclear.
I’m the first to admit that Google is unfamiliar with standard weaving terms, and the results can be humorous. “Varp” might be translated as “Puppy,” “Inslag” as “Element,” and “Sked” as “Spoon.” But “Warp,” “Weft,” and “Reed” are easy to understand because of their placement in the instructions. Shouldn’t Google brush up on vocabulary for handweavers? Overall, the Google Translate app is a useful tool for understanding the basics of a Swedish draft and instructions.
Book titles in Swedish, as seen through the iPhone camera in the Google Translate app.Through the app, the Swedish words are seen as translated into English.
Now, all I need are a few more Swedish weaving books!
Kit development for the plattväv towels is in full swing. I’m in the first stage–making a sample kit. Winding a warp with narrow stripes is a stop-and-go procedure, cutting and tying ends. My process is well structured, as it needs to be, to avoid mistakes. Knowing how to tie a good square knot is essential, too. This is not the time for slipping knots!
Winding the warp with five different colors (2 tubes each), and frequent color changes, is the most challenging part of the plattväv towels.Square knots will hold tight if tied properly.
As I write the instructions for this kit, the eventual towel-kit weaver is on my mind. Besides writing clear steps, I want to include special helps that put even an apprehensive weaver at ease. How can I help the weaver have a great experience? Weaving this sample kit will help me answer that question.
Plattväv towels in the making! Again.
Having structure and precision in the process of winding this warp makes me think of the value of truth. Truth matters because it keeps things from slipping that shouldn’t slip. Love matters, too. Love puts gentleness and understanding in the instructions. Love cares about the experience another person will have. Love and truth flourish together. Like a precisely pre-wound warp, and instructions written with care, truth and love are inseparable. Both are needed for life to be a gratifying experience.
