quiet Friday – Page 11 – Warped for Good

Quiet Friday: Making Rya Knots

March 28, 2014July 21, 2014 Karen

One at a time. Like anything else, you do get faster as you get the hang of it. I select and arrange the colors for the upcoming row, and then I settle into a rhythm. With my right foot pressing the treadle, I use both hands to manipulate both the raised warp ends and the loose wool strands. It is a relaxing and satisfying trek from the right-hand side of the warp to the left, one rya knot at a time.

I am letting the pictures speak for themselves. I forgot to take a picture of the completed rya knot pillow top square while it was still in view on top, so you get to crawl under the breast beam with me at the end to see it from underneath.

May you enjoy taking your sweet time.

Little by little,
Karen

Other popular Quiet Friday posts you may like:

Quiet Friday: Warping Trapeze

Quiet Friday: Rag Rugs

Quiet Friday: Cutest Loom Ever

Quiet Friday: Warping Trapeze

February 28, 2014February 27, 2014 Karen

When I was a girl I dreamed of being a flying trapeze artist. No fooling! I practiced stunts on our backyard swingset, including hanging from my toes. I grew out of that. My new stunt now, is with a different kind of trapeze. A warping trapeze. (Some people call it a warping valet, but let’s call it a trapeze, okay?)

The warping trapeze is used for beaming the warp. The warp comes over the breast beam, under the foot beam, and then over the cross bar of the trapeze. I use two-pound walking weights and S-hooks to weight the warp bouts, since the warp needs to be under sufficient tension as it is wound onto the warp beam. The warping trapeze makes it easy to single-handedly beam a warp with even tension.

Warping trapeze set up for beaming the warp. — Warping Trapeze: Two tall boards set into place just inside the sides of the loom, angled at the base, between the cloth beam and the breast beam. I clamp them on the sides for extra security. The top piece slips into a cut-out opening at the top of the side boards. Reed will be moved to the beater before beaming.

Walking weights are used to weight the warp bouts for beaming the warp. — Two-pound walking weights are perfect for hanging from S-hooks to weight the warp bouts. I can easily increase the amount of weight by adding more walking weights, as needed. For a longer warp, I tie a piece of texsolv cord in a slip knot around the warp bout, and hang the S-hooks and weights on that cord, moving it down as the warp is wound on.

Warping trapeze explained. Karen Isenhower — The trapeze is ready, with the warp weighted. Next steps: Remove the support sticks; move the lease sticks to behind the reed; straighten warp ends; place reed in the beater; slide lease sticks toward the reed. Okay, go! Wind the warp onto the beam.

(Did you notice Becky Ashenden’s flippy book, Dress Your Loom the Vävstuga Way: A Bench-Side Photo Guide on my cart? I still like to follow her step-by-step instructions to make sure I’m not missing anything.)

Enjoy this little time-lapse video I created of myself dressing the loom using the warping trapeze. (You will not see me hanging from my toes.)

I fly through the air with the greatest of ease, my threads all in place with the warping trapeze…

Thank you to Becky Ashenden for introducing me to a warping trapeze at Vävstuga Weaving School.
Many thanks to my talented husband for creating my very own warping trapeze. He’s the best!

May you come up with fantastic new stunts.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Christmas Textiles

December 27, 2013October 9, 2014 Karen

Grateful for a few quiet days before the new year begins, I reflect on the trials and treasures from 2013 and wonder what 2014 will bring. I encourage you to take time to ponder. If you weave some quiet into your schedule you will hear things you’ve never heard before. You will see things you have never noticed. You will love more because you won’t always be at your frazzled end. Even when the world around you is full of noise, you can be quiet on the inside.

Weaving and pondering go well together. All the more reason to weave.

Handwoven mohair throw for softness under the Christmas tree. — Mohair throw, woven in hound’s tooth twill, creates a soft setting under the Christmas tree.

Handwoven cotton towel from The Philippines. — Traditional Filipino cotton towel used as decorative cloth on a side table.

Handwoven design, unique to the Philippines, holds vintage Santa display. — Well-worn and well-used stacking Santas adorn the colorful cloth. The unique Filipino handwoven design of this cloth brings special Christmas cheer to the front room in our home.

Rosepath rag rug and gingerbread boy and girls. — With another Christmas rolled up, gingerbread boy and girls rest on the rosepath rag rug.

May your new year bring dreams come true.

Quietly,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Family, Food, and Fabric

November 29, 2013November 28, 2013 Karen

Thanksgiving. What is a family gathering without food? We have our traditions, like turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pie. We also have some recently discovered favorites, like pomegranate seeds and pecan pie. Even for a reluctant cook like me, the hustle and bustle of preparing the Thanksgiving meal with more-than-usual pairs of hands in the kitchen is heart-warming. Making memories with love is a thread that weaves the fabric of our family together. I am grateful.

Steaming dinner rolls wrapped in handwoven cotton towel. Simple plain weave takes on elegance in this color-and-weave effect using thick and thin threads. — Steaming dinner rolls, just out of the oven, are wrapped in a handwoven cotton towel. Thanks to my daughter, Melody, and her cooking timeline, we knew just when to put the rolls in the oven. The towel is simple plain weave that takes on elegance in this color-and-weave effect using thick and thin threads.

Turned rosepath ribbon and classic point twill hand towel for serving pomegranate seeds. — Antique family bowl with pomegranate seeds, on classic cottolin hand towel in point twill, with turned rosepath ribbon at the side.

Eight shaft two block twill Tencel scarf sets off the perfect brined and roasted turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. — Brined and Roasted Turkey, prepared by my daughter-in-law, Lindsay, was one of the best we have ever eaten. Eight-shaft two block twill Tencel scarf completes the presentation.

Decorative band woven on band loom, reinforced weft table runner, and Frozen Cranberry Salad - on our festive table! — Decorative band woven on my band loom playfully dresses up the reinforced weft table runner, which is made with narrow strips of cotton fabric for weft. Frozen Cranberry Salad is a traditional favorite for our family.

Handwoven eight-shaft two block twill cloth holds special Pecan Pie with braided-edged crust. Perfect finale for Thanksgiving dinner. — My other daughter-in-law, Marie, created the braided edge for this pecan pie. Superb! The eight-shaft two block twill cloth matches the Roman shades that hang from my kitchen door, made from the same warp.

May you make memories that feed your soul.

Happy Giving Thanks Day,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Just a Little More Yarn, Please

October 25, 2013October 23, 2013 Karen

Cotton, linen, wool. Thick, thin, slick, rough, smooth, bumpy. Yarn comes in so many shapes and sizes. But, oh, it’s the colors that draw me in. I love a wall of yarn! I don’t need to have it all, I just want to look at it. Thread on tubes looks spectacular, piled up in cubbies. Yarn in skeins looks inviting. Yarn, thread, fiber… Whatever you want to call it, may I have just a little more, please?

Wall of Thread at Vävstuga! — I love the circles of colors and the “O’s” of the tubes! It’s as if they all have their little mouths open.

Working with colors at Vävstuga. — Class time at Vävstuga often means playing with colors.

Tubes of Linen Thread at Vävstuga. — Decisions, decisions… Which linen color would **you** choose?

Dahlia on the Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne, MA — Dahlia on the Bridge of Flowers, just outside the Vävstuga weaving studio.

Wall of Thread at Vävstuga! Isn't it pretty? — Cotton, anyone? This is a fun wall of color! It is the backdrop to the table where we wind our quills at Vävstuga.

Bridge of Flowers at Shelburne Falls, MA — Another Dahlia that caught my attention! I like the raggedy edges. Imagine blending yarn in these colors.

Skeins of Wool at Vävstuga — Yarn on skeins will be wound into balls to be prepared for weaving.

More Thread Tubes at Vävstuga! — What can I say? I never get tired of seeing the thread color circles!

Please come back next week for the lively conversation I had with Swedish weaving expert and founder of Vävstuga Weaving School, Becky Ashenden, in her living room. Find out what makes her tick!

May your days be filled with color!

Just a little more yarn, pretty please,

Karen