quiet Friday – Page 9 – Warped for Good

Quiet Friday: Wool Blanket Finishing

January 23, 2015January 22, 2015 Karen

As wonderful as it is to weave two wool double width blankets, the truth is, they are not finished until they are finished. The thrill of completion comes when you finally sew your “Handwoven by” label on the woven accomplishment. But, for me, just as great is the joy of sharing what I made, and how I made it, with friends like you.

I have divided the finishing process for this blanket into four segments. Steve and I created little videos to take you along with me through each step.

You saw the first video, Twisting Fringe on the Loom in Colorful Cozy Blanket and a Video

Very end of the warp. — Woven as far as possible, and then cut off. Careful planning is needed to be able to weave the header following the 25cm of warp that is kept empty for twisting the fringes.

The next video segment covers everything that happens before wet finishing.

Woven wool blanket ready for wet finishing. — Woven blanket ready for wet finishing.

Please return next week to continue the Wool Blanket Finishing video series with me. The two remaining segments are about wet finishing and final finishing.

May you enjoy the thrill of completion.

Happy weaving,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Double-Width Blanket Progress

December 26, 2014December 24, 2014 Karen

Do you ever feel like you are just not making progress? Stopping bad habits and starting good ones can feel like that. Or, what about that craft project you meant to finish before Thanksgiving? The loom is one place where progress is visible. You can’t fool yourself; the cloth beam shows you how far you have progressed. I find it encouraging to see the fabric that has been woven. What starts with an idea shows up as cloth.

Blanket idea with eleven colors of wool. — It all started with an idea and eleven colors of wool.

As we settle into the very end of this year, we know that time keeps rolling on. The warp keeps advancing. This is a great time to look at the cloth beam of our life and see the progress. Like this blanket, much has been accomplished, but there’s more work ahead before it is time to cut it from the loom.

Bottom layer of double weave blanket is spread on the loom. — Bottom layer is spread on the loom.

Upper layer of double weave is spread on the loom. — Upper layer is spread on the loom; and the two layers are combined on the back tie-on bar. Two sets of lease sticks keep all the ends in order.

Beaming on double weave blanket with warping trapeze. — Beaming on two warps at once. After removing the choke ties, I beamed on with the warping trapeze, slowly and carefully. I stopped every few inches to check everything, to make sure nothing was getting hung up anywhere.

Threading heddles for multi-color wool blanket. — Threading heddles.

Sampling helps determine optimum weft colors. — Sampling helps determine weft colors, as well as checking the sett and weft density.

Warp ends ready to tie onto front tie-on bar. — Sample is cut off and warp ends are tied in bundles, ready to re-tie to front tie-on bar.

Wool Blanket sample piece after wet finishing and brushing. — Sample piece, after wet finishing, air drying, and brushing.

Fringe, twisted on the loom, at the beginning of the wool blanket. Follow progress. — Fringe, twisted on the loom, goes over the breast beam as the body of the blanket is being woven.

Pics show double weave blanket progress on the loom. — Progress is revealed. The beginning blanket fringe has reached the cloth beam! The fold edge of the blanket is in view.

Dusk dims, yet enriches, the colors. Karen Isenhower — Dusk dims the colors, yet enriches them at the same time.

Hand-carved Nativity on handwoven bound rosepath. The Isenhowers. — Glad-hearted Christmas to all! The camel is this year’s new figure in the hand-carved Nativity by Steve Isenhower. Bound rosepath provides the backdrop.

May you enjoy reflecting on the progress you have made this year.

Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Blanket Sample Thanksgiving

November 28, 2014November 27, 2014 Karen

This warp for the double-width wool blanket is taking some down time while I complete a finishing sample. The five-fold purpose of the sample is to 1) check the sett and 2) the weft density, and 3) to examine the fold to see if I need more, or less, weft at the turn, and 4) to test the wet-finishing process, and 5) to see the effect of brushing the finished piece. I am thankful for family, friends, fellowship, and finishing. (Thankful for blog friend Marie for first suggesting a finish sample.) I hope you, friend, get to have time with the ones you love, and have some down time to enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving!

Just cut off sample for finishing. Wool double weave blanket. — Sample piece is cut from the loom. Warp will be tied back on to the front tie-on bar.

One side of the double weave sample. — One half of the double-width blanket sample. The fold is at the yellow.

Other side of double weave sample. — Other side of the double-width sample. The fold is at the yellow.

Double weave fold revealed in sample piece. — Blanket fold revealed. Weaving double width means you only see one half until it is cut from the loom.

Double width sample washed and air dried. — Wet Finishing. Sample has been washed and dried. Washed on delicate cycle in washing machine for 3 minutes, no spin cycle. Air dried flat.

Double weave fold in sample after wet finishing. — Examining the fold after wet finishing. Also, notice the improved weft density in the final segment (brown weft at the bottom), when I applied a lighter beat.

Double width blanket sample after being washed. Karen Isenhower — Blanket finishing sample.

Blanket sample - brushed. — Blanket sample brushed on one side, using a stiff dog brush.

Comparing brushed and not brushed sides of sample. — Compare the brushed top side on the left to the unbrushed bottom side on the right.

Brushed double weave blanket sample. Karen Isenhower — Brushed double weave finishing sample. Hmm… Could this be my new Christmas tree skirt?

May your family and friends experience your thankfulness.

Thankful for you,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Double-Binding Rag Rugs

October 24, 2014October 23, 2014 Karen

Ordinary has never appealed to me. I remember some outfits I wore as a girl that were far from ordinary. For example, I had a corduroy cape with a Peter Pan collar, that had slits for the arms. I wore a corduroy brimmed cap to match, with a striped feather on the brim. Did I know any other ten-year-old girl wearing such a thing? No, not really. But I thought the outfit looked “cool” and stylish.

When I make a rag rug, I am not aiming for ordinary. I like the idea of making a rug that no one has imagined before.

May your ideas be far from ordinary.

Your friend,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Unroll the Cloth Beam

September 26, 2014September 25, 2014 Karen

If you are a weaver, you know this thrill. I weave the very last pick, and then I hold my breath as the finished cloth is unrolled from the cloth beam. All ten meters / eleven yards of it! I don’t usually have an audience for the unrolling, but this time I want to share the experience with you, my friends.

If you stay to the end, you will see the cap I made from the sample pieces at the beginning and end of the warp.

And, one more thing, I added a little 3 1/2-minute time-lapse video at the very end. I hope it makes you smile.