Category: rya

Weft in the Background

Karen

With nine shades of blue, four shades of gold, and mixed strands of white / grey / lavender, in various weights of wool, the rya is a tactile and visual delight. There is a lovely surprise under the shaggy rya tendrils that you will not see unless you spread the strands apart and peer down to the cloth. The wool background weft forms a delicate repeating pattern underneath. And that hidden ground weft is the very thing that secures every tedious row of hand-tied rya knots. Like the background weft, when we choose to build others up, we weave a lasting foundation into our relationships.

47 rya knots across each row, forming a shaggy pillow top. Karen Isenhower
Shaggy pillow top. Each row of rya knots is made by slipping individual strands of wool yarn around pairs of warp threads, snugging them into secure knots. There are 47 rya knots across each row.

Sure, more knowledge and experience improves my skills. Skills that I can show off. Knowledge without love is a danger zone, though, that leads to arrogance. I can puff up myself through knowledge, or I can build up others through love. Wouldn’t we rather be the background weft that allows the rya to stand out? Our knowledge, with love as the operating system, has the capability of building up others. What love builds, lasts.

 (More thoughts about rya knots, and love as an operating system HERE.) 

May you find your place in the background.

Truly yours,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Warping Trapeze

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

Having Fun with Rya Knots

Karen

What is your operating system? I am not referring your computer or mobile device. I am talking about the mindset behind your weaving endeavors. Quality, quantity, visual appeal? Decide what kind of weaver you intend to be, and you will operate out of that.

Tying rya knots is new for me. Each 4 1/2″ / 12 cm cut piece of wool yarn (I have an assortment of Åsborya, Tuna, Jason Collingwood rug wool, Mattgarn, and some novelty knitting yarn) is tied around two pairs of warp ends, producing a shaggy pile. Threaded for rosepath, two pattern repeats are to be woven as background between each row of rya knots, using doubled fine wool as weft.

Tying rya knots. Fine wool for rosepath background.
Fine Borgs Mora wool, doubled, on the shuttle forms the background rosepath cloth for rya knots. The knots stay on the front of the cloth, leaving the back of the cloth flat.

Certainly, we do aim for quality in our woven creations. Being intentional, that mindset works like an operating system. Everything from choosing materials to practicing for improvement reflects that foundational mindset. We can decide on an operating system for our lives, too.

You are gifted. Maybe your talent is design, or efficiency of motion, or color expression. You have other gifts, too, that spill into your relationships, such as problem solving, leading, or serving. Choose love as your operating system. When your gifts operate out of love, your gifts are not wasted. The fabric of relationships in your life will reflect the strength and grace of your operating system.

May your fabric quality be stunning!

With love,
Karen

Stop Threading Heddles the Boring Way

Karen

Practice makes perfect. Do you believe that? If that were true, wouldn’t some of us be perfect by now? Threading heddles is a repetitive activity, but intentional awareness makes it a thoughtful learning experience instead of boring repetition. This deliberate thinking produces the kind of practice that brings improvement. You mentally zoom in to see what it takes to become efficient and effective. Like practicing a musical instrument, you constantly consider how to produce the best sound (fabric) from this instrument (loom).

Heddles threaded with doubled threads of 20/2 cotton.
Heddles, threaded with two 20/2 cotton threads each, stand ready on four shafts, like orchestra members tuning up while waiting for the conductor to come to the podium.

I learned to thread heddles from Leigh, and then from Joanne, and then from Becky. They each have their own approach. Their methods vary, but what they teach in common is accuracy, efficiency, and enjoyment of the process. When I thread heddles, the wealth of experience from these teachers benefits me, even as I find my own style emerging. They taught me awareness, problem-solving, and enjoyment of learning. What a gift!

Learn from the best, and then practice what you learn. Gain foundational truth. Walking in the truth is the best way to give back to your teachers. In your quest for truth, practice what you learn.

May your practice make perfect sense.

Still learning,
Karen