Category: wraps

Weave What You Wish For

Karen

I am looking forward to the end product–soft and squishy scarves! I have finished weaving the first scarf, and hemstitched both ends at the loom. The long warp floats don’t worry me, because I know that wet finishing will give me what I wish for–soft, puckered cloth. (You can see how the sample turned out in Puckered Sample.)

Cotton lace weave scarf as it rolls onto the cloth beam below the weaving surface.
Warping slats on the cloth beam, the first time around, give the fabric a smooth surface to roll onto. Hemstitching separates the fringe area from the woven cloth that will become a scarf.

Some things you wish for are simply out of your control. That is how I felt two weeks ago when my mother went to the hospital with life-threatening illness. Wishful thinking is nice, but it doesn’t actually change anything. Prayer does change things. I’m not saying that prayer will necessarily keep someone alive if their body has worn out. I am saying that prayer makes a difference in how things play out in any circumstance.

Things happen when you pray. In this case, my mother beat the odds and left the hospital. Alive! You and I need each other. When we humble ourselves and ask for help, help comes. When we pray and ask God for help, sometimes sick people get better, and weak people get stronger. Our prayers for each other are heard and answered. This is better than wishes come true.

May you have the benefit of someone else’s prayers.

Love,
Karen

Wool Double-Width Blankets Finished

Karen

The wool double-width blankets came out even better than I had hoped. It still seems magical to simply weave, and end up with cloth two times the woven width. What did I enjoy most about this project? First of all, the colors. It is so much fun to mess with colors. Secondly, the fringe. I love how the fringe turned out. Those chubby twists are my favorite part of the finished blankets. Knotted, or not. The first blanket has knotted fringe. Watch the Wool Blanket Final Finishing video below to see what happens with the fringe on the second blanket.

Finishing fringe on wool blanket. Video with more info.
Fringes on the first blanket are finished with knots before the excess is cut away.
Detail of fold of double-width blanket.
Detail of opened and finished fold on double-width blanket.
Finished wool double-width blanket. Karen Isenhower
Finished wool double-width blanket. Final finishing complete.

In this final episode in the Wool Blanket Finishing series, I show you how I brush the blanket and finish the fringe.

In case you missed any of the previous videos in this series:

1. Colorful Cozy Blanket and a Video

2. Quiet Friday: Wool Blanket Finishing

3. Wool Blanket Gets Wet

May your work come back to you as rewards.

Love,
Karen

Puckered Sample

Karen

Will these long floats do what I hope they will do? I have puckered scarves in mind. Soft 8/2 cotton in shades of green. We do not often know, really know, how things will turn out. With weaving, I can sample first. That little piece of trial and error is not wasted threads. It enables me to weave the remainder with confidence. Without a sample, especially with a new technique, or an untested idea, my hope for a good outcome is guesswork, with no real substance.

Sample of lace weave with warp floats - before washing and drying.
How will this sample behave through the washer and dryer? Will I get the results I’m after?
Sample for weaving a puckered scarf.
Yes, looks like a puckered scarf to me. It feels soft, too.

In some ways, my faith is like that sample. Faith is strength through storms; and I’m facing one of those storms today. I don’t know how things will turn out, but because of the One who has gone before me, my hope has substance. It’s as if my Lord has woven a sample for me to see, to trust in His care.

Wet finished sample compared with lace weave scarf on the loom.
Sample piece gives a preview of what the end result will be like. The cloth on the loom looks and feels rigid and unbending, but the finished sample cloth reveals a surprising texture that has the feel of movement and freedom.

My soul is preserved through faith, taking me to the front line in the battle, with courage. And so, I continue weaving with hope, having an imperfect glimpse of what the finished fabric will be.

May you see hope as you weather the storms.

With faith,
Karen

Wool Blanket Gets Wet

Karen

The softer, the better. We all know that wool can be scratchy, but we like wool because of its warmth. And, as a fiber for weaving, wool is easy to work with because of its elasticity. Wet finishing reduces the scratchiness, making it possible to end up with a comfy wool blanket. A soft and gentle blanket.

Wool blanket is drip drying after wet finishing.
Wet wool blanket is dripping dry after just two minutes in the dryer. Towels on the floor collect the drips.

Gentleness is stronger than we think. A lullaby has the power to quiet a crying baby. My son once had a first grade teacher who could still a classroom of seven- and eight-year-olds with a whisper. And the gentle touch of a friend can speak louder than words.

We influence far more people through kindness, gentleness, and patience than we ever will with persuasive arguments. Like a soft and comfy wool blanket, gentleness is strong enough to warm someone in the cold.

~ It’s time for segment three in the Wool Blanket Finishing series. ~

You can learn about the previous video segments in Quiet Friday: Wool Blanket Finishing, or you can view them here:

1. Twisting Fringe on the Loom

2. Wool Blanket Before Wet Finishing

Please return next week for the fourth video segment, Wool Blanket Final Finishing, to find out what happens to the fringe!

May your gentle influence increase.

Warmly,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Wool Blanket Finishing

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.

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