Four cones should be plenty to wind a warp for two huck lace shawls. I knew it would be close, but not THIS close! With several rounds to go on the warping reel, one cone emptied out, and then another, and then another. I finished with just a tiny bit of thread left on one cone. That’s about how I feel about motherhood right now.
Four spools of thread unwind in this crate as I wind the warp, four warp ends at a time. When I need to keep stubborn threads separated, I turn the crate on its side and each thread goes through its own opening. This 10/2 bamboo thread behaved beautifully and did not need that kind of intervention.
When I held our baby girl for the first time so many years ago, wedding bells were in the far distant future. Plenty of time for this baby to be a little girl, and eventually grow up. Of course, Melody will always belong in our family; and now we’ll have another son who belongs, too. But when she walks down the aisle in May, this stage of parenthood is finished. Yes, we have had enough time, but it still seems too short. Shouldn’t there be more thread on the cone?
After the third cone was completely empty, I started running contingency plans in my head. Would I need to re-work the draft for fewer ends? I knew these were the last four cones of this color on the shelf when I ordered them, so grabbing one more cone would not be an option.
The greatest sense of belonging comes from being a daughter or son of the most loving Father. He promises to walk with us through every stage. And with his heavenly perspective, he always seems to know exactly how much thread we will need.
May you make the best of your relationships with the time you have.
Make sure you have sample cards from yarn and thread suppliers because you never know when your daughter will get engaged. She finds her perfect wedding dress, and three weeks after that you find your mother-of-the-bride dress. A light and airy dress with a ruffled hem that is perfect for a romantic outdoor wedding under hundred-year-old oak trees. Now, all you need is a light and airy shawl to cover your shoulders. In a specific shade of coral. Then, your friend says, “Why don’t you weave a shawl? You have time.” Really?? Seven weeks before the wedding?! Okay, I cando this. A word of encouragement has amazing impact!
Sifting through yarn and thread samples from Yarn Barn of Kansas to find just the right thread in just the right color(s).Sample cards from Bockens, a Swedish company. I use Swedish threads in most of my weaving. There are several good suppliers in the United States. The sources I turn to most are Glimakra USA, Vavstuga, and Lone Star Loom Room.Yarn Store in a Box from Halcyon Yarn is a visual and tactile delight. I often pull out these cards for design and color inspiration.
I laid out all my sample cards, and quickly found a perfect match on a sample card from Yarn Barn of Kansas. I picked up the phone and called in my order. Three days later I had this beautiful Xie 10/2 Bamboo thread in hand and started winding the warp!
Getting ready to weave Mother-of-the-Bride shawl in the perfect shade of coral. I found a delicate huck lace draft for the shawl in “Happy Weaving from VävMagasinet.” I am choosing dark coral for the warp. One shawl is using lighter coral for weft; the second shawl is using hot pink for weft. The best color combination wins!
So, make sure you have sample cards from your favorite suppliers so that you are ready for any happy surprise that comes your way! And, be that encourager that tells a friend, “You can do it!”
When yarn comes on tubes or cones I can use it as is for weaving, but when the yarn comes in skeins I need to do some prep before I can use it for weaving. (HERE is how these skeins looked when I got them.) I use my Beka Yarn Swift and Royal Ball Winder to convert skeins of yarn into balls that I can use for winding my next warp. Most of my weaving friends use an umbrella yarn swift, but I like my Beka swift that I have had for thirty years. (If I do get an umbrella swift someday, I will get one like THIS.)
[No affiliate links.]
Weaving tools: Yarn Swift and Ball Winder
Yarn swift on the white table turns quietly and effortlessly as the yarn is wound onto the ball winder clamped to a wooden barstool placed near the table.
How to use a yarn swift and ball winder:
Carefully open out the skein of yarn, and notice how it is tied.
Place your two arms through the center of the ring of yarn. Sharply pull your arms apart, so the skein is fully outstretched. Turn the circle of yarn about a half-turn, and sharply pull your arms apart again. This will help even out the skein and make it unwind smoothly.
Carefully place the opened skein over the yarn swift.
Loosen or clip the threads (often tied in a figure-eight) that are tied around the skein; be sure to hold onto the two loose ends of the skein, the beginning and end tails.
Take the beginning tail and feed it to the ball winder.
Turn the ball winder handle with one hand, and allow the yarn to loosely glide through your other hand to help maintain an even tension as you wind.
When all the yarn has been wound onto the ball winder, remove ball of yarn by carefully pulling it up and off. (If you want a center-pull ball, which I don’t, be sure to grasp the beginning tail so it is not lost inside the ball.)
Neatly wrap the outer end around the outside of the ball so it is ready to be used.
If it weren’t for these tools, I would need a very patient helper to hold the skein of yarn between their hands just so, while I would take the end and gradually wind the yarn into a ball. I’m thankful for tools! (Steve is, too.)
Wisdom tools: Work and Thinking Ahead
Work means doing what needs to be done. If I’m a slacker about winding skeins into balls, I’ll have nothing to weave, and no woven handiwork to show.
Ready to wind the warp for the next project on my Glimåkra Standard–an alpaca-tencel shawl with a lace weave.
Solomon had this to say –
The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
What about other areas in life? What needs to be done now to ensure fruit in the next season?
Next up on the big loom (Glimåkra Standard): Alpaca and tencel blend yarn, golden brown, to be woven in lace and plain weave to make a shawl. Wear faith and love as a protection for your heart, as you would wrap yourself with a handwoven shawl for comfort and warmth. Be prepared for the cool days of autumn and winter.
Alpaca 65% Tencel 35%, approximately 2400 yards per pound. This very fine, lightweight yarn should be perfect for a lacy shawl.
I am thankful our creator has given us security in the shawl of faith and love he has woven for us.
May you stay warm and secure as the days get cool.
