Let it Snow! Drawloom Treasures

Karen

Let it snow indoors! New Christmas snowflake banners are suspended up high, above our kitchen counter, facing our open living room. The three mostly-blue banners hang in mid-air so they can be viewed from either side. These are lasting treasures from the drawloom that I can bring out year after year. They’ll never get old.

Making loops from a handwoven band for hanging the banners. First, I zigzag to secure ends, and then cut the strips apart.
Handwoven linen band is cut into segments.
Loops are machine-stitched to back of banner hem with two rows of straight basting stitches (easy to remove later).

Christmas is new every year. There are new sights and sounds that add to the season. The message of Christmas is the same as always, though, that God loved us in this way—he sent his Son Jesus to be born into our world so that whoever believes in him may be born into God’s family. The newness is in God’s mercy, new every morning.

Ready for display!

Raise banners of joy to celebrate. Glory to the newborn King.

Merry Christmas!

May you celebrate from the heart.

Glad tidings of Christ’s birth,
Karen

Enough Time to Weave

Karen

The best things take time. Time (years) to know what you want to learn. Time to study, time to practice, time to put into practice what you’ve studied. By the time you finish a work of art you have invested more hours than most observers will ever realize. If you have ever made anything, you know the most common question you are asked: How long did it take you to make that? Answer: A lifetime, really.

Tapestry progresses row by row.
Cartoon under the warp is held in place with a plastic clip on each side. Center warp end is marked so I can line up the cartoon horizontally. Horizontal marks on the warp and on the cartoon provide for accurate vertical alignment.
Boat shuttle with 6/1 tow linen rests on the side frame. Linen picks are woven between pattern rows of wool colors in this style of tapestry.
As I weave, I pay attention to the cartoon that is visible beneath the warp to see where to make color changes.
At the end of my time at the loom I stand back and look at the progress. And then, I stand up on a stepstool to get a good view from above. And then, I pull out my little monocular and look through the back of it to see what I can see from a distance. What I see: one cut fig and a couple more figs emerging. You will see what I see when this is off the loom and hanging on the wall across the room. All it takes is time.

Time is the greatest gift. We always have enough time. How will we invest it?

May your lifetime reveal the good investments you’ve made.

Happy weaving all the time,
Karen

Another Rug Unfurled

Karen

I’ve been working on this spaced rep rag rug for a while. I should know what it looks like. So why does unrolling the cloth beam make me feel like a child on Christmas morning awaiting a surprise? It’s because I see only a small portion of the rug at any one time while I am weaving.

Middle section of rug has red fabric strips for weft.
Rows of stripes between sections of the rug.
Third section of rug has dark green fabric strips as weft.
Gimåkra Standard, 120cm. My favorite.
Do you see the flaw in the warp thread (12/6 cotton)? Fortunately, I have already woven the hem and the 6 picks of the warp-thread header. How’s that for a perfect ending? I am cutting off this rug and will tie back on for the next rug. The flaw in the thread will be cut away.
Ready to tie back on very soon.

Not until I cut it off and see the whole rug unfurled on the floor do I really grasp the story this rug is telling. The surprise is pleasant. Threads and fabric strips, and a weaver’s hands (mine), have turned written plans into a compelling story to beautify our surroundings.

It is easy to untie all the knots on the tie-on bar. That gives me plenty of length for tying warp ends into overhand knots in the finishng process.
Unfurled on the floor. First view is a pleasant surprise.

Our Grand Weaver excels at taking simple threads and odd pieces of cloth to create a lasting story. He weaves his plans into our lives to draw us nearer to himself. We see only short segments at a time. From beginning to end, though, our Lord’s skilled and scarred hands demonstrate his love to us. The finished work is more than we imagine.

Warp ends have been knotted, and hem turned under and hand stitched. This rug is ready to beautify the room.

May you experience the joy of pleasant surprises.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

What Will You Finish Weaving this Year?

Karen

I am this close to the end of the rug… This series of double-binding rag rugs has been super fun! The question is: What’s next? I think I can squeeze out one more (short) rug on the warp after this one. Will I be able to do the final cutting off before the year’s end? I’m going to try! But then, what after that? I have some ideas… Perhaps I’ll start a new pictorial tapestry on this Ideal.

Measurement tape shows how close this rug is to its final picks.
View under the breast beam shows the rug being rolled up on the cloth beam.
I never cease to be amazed at the possibilities of a weave structure as simple as four-shaft double binding.

We are this close to the end of the year. Is there a project you still hope to complete before this year’s end? Share what it is in the comments.

May you enjoy every moment.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Elegant Linen at the Top

Karen

Linen puts elegance in the picture. That’s why I am using 16/2 linen to make hanging loops for my three Christmas Snowflake banners. Before I hang the festive banners, though, I am embracing Thanksgiving. More than a food-filled holiday, Givingthanks is a treasure-filled way of living.

Short warping sticks on the warp beam of the Glimåkra Band Loom help the linen warp threads wind on with even tension. Blue basket underneath catches the warping sticks as they fall when I advance the warp.
Band made with 16/2 linen, warp and weft, is a sturdy band. The saturated blue shows off the glimmering luster of linen.
I like to weave as far as I possibly can, sometimes squeezing the last few weft picks through an increasingly smaller shed. Until it is nearly impossible to do one more pick.
Weaving to the end.
Cutting off reveals a lustrous woven band, perfect for the Christmas Snowflake Banners.

Our heavenly Father’s faithfulness is displayed like a banner in our lives when we attach the elegance of a thankful heart to everything we encounter. This season of gratitude extends for a lifetime.

Christmas Snowflake Banners, woven on the drawloom. Each banner will have three or more loops at the top edge, through which a rod will be inserted for suspending the festive banners for display.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give him thanks. Praise his name. For the LORD is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.

May you overflow with thanks.

Thankful for you,
Karen