Not Your Usual Search Engine

Karen

As I see it, this woven piece is a series of bordered ribbons laying side-by-side across the warp. I like to weave functional pieces, so it concerns me that I do not know how this will be used when it is finished. As I weave, then, there’s a quiet, ongoing mental search for a worthy function for this cloth.

Decorative bound rosepath progressing on the loom.
Bound Rosepath structure, with the linen warp entirely covered by the wool weft, is a thick, one-sided decorative cloth. It could be used as a wall hanging; or made into an article like a cushion cover, a table mat, or a bag, for example.

You can find many answers with a Google search; and I might even find ideas for this cloth by searching Pinterest (you can follow me on Pinterest). There are some things, however, that you will never find until you search a different way. Your heart is your search engine to find what cannot be seen with your eyes or touched with your hands.

Have you thought about the Christmas story? Baby Jesus, wrapped up lovingly in cloth (handwoven, no doubt), was sleeping in a makeshift cradle in Bethlehem. Simple shepherds were told of the special delivery and were sent to find the new baby, which they eagerly did. That is the kind of eager searching, with heart and soul, that will lead you and I to the ultimate gift! In our time, as it was then, God is the gift waiting to be discovered by those who are searching for Him.

May your quiet, ongoing search be rewarded.

Good Christmas to you and yours,
Karen

Tools Day: Scissors

Karen

Whatever you do, choose good tools. Scissors are probably the most frequently used small tools in my weaving room and sewing space, so it makes sense to use quality scissors. I started with Gingher many years ago, and have never been disappointed in their performance, so there are several in my collection.

Painted leather sheath for scissors, from the Philippines.
Painted red leather sheath, found on one of my trips to the Philippines, protects this pair of five-inch Gingher Sewing Scissors. These scissors live in a holder on the table where I wind all my quills.

I have a variety of scissors, and each has their own special place to call home. A few sit in custom felt sheaths. To make the sheaths, I wove a variegated wool band on my inkle loom, which I then machine washed and dried vigorously to cause the wool to felt. I then cut and stitched each little sheath to size.

Small scissors in inkle loom woven felt sheath.
Five-inch Gingher Sewing Scissors that live in the loom bench basket by my Glimakra Standard. I clip threads as I go, so these must be in easy reach. The felt sheath doubles as a pin cushion.

And, as your mother always told you, never ever use the fabric scissors to cut paper. There are paper scissors for that.

Gingher Dressmaker's Shears
Eight-inch Gingher Dressmaker’s Shears for cutting fabric, and only fabric. Cutting the warp off the loom counts as cutting fabric.
Small pretty scissors and inkle-woven felt sheath.
Pretty little scissors that live on my sewing/cutting table. These are used for clipping sewing threads and for some finishing work.
Famore Rainbow Colored Snips. Great for snipping threads as I sew!
Famore 4.5″ Rainbow Colored Snips also live on my sewing/cutting table. They come with me to the sewing machine for quick and easy snipping of threads.
Clover thread cutter, with handwoven band for hanging around neck.
Travel thread cutter lives in the bag with my travel tapestry loom. The handwoven band, worn around my neck, keeps the Clover cutter at my fingertips.
Gingher Thread Snips, with handwoven inkle band for neck strap.
Gingher Thread Snip is the most recent addition to my cutting collection. It lives on my Glimakra Ideal loom, hanging on the corner of the front beam. While weaving, I wear the inkle-woven band around my neck, so the snips are always at hand.
Collection of scissors and their sheaths.
It must be bedtime for the scissors, snippers, and cutters!

May your tools serve you well.

On the cutting edge,
Karen

You May Be Looking at the Under Side

Karen

This is not reversible cloth. The colors on the back look pretty, but the design is only on the top. Sometimes we judge our circumstances from the underneath side, not realizing there is a dazzling scene being formed above us.

Bound Rosepath, the pattern is being designed at the loom.
Each row of the design takes four picks, producing a weft-faced cloth. Each shuttle carries a different color; so, at times, there are five shuttles going across for one row. Instead of following a diagram, this time I am designing the pattern as I weave.

The bound rosepath (rosengång) cloth develops slowly. My pace is about 35 millimeters (1.4 inches) per hour. I pay attention to every detail. Five shuttles, many color changes, careful turns at the selvedges. I get up to wind quills, to advance the warp, to repair broken linen warp ends, and to stand back for an overview. You cannot know all of the weaver’s work by looking at the reverse side. It is messy underneath.

We may not have a clear view of what our master weaver is doing, but we can see his consistency. And we have seen his masterful work in the past. Are you in a season that feels confusing? That is precisely when it makes sense to trust someone greater. Be one of the few in our day who sees the goodness of God with the eyes of trust. The finished cloth, the underside of which we see now, will one day be displayed by the maker, and all will be amazed!

May your fears fall away and your trust increase when you face uncertain times.

Believing is seeing,
Karen

Do You See What I See?

Karen

Thanksgiving 2013 is over and the house is quieter now. I am back to weaving bound rosepath (rosengång). This piece will be a table mat for next year’s Thanksgiving dinner, with the turkey pilgrims facing one side of the table. (Click HERE to see more about weaving the turkey pilgrims.) It makes sense, then, to have pilgrim men facing the other side. This means weaving the pilgrim men upside down. As I am weaving, it is difficult to determine if the upside down image is forming properly. I courageously weave on, hoping I am correctly interpreting the diagram. Faith takes courage like that.

Bound Rosepath Pilgrims on Thanksgiving table mat
A small hand mirror gives an upright view of the woven pilgrim men that are facing away from the orange pilgrim turkeys.

I used Numbers on my iPad to design the bound rosepath pilgrim motif. The image is only seven squares across the graph sheet, and must be entirely symmetrical from side to side. This mere-seven-pixel-wide picture is a design challenge because of its narrow limit.

Bound Rosepath Diagram using iPad Numbers app
iPad screen shot of pilgrim diagram in Numbers (spreadsheet) app.

Putting our faith into action when we don’t know all the answers takes courage. It is like following the diagram when the picture doesn’t make sense. I imagine that kind of faith courage pleases our creator. It was only after I finished weaving the row of pilgrims that I thought of holding up a mirror to see the upright image. Don’t take the easy way out. Don’t shrink back. When you press into the picture with faith, your life becomes a positive reflection of your maker’s skillful design.

May you live with courageous faith.

Peace,
Karen

Just What I Need

Karen

Yay! Another Swedish-style rag rug completed. Oh, there is nothing like the satisfaction of completion and the pleasure of seeing finished work being used. I am almost out of floor space, though. The handwoven rugs are taking over all the floors in my house. How much is enough? How do you know when you have crossed the line into excess?

Handwoven rosepath rag rug for Christmas.
A few of my favorite things: Rosepath, rag rug, little red rocking chair, Christmas pinecone. The rug is 24.5 x 45.5 inches (62 x 116 cm).

Between the extremes of poverty and wealth there is a middle ground of having just enough. That is where I want to be. With riches, we are in danger of patting ourselves on the back and saying, Who needs God? With poverty, it is hard to see any way out; and some say, Where is God?

Rosepath Rag Rug detail
Characteristic rosepath design sets off the simple colors of the rug. Single black stripe outlines blue areas for depth.

Between lack and excess, there is a sweet spot of perfect trust in our creator. Hungry enough to want his food, and satisfied enough to have a grateful heart. Give me just what I need, please–no more, no less.

(I am pondering opening an Etsy shop to sell my handwoven goods. This rug would be one of the first items. Do you have experience with Etsy, as a seller or as a buyer? I’d love to hear about your experience, and any advice you have to offer.)

May you find your sweet spot.

Your friend,
Karen