Tools Day: Swift and Winder

Karen

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.)

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Weaving tools: Yarn Swift and Ball Winder

How to place skein of yarn on swift and wind into a ball.
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:

  1. Carefully open out the skein of yarn, and notice how it is tied.
  2. 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.
  3. Carefully place the opened skein over the yarn swift.
  4. 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.
  5. Take the beginning tail and feed it to the ball winder.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.)
  8. Neatly wrap the outer end around the outside of the ball so it is ready to be used.
Winding a ball of yarn from a yarn swift - how to.
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.

65% Alpaca 35% Tencel yarn
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?

May your harvest exceed your expectations.

Lovingly,
Karen

Is Wet Finishing Really Necessary?

Karen

Oh, how I wish you could feel these hand towels! They are soft. When I take a run of towels off the loom, I first cut them apart and serge the ends; and then I throw them in the washer and dryer for wet finishing. This cottolin and linen fabric went in stiff and scratchy… (Click HERE to see how it looked before wet finishing.) But after the rigor of agitation, spinning, and heat, the towels are perfectly soft and absorbent! Our own hearts can be stiff and scratchy, and not very soft, can’t they?

Handwoven towels in classic M's and O's weave structure. Soft and durable. Tabs are linen, woven on band loom.
Cottolin warp and weft, with some 6/1 tow linen weft stripes. These durable hand towels will stand the test of time, getting softer and softer with use. I wove the hanging tabs, 100% linen, on my band loom.

It’s hard to admit I need help sometimes, because I would rather think I am good enough to make it on my own. Admitting need is a first step toward a softened heart. Maybe a little turmoil in life is like being thrown in the washer and dryer–we come out softer because we realize how needy we are.

Classic towels almost too pretty to be used; but oh, they must be used!
Soft and pliable towels, neatly folded. Almost too pretty to use; but oh, they must be used to be truly appreciated.

My purpose for these towels is to use them as towels (or, more specifically, for gift recipients to use them). The towels became useful when they became soft and pliable. That’s how I want to be in the master weaver’s hands. How about you?

May you receive delightful gifts that are soft to the touch.

Softly and tenderly,
Karen

You Are Being Watched

Karen

Here we are, already at the end of the warp. This run of towels was simple enough that I could concentrate on a few fundamentals while weaving. I have studied with three terrific weaving instructors– Leigh taught me to aim for excellence, but to not fear mistakes. Joanne taught me quality weaving through Swedish techniques. And Becky taught me to think about how and why things work. I will be in Becky’s class again soon, so this simple towel warp was perfect for practicing the basics again before I go. Each teacher taught me as much by example as by verbal instruction. Living by example, each of us are teachers in life lessons.

Cottolin hand towels in the making.
One of four hand towels on this cottolin warp. Navy 6/1 Tow Linen is used for border stripes in the weft.

I do look for opportunities to explain things that will help other people. Just as much, though, I aspire to teach simply by living in a way that is true to what I believe. What we say, how we behave, how we love, how we live our faith, how purity is exemplified in us–these may be more influential than instructions we try to give.

Very end of the warp. Squeezing out the last inch.
Weaving to the very end of the warp. Back tie-on bar is as far as it can come–touching the back of the heddles.

You have something to teach that the people near you need to learn. Let them learn from your example–it speaks louder than words.

Handwoven hand towels, ready to be washed and hemmed.
Fresh off the loom, the stiffness of these towels will relax with washing. The weave structure, M’s and O’s, will also become more defined after washing.

May your lessons continue as your students become teachers.

Your fellow student,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Philippine Textiles

Karen

You may remember that I recently returned from a visit to The Philippines. It may not surprise you that I am always on the lookout for interesting textiles, and especially handwoven fabrics. I don’t mean to do that; it just happens… Well, when I met sweet Beth at the Sunday market, I felt like I hit the jackpot! Beth and I had a common language – Handweaving! (She speaks fine English, too, of course; but you know what I mean.)

I tried to gather a few pictures of textiles that you would enjoy seeing.

If you don’t have time to look at all the textile pictures today, at least scroll down and see my little granddaughter carrying her big umbrella on the way to the market. Umbrellas are always in season in Metropolitan Manila. For the rain in the rainy season (our visit), and for shielding your skin from the sun all the rest of the time. (You can always come back later and finish looking at the rest of the pictures. Smile.)

Tie-dye scarf found in Makati, Philippines.
I am wearing a cotton tie-dye scarf I found in a Makati store. We learned interesting World War II history on our day trip to Corregidor Island.
Painted metal gate in Makati, Philippines - would be great tapestry design!
Interesting painted metal gate in Makati. I instantly saw it as a potential tapestry design.
Filipino and American handweavers meet at market in Makati.
Found a fellow handweaver at the Sunday market. Beth has ten looms in her workshop in Vigan, where she and other weavers produce beautiful cloth, mostly from cotton thread. 40/1 cotton is Beth’s most used fiber.

 

Textile unique to The Philippines. By handweaver Beth.
Beth identified this weave pattern as the most unique to The Philippines. I am sorry I failed to write down the Tagalog name for this and the weaves in the following pictures when Beth told me what they were.
Filipino Overshot, at Makati market.
Beth is a third-generation weaver. She has woven this pattern for many years, but just learned four years ago that it is called “Overshot” in English.
HandWoven Wonders by Beth's Loomweaving, at Makati market
HandWoven Wonders by Beth’s Loomweaving. Stunning turquoise cotton table runner is two yards long.
Tiny ikat woven coin purses from The Philippines.
Ayala Museum has fascinating displays depicting various aspects of Philippine culture and history, including a display of 1800’s handwoven and embroidered clothing (picture-taking not allowed). I found these ikat woven coin purses in the museum gift shop. The woven plaid zipper pouch is from another market vendor.
Mannequin with handwoven skirt at Manila Airport shop.
Mannequin in airport shop is dressed in a pleated handwoven skirt. The sash above the skirt is adorned with a shaped “rose,” formed from a handwoven wide band. (Click photo to enlarge)
"Ribbon rose" made from wide handwoven band to embellish sash on skirt. Manila Airport shop.
Wide handwoven band is gathered and stitched to form a “ribbon rose” that embellishes the sash.
Colorful handwovens at Manila airport shop.
Neatly folded piles of colorful handwoven items at a shop in the Manila airport. You didn’t expect me to come home empty-handed, did you?
Vibrant colorful table runner from Manila.
Vibrant multi-colored cloth with intricate design. Perfect for a Christmas table runner.
Reverse side of colorful cloth from Manila.
Notice the long thread floats and knots on the reverse side of the red cloth.
Cheerful colorful striped cloth from Manila.
Cheerful colorful stripes!
Colorful striped cloth from Manila.
Detail of the warp-faced weave of the colorful striped cloth.

May you step into a joyful journey.

Happy Weaving,

Karen 

Tension! Who Needs It?

Karen

A warp that has not been properly wound on at the start will be full of problems every inch of the way, compromising the quality of the finished cloth. One thing that helps ensure an evenly wound warp is tension. I lay warp chains on the floor in front of the loom, weighted down with bricks and walking weights. The weights provide resistance for winding the warp over the back beam onto the warp beam, giving tight and even tension. People need tension, too.

Glmakra Ideal with striped cottolin warp for classic Swedish towels.
Looking toward the warp beam at the back of the loom, from under the tightly wound Cottolin warp.

Given a choice, I would like no tension, thank you. Just give me some slack. Do you know that the tension you and I would rather avoid could be the very thing that makes us shine?

Tension is uncomfortable, stretches our limits, and can bring out the worst in us. It tests us. But testing has positive results. Our maker knows that. His testing of our hearts reveals our true identity by confirming our deeply held convictions. Any loose or broken threads hidden in the warp become apparent, so they can be repaired or replaced. And we are made ready for the rest of the weaving.

May you find gold and silver threads shining in your warp as you become refined through testing.

Your friend,
Karen

Have you ever been refined through tension?

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