I have an ample stash of handwoven bands. Still, I am making a new handwoven band that is “just right” for the strap on a simple shoulder bag I am making from a rag rug remnant. I pull several near-empty tubes of 12/6 cotton rug warp from the shelves to wind a five-meter warp. I enjoy finding bits of rug warp that can work together—all left over from various rag rug projects.
I warp the band loom and start weaving. Ah, what a pleasure to make a specific strap for a specific bag! And all of it from what I have on hand. It’s a picture of the way love takes odds and ends like you and me, and finds a way to make us fit together.
Band for handbag strap is about 4.2cm wide. The warp is long enough for a handbag strap, plus a few meters extra. 🙂Blue 12/6 cotton weft makes the selvedges look good, since it is the same blue as the outer threads on both sides of the band.Band-loom weaving is rhythmic and relaxing. Some unevenness in the warp is evidenced by the slight curve at the fell line. I’m not worried. It will straighten itself out as I keep weaving.
It’s like preparing a simple meal for family. You figure out what you have, you scrape together what you can, and you spend time in the kitchen to put it all together. It’s not fancy, nor is it perfect. But it’s good. Love, after all, is the primary ingredient for a good family meal. Love is the primary ingredient for a lot of good things, isn’t it?
It pays to check your work. I have reached a new level of experience in distributing patterns shafts. I know how to do it backwards and forwards now. Literally. Unfortunately, I moved almost all of the pattern shafts before noticing that the spacing between units is not quite right. Uh oh! So, one by one, I reversed the distribution of pattern shafts to get back to the point of error—the very beginning. The reverse move was …more complicated.
Distribution of pattern shafts is part of the setup for the drawloom. It is a multi-step process that moves the pattern shafts, one at a time, from the heddle bar at the back of the loom to the pattern shaft holders just behind the ground shafts at the front of the loom. Sound complicated? It’s not that hard, and is fun to do after you’ve done it a few times.
Lesson learned:Check my work. I am off by only one unit of threads. That small miss, however, is enough to sabotage the whole project if not corrected. The sooner I check my work against the master plan the better. Fortunately, everything at the loom is fixable. It’s never too late to start again.
First, I use an old inkle band to slip between heddles that I am separating to transfer to a pattern shaft. Because I am using a combination of pattern shafts AND single units, I separate the heddles on the “front” side. If I were usining only pattern shafts and no single units, I could separate the heddles from the back while standing behind the loom.I insert a pattern shaft through the separated pattern heddles. Then I remove the inkle band and hang it around my neck, ready for the next transfer.I slip the waiting heddle bar through the pattern shafts that have not been separated……and remove the first heddle bar. This releases the separated pattern heddles onto the pattern shaft, which is hanging in a pair of holding cords. From here, the pattern shaft is moved forward to the pattern shaft holders. (I also adjust the clip overhead that connects the thread unit to a single unit draw cord.)After backtracking and starting over, I now diligently check the number and spacing of units on the heddle bar after every pattern shaft is moved into position. Success!Twelve pattern shafts, plus one X shaft. This project uses pattern shafts for the borders only – top, bottom, and sides. The rest of the pattern areas will use single-unit designs.
The sooner I check my life against God’s master plan the better. Fortunately, everything is forgivable. It’s never too late to start again.
All set and ready to go! Everything works. After a bit more testing of weft colors and patterns, it’s critter time. Watch for Mr. Armadillo first!
Combination drawloom. Pattern heddles hang on the heddling bars in units of 6 threads each. Each pattern unit is attached to an overhead single-unit draw cord with a lift heddle attached to a small metal clip. I use the clips so that I can leave the single-unit draw cords on the loom all the time, instead of removing and adding them for each project.
I’m one step closer to weaving these critter napkins. All the pattern heddles are hanging from the heddling bars in front of the back beam. I use little metal clips on lift heddles to attach each 6-thread unit to the single-unit draw cords. The next activity is distributing the pattern shafts—only thirteen this time, including the X shaft.
I hope you can overlook my “drawloom speak,” and just dream with me about the woven critters that will show up here soon!
May you keep getting ready for your next adventure.
It is no small matter to have this much setup completed on the drawloom. Now that I think of it, all of it is the fun part! Yes, I am looking forward to getting the single unit cords ready and distributing the pattern shafts. And yes, I am super eager to be sitting on the loom bench reaching for draw cords and pull handles, but I can wait.
Just look at that flatness! This is what I appreciate about the leveling string–it makes the warp ready for weft right at the beginning.
I am taking my time, determined to enjoy every intricate part of the process. I’m deeply grateful to know the satisfaction of being a weaver. Patience is built in.
Warped for Good is ten years old today! To celebrate I offer you some stats and thoughts and thank you’s.
Number of years:10
I started this blog when I was still new to weaving. This is a learning journey, and you have been learning with me. THANK YOU!
End of weaving Figs and Coffee. Must wait a bit to roll it out. First I am weaving off the remainder of the warp.
Number of email subscribers:1000
I started with a handful of friends (about 8 or 10) and a few curious family members. I’m incredibly grateful to those first few who allowed me to test my writing skills on them! I am more than astonished that many, many people trust me to bring them news of what’s happening on my looms. I count all of you as friends, and I am so thankful to have you come sit in my studio with me!
End of this rosepath–threaded warp. This is a lovely way to use up surplus butterfiles that are left from weaving the tapestries. I arranged the butterflies to give a soft progression of value change.
Number of blog posts:781
Some of you remember when I posted twice a week. When Steve retired four years ago, I slowed down to one post a week.
I am determined to keep weaving until the warp runs out, or I run out of butterflies, whichever comes first. The warp ran out first!
Number of floor looms: 5
Warped for Good started with one 120cm Glimåkra Standard Countermarch loom. I didn’t mean to end up with five floor looms. It just happened. (We’re not counting the band loom or rigid heddle looms.) A big thank you to my friend Joanne Hall who threw open the door to floor loom weaving when I first knocked on that door.
Warping slats separate the pieces on the warp. I leave at least 20cm between pieces so I have enough length to tie knots or braid ends in a tapestry edging.
Nickname:Miss Weave-a-lot
This is husband’s nickname for me because I weave a lot. Steve gets my heartfelt thanks for encouraging me every day.
Finishing includes several steps adding up to many hours. Braiding ends into a tapestry edging, clipping weft tails, stitching weft tails down near the sides, hand hemming the top and bottom. The three main pieces will have a backing that I will stitch on, and a means for hanging or mounting.
Number of months taken off:6
I have taken a pause for the month of July the past six years.
Two smaller sample pieces have a thicker braided edge. I will leave the braid exposed and tack down the loose warp ends on the back of the pieces.
Number of missed posts (except for the July pauses): 0 (zero)
I started learning watercolor sketching a few months ago for the purpose of making tapestry cartoons from my own sketches. I used a slice of this sketch of my morning coffee and figs for my first attempt to “weave a watercolor sketch.” You can expect more watercolor sketch tapestries in the future as I gain more sketching skills.
Thank you to Steve for making things for me. Thank you to my Warped for Good friends for every email you send me. I’m especially thrilled when you show me pictures of what you are weaving!
Number of delayed meals:Too many to count (according to Steve)
Needless to say, I am thankful to have married a very patient man.
Figs and Coffee
Why the name Warped for Good? Warped for Good is a metaphor for living a purposeful life as a believer in Jesus. God is the Grand Weaver who warps the loom. My life is the warp. Jesus Christ is the good. The weft is the daily living that aligns with the Master’s plan. Interacting with people, making friends, and sharing interests are all part of that plan. I’m truly grateful to my Grand Weaver for all the friends I’ve gained through this humble home of Warped for Good.
Monarch Wing
May you mark your milestones.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Warped for Good emails are ending today. Please bookmark this site so you can come right here and enjoy this weaving journey with me. Think about setting a reminder for yourself to come and see what’s happening on these looms. See you soon!
