Tag: band

Almost Forgot the Hanging Tabs…Again

Karen

I was ready to hem the plattväv towels. But then, I thought of one more thing–I need a woven band for the hanging tabs! Since the towels have black borders, I decided to weave a simple band in black cottolin, with a single white dotted line down the center. I measured the little warp, put it on the band loom, and quickly wove it up.

Black woven band with dotted white line. Glimakra band loom.
Single white thread produces dotted white line in the woven band.

I love the classy black band with the white dotted line. However, I don’t love it with these towels… Too wide, and too… black. It’s going into my band stash box. Someday, when I least expect it, I’ll find this band in the box; and it will be exactly what I need at the time. So, I started over at the band loom this morning, and wove a new band.

White dotted line on handwoven band. Glimåkra band loom.
Second chances are possible with a Glimåkra two-treadle band loom. It doesn’t take long to weave a second band if the first one doesn’t work out.
Woven band, ready to be cut into hanging tabs for towels.
Ready to be cut into hanging tabs for the plattväv towels.
Ready to hem towels, with hanging tabs included. Karen Isenhower
Hem, turned twice to the back of the towel, is pressed and ready to be stitched. The ends of a coordinating hanging tab will be stitched in the seam. The black woven band is stashed away for future use. The narrower gray band fits the style of the towels.

Joy is ignited by giving thanks. Gratitude changes your outlook. Instead of seeing the black band as a setback, it’s a gift for the future. The gray band is a reminder to be thankful for second chances. To whom will we give our thanks? To our looms? No. To each other? Yes. And to our Maker who gave himself for us? A resounding, joyful yes.

May you continuously be thankful.

Thankful for you,
Karen

Skinny Inkle Band

Karen

This is the narrowest inkle band I have ever made! With thirteen ends of fine 16/2 cotton, I get a very skinny ribbon. I brought my inkle loom with me to the Texas Woodcarvers Guild Spring Round-Up. This gives me something to do at the “Conversation Table” while Steve attends wood carving classes. Some ladies have their crochet, some have their knitting, and I have my inkle.

Skinny inkle band.
Inkle shuttle holds fine 16/2 cotton weft.
Farm scene relief carving.
Steve making progress with his farm scene relief carving.

The inkle loom is a conversation piece, to be sure. Inquiring people stop to look and ask questions. Many think it looks complicated. “It’s a lot simpler than carving a piece of wood,” I say with a smile.

Skinny inkle band, woven with 16/2 cotton.
Warp is close to the maximum length possible for this inkle loom. Off the loom, the band measures about 2 1/2 yards (2.25 meters).
Dime shows scale of narrow inkle band.
Finished skinny inkle band, with a dime for scale.

Seek the Lord; seek His strength. Walk in the Lord’s strength. When this is your habit, your continual mindset, life’s struggles seem less complicated. Down shed – shuttle – up shed – shuttle. Repeat. Keep going to the end. 

May you have the strength you need. 

Truly Yours,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Band Loom Warping and Weaving

Karen

My two-treadle Glimåkra band loom is called into action. I don’t have to add hanging tabs for the towels that I am weaving on the Ideal loom. But I want to. A little band weaving here and there, and I will have this special detail ready for the towels when they come off the loom. (Watch me weave on the band loom in the video below.)

Glimakra two-treadle band loom. How to warp and weave.

How I Warp the Band Loom:

Band loom warp.

  • Put the end loop of the warp on the warp beam tie-on bar. Insert lease sticks in the cross. Tie the sticks together; or tape them together with masking tape.

Warping the band loom tutorial.

  • Remove tie around lease cross. Hold the warp taut with the left hand while winding on with the right hand. Insert warping slats around the beam the first time around, and then every other time around after that.

Band loom warping tutorial.

  • Wind on until the beginning of the warp is a few inches in front of the heddles.

Warping the Glimakra band loom.

  • Tie or tape the lease sticks to the back beam. Cut the loops at the front end of the warp.

Warping the band loom.

  • Thread the heddles, alternating between the heddles on the right and on the left.

How to thread a band loom.

Threading the Glimakra band loom.

Glimakra band loom, threaded. Steps and pics.

  • Hold the warp taut and depress each treadle to check for any crossed threads.

Warping the band loom.

  • Tie the warp onto the front tie-on bar.

Band loom ready for weaving.

  • Tighten the tension; wind your shuttle; and weave to your heart’s content! (A short cardboard quill can be used as a shuttle.)

Glimakra band loom weaving. Karen Isenhower

May you go the extra mile to add special little details.

Happy band weaving,
Karen

Almost Forgot the Hanging Tabs

Karen

My band loom has been sitting idle for months with a partially-woven warp. As soon as I cut the black and white towels from the loom it occurred to me that I had not yet woven their hanging tabs. I am eager to put on a new black and white band warp to weave these towel loops; but first, I must weave off the existing band. (You originally saw this band in Weave the Portable Way.)

Glimakra two-treadle band loom.
Two treadles are used for changing the shed on this Glimåkra Band Loom. It takes practice to coordinate the actions of both hands and feet. What was awkward to learn becomes second nature through repetition.
Glimakra band loom with completed band.
This band is complete. It will go in the box I call my “band stash.” When I need a strap, ribbon, or trim for anything, I look in my band stash box to see what I can find.

What had been sitting for months is finished in a day. And the black and white warp is on the loom before day’s end. What made the difference? Why is it suddenly easy to finish something that had been lagging for months? One word. Decision. (Some of the towels on which these hanging tabs will adorn are in Quiet Friday: Thick and Thin and in Even Better After.)

Starting black and white band on band loom.
Starting the black and white band.
Simple narrow band for hanging tabs on handwoven towels.
Simple narrow band is made to coordinate with black and white handwoven towels. As with the towels, this is cottolin warp and weft.
Woven band for hanging tabs on handwoven black and white towels. Karen Isenhower
With enough woven to make hanging tabs for ten handtowels, the warp is cut and secured. The remainder of the warp will be woven off and added to the “band stash” box.

All our important actions derive from purposeful decisions. And my best decisions shape the course of my life in a positive way. You can choose the direction you travel. When you choose to walk the path of virtue, the path before you becomes more and more clear. Finding the motivation to do the right thing often comes down to making a firm decision. As a result, we are able to remove the old, and move on to weaving today’s important task.

May you make great decisions.

Motivated,
Karen

Weave the Portable Way

Karen

What do you do when you are away from your looms for a week? Portable weaving, of course. I thought about bringing my band loom, but fitting the band loom in the car turned out to be more of a hassle than it is worth. So the band loom stayed home.

Glimakra band loom with cottolin warp.
Band loom stays home.

I have my inkle loom with me instead, as well as my small tapestry frame. Steve is taking a woodcarving class from Dylan Goodson this week at the Texas Woodcarvers Guild Seminar; and while he is in class I am keeping my hands busy with portable weaving.

Woodcarving class by Dylan Goodson.
Steve beginning to shape his relief carving, following the finished example by his instructor, Dylan Goodson.
Linen inkle band.
First inkle band of the week is linen.
Cottolin inkle band warp.
Cottolin warp for the second narrow inkle band.
Cottolin inkle band.
Second inkle band almost finished.
Small tapestry on portable frame loom.
Start of a small tapestry of a little girl, derived from a picture in a children’s book.
Cottolin inkle band. Karen Isenhower
Time to put on one more inkle warp!
Woodcarver doing relief carving.
Adding more details to the relief carving. Good carving takes time and patience. Like weaving.

May you enjoy passing the time away.

Happy portable weaving,
Karen