Tag: black and white

When Black and White Take Over Your Loom

Karen

Some things are black and white. Piano keys, penguins, old movies, and this new cottolin warp. Other things are not black and white. Petunias, peacocks, sunsets, and most of my weaving. Black and white is uncomfortable for someone like me who prefers to engage with color. Ten-and-a-half meters is a loooong time to be weaving without a colorful palette.

Warping reel with black and white warp.
Second bout of three. New Glimåkra warping reel is used to wind 10.5 meters of cottolin (60% cotton; 40% linen) in black and white.

I need to add more towels to my Etsy shop, so I did some Google “research” to find popular kitchen colors. Black and white is one of the current trends. I decided to go for it. Using color for some of the weft should be enough to remind me that the black and white is temporary, and that a colorful warp will eventually be on the loom again.

When we need reminders that everything will be okay, the Lord brings something or someone into our lives to show us that he cares. God is good. Even a small sign of his goodness is enough to help and comfort us. A touch of color on a long black and white warp may, in fact, be color at its greatest impact.

May goodness cross your path.

Warped for good,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Weaving Linen Air

Karen

Linen lace weaving. It’s like weaving air. 16/1 linen warp and weft, with uneven sleying and careful weaving. “Beating“ is not the right word this time; let’s call it “placing the weft.” Gentle, gentle, gentle, easy does it. No temple needed. Indeed, what would you hook the temple into? There is almost nothing there.

Linen on the warping reel.
Winding the 16/1 linen warp on the warping reel.
Linen warp chain, ready to dress the loom.
Wound warp is chained and placed over the breast beam and through the beater in preparation for dressing the loom.
Lease sticks with linen.
Lease sticks.
Dressing the loom with linen singles.
Ends are counted and grouped before threading.
Uneven sleying of the reed with linen singles.
Reed is sleyed unevenly, sometimes called “crammed and spaced.”

I did weave a sample, trying out different colors and sizes of weft. The weave is so airy; honestly, I was not sure if the fabric would hold its shape off the loom. To wet finish, I first soaked the sample for 20 minutes in hot water with mild soap. Then, I washed it by hand, lifting and lowering the net-like cloth repeatedly in the water. I rolled it in a towel and gently squeezed to remove moisture. Lastly, I laid it out flat to dry.

Half bow keeps linen from slipping, while allowing adjustments.
Half bow-tie makes sure the linen will not slip. Adjustments are easy, if necessary, after weaving a few inches.
Tying up treadles in the "playhouse" under the warp.
Treadle tie-up happens in the “playhouse” under the warp in the back. Sunlight through the linen reveals “invisible” hairy fibers.
Sample weaving. Linen lace.
Sample.
Linen sample, not yet wet finished.
Sample, not yet wet finished.
Linen sample in black and white.
Black and white view shows cloth structure.

Result? It came through beautifully, with the lace weave intact. Linen, there is something about you that is exquisite and delightful, yet a bit mischievous and sly. I like you.

Linen sample after wet finishing. Karen Isenhower
After wet finishing and drying, the linen sample shows a glimpse of scarves to come.
Weaving linen air. Karen Isenhower
Weaving linen air.

May all your concerns be as light as air.

Happy Linen Weaving,
Karen

Tools Day: Color Wrapping

Karen

Linen singles line up for a new warp to make lace weave scarves. I have only one tube of each color. This makes an interesting challenge, since I wind warps with two threads together. Adding to the challenge, I am requiring myself to use all six colors. How will the colors behave with each other? What order should I put them in? Color wrapping is a fun way to find answers.

Making color-wrapped cards for planning linen warp.
Playing and planning with color by wrapping threads on index cards.

First I will select one color-wrapped card as “winner.” And then, I will decide whether to repeat the narrow stripes on that card across the warp, or spread the chosen stripe sequence over the width of the warp by expanding each of the narrow two-color stripes.

Color wrapping with linen to plan warp.
Cards wrapped with 16/1 line linen to view warp possibilities.
Color wrapping to plan linen warp.
Each narrow stripe is two colors paired together. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Color wrapping shown in black and white to see balance.
Black and white gives a view that shows the balance of dark and light.

Color wrapping supplies:
Index card, folded in half lengthwise
Double-stick tape

  • Place a length of double-stick tape on one side of the folded index card.
  • Starting on the back of the card (the side with tape), stick the end of a thread (or two threads, as in these examples) to the tape.
  • Wrap the threads around the card, aligning the threads right next to each other, sticking the thread to the tape on the back each time around.
  • Experiment with different arrangements of colors, and vary the width of stripes as desired.

Which of the six color wrapping examples would you choose for an eye-catching lace weave scarf? And would you repeat the sequence across the width of the warp, or would you spread the sequence out over the width of the warp? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

May you discover more options than you know what to do with.

Happy Coloring,
Karen