The last few months have been a season for me to put my focus on writing a book about prayer. This has been a season of less weaving than usual. Still, I find a way to get to the looms–a little here, a little there. It adds up. The nice thing about handweaving is that you have something to show for your efforts. Every little weft thread counts. Every day is a gift from the Lord, and every season is an opportunity to acknowledge Him. Thank you, Lord, for every season!
Here’s what I’ve been up to in this weaving season:
Eight different weft colors for this goose-eye twill. 7/2 Brage Wool.Cloth beam filling up.Standing back and enjoying the colors.Roadrunner on the drawloom. Cottolin and linen. Six groundshafts.Beginning the top half of the roadrunner pattern. Chart hangs for handy reference as I move up the chart, row by row.Roadrunner complete. Next chart to design is the Texas Longhorn. And three more critters after that.Curtain fabric, 24/2 cotton M’s and O’s.Cloth beam filling up.Take a step back and enjoy the process.
The Glimåkra Standard is where I am most comfortable, even though the reach of the full width is stretching me. The curtains for the bathroom are progressing. No new news, just continuation of adding cloth to the cloth beam.
Still weaving this M’s and O’s curtain yardage. Looking forward to the day the curtains will hang in our remodeled bathroom.Fabric is adding up on the cloth beam.
The Glimåkra Ideal is patiently waiting for a new tapestrywarp. I have a bit more design work to do on the cartoon, and then I’ll be winding the warp with the 16/2 linen I have set aside just for this project. I’m eager to show the new tapestry idea to you! Soon!!
I am finishing up the next critter napkin design for the drawloom. This one is a roadrunner, and it is just…about…ready…to weave.
The Glimåkra Julia is getting filled up on the cloth beam, too. This wool goose-eye fabric is going to be fun to sew into a winter cape when it comes off the loom!
I like to check on the cloth beam to see how it is filling up. You can see there is still more warp on the warp beam.Julia with four shafts. Ribbon pinned on the side has marks that help me keep the diamond pattern square.
And finally. Drumroll. After a year of sitting on the sidelines after having been cut from the loom, two small tapestries are now hanging on our walls. I did the finishing work of adding a slat for hanging, stitching a backing in place, including some zigzag quilting stitches for support, and stitching up the sides and the hem.
Beginning to mount the tapestry by adding a wood slat at the top.Backing is added to the back of the tapestries. Zigzag stitching at the top helps secure the tapestry so it will not sag. One small nail will hold the tapestry to the wall.Heaven and EarthIntricately Created: Delicate Wing of a Monarch Butterfly.
It is good to finish, even if you do it a year later. Now I am really ready to start the next tapestry.
There is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing a cloth beam filled up with cloth. There are eleven placemats rolled up on there, plus one more stretching from the breast beam on down. All that’s left to do is cut them off, wash, hem, and press. We’ll have new placemats on our dining room table in no time. Yippee!
Twelve placemats are woven. Now it’s time for some pattern play at the end of the warp.Empty quills at the end of a weaving project are such a happy sight! This is another reason I enjoy playtime at the end of every warp–I can use up thread on the quills.Look at that cloth beam! Woo Hoo, cutting off will be fun. And hemming all those placemats…I don’t mind.
Spaced rep rag rugs are off the loom! Follow the pictures to see how they came out, and the surprising thing I am doing with one of them. (It was Steve’s idea.)
Short piece at end of warp gives opportunity for exploring design ideas. Specifically, I am changing weft colors separately from changes of treadling pattern.Cloth beam satisfaction.Reverse side is always seen first.Fascinated with how new fabric folds like ribbons on the floor, and how the warping slats look like a game of Pick-up Sticks.Still looking at the reverse side. Loom cleanup begins.After cutting off, the piece undergoes finishing. First, I tie warp ends into knots, which takes me about 2 hours per rug. Then I hand hem the rug using 12/6 cotton rug warp. And finally, I give the rug a good steam pressing, which helps even things out, shrink things together a bit, and makes the rug lay flat.One warp, four rugs. First small rug (not seen) went to my friend Nancy at a Christmas gift exchange. Last small rug (from the end of the warp) has an irregular repeating pattern. The two longer rugs have a place in our home. Did I say “rug?”If you hang a rag rug on the wall it becomes art. If you hang it on the massive stone fireplace it makes a house a home.
Be different in a good way. Be set apart from things that entertain the world. Find your pleasure in things that please the Lord—like creativity, beauty, and love poured into your home.
I have good reasons for cutting off this first double-binding rag rug before proceeding with the rest of the warp. This pause and reset ensures happy weaving to the end. Cutting off gives me a fresh start for the next rug.
Reasons for cutting off rag rug before end of warp
Uneven warp tension. I can improve the warp by tying back on.
Large rag rag. I can get a tighter warp tension by removing the rug’s bulk from the cloth beam.
New design. It helps me to see the completed rug before starting the next one, since this is a brand-new design.
Rug comes to an end with a red border/hem. A warp-thread header follows, and then a few rows of scrap header to help secure the weft until finishing knots are tied.
Steps for cutting off rag rug before end of warp (countermarch loom)
Tension on the warp is released at the back ratchet and front ratchet.
Mark a cutting line across the warp with a black marker. Allow at least 10 centimeters (4 inches) beyond the rug’s warp-thread header for tying knots later that will secure the weft.
Mark a cutting line across the warp. Leave enough warp at the end of the rug to tie overhand knots to secure the weft.
With tying back on in mind, cut one group of ends and skip the next group of ends. Continue across the warp, alternating cut and uncut groups of ends. Tie groups of cut ends in slipknots as you go.
By spacing out the cut ends, the weight of the rug is evenly distributed. There is less pulling and distortion while cutting off. At the same time I am preparing groups of ends for tying back on.
Make a second pass, cutting the remaining groups of ends, and tying them in slipknots.
Continue cutting off groups of ends.
Unroll the rug from the cloth beam. Take a photograph.
First look at the back of the rug.
Lay the rug out on the floor. Ooh and aah.
Double-binding rag rug, ready for finishing and hemming! I let the rug rest on the floor for a couple days to let the warp and weft relax. Next step is to tie ends into overhand knots.
