Tag: creativity

These Sensational Towels!

Karen

What can compare to the thrill of unrolling freshly-woven cloth? Pulling, and pulling, and pulling until you get to the very beginning of the warp. As every towel unwinds, I do a micro evaluation, knowing that complete scrutiny comes later. I could not be happier with these towels! They are every bit as sensational off the loom as they were to weave. What a joy to be a weaver!

Towels galore just coming off the loom!
Back to the beginning! Cottolin thick and thin handtowels are coming off the loom.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was winding lopsided quills, dropping the shuttle more than occasionally, and struggling to understand weaving drafts. Desire and a willingness to learn have pushed me through these and other barriers.

Handwoven towels ready to be hemmed.
Ready for hemming.
Black and white and a little red. Handwoven towels.
Black and white and a little red, ready for hemming.
Photo shoot for new handwoven towels. Karen Isenhower
Getting set up for a photo shoot. Photos are used in Etsy listings.

Willingness is more important than capability. Being willing sets the stage for learning. We all start incapable. God doesn’t expect us to be capable. He does expect us to be willing. God weaves His purposes on earth, not through the capable people, but through the willing. In weaving, and in life overall, I want to embrace and preserve the willingness factor that keeps me learning.

Thick and thin structure is a handweaver's playground. Karen Isenhower
Thick and thin structure is a playground for a handweaver to imagine and develop designs. Cottolin handtowels and table runner. Designer kitchen, anyone?

And as we yield our will to our Creator, what joy is ours as we learn how to truly live!

May you never stop learning.

(You can see a few of these items now in the Warped for Good Etsy Shop.)

Happy Weaving,
Karen

How I Got Started in Handweaving

Karen

In the early 1980’s Steve and I signed up for a pottery class at Johnson Atelier in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We still have the hand-built pitcher Steve made. The big thing that happened for me, though, besides figuring out that I am not a potter, was the rigid heddle weaving class across the hall. I signed up for that class, and lo and behold, I discovered I was a handweaver at heart! I found myself in an exhilarating new story; and I acquired my first loom–a 32″ Beka rigid heddle. Weaving became my means of creative expression. Now, several chapters (and a few more looms) later, I am still a happy handweaver. It’s part of who I am.

Small tapestry, mounted on linen, with frame made to fit. Karen Isenhower
Practice tapestry piece is mounted on linen. Steve made the frame to fit. The frame is leaning on the crackled raku pitcher Steve made in our pottery class so many years ago.

That is how I want my story to be written on the inside, too. Through a discovery that redirects my whole attention. Let a new story be written! A new creation starts on the inside and makes you a new person. The writer of this terrific new story is God, Himself, who makes everything new.

May you find yourself in a true story.

Happily Weaving,
Karen

Never Ending Ideas to Weave

Karen

Every patterned rag rug is a new adventure. I can’t imagine being a production weaver who weaves the same thing over and over. I still have childlike wonder when I see a pattern develop on the loom, and then again when the woven cloth is unrolled and cut off. There is an endless supply of ideas to weave. One fascinating idea after another.

Patterned rag rug on the loom.
First third of rug as seen under the breast beam.

When I was a child, our family had a table prayer that we spoke together at mealtimes. “God is great; God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. A-men.” These simple words bring back pleasant memories and a smile, and remind me of truths I hold dear. God is good. He has a storehouse of abundant goodness for those who come and take refuge in him. And that supply from his storehouse is endless–one good thing after another.

By the way, the first rug from this warp (Quiet Friday: Checkered Rug) is now in my Etsy Shop.

May you never run out of good ideas.

Gratefully,
Karen

What a Colorful World!

Karen

I am ridiculously in favor of color. Bright or pastel, rich or muted, vibrant or subtle. Just give me hue, value, and intensity to work with and I’ll be happy. I dutifully wove the first four towels in nice neutrals (see one of them in this post, Goose Eyes); now, let’s see what other weft colors can do on the remainder of this ten-meter / eleven-yard warp. Look around in nature to see outrageous color combos, some of which would never pass standard color theory practices.

Cotton goose-eye towels on the loom.
Afternoon sunlight plays with the unwoven warp, while wide green-blue blocks of color and narrow royal blue stripes bring the brown and golden warp to life.

I cannot imagine a universe without color. What would we miss, for example, if everything were in gray scale? Our world began in color. That thought gives us a marvelous glimpse into the outlandish creativity of our maker. Who knows, he may be holding back a whole realm of undiscovered color that we won’t see outside of heaven.

God meets us with an open hand, giving us a feast. Yes, a feast for the eyes, to be sure, yet more than that. He gives what is needed from an open hand at the right time, satisfying true desires. The gift of color is merely a fragment of our creator’s vast generosity spilled out on creation.

May your surroundings be alive with color!

Happy weaving,
Karen

(Check my About page for Etsy Shop coupon for August, 2014.)

 

Unbeatable Creativity

Karen

Finding thread from my stash to make some kitchen towels is an interesting endeavor because of natural limits. There only so many colors and fibers to choose from. My stash is not very big since I just started weaving seriously a relatively short time ago. However, some experts say creativity does its best work within defined limits.

Cottolin and tow linen for making handwoven kitchen towels.
Pulled from my stash, this small assortment of cottolin and tow linen thread is selected for making kitchen towels.

Think of this: Our infinite master weaver created the earth with finite materials. Talk about defined limits! No wonder we see so much awe-inspiring creativity in nature.

The towels belong to the weaver who makes them; and are hers to give or keep. And the earth belongs to the one who made it. Within his control are the very depths of the earth; the mountaintops too—they all belong to him. The sea belongs to him, for he created it—scooped and filled it—with his hands he made the dry land—every valley and mountain.

Who can match that creativity?

May you experience a burst of creativity in the face of real limitations.

Keeping it simple,
Karen