design – Page 18 – Warped for Good

Never Ending Ideas to Weave

June 5, 2015June 7, 2015 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

Weaving Favorites

May 29, 2015May 28, 2015 Karen

I normally pin a measuring ribbon to the cloth being woven, moving the pins as I advance the warp. This rug is different. I am using a graph paper sketch; and beside each block on the sketch I have written the number of inches to weave. The tape measure that hangs at the end of my weaving bench makes it easy to follow the plan, measuring frequently as I go. This requires mindfulness as I weave, paying attention to the pattern.

I have the end in mind, and this may turn out to be my favorite rag rug ever! (Have I said that before?) It is true that my favorite thing to weave is usually that which is currently on the loom…

Double binding rag rug on the loom. — Tape measure hangs on the right end of the weaving bench. This tape measure records inches and centimeters. I use both imperial and metric units, depending on what I am measuring.

The Maker of heaven and earth is mindful of you. Cherishes you as his favorite. I know that seems incredible; but as a weaver, I understand it. When you create, you care about the process and the results. As the ones created, we find ourselves in his story. The living Creator God invites us to himself. So, we come to his studio to meet the Mastermind behind the marvelous creations.

May your hands find favorite things to make.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Checkered Rug

May 22, 2015May 21, 2015 Karen

I have another rag rug warp on my Baby loom (Glimåkra 100cm Ideal), playing with the magic of double binding again, this time with four shafts and four treadles. Ten yards / nine meters of warp. I planned an additional twelve inches / 30.5cm between rugs for cutting off and tying back on, so I can cut each rug off as it is finished. Here is the first rug.

Winding warp for another rag rug. — Small warping reel is used to measure the ten yards / nine meters of 12/6 cotton rug warp.

Beaming the warp under tension, using warping trapeze and weights. — Warp chains are undone and lengthened out over the warping trapeze. Several pounds of walking weights hold the bouts under constant even tension for beaming the warp.

Tying on. — All tied on. Ready to weave.

Designing a rag rug. — Design concept is created; and fabric colors are chosen.

Double binding rag rug on the loom. Karen Isenhower — Progress.

Using a temple for weaving rag rugs. — Temple is always in place when I am weaving a rug. I fitted two different temple parts together to get this warp width. Notice the lengthwise gaps between the temple parts…but not a problem.

Rag rug on the loom. Nearing completion. — Around the breast beam, and over the knee beam, to wrap around the cloth beam. Warping slats are placed between the cloth beam and the rug the first time around to make a smooth surface for the woven rug-cloth.

Rag rug on the loom. Woven hem. — Hem is completed with 12 picks of rug warp. Three inches of scrap fabric header comes next, and then the rug is ready to be cut from the loom.

Hand-hemming rag rug. — Warp ends have been knotted and trimmed; and hem folded under and pressed. Now, hemming with a needle and rug warp, the last step is almost complete. The only thing left is to sew on my label.

Checkered rag rug. Karen Isenhower — Notice the subtle changes in color and depth of color where the warp colors change–purposely not aligned with the block changes.

Home sweet home. That's what rag rugs are for. — Home sweet home. A patterned rag rug makes a house feel like home.

May you finish what you started.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Rag Rug Tapestry

May 1, 2015April 30, 2015 Karen

Bold striped hems and four white stripes across this rug stabilize the unpredictable design. This is the rug that uses up several remnants from my fabric stash. My main agenda was to use up fabric.

Double binding twill rag rug. — Final rug from this warp of double binding twill rag rugs. The striped hem is created by alternating picks of dark and light fabric strips.

I like rugs for the way they give the impression of a pathway. A place to put down your feet and walk. This rug does look like a path to me. Like a tapestry, this rug tells a story. I can see irregular changes of scenery. And the white stripes are like scheduled events that add structure and definition. It is good to have a path for your feet, and for your life.

Life is filled with changing seasons, and with schedules and interruptions. It isn’t always easy to see the right path. The Shepherd leads us on a path lined with goodness and mercy. These qualities are woven in. Like this double binding rug, mercy is always on the other side of goodness. And goodness backs up mercy. When these elements of kind-hearted design can be seen in our lives, though only as remnants and fragments, that is when we know we are on the right path.

May goodness and mercy follow you around.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Something Old in a New Way

April 17, 2015April 16, 2015 Karen

This rug is using up bits and pieces. Normally, I begin with a few choice fabrics in five-yard lengths to create a specific rag rug design. Not this time. With the exception of the grey print, there is not enough of any one color to suit me. Some favorite prints are here, but in very small amounts. Other fabrics have been around too long; it’s time to use them up. And some, like the denim, are in short lengths, which means annoyingly frequent joins. My task is to take these misfits and make something worthwhile.

Even though I can’t guarantee the results with this mishmash, I am taking the dive. It is good to try something new, or do something old in a new way. Take fabric that is leftover, outdated, or unsuitable for anything else, and turn it into an artisan rag rug. Can I take ordinary and turn it into extraordinary? It is worth a try.

Do what you know, and take it further than you think you can. Go where you don’t usually go. Step out a little deeper to practice what you already know. Let the struggle push you to find new horizons. You could end up with a charming rag rug.

May this be your day to go a little deeper.

Happy Weaving,
Karen