Do You See What I See?

Thanksgiving 2013 is over and the house is quieter now. I am back to weaving bound rosepath (rosengång). This piece will be a table mat for next year’s Thanksgiving dinner, with the turkey pilgrims facing one side of the table. (Click HERE to see more about weaving the turkey pilgrims.) It makes sense, then, to have pilgrim men facing the other side. This means weaving the pilgrim men upside down. As I am weaving, it is difficult to determine if the upside down image is forming properly. I courageously weave on, hoping I am correctly interpreting the diagram. Faith takes courage like that.

Bound Rosepath Pilgrims on Thanksgiving table mat
A small hand mirror gives an upright view of the woven pilgrim men that are facing away from the orange pilgrim turkeys.

I used Numbers on my iPad to design the bound rosepath pilgrim motif. The image is only seven squares across the graph sheet, and must be entirely symmetrical from side to side. This mere-seven-pixel-wide picture is a design challenge because of its narrow limit.

Bound Rosepath Diagram using iPad Numbers app
iPad screen shot of pilgrim diagram in Numbers (spreadsheet) app.

Putting our faith into action when we don’t know all the answers takes courage. It is like following the diagram when the picture doesn’t make sense. I imagine that kind of faith courage pleases our creator. It was only after I finished weaving the row of pilgrims that I thought of holding up a mirror to see the upright image. Don’t take the easy way out. Don’t shrink back. When you press into the picture with faith, your life becomes a positive reflection of your maker’s skillful design.

May you live with courageous faith.

Peace,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Philippine Textiles

You may remember that I recently returned from a visit to The Philippines. It may not surprise you that I am always on the lookout for interesting textiles, and especially handwoven fabrics. I don’t mean to do that; it just happens… Well, when I met sweet Beth at the Sunday market, I felt like I hit the jackpot! Beth and I had a common language – Handweaving! (She speaks fine English, too, of course; but you know what I mean.)

I tried to gather a few pictures of textiles that you would enjoy seeing.

If you don’t have time to look at all the textile pictures today, at least scroll down and see my little granddaughter carrying her big umbrella on the way to the market. Umbrellas are always in season in Metropolitan Manila. For the rain in the rainy season (our visit), and for shielding your skin from the sun all the rest of the time. (You can always come back later and finish looking at the rest of the pictures. Smile.)

Tie-dye scarf found in Makati, Philippines.
I am wearing a cotton tie-dye scarf I found in a Makati store. We learned interesting World War II history on our day trip to Corregidor Island.
Painted metal gate in Makati, Philippines - would be great tapestry design!
Interesting painted metal gate in Makati. I instantly saw it as a potential tapestry design.
Filipino and American handweavers meet at market in Makati.
Found a fellow handweaver at the Sunday market. Beth has ten looms in her workshop in Vigan, where she and other weavers produce beautiful cloth, mostly from cotton thread. 40/1 cotton is Beth’s most used fiber.

 

Textile unique to The Philippines. By handweaver Beth.
Beth identified this weave pattern as the most unique to The Philippines. I am sorry I failed to write down the Tagalog name for this and the weaves in the following pictures when Beth told me what they were.
Filipino Overshot, at Makati market.
Beth is a third-generation weaver. She has woven this pattern for many years, but just learned four years ago that it is called “Overshot” in English.
HandWoven Wonders by Beth's Loomweaving, at Makati market
HandWoven Wonders by Beth’s Loomweaving. Stunning turquoise cotton table runner is two yards long.
Tiny ikat woven coin purses from The Philippines.
Ayala Museum has fascinating displays depicting various aspects of Philippine culture and history, including a display of 1800’s handwoven and embroidered clothing (picture-taking not allowed). I found these ikat woven coin purses in the museum gift shop. The woven plaid zipper pouch is from another market vendor.
Mannequin with handwoven skirt at Manila Airport shop.
Mannequin in airport shop is dressed in a pleated handwoven skirt. The sash above the skirt is adorned with a shaped “rose,” formed from a handwoven wide band. (Click photo to enlarge)
"Ribbon rose" made from wide handwoven band to embellish sash on skirt. Manila Airport shop.
Wide handwoven band is gathered and stitched to form a “ribbon rose” that embellishes the sash.
Colorful handwovens at Manila airport shop.
Neatly folded piles of colorful handwoven items at a shop in the Manila airport. You didn’t expect me to come home empty-handed, did you?
Vibrant colorful table runner from Manila.
Vibrant multi-colored cloth with intricate design. Perfect for a Christmas table runner.
Reverse side of colorful cloth from Manila.
Notice the long thread floats and knots on the reverse side of the red cloth.
Cheerful colorful striped cloth from Manila.
Cheerful colorful stripes!
Colorful striped cloth from Manila.
Detail of the warp-faced weave of the colorful striped cloth.

May you step into a joyful journey.

Happy Weaving,

Karen