Tag: eight shafts

Why I Always Put on Extra Warp

Karen

I always put on more warp than I need for a project. That end of the warp is where I play, experiment, and try out crazy ideas, not to mention try to use up the thread from as many quills as possible. Or, for rag rugs, I try to use up as much of the weft fabric strips as I can. I have containers for those odd pieces (remnants). That is where I look when I want to make something.

Rag rug “scrap” became a seat cushion last year for me to use in the car.
Two cut-to-fit kneeling pads go in the cushion cover. I added handwoven bands for ties. The ties don’t stay tied, and they aren’t really needed. I let them hang as if they are chunky fringe.

The seat cushion I made for myself last year works great. Now I want to make a seat cushion for me to use in the other car. Time to get out that container of “scraps.”

I find four potential “scraps” to use for another cushion cover. The rag rug pieces aren’t quite big enough, but would work if I added some fabric to them. The colorful magenta and stripes piece would work as a top, with some other fabric for the bottom.
Blue striped eight-shaft twill in 8/2 cotton is just right! This is fabric I wove a few years ago for chair covers for my mother-in-law. It has a good weight to it, with quite a bit of give. And the blues are very pretty!
I am folding the piece in half lengthwise. This fabric has a pretty strong bias pull, so it makes sense to pin the seam before sewing.
Walking foot on my sewing machine makes all the difference, especially with this bias-strong fabric. The walking foot helps keep the two layers of fabric together, instead of the top layer stretching ahead of the bottom layer.
Two simple seams, and I’m finished with sewing! I am leaving the end open so it is super easy to add or subtract the fillers for the cushion. No ties this time.
Press the seams open.
Press the seams from the right side. Nothing matches at the seams because this long piece was made with intentionally irregular stripes.
Two kneeling pads are cut to fit. They will go inside the cushion cover. This gives me a good firm cushion to elevate my sitting position in the car. There is enough room in the cusion cover that I can add a little more height, or I can remove one of the kneeling pads for a lower sitting position.
Two kneeling pads go in.
Ready to Go!

Less than thirty minutes for this project, from selecting the fabric to inserting the pads. That’s exactly why I always put on extra warp! You never know when you will need an odd piece of handwoven something…

Happy Weaving, Karen

Handwoven Placemats on the Table!

Karen

Twelve green placemats are on the dining room table. Green 22/2 cottolin warp and 8/1 tow linen weft in four colors done in a two-block broken twill, woven on the Julia with eight shafts. I am deeply satisfied with the results. Now, all I need to do is to invite everyone over for a big family meal!

End of warp. Cutting off process begins.
Fabric unrolls from the cloth beam. Warping slats go every which way onto the treadles.
When I first unroll the cloth from a project that has been on the loom for a while, it is almost always “Love at first sight.” Then, I begin to question myself and wonder if the whole thing is a big mistake. The final stage is the most realistic and I am deeply satisfied with the results (usually).
Into the washing machine. The placemats have been cut apart, edges secured with the serger, and serger tails threaded back in. I carefully monitor the washing machine and remove the cloth before it hits a full spin cycle. Then, into the dryer it goes, just until damp, and then I press them till dry. This is a long time at the ironing board.
Twelve placemats ready to go! Machine hemmed and pressed.
The four linen weft colors give the placemats a softly graded look. Each one has the same two-block pattern, but each one is different because of the variance of the weft colors. Blue, green, teal, black.
Setting the table in the dining room.
Let’s eat!

I am lining things up to start my next big project that will grace our home. I’ll let you know as soon as I start winding the warp!

May you finish what you’ve started, no matter how long it takes.

Happy Weaving,

Karen

Look at that Cloth Beam!

Karen

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.

May your efforts bring satisfying results.

Happy Weaving,

Karen

Eleventh Broken Twill Placemat

Karen

It’s a temptation to hurry up when I am this close to the end of the warp. There is only one more placemat to weave, plus a little extra warp after that. I remind myself that there is no reason to rush. A steady pace helps me avoid careless errors that I’m prone to when I’m in a hurry. I’ll have all twelve placemats soon enough.

Broken twill in two blocks.
Green 22/2 Cottolin warp, and 8/1 tow linen weft in dark blue, green, teal, and black. Orange “cutting line” between placemats.
Glimåkra Julia, using eight shafts and eight treadles. Cloth beam is filling up nicely.
Eleventh placemat out of twelve. One more to go, plus a little bit of extra warp.

The Lord shows us how to live. He directs us in a way that sets a steady pace for life. No need to hurry. Enjoy each moment as a gift from his hand.

May your days be free from hurry.

Happy weaving,
Karen

Warped for Good Is Changing the Sett!

Karen

Change is an essential element of weaving. How many times do we change the warp on our looms? Or change the sett, the pattern, the color sequence? Change is the rhythm of life.

Weaving 8-shaft broken twill on the Julia is a relaxing way to wind down the day.

After next week, April 11, Warped for Good is starting in a new direction. Instead of posting exclusively on Tuesdays I am switching to a more spontaneous approach. I will keep sharing highlights from my weaving journey, enjoying, as always, your thoughtful feedback in the comments.

Next week you will see the completed small tapestries from my hand-built loom. Soon after that, look for finished spaced rep rag rugs from the Standard. And the crazy critter napkins that are coming up on the drawloom will show my not-so-serious side. There is no shortage of weaving projects around here! I am looking forward to robust interaction with you as we enter this new rhythm.

Six out of twelve placemats are woven. It’s fun to think about seeing the placemats all spread out on the dining room table.

I haven’t decided what to put on the Julia after the placemats are finished. Is there a weaving project you’d like to see? I’m open to suggestions.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Warped for Good emails are ending after April 11. Please bookmark this site so you can come right here and enjoy this weaving journey with me. Think about setting a reminder for yourself to come and see what’s happening on these looms.

May you know when to change the sett.

Love,
Karen