Tag: Glimakra Ideal

Quality Rag Rugs

Karen

Does this color enhance or detract? Is there enough contrast between background and pattern? Is five centimeters of plain weave between pattern sections too long, or too short? I ask myself questions as I weave a new design. I consider all the technical aspects, as well. Warp tension, treadling finesse, and shuttle shuffling. Attention to detail matters.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. Karen Isenhower
Design elements are planned before weaving, and then adjusted as weaving progresses on the loom.

Details begin in the planning stage with design, choice of materials, and colors. While weaving rosepath rag rugs, consistency counts. I aim for a consistently firm beat and good, tight selvedges. All of these elements contribute to quality. And as I grow in my weaving skills, overall quality improves.

Rosepath rag rugs require extra attention at the selvedges.
Rosepath rag rugs require extra attention at the selvedges.
Rosepath rag rug on the loom.
Yellow dash is made with a single weft pick. The single fabric strip is cut long enough to securely tuck the ends back into the shed.

A person’s character is defined by their motivations. It’s not what you do, but why you do it. It is not enough to look good. I can buy a cheap rug that looks good. But if I could examine how it was made, I might find the shortcuts that diminished its quality. Our inward motivations are revealed in our outward behaviors. The cheap rug fades and comes apart all too quickly. By examining our own motives we build quality of character. The result is not only lovely, but durable, too.

May your quality control efforts succeed.

With you,
Karen

Young Weaver

Karen

I had a visitor this week. You might be surprised to see what a seven-year-old can do. Young Jamie picked out her colors, wound fabric strips on the ski shuttle, and wove a small rag rug. Almost all by herself! She helped me advance the warp, and remove warping slats as they came off the back beam.

Young weaver at the loom making her first rag rug.
After twisting the weft at the selvedge, Jamie angles the weft in the shed before beating. And this seven-year-old has plenty of strength to pack the weft in tightly with the beater.

It was rewarding to see my little friend catch on so quickly. She believed me when I told her she could weave a rag rug; and she trusted me to show her what to do. Weaving was a success because Jamie listened well, and followed my instructions. After she left, I wove the warp thread header, cut the rug from the loom, and tied the knots, leaving fringe. Now Jamie has her own little handwoven rag rug!

First rag rug by a seven-year-old weaver. Glimakra Ideal floor loom.
Warp ends are secured with overhand knots. The fringe adds a playful touch to Jamie’s first rag rug.

Trust in God is a bold thing; it is confidence in God through all of life’s challenges. Beware of anything that tempts you to question your trust in God. He comes beside us and faithfully guides as we walk through life. God is someone we can trust. When we listen well and follow instructions, he weaves something good through our hands.

May you listen well.

Trusting,
Karen

How to Begin a Rag Rug

Karen

It is not enough to be pretty; a good rag rug must also be sturdy. Four crucial steps give a rag rug the solid foundation it needs to get off to a great start, and to be ready for the strong beat required to make a rug that lasts.

How to Begin a Rag Rug

1 Space

  • leave enough warp to tie and finish ends after the rug is cut from the loom

Assuming there is a sample at the beginning of the warp, leave space after the sample. Leave about 4″ (10 cm) of empty warp. Then, using two warping slats, place one slat in each plain weave shed. The slats act as a spacer, and as a firm backstop for beating in the waste rags. (Leave about 8″ / 20 cm of space between each rug, from header to header.)

How to begin a rag rug. Four crucial steps.
Empty warp is followed by a pair of warping slats, scrap weft, warp yarn header, and beginning of hem. Measurements are marked on twill tape for reference while weaving.

2 Waste rags

  • a place to attach the temple
  • prevent the header from unraveling when the rug is cut from the loom

Weave with scrap fabric strips, 1 – 2″ (2.5 – 5 cm) wide, for 2″ (5 cm). Attach the temple as soon as possible.

3 Header

  • secures the rug weft
  • gives the rug a firm edge

Use warp yarn to weave a 3/8″ (1 cm) weft-faced header. Arrange the weft in small arcs across the width of the shed. Treadle the next shed and beat in the weft.

Weaving header for rag rug. How to.
With temple in place, the header is woven with 12/6 cotton, the warp yarn. Forming small waves in the weft places more weft in the shed, which helps prevent draw-in.

4 Hem

  • thinner rag weave, to be turned under and stitched

Cut fabric into narrow strips, 1/4″ (.5 cm) wide. Weave hem to desired length, with enough to fold under itself for finishing.

–Repeat the four steps in reverse order at the end of the rug.–

How to begin a good, sturdy rag rug!
Ready for the body of the rug! A good, strong beat will not disturb this layered foundation.

It takes courage to live by faith. Courage is the backbone against which life circumstances can push. Faith is knowing God has a higher purpose for the circumstances we find ourselves in. A rag rug with this firm starting point will not only look good, but be ready for a purpose. And so will we.

May you live courageously.

With faith,
Karen

My Favorite Thing to Weave

Karen

Double binding on one and rosepath on the other. Both looms are weaving rag rugs. Detailed plans, multiple shuttles, fancy footwork. Piles of cotton fabric, and miles of cut fabric strips. I know what to expect when all these elements combine, but it still fascinates me to see the “roses” bloom on the rosepath and the two layers synchronize in the double binding!

Rosepath rag rug on the Glimakra Ideal loom. Karen Isenhower
Blue and pink “roses” emerge as the result of a planned treadling sequence.
Piles of fabric for making patterned rag rugs.
Piles of fabric on the cutting table. A picture of rag rugs being imagined.

Rosepath has demanding requirements–for threading, treadling, shuttle shuffling, and selvedges. Double binding on eight shafts has its own challenges–which shuttle goes first? But when I am at the loom weaving rag rugs I feel like singing. All of the efforts seem like bonuses to me. Everything comes together in a wonderful fashion. There, perched on my loom bench, I am doing what I love to do!

Double binding rag rug on the Glimakra Standard loom, with 8 shafts, 6 treadles.
Double binding rag rug has two layers woven at the same time. The bottom side of the weaving has reversed colors, with the blue batik fabric on the side borders, and the green and red batik fabric in the center panel.

Wisdom is closer than we think. It’s within reach. Hidden for us, not from us, our heavenly Father offers this gift and challenge called wisdom. The delight of rosepath only happens through the threading and treadling demands. Within the challenge of two-shuttle weaving lies the secret to double binding’s appeal. The thoughtful, truth-seeking approach to life may feel like work. But it’s those very efforts that bring us to the delight and surprise of wisdom’s jewels.

May you find roses blooming on your path.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Strings and Threads

Karen

This is a good day to put new strings on my cello. And to make my looms look like stringed instruments. Cello strings are tuned by tightening them until they reach specific pitches. Warp threads are “tuned” by tightening small groups of ends, one group at a time, until all the warp ends are equally taut. When the strings and threads are tensioned as they should be, it’s possible to create beautiful things–music and cloth. The bow and the shuttle turn strings and threads into songs.

Dressing the loom for 8-shaft double binding rag rugs. Glimakra Standard
Sleyed reed is centered in the beater.
Glimakra Ideal is getting dressed for rosepath rag rugs.
Glimakra Ideal loom is getting dressed for weaving rosepath rag rugs.

You must accurately hear pitches to tune a cello. You must have a keen sense of touch to evenly tension a warp. These skills can be learned, but only by those who are interested in learning.

Leveling string goes across the warp ends at the beginning of the warp.
Evenly tensioned red warp has a white leveling string that goes across the beginning of the warp, producing an even surface for weaving. Warp ends are “tuned” for weaving.
This is when the loom looks like a musical instrument, ready to be strummed.
With a little imagination, the loom’s tied-on warp become the strings of a musical instrument, ready for strumming.

This reminds me of wisdom. Wisdom cannot be bought, and will never make sense to someone who has no interest in it. You can pay for knowledge and instruction, but wisdom only comes to those who have a heart to be wise. Let the music begin! 

New strings on the old German cello.
With new strings, the old German cello sings out with a rich and powerful sound. (Find me on Instagram as @celloweaver.)

May your heart be wise.

Happy music making,
Karen