I am making a new ‘cello skirt (a tiered skirt), starting from scratch. The warp is 24/2 cotton, most of it unbleached. Each tier will be edged with a narrow Poppy border. The pattern in the cloth will be a huckaback (huck lace) design, adapted from Little Tablecloth in Huckaback on p.10 in Happy Weaving from VävMagisinet.
Today, I’m beaming the warp. My method includes a combination of things I have learned from these three excellent sources: Learning to Warp Your Loom, by Joanne Hall, Dress Your Loom the Vävstuga Way, by Becky Ashenden, and The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell.
I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Do you have any questions about my beaming process? If you warp back to front, like I do, what do you do differently?
This is a Christmas tree skirt in the making. The next stage of this special project will include appliqué and embroidery. The embellished tree skirt should be complete by the time Steve and I put up our Christmas tree this year. This luscious white-on-white wool cloth is just the beginning. Some colorful handwoven remnants will tell the rest of the story. I’ll let you know when that part is finished…
Back tie-on bar is right behind the shaft bars. The shed is compromised, but I am still able to squeeze my shuttle through to weave enough picks to empty my quill.Just off the loom, unwashed. 8/1 Möbelåtta unbleached wool warp and 6/1 Fårö bleached wool weft.
I thoroughly enjoyed the one-shuttle monotone weaving. It was a quiet stream amid my other rambunctious color-filled looms.
Wash on delicate cycle in the washing machine. Place in dryer on low heat for ten minutes. Air dry to finish. Snuggle.
Here’s a view into the process of making this cloth.
I am getting ready for Christmas. When I was a little girl, my Aunt Helen made a Christmas tree skirt for our family. It was a simple white felt skirt, with added colorful felt silhouettes depicting Christ’s Nativity. I want to reproduce that Christmas tree skirt using handwoven fabric. This fabric on the Ideal loom will be the base of the skirt. I will use some of my myriad handwoven fabric remnants for the colorful Nativity appliqué.
Möbelåtta warp on the right, and Fårö weft on the left.Temple in place for consistent beat and tidy selvedges.
The warp is unbleached 8/2 Möbelåtta wool. The weft is bleached 6/1 Fårö wool. The 6-shaft point twill fabric is delightful. Perfect for what I have in mind. It is peaceful, soothing, restful, and calm. You can see that everything is going to be all white.
Six-shaft point twill.In anticipation of Christmas.
There is a time for color, action, and noise. But we also need a time for serenity, stillness, and quiet reflection. Going alone to sit in the Lord’s presence gives us just that. It is there that we can pour out our heart in prayer. The Lord meets us where we are when we pray. And He tells the trusting heart that everything is going to be all right.
May your heart be at rest.
With you, Karen
PS Floating Selvedges. Last week I asked if you could tell which one of these four towels was woven without floating selvedges. (1 – 4, with the towel on top as #1.) See Process Review: Jubilation Hand Towels
Three of the four towels were woven with floating selvedges.
The towel that was woven without floating selvedges is the same towel that received the most votes. Towel #2!
It seems counterintuitive that weaving twill structures without floating selvedges could produce a pleasing edge. But most of the time the small floats that appear at the edge are inconsequential, especially after wet finishing. (By the way, I am weaving the white point twill mentioned above without floating selvedges, as well.)
A rosepath rag rug puts beauty under our toes. Strange? Yes, strangely wonderful. Let’s fill our homes with handmade goodies. Let’s make smiles happen in every corner. Let’s be different and make a difference. Live with beauty underfoot.
Three of these rugs have already gone to their new homes. (See Tied Up in Knots.) The remaining three rugs bring outdoor garden beauty indoors.
From bottom to top: Planting Seeds, Prayer Garden, Mystery Garden.
Come with me now to review the process of making these six rosepath rag rugs.
As Shelter in Place becomes a necessity for many, consider these words of encouragement from the book of Psalms: For He [the Lord] will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity. Psalm 27:5a
Every time you cut off a warp there is more to do before the woven material is ready for its end purpose. Do you enjoy tying knots? And, hemming rugs by hand? I don’t mind completing these final steps. It’s part of the whole weaving process. Three of the six rosepath rag rugs are now finished. Truly finished.
Six rosepath rag rugs. Rugs are cut apart and warping-slat dividers have been removed.
Tying the warp ends in overhand knots permanently secures the weft. These knots won’t work loose. I turn the hem, concealing the knots; and stitch the hem down. After I sew on my label, the work is complete.
Warpends are tied into overhand knots, four ends at a time.Ends are trimmed to 1 inch.Hem is folded under and pressed. The needle catches a warp end from the fold and a warp end from the body of the rug. Rug warp is used as thread for hemming.
Jesus famously said, “It is finished,” when he was on the cross. His completed good work replaces our work of trying to be good enough, trying to fix everything, trying to control our lives. Our knots won’t hold. We can trust that his finished work will never be undone. God loves you. Trusting him is loving him back.
One completed rug, named “Treasures,” for my neighbor’s home.Pair of completed rugs, named “Blessed Assurance,” for another neighbor’s home.
