Tag: Glimakra Standard

Dressed with Colors in Linen

Karen

Are you wondering which color arrangement I chose for the linen lace scarves? It wasn’t an easy decision. After weighing all the opinions and advice, color-wrapped card #7 won. I added a neutral stripe on both sides to frame the color sequence, and I varied the width of the stripes, thanks to Fibonacci. The result is that you can hardly distinguish where each stripe begins and ends. The stripes blend into each other, with the magenta stripes grabbing the most attention. (Visit Tools Day: Color Wrapping and Color Wrapping Take Two to follow the discussion about choosing the color arrangement for this warp.)

Dressing the loom with linen.
Linen on the warp beam. The colors blend from one end to the other, framed by bands of unbleached and golden bleached threads on each side. Lease sticks, tied to the back beam, maintain the order of the threads.

It makes sense to think things through before committing a linen warp to the loom. My excitement builds as the loom is dressed. We will soon see the woven results when I experiment with weft options. I am secretly hoping for iridescence. I can imagine it, but I won’t see it until the weaving happens, and the light catches the airy interlaced threads.

Threading the loom with linen.
Each thread is inserted through the eye of a heddle.

Color choices are inconsequential compared to other choices we make, but commitment is something many decisions have in common. We are invited into a personal walk with Jesus Christ. It is no small thing to consider an agreement with the Master. Like dressing a loom, it is a commitment. The excitement comes when you realize that iridescence and other mysteries may come true before your very eyes.

May you have a life filled with the glow of iridescence.

For good,
Karen

Color Wrapping Take Two

Karen

As always, one idea leads to another. I am planning warp colors for linen lace weave scarves, and color wrapping helps unleash ideas. And your comments helped “stir the pot.” You asked for my thought process. Here goes. (If you missed Tools Day: Color Wrapping, you’ll want to read it first.)

16/1 linen in six colors.
Six 16/1 linen colors.

I started with the idea of making a smooth transition from one color to the next. That was card #1. Then, I made more distinct stripes on card #2. For #3, I aimed for a mirrored arrangement. #4 blends colors in a different order.

Color wrapping to plan linen warp.
First six color wrapping cards.

Of those first four cards, #1 was close to my ideal. But the magenta and green stripe seemed out of sync. So I made adjustments, and card #5 became my favorite.

Next, I arranged the six colors of thread from light to dark, and paired each color with its best partner. For example, starting with cream, “With which other color does cream look best?” With enough samples to see all the options, I concluded that light blue suits cream the best. I did that kind of pairing with each color to make card #6. Now #6 became my runaway favorite! And, card #6 received the most votes in the comments from you, too.

More color wrapping to plan linen warp.
Three color wrapping cards that are in the finals. Slightly varied arrangement of stripes on each card. (Click on picture to enlarge.)

I color wrapped two more cards, trying to improve the color gradation. #7 and #8 have the same composition of stripes as #6, but in different arrangements. The “winning” color arrangement will become stripes spread across the warp in a Fibonacci sequence.

Now… Which one of these three would you choose: #6, #7, or #8? (I’d love to hear from you if you left your opinion the first time, and if you didn’t.)

May you see options by thinking things through.

Happy Coloring,
Karen

Linen Gets Wet

Karen

It is time for wet finishing. As curious as I am to see how the linen fabric will emerge through the process, I still hesitate when it is time to put the fabric in the water. Fresh off the loom, the fabric is coarse and stiff, but it looks good! I know that the water, mild soap, and gentle washing machine agitation will absolutely change the character of the cloth. Wet finishing should change the cloth for the better… Finally, I look at my notes again from the wet finished sample piece, and gain the courage to put the linen fabric in the water…

Wet finishing linen. Before and after.
Linen dice weave transforms from rigid squares on a stiff open mesh to gently flowing squares on softened cloth, where the threads blossom together to close the mesh. Oh, how the beauty of linen is revealed through washing.

Don’t hesitate to pray. Seek God when things are calm. Today is the best time to pray, when things are going well. Oh yes, there may be changes as a result of your prayers, but the changes are all good.

May you see the positive changes you hope for.

With anticipation,
Karen

Rya Pillow in the Rocking Chair

Karen

Do you remember this sturdy linen cloth, that I wove months ago, with the wonderful wool and linen rya? Yesterday I made it into a classy pillow. First, I fashioned the pillow cover, with invisible zipper, and all. Hollow by itself, the pillow cover needs an insert to be usable. So I made a muslin insert to fit, filled lightly. Now I have a cloud-soft rya pillow. (Read about weaving this fabric in Rya, Rya, How Does Your Garden Grow? and Now What Are You Counting?)

Rya pillow. Hand-tied rya knots in linen fabric, handwoven.
Fabric is two-sided point twill with rya knots. 8/2 linen for warp and 8/2 linen, doubled, for weft produces a sturdy base fabric for the hand-tied rya knots.
Finished handwoven rya pillow.
Pillow insert, lightly filled with down-like cluster fiberfill, fits perfectly inside the pillow cover.

This new rya masterpiece makes a perfect lumbar pillow for the antique rocking chair in my living room. This was my great-grandmother’s chair. One thing I know about my great-grandmother is that she was a praying woman. I love to imagine that she rocked her babies in this chair, praying for them and for her future grand- and great-grand-children. She may have prayed for my life in advance.

Rya knots made with wool and linen threads, on linen background fabric.
Each rya knot includes a combination of threads–Åsborya wool, Mora wool, and 16/2 linen.
Great grandmother's rocking chair with new handwoven rya pillow.
Great-Grandma’s rocking chair. A reminder of love that reaches to the next generation.

I want to be more than what others see on the outside. I need the Lord on the inside. I yearn for God to hear me and for me to hear Him. Without that connection, life is hollow. Prayer is a two-way conversation. That ongoing conversation keeps me from being empty. When I am filled, I am at my best. Could that be an answer to my great-grandmother’s prayers?

May your life affect future generations.

Softly,
Karen

Who Says Plain Weave Must Be Plain?

Karen

Do you see the lengthwise raised ridges in this linen fabric? Don’t be fooled. The plain weave panel of this fabric is as flat as can be. Optical illusion. I have two slightly different colors of linen in the warp, unbleached and golden bleached. Instead of strictly alternating the colors, I threaded the warp ends “as they came,” to bring depth and interest to the plain weave fabric.

Dice weave on the loom. View from under the weaving.
View from under the weaving, the cloth is seen going over the knee beam. This dice weave, with 16/2 linen, has colorful squares of weft pattern floats. A panel of plain weave follows the patterned cloth.

We can be fooled by what we see. Lines and colors work together to create a false impression. Coming close enough to touch and examine is the best way to help the eyes see what is real. How many things do we misunderstand because we fail to come near enough to truly examine the evidence? We assume that a distant view is reliable.

Humility sets the stage for learning. It removes distance between us and what we need to learn. Instead of trusting only what we see, we step nearer to touch and examine the real thing. The humble are teachable. They know there are things they don’t know, and they are on a quest to learn. With weaving, and with matters of greater importance, like faith and truth, we must come close enough to touch and to learn.

May you hold valued fabric in your hands.

With much to learn,
Karen