Tag: grandmother

Tapestry Portrait Challenge

Karen

Lucia became a big sister this week! Her new baby brother, Ari Kyle, is healthy as can be. It won’t be long before Lucia showers affection on him, like she does her baby doll Annabella. I am filled with wonder and awe when I have a newborn grandchild in my arms. It always feels like a tangible miracle from God.

Big sister and new baby brother!
Lucia holding Annabella. Ari Kyle is held by his mommy Melody Faith.

Lucia has an innocent face that I am attempting to capture in yarn. I have completely started over a couple times, and have unwoven and re-woven sections multiple times. It’s a struggle. I timidly share it with you, because I suspect there are things that don’t come easy for you, either.

Small tapestry in progress. Travel weaving.
Weaving a small tapestry from the back. Lucia’s photograph and a detailed tracing are used for reference. A cartoon drawn on a piece of buckram is lined up under the weaving on the tapestry frame. A fold-up pouch holds my travel tapestry yarn and supplies.
Travel tapestry in progress. My granddaughter.
Frame loom is turned over for a view of the front.
Small tapestry in progress.
Lucia in progress.

Prayer. When we pray for the children in our lives, we start with an empty warp. Gradually, the tapestry grows. Will they become what we envision for them? Will they connect with the Lord Jesus? Sometimes we feel like starting from scratch, praying for things we never thought of when they were babies. The picture will always feel incomplete in this life. But that’s another good reason to pray. As they grow, you will see their identifying characteristics develop. And you’ll find yourself saying, “Thank you, Lord.”

New grandbaby, sweet moment.
Hello, Ari Kyle, what a pleasure it is to meet you! Welcome!

May you hold a newborn whenever you can.

Love,
Lola Karen

Handwoven Blankets for Babies

Karen

Handwoven baby blankets are for cuddling babies. It is a pleasure to weave a baby blanket for a dear friend’s first grandchild. As long as I’m dressing the loom, it makes sense to weave more than one. So the second baby blanket is for cuddling my own grand-babies when they come to visit.

Double weave baby blankets. Cutting off!
Double weave baby blankets unrolled from the cloth beam, ready to be cut off.
Hemming double weave baby blanket.
Double weave top and bottom layers are stitched together by hand at the hems. Contrasting thread is used for a decorative embroidered look.
Embroidered edge of handwoven baby blanket.
Whipstitch in contrasting thread.
Handwoven baby blankets super soft for baby's skin.
Blankets are triple washed for softness. Ready to touch baby’s skin.
Double weave baby blanket.
Double weave has reverse pattern on the back.
Double weave baby blanket.
Same warp, different weft.
Handwoven baby blanket for newborn.
Meet Julian, my friend’s new grandson, wrapped in love.
Handwoven baby blanket. (Resting on his great-great-grandmother's quilt.)
Meet Benjamin, our newest grandson, wrapped in love. (Resting on his great-great-grandmother’s quilt.)

A resting baby is a picture of hope. Hope for the next feeding, hope in the mother’s tender love, hope in the father’s secure arms. No arrogance, no illusion of grandeur. Just quiet rest. Hope in the Lord looks like this. Hope for today, the future, and forever. My soul is at rest—in complete rest and trust. Like a resting baby in his mother’s arms. Like a baby wrapped in a blanket woven especially for him.

May you find rest.

Blessed,
Karen

Make Magical Fabric

Karen

Another magical experience at the loom! Double weave lets you weave two separate layers of fabric simultaneously. And then, the top and bottom layers can switch places in defined blocks. I don’t know who thought this up, but they were brilliant!

Double weave cotton baby blanket on the loom.
Cotton baby blanket for a dear friend’s first grandchild. This friend is amazed at the weaving process, and says that this woven fabric looks calming. Careful arrangement of the two shuttles ensures that the double-weave selvedges are woven closed.

The hard part was tying up the treadles. For a countermarch, working with eight shafts requires a more delicate balance under the loom. For a while, I was concerned that I might not get more than two decent sheds on this. But after several adjustments, I finally got a great shed with every treadle! Someone who looks at the final cloth will never know the effort that took place behind the scenes. But they may wonder at the amazement of handwoven cloth. Or not. (You’ve probably met someone who is not duly impressed with handwoven goods.)

Double weave baby blanket on the loom.
Long stripes in the middle of the baby blanket. I added dashed lines at the ends of the stripes for added detail interest.
Double weave cotton baby blanket on the loom.
Beginning sample reaches the cloth beam. Sample area at the beginning of the warp was used to test weft colors and to practice getting the appropriate weft density.

What do we see as ordinary that, truth be known, is full of wonder? One person may interpret an unusual event as an amazing sign from God. Another person experiences the same event and considers it nothing more than happenstance. If I say I won’t believe until I see evidence, I will never find evidence that satisfies me …even if I come face-to-face with a miracle. Keep the wonder. When you see handwoven cloth, let the work of the Maker’s hands bring wonder and awe. And know there are significant hidden details that are beyond our grasp.

May your fabrics be magical.

Happy weaving,
Karen

Cactus Transparency Preview

Karen

Here is a glimpse of the front-side of the transparency weaving. The cactus is beginning to come around the breast beam. I can’t see the cactus clearly yet, but so far, it looks good! I only have a couple inches of cactus left to weave. Soon, the whole picture will be visible!

Beginning of woven transparency around the front beam.
Smooth surface of the woven pattern area is in contrast to the textured density that is seen on the back.

The back of the weaving that faces me as I weave, with all its weft turns, weft splices, and woven-in tails, is an accurate picture of what I am weaving. But it is incomplete. It doesn’t tell the whole story. I get used to this bumpy side sometimes and forget that there is something better on the other side.

Transparency weaving from the back. Prickly pear cactus.
Transparency woven from the back means that all the weft turns are seen on the back. The front side of the weaving will have an appearance that is truer to the clean lines of the picture drawn on the cartoon.
Almost finished woven transparency of prickly pear cactus!
With the end in sight, anticipation of seeing the whole picture from the front grows!

Getting a glimpse of the true cactus picture made me want to see more. Looking for, and eagerly waiting to see the finished front-side of the transparency is like seeking truth. The lines in the design are obscured from the back, so we are compelled to keep going, keep advancing the warp, and actively look for the truth to appear. Love truth. The beginning of the cactus coming into view is a welcome sight that reminds me why I’m at the loom.

May you love what is true.

Welcoming a new grandson into the world!
We welcomed a new grandson into the world a few days ago!
Big brother loving his new baby brother. Awww... so sweet.
Big brother loving his new baby brother. Truth matters because of these precious little guys.

Yours truly,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Woven Baby Wrap Baby

Karen

A new life in the family is cause for celebration and thanksgiving! I had the privilege of weaving a baby wrap while my daughter carried the new little life inside of her. A wrap being woven to hold Lucia, and a baby being woven in the womb. Beautiful and more beautiful. God’s blessings on Eddie and Melody as they love the gift they have been given.

Handwoven baby wrap holding new baby.
Handwoven baby wrap with baby Lucia. Photo credit: Eddie Fernandez (Lucia’s daddy)

 

 

Woven baby wrap, handwoven by the baby's grandmother.
In her mother’s arms… Photo Credit: Eddie Fernandez (Lucia’s daddy)

May you love and be loved.

Affectionately,
Lola (Grandma)