happy – Warped for Good

Happy Ending Rag Rug Warp

March 3, 2020March 1, 2020 Karen

Welcome to my weaving studio, which doubles as our home, I said, as they walked up to the front door. Our luncheon guests were introduced to the weaving environment of the Texas hill country home that Steve and I enjoy. Our time together was refreshing, filled with lively conversation over a home-cooked meal, complete with discussions about looms, threads, and like-minded pleasures.

Lunch with honored guest, Joanne Hall. — Steve and I enjoy lunch with honored guest, Joanne Hall, and a few members of the San Antonio Handweavers Guild.
Karen, Janis, Joanne Hall, Henriette, Vesna, and Cindy.

Six rosepath rag rugs encompass the cloth beam, with the back tie-on bar just inches behind the heddles. It seems only fitting that the woman who gave me my first rosepath rag-weaving experience should be given the cherished scissors for this momentous occasion. Joanne, will you do us the honor of cutting off? I couldn’t have wished for a happier ending of this warp.

Joanne Hall does the honor of cutting off the rag rugs. — Joanne Hall, ready to cut off the rag rugs.

Unrolling the cloth beam with new rosepath rag rugs. — Unrolling rugs from the cloth beam.

Six new rosepath rag rugs, ready for finishing.

We all have wishes, some of which we make public, and some remain as closely-held secrets. It’s those deep wishes that make us who we are. God knows your name. He knows your deep desires. One day, all our secret wishes will be rolled out like a stretch of rag rugs for the Maker to examine. Amazingly, he offers grace to cover the wrongs. And He embroiders his Name on the hand-crafted souls that belong to him.

May your cloth beam keep filling up with deep-hearted wishes.

Your friend,
Karen

Ten Centimeters of Tapestry

June 1, 2018May 31, 2018 Karen

Slow weaving is even slower when a full week goes by since you last touched the loom. If only I could sit here and do this every day, hours at a time. But other responsibilities…and other looms call for my attention.

Four-shaft tapestry in progress on the loom. — First ten centimeters of the tapestry is complete. Plastic baskets hold the wool yarn beside the loom, sorted by color and value.

Color blending by combining various colors and weights of wool yarn. — Color blending is achieved by combining various colors and weights of wool yarn.

We don’t see much of the main subject yet. I am intensely eager to see a distinguishable image. I suspect you may be eager to see it, as well. But I know it’s coming, so I gladly pursue this adventure, one row at a time.

Four-shaft tapestry beginning. — Elements of shading and texture in the beginning background of the four-shaft tapestry.

Tapestry, woven from the side. — Tapestry is being woven from the side. So, this is the direction the tapestry will hang.

Gladly. We need strength beyond ourselves to endure and be patient—with gladness. Endurance and patience with a glad attitude is an indicator of maturity. Strength for endurance is one of the treasures that God supplies when we ask. And he reminds us that he sees the completed picture. And that it’s worth the pursuit. Aren’t you glad?

May you find patience for waiting.

Gladly weaving,
Karen

Miles and Miles to Weave

June 6, 2017June 5, 2017 Karen

I just reached the quarter-of-the-way mark. After completing a long border at the beginning of this runner, I have been weaving the same two blocks over and over. And over. Really? I’m only a fourth of the way there? This long table runner is a marathon, not a sprint.

M's and O's on the loom. — Unbleached cotton warp and half-bleached linen weft. The checkerboard appearance of this sålldräll (M’s and O’s) will become rounded when taken off the loom, and, even more so when wet-finished.

I am already thinking about the rag rug project that’s up next. The plans are written out. The rug warp is waiting on my shelf. And it has been too long since I’ve had rag rugs on the loom. As you know, rag rugs are my favorite. If I’m not careful, impatience creeps in.

M's and O's table runner on the loom. — Keep weaving, winding more quills, and making fabric.

Look up to heaven. When you pray, it’s a signal that you want the Lord of heaven to get involved. It’s a way of saying you don’t have everything you need on your own. Like patience. And gratitude. He brings you back to remember how much you enjoy the mechanics of weaving–throwing the shuttle back and forth, gliding your feet across the treadles, making threads turn into cloth. Living a dream come true. Miles and miles of Sålldräll (M’s and O’s)? Yes, please. I’m happy with that.

May you live your dream.

Gratefully,
Karen

If a Warp End Is Frayed…

May 30, 2017May 29, 2017 Karen

I noticed that a warp end was starting to fray, but I kept on weaving. I thought I could make it past the weak spot. Well, I was wrong. The warp end broke. So much for happy weaving! A broken warp end at the selvedge is no fun, especially on a weft-faced piece like this. Looking back, I wish I had taken time to splice in a new length of thread when I first noticed the weakness. But at the time, I didn’t want to be bothered with that. I just wanted to weave.

Tapestry / inlay sampler on small countermarch loom. — Weaving right along. I start to notice some abrasion on the warp end at the right selvedge. I’ll be extra careful. I can keep weaving and enjoy myself, right???

Broken selvedge end on the right. Ugh. — Warp end on the right selvedge frayed to the breaking point. Gone! The weaving must be removed far enough back to reach at least 1/2″ of the warp end in front of the break. That reaches back into the red portion–the first section of the sampler.

Original selvedge warp end is now being spliced back in (green flathead pin). Second splice is complete, with thread tail hanging out, to be trimmed after this is off the loom.

Tapestry and inlay sampler. Spliced warp ends fix frayed threads. — Two sections of the tapestry and inlay sampler are complete.

We tell ourselves if we do what we want, we will be happy. That’s a delusion. Happiness will fail you. It doesn’t last. I was only happy weaving until the thread broke. There is something better than happiness. Faithfulness. It’s better to be faithful in the moment, even if it puts a delay on being happy. Faithfulness lasts. Next time, I hope to choose the long satisfaction of faithfulness over the short-lived gain of happiness.

May your broken selvedge ends be few.

Faithful weaving,
Karen

My Best Weaving Stunt to Date!

February 10, 2017February 9, 2017 Karen

Do you ever go out on a limb? I’ve been known to play it safe. But not today! My excitement for weaving this kuvikas structure was severely dampened when I saw that the pattern in the cloth was not the pattern I intended. What happened? I had switched the threading for shafts 1 and 2! Consistently, too–all the way across the warp.

Start of kuvikas (summer and winter), and discovery of threading error. — While testing weft color options, I realize that this is NOT the pattern for which I thought I had threaded. Even though this pattern does reveal an “I” for “Isenhower,” I had my heart set on a square within a square.

I could leave the threading as is. No one would know. Oh, the arguments I had with myself at this point. “Take it out, and re-thread.” “You’d be crazy to take it out and re-thread.” The crazy self won. (I did find myself asking, “What solution would Becky Ashenden, the weaving solution genius, come up with?”) Here is the stupendous thing: I was able to correct the pattern by doing shaft-bar gymnastics. And no re-threading! What?! (I documented the process and will bring it to you in my Quiet Friday post at the end of the month.)

Kuvikas (summer and winter), cotton tabby and tencel pattern weft. — The sight of these little squares within squares makes me extraordinarily happy! 8/2 cotton tabby weft. Doubled 8/2 Tencel pattern weft. Kuvikas, as this weaver intended it to be.

There are times when we are called to go out on a limb. It’s the right thing to do. But the prospect is overwhelming. We ask, “Who? Me?” And “How, Lord?” Trust the Lord, one step at a time. He will be with you. Marvelous things will happen, catching even you by surprise.

May you know when to go out on a limb.

Happy,
Karen