It’s a temptation to hurry up when I am this close to the end of the warp. There is only one more placemat to weave, plus a little extra warp after that. I remind myself that there is no reason to rush. A steady pace helps me avoid careless errors that I’m prone to when I’m in a hurry. I’ll have all twelve placemats soon enough.
The Lord shows us how to live. He directs us in a way that sets a steady pace for life. No need to hurry. Enjoy each moment as a gift from his hand.
Spaced rep rag rugs are off the loom! Follow the pictures to see how they came out, and the surprising thing I am doing with one of them. (It was Steve’s idea.)
Be different in a good way. Be set apart from things that entertain the world. Find your pleasure in things that please the Lord—like creativity, beauty, and love poured into your home.
It pays to check your work. I have reached a new level of experience in distributing patterns shafts. I know how to do it backwards and forwards now. Literally. Unfortunately, I moved almost all of the pattern shafts before noticing that the spacing between units is not quite right. Uh oh! So, one by one, I reversed the distribution of pattern shafts to get back to the point of error—the very beginning. The reverse move was …more complicated.
Lesson learned:Check my work. I am off by only one unit of threads. That small miss, however, is enough to sabotage the whole project if not corrected. The sooner I check my work against the master plan the better. Fortunately, everything at the loom is fixable. It’s never too late to start again.
The sooner I check my life against God’s master plan the better. Fortunately, everything is forgivable. It’s never too late to start again.
Warped for Good is ten years old today! To celebrate I offer you some stats and thoughts and thank you’s.
Number of years:10
I started this blog when I was still new to weaving. This is a learning journey, and you have been learning with me. THANK YOU!
Number of email subscribers:1000
I started with a handful of friends (about 8 or 10) and a few curious family members. I’m incredibly grateful to those first few who allowed me to test my writing skills on them! I am more than astonished that many, many people trust me to bring them news of what’s happening on my looms. I count all of you as friends, and I am so thankful to have you come sit in my studio with me!
Number of blog posts:781
Some of you remember when I posted twice a week. When Steve retired four years ago, I slowed down to one post a week.
Number of floor looms: 5
Warped for Good started with one 120cm Glimåkra Standard Countermarch loom. I didn’t mean to end up with five floor looms. It just happened. (We’re not counting the band loom or rigid heddle looms.) A big thank you to my friend Joanne Hall who threw open the door to floor loom weaving when I first knocked on that door.
Nickname:Miss Weave-a-lot
This is husband’s nickname for me because I weave a lot. Steve gets my heartfelt thanks for encouraging me every day.
Number of months taken off:6
I have taken a pause for the month of July the past six years.
Number of missed posts (except for the July pauses): 0 (zero)
Thank you to Steve for making things for me. Thank you to my Warped for Good friends for every email you send me. I’m especially thrilled when you show me pictures of what you are weaving!
Number of delayed meals:Too many to count (according to Steve)
Needless to say, I am thankful to have married a very patient man.
Why the name Warped for Good? Warped for Good is a metaphor for living a purposeful life as a believer in Jesus. God is the Grand Weaver who warps the loom. My life is the warp. Jesus Christ is the good. The weft is the daily living that aligns with the Master’s plan. Interacting with people, making friends, and sharing interests are all part of that plan. I’m truly grateful to my Grand Weaver for all the friends I’ve gained through this humble home of Warped for Good.
May you mark your milestones.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Warped for Good emails are ending today. Please bookmark this site so you can come right here and enjoy this weaving journey with me. Think about setting a reminder for yourself to come and see what’s happening on these looms. See you soon!
When guests come through our front door, this stately 120cm Glimåkra Standard Countermarch loom is the first thing they see. Many folks have never seen a weaving loom. “That looks so complicated,” they say.
The appeal of a Swedish countermarch loom is its simplicity. Pieces of wood, held together with a few wedges, form the frame for an efficient system of synchronized moving parts. “Step on a treadle and see what happens,” I tell them. When you move one part, something else moves, which then causes other parts to move. Now you can send a shuttle through an opening in the threads and weave cloth. “Wow! That’s amazing,” they say. I smile and think, “Yes, it is.” It may be complex, but it’s not complicated.
The world looks complicated. What does God in heaven see when he looks on us? Does he see a complicated mess? God sees us through his eyes of love. We’ve all gone our own messy ways. He loved us anyway and gave his son Jesus to save us from our selfish ways. He appeals to us with this simplicity: say yes to Jesus and no to self. This one move sets things in motion and changes everything! God’s world may be complex, but it doesn’t need to be complicated.