Tag: kindness

Breezy Easy Weaving

Karen

Let’s take M’s and O’s beyond the ordinary. Treadling variations bring out interesting patterns. And a little bit of color in the right places makes a unique border stripe. What other designs will emerge on the remaining towels, I wonder?

Treadling variations in M's and O's.
Treadling variations produce an interesting pattern in this M’s and O’s fabric.
M's and O's with inventive border pattern.
Border pattern uses one of my favorite techniques, the two-pick stripe, to draw a fine line. The center “ribbon” of the border pattern uses two shuttles to alternate the weft colors.

Some projects on the loom are complicated and tedious. This one isn’t. With primarily one shuttle and simple treadling, this is breezy easy weaving. The hard work was in the hours of preparation, dressing the loom. Threading and sleying 896 ends is no small achievement. But now, because of that work, it’s pure enjoyment to sit here and weave.

M's and O's on the loom.
Ready for the next M’s and O’s design.
Sister comes to visit and gets her first weaving lesson.
My sister came to visit, so, of course, she is persuaded to try her hand at weaving. Lookin’ good, Sis!

Forgiveness is hard work, too. It takes effort to put away bitterness and anger. But we must. It paves the way for unhindered kindness, which our world desperately needs. Forgiveness changes you. If you’ve been forgiven, you know that. A forgiven person becomes a forgiving person. And when we forgive, which is never easy, we are threading heddles and sleying the reed. Our efforts make way for the pure enjoyment of dispensing kindness. And we discover that the fabric of our life is being made into something beyond the ordinary.

May you be on the receiving end of forgiveness.

Love,
Karen

The Discovery Towels workshop in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, August 24-26, is filling up! If you’d like to join us, call Debbie (at the number below) right away. I would love to see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/1509042016009851/photos/a.1519556898291696.1073741829.1509042016009851/1933085693605479/?type=3&theater

Two Long Alpaca Scarves

Karen

The end is near. I can see the end of the pre-measured tape. These two long scarves could be named “too long” scarves. The repeating pattern of this eight-shaft twill is very…repetitive. And the color is very…monotone. Soft and warm, they will certainly be beautiful scarves…eventually. Can you tell I am ready to be finished?

Soft and cozy handwoven long alpaca scarves.
Soft 3-ply alpaca yarn is used for the warp and the weft. The end is in sight!

I don’t always have patience. I want things to hurry up; I want to be finished now. And I don’t want trouble along the way. Obstacles make me lose my patience; and my attitude becomes unattractive. As much as I try to stay positive, the negative thoughts can get the best of me. When we’re at our worst we need kindness the most. Kindness changes us. Kindness reminds us to look at what is being woven.

Woven fabric at the cloth beam. Warping slats between the scarves keeps the unwoven yarn (for fringe) from slipping off the cloth layers at the sides.
Woven fabric forms layers around the cloth beam. Warping slats are added at the cloth beam between the scarves to keep the unwoven yarn (for fringe) from slipping off the cloth layers at the sides.

We all need and desire kindness, even when we don’t deserve it. Grace is pure kindness toward the unworthy. God gives great grace. He takes an unworthy subject like me and pours on kindness. In that grace I find the patience I need for today. Oh, how lovely that scarf will be!

May you give and receive generous amounts of kindness.

Giving thanks,
Karen

Handwoven Thick and Thin Towels

Karen

Do you remember the black and white towels? I love the fascinating results of weaving with thick and thin warp ends, and thick and thin weft threads. That’s why I submitted a project to Handwoven for their November/December 2016 Thick & Thin issue. I gave you only a brief glimpse of the thick and thin towels I wove on an Aquamarine, Teal, and Moss warp, from the palette given me for that issue. (See Tools Day: Loom Cart and This Time in Color.)

Thick and thin towels on the loom.
Double bobbin shuttle carries the doubled weft.
Thick and thin towels at the front beam. Karen Isenhower
Breast beam with thick and thin towels.
Thick and thin towels just off the loom!
Cut from the loom, new colorful thick and thin towels.
Thick and thin towels just off the loom. Karen Isenhower
Towels just off the loom.

Guess what!? My project was accepted for publication. Not only that, these towels that I enjoyed designing and weaving have been placed on the cover! What an unexpected privilege!

Excited to see my Thick and Thin towels on the cover of Handwoven!
Credit: Photograph by Joe Coca from Handwoven November/December 2016 magazine. Copyright © F+W Media 2016.

As great as it is to have your handiwork appear on the cover of a national publication, there is something even greater–being loved. Being on the receiving end of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Love is like that. Love is to be demonstrated. That’s how Christ demonstrated his love to me–kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. His love is printed on the cover of my heart, with instructions written within so that I can learn to love like I’ve been loved. That’s the cover story I like to tell.

May your heart be covered with love.

With love,
Karen

PS I am recovering from back surgery better than anyone expected. I’m not weaving yet, of course, but I have no shortage of things to share with you while I regain my strength! Thanks for your wonderful encouraging words and prayers for my full recovery.

PPS My draft and instructions for the thick and thin towels are in this Handwoven November/December 2016 issue. This is the same draft I used for the black and white towels.
For purchase of the Handwoven November/December 2016 print edition:
http://www.interweavestore.com/handwoven-magazine-november-december-2016-print
For purchase of the digital edition:
http://www.interweavestore.com/handwoven-magazine-november-december-2016-digital
For weavingtoday:
http://www.weavingtoday.com/

Color Inspiration

Karen

The problem with having more than one loom is that you must divide your time between looms. Monksbelt has been on the big loom a little too long, since the baby loom has had most of my attention lately. That means little progress for this extra-slow weave.

Monksbelt on the Glimakra Standard loom.
Two shuttles take turns gliding across the warp.

Now that the baby loom is empty I am getting some good weaving time on the monksbelt. When I look at the loom, the whole task seems too big. But these colors are invigorating. When I pull out a few Fårö wool colors for the next treadling sequence, I forget my complaints about this taking too long. When I sit on the loom bench and start weaving with these colors I am inspired to keep going.

Colorful monksbelt. Karen Isenhower
Red ground weave gives a strong background for graded blues and violets.
Monksbelt on the loom. Progress!
Progress is seen as fabric rounds the cloth beam below.

Your words can be like these colors, giving someone the vitality they need to finish well. Your pleasant words are like honey to a weary soul. Pleasant words go deeper than you think. They bring needed inspiration when someone cannot see the end of a challenge. Your words may be the color palette that inspires your friend or loved one to keep going.

Monksbelt on the loom. Karen Isenhower
Many options for sets of color.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
– Solomon

May your pleasant words reach the weary.

With love,
Karen

Time to Weave a Baby Wrap

Karen

Weaving a baby wrap is something I have been interested in doing. I am pleased, therefore, that my daughter wants to try babywearing. It’s the perfect excuse for me to put a colorful warp on the loom–a warp with wide stripes of blended colors. After research and careful planning, I am ready to start. Baby Lu will be here before we know it!

Thread for woven baby wrap.
New tubes of 8/2 cotton thread combine with colors I already had on my shelves.

It is exciting to weave something on purpose to give to someone you love. The whole process has meaning–from planning, to dressing the loom, to throwing the shuttle. You hope it turns out as you envision, or better. Making something to give is the best kind of making. The thought you put into it shows up as a gift of love.

Winding warp for a cheerful baby wrap.
Cheerful start to the warp with “Pumpkin” and “Sunshine” alternating threads.
Winding warp for colorful baby wrap.
Second bout adds in “Plum” and “Mulberry” threads.
Warp for woven baby wrap!
“Sapphire” and “Teal” threads make up most of the third bout.

Our words can be thoughtful gifts, as well. It takes thought to speak sentences and paragraphs, and conversations, that bless and enrich. Our considerate words give our recipient the means for wrapping someone else with love. Words can heal. These are the words to speak, words that give life. Weave comfort and encouragement into the things you say, touching others with kindness. Let the little ones be wrapped in their mother’s love. And let the rest of us practice sweet thoughtfulness day after day.

Three warp chains for a woven baby wrap!
Dividing the warp into three bouts helps distribute the threads for even tension during beaming.

May your words be thoughtful gifts from your heart.

With love,
Karen