lining – Warped for Good

Monksbelt Flowers on a Shoulder Bag

June 30, 2020June 29, 2020 Karen

Remember Joanne Hall’s Swedish Art Weaves workshop that I took a few months ago? With the warp that was left, I explored some of the art weaves in more depth.

Monksbelt (Munkabälte), Dukagång, and Halvkrabba can be seen below the warp.

I finished off the linen warp by making a front and back panel for a small shoulder bag. A monksbelt pattern is scattered like flowers on the front. The back has various stripe patterns in weft-faced plain weave. I wove a shoulder strap on my band loom using 6/2 Tuna wool for warp and 12/6 cotton for weft.

Weaving Monksbelt with half heddle sticks. — Half-heddle sticks and batten in front of the back beam, for weaving monksbelt patterns.

Pick up for monksbelt. — Pick-up stick in front of the reed is being used to weave a monksbelt flower “petal.”

Handwoven shoulder bag in progress. — Back panel has varying stripe patterns.

Glimakra band loom. Narrow wool band. — Narrow wool band for the bag shoulder strap.

The bag has simple construction, mostly hand-stitched. In one of my remnant bins I found a piece of wool fabric that I wove several years ago. It’s perfect for the sides and bottom of the bag. The lining uses pieces from fabric that went into my latest rag rugs, and has pockets, of course.

Making a handwoven wool bag. — Overhand knots secure the warp ends.

Construction of a wool shoulder bag. — Ready to assemble all the parts.

Constructing a small handwoven wool bag. — Handwoven wool pieces are hand-stitched together.

Handwoven wool bag construction. — Bag construction continues with stitching the back in place.

Magnet closure on a handwoven bag. — Magnet closure is added to the lining before stitching the lining in place. Knots and fringe outline the top of the bag.

This bag with Monksbelt Flowers is for carrying sweet memories, happy moments, and heavenly dreams.

Inside of handwoven wool bag. — Pockets in the lining.

Monksbelt Flowers handwoven shoulder bag.

Resources: Swedish Art Weaves workshop with Joanne Hall; Heirlooms of Skåne Weaving Techniques, by Gunvor Johansson; Väv Scandinavian Weaving Magazine, 2/2013.

This is the time for my annual pause for the month of July. I appreciate you joining me in this weaving journey!

I look forward to being back with you again Tuesday, August 4. In the meantime, joyfully draw living water from the source, Jesus Christ.

May you carry no more than necessary.

With love,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Custom Lining for a Handwoven Bag

September 25, 2015September 24, 2015 Karen

Every good bag deserves a good lining, with pockets inside and a zipper on top. This handwoven rag rug bag is no exception. The lining fabric is some of the same fabric that is woven in the bag. The polka dot pocket fabric is a cheery piece from a visit to The Philippines. The completed zippered tote is a perfect fit for my small tapestry frame, and goes with me when I travel. Quiet Friday: Weave a Bag with Handles shows how I made the bag.

How to Add a Custom Zippered Lining to a Bag

Tools

Sewing machine
Zipper foot
Walking foot (recommended, but not required)
Steam iron
Straight pins
Tool for pushing out corners
Needle and sewing thread
Disappearing ink fabric marker
Fabric scissors

Supplies

Fabric for lining. Lay bag on top of folded lining fabric, with bottom of bag aligned with the fold of the lining fabric. Cut the folded fabric a generous 1 1/2″ wider and 1 1/2″ taller than the bag.
Fabric for pocket. Mark two pieces of fabric (or use a folded piece of fabric) the desired pocket size. Add 1/4″ seam allowance. Cut along the marked lines. Stitch, right sides together, leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out, pushing out corners. Press. Topstitch all four sides.
Fabric for zipper insert pieces. Cut two pieces of fabric 4 1/2″ wide by the length of the zipper plus 1″.
Tabs for ends of zipper tape. Cut from handwoven band or piece of fabric with sides folded under.
Zipper. Regular, non-separating zipper, as long as, or longer than, bag opening

Steps

Sew bottom three sides of pocket onto lining fabric. Stitch a dividing line on pocket.
Stitch sides of lining, right sides together. Fold and stitch box corners.
With lining seated in bag, fold down top edge of lining, so that folded edge fits just inside top edge of bag. Pin folded edge of lining and remove from bag. Set aside.
Bar tack top ends of zipper tape together. Bar tack over end of desired zipper length. Cut off excess. Cut a tab from a woven band, or from fabric with sides folded in, to fold over each end of zipper tape. Use zipper foot to stitch tabs over zipper tape ends.
For zipper insert, cut two pieces of complementary fabric 4 1/2″ wide by the length of the zipper, plus 1″.
Fold each zipper insert piece lengthwise in half, right sides together. Draw stitching line that matches length of zipper.
Stitch both short ends of zipper insert pieces. Clip corners and trim seams.
Turn zipper insert pieces right side out. Push corners out. Press.
Pin folded edge of zipper insert fabric to right side of zipper tape, centered lengthwise, 1/8″ away from zipper teeth. Open zipper partway. With zipper foot, starting at top end of zipper, topstitch close to folded edge. After stitching a third of the way, with needle down, close zipper, and then continue topstitching to bottom of zipper. Repeat for other side of zipper insert. Press.
With zipper opened, and zipper tab down (picture shows zipper tab up, after having pinned both sides), center and pin one side of zipper insert under one side of folded top edge of lining, so that lining overlaps insert 1/2″. Repeat with other side of zipper insert and lining.
Insert lining into bag, matching side seams and mid points on bag and lining, with top folded edge of lining 1/4″ below top edge of bag. (Edge of zipper insert is sandwiched between lining fold and bag.) Make sure bag handles are up and out of the way of stitching. From inside of bag, use walking foot to stitch 1/8″ from lining fold, all the way around top of lining, keeping zipper insert up and out of the way of stitching. (Walking foot helps ensure even feed of fabric layers.)
Fold zipper inserts down into bag. Press. Stitch across zipper inserts 1/2″ below top of lining on inside of bag. Press again.

Give your new bag a special purpose.

May your lining on the inside be as attractive as your handbag on the outside.

Happy Creating,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Rag Rug Bag

April 24, 2015April 23, 2015 Karen

Think of this as an experiment. A first try. A specimen with which to work out procedures and details. I like the bag, and I will certainly use it; however, there are a few things that I will do differently when I make the next one. And I do intend to make another one, or two, or three. Experiments are like that. One idea leads to another. This warp was all about double binding rag rugs. As always, though, it is delightful to have some warp left at the end for play.

Weaving bag handles into the rag rug bag. — Length of 1-inch/2.5 cm black cotton webbing is woven in. The webbing that extends beyond both selvedges will form the bag handle. Rag weaving continues for a few inches before placing the webbing ends back into the shed.

Placing bag strap ends in the shed. — Both ends of the webbing strap are tapered, and then overlapped in the shed before beating them in.

Temple maintains the weaving width. — Temple maintains the weaving width as the rag weave continues past the woven-in handle straps.

Securing warp ends of rag rug. — Warp ends are secured, as usual. First, square knots, and then cut off to 1/2 inch/1 cm.

Stitching up a rag rug bag. — Sewing the sides of the bag, right sides together. I am using the four rows of woven rug warp at the beginning of the woven hem as my stitching line.

Creating lining for rag rug bag. — After turning the bag right-side out, and pressing the seams open, I created a simple flat lining, with added pocket, to fit inside the bag.

Pinning lining into the rag rug bag. — Lining is pinned into the bag, matching seams and mid-points at front and back.

Lining is inserted into the rag rug bag. — Lining is stitched into place with narrow topstitching.

Rag rug bag, with handle woven in. Karen Isenhower — Voila!

Finished rag rug tote bag! Karen Isenhower — Fun tote bag to carry to and fro.

Next time… Find a strap that is not as stiff, so it will beat in better. Weave in a strap that is the same color as the warp. Make the strap longer. Find a way to secure the cut ends of the strap (this is the biggest issue). Possibly use a band woven on my inkle or band loom for the strap.

What would you use for the strap? Can you think of a good way to secure the ends of the strap together? What other suggestions or thoughts do you have to improve a bag like this? I would love to hear your ideas.

May your experiments lead to fresh ideas.

Always trying new things,
Karen

Choose Your Lining

September 13, 2013September 13, 2013 Karen

In choosing a fabric to line these linen bags I am making, I find that the color of the lining makes a difference in the outcome. Different lining colors change how the linen looks. I decided on a blue satin lining that is similar in shade to the blue of the linen warp. Other colors seem to compete with the iridescence of the handwoven cloth. Once again, what is on the inside matters, and influences what is seen on the outside. The same can be said for people, right?

Creating bags with handwoven linen, with beads woven in. — Linen fabric with beads woven in, ready to be made into satin-lined bags. Small striped sample from the end of the warp will be made into a small clutch purse.

Faith in the master weaver is the lining that shows through the fabric of one’s life. A stance of faith creates an inner calm that carries you through every storm and every celebration. It is the color that shines through.

May you calmly face your next challenge.

Peace to you,
Karen