Tag: prayer

Planning Swedish Towels

Karen

After spreading out a few Swedish weaving books and other resources, I am ready to develop my own version of towels in plattväv, a classic Swedish weave. I have double-checked my calculations, so I’m ready to wind the warp. This set of towels has a cottolin warp and linen weft.

Planning new handwoven Swedish-style towels.
Planning sheet holds all the details for a weaving project. I use digital devises for planning most things, but for my weaving plans I still like paper and pencil the best.
Winding a striped warp for cottolin towels.
White, black, silver, ash gray, and pale blue gray. The pale blue gray seems to turn the other grays into brownish hues.

As always, I started with more than enough thread. Unfortunately, I made a major error while winding the warp. By the time I noticed the error, I had already wound 264 meters (289 yards) of warp. I chained off the mistake, putting it aside for another use. I started over, correctly this time, but I had a nagging worry that I might run out of white thread…

Warp winding for cottolin towels is complete.
Warp winding is complete. Smallest tube of white thread is close to empty. Spool crate is elevated to reduce the distance needed to bend down.
Warp chains for striped towels.
Smaller warp chain on the left was wound incorrectly. The threads will be divided up and used for weaving bands on the band loom. The two warp chains on the right will become striped handtowels with plattväv (platt weave) patterning.

Worry doesn’t make anything better, and big worries can lead us into a downward spiral in our thoughts. Prayer pushes worry away. When we pray about the things we are tempted to worry about, God’s peace acts as a guard over our hearts and minds. His peace frees us from the weight of worry. And we often learn later that our worry had been unfounded. Like my worry about the white thread, which, despite my blunder, did not run out.

May you forget your worries.

All the best,
Karen

Never Say Never–Floating Selvedges

Karen

I never use floating selvedges. Well,…almost never. For this block twill it does make sense to “float” the selvedges. The outermost warp ends are not threaded in the heddles–they “float” in the middle of the shed. The floating ends are wound on to the back beam with the rest of the warp. The floating selvedges provide a consistent woven edge, and prevent the skipped threads that would normally occur at the selvedge on an eight-shaft block twill. My ski shuttle enters the shed under the floating warp end, and exits the shed over the opposite floating warp end.

Floating selvedge for 8-shaft block twill mat.
Outermost warp ends are not threaded through heddles. When a treadle is pushed, the floating selvedge threads do not go up or down with the other warp ends.
Weaving with string yarn, and using floating selvedges.
Enter the shed under the floating selvedge. The curve of the ski shuttle easily slips under the floating selvedge.
Ski shuttle and floating selvedges.
Prepare to catch the shuttle by holding the floating selvedge down with your fingers.
Ski shuttle and floating selvedges.
After the tip of the ski shuttle has crossed over the floating selvedge, continue bringing the shuttle through.

It is not unusual for the Lord to wait until I’m quiet before he answers. I may gripe about the obstacles, and try to wish or pray them away. But the Lord gently moves the shuttle under or over the floating selvedge to accomplish his work. For him, it is not an obstacle, it is a necessary part of creating this kind of cloth. When I get quiet, I can see what he is doing. And it is good.

May you know when to be quiet.

Yours Truly,
Karen

Not Afraid of Eight Shafts

Karen

The big loom is getting dressed. Block twill on eight shafts. New yarn for a new project brings excitement. And intimidation. With 12/6 cotton rug warp and string yarn weft, this is going to be a bath mat. Hopefully.

String yarn in terra cotta for woven mats with Texas style.
String yarn in this midi size comes in many colors. I chose terra cotta to give the planned mats a Texas flavor.
Rug warp ready for dressing the loom.
Three bouts of 12/6 cotton rug warp are ready for dressing the loom.

It’s been a couple years since I’ve done an eight-shaft block twill, and this one has some interesting twists. I’m not afraid to try it, though, because I am following a draft from The Big Book of Weaving, by Laila Lundell. I may make mistakes in the process, but my fears about trying this project evaporate as I refer to Laila’s instructions.

Eight shafts in "resting" position while beaming the warp.
Lower shaft bars are lifted up and placed on the upper shaft bars to move them out of the way for beaming the warp. The large safety pins prevent shaft bars from slipping out of place.
Threading heddles on eight shafts.
Threading heddles on eight shafts, one threading bundle of 48 ends at a time. There are two warp ends per heddle.

There are bigger fears than weaving woes. We face them every day in our families and in our communities, and in our private musings. Fear is a tyrant that holds us with threats and demands. Fear is the language of the pessimist within. Prayer opens us up to freedom from fear. We need clear instructions that give us confidence to face whatever comes. When we pray to the Lord regarding the things we are fearful about, he hears and answers. And he frees us from our fears.

May you rise above your fears.

Happy loom dressing,
Karen

Straight Draw Thinking

Karen

I can let my mind wander for this part. I am threading 664 warp ends in a straight draw, one warp end at a time (1-2-3-4). This is repetitive and easy. Relaxing. Of course, I have safeguards to prevent mind-wandering errors. First, I count the ends into threading groups before I start threading. Second, I double-check each threaded group of heddles, one warp end at a time.

Color mixing in warp of woven baby wrap.
Two shades of blue are mixed with two shades of purple for transition between the blue and purple wide stripes in the warp.

In quiet moments like this, my mind drifts over recent events, and ponders plans for the near and distant future. I think about friends and family–dear ones going through struggles. I remember things I’m thankful for, and who I’m thankful to. I often wish threading could go on a little longer. I like to linger there.

Threading cotton warp for woven baby wrap.
Groups of 32 warp ends are tied into slip knots at the back beam. Each group is threaded and then checked for accuracy before tying the threaded ends into a slip knot.
Threading brightly-colored warp for handwoven baby wrap.
Sitting in my “playhouse” in the loom, threading from right to left, I slow down near the end so I can linger a while longer.

The wondrous thing is that I can turn all these thoughts into prayers. The Lord hears us when we pray. The Lord hears the sound of your voice. In our quiet moments we have the sweet assurance that when we call upon the Lord, he bends down and listens. Instead of wishful thinking or fruitless worrying, prayer turns thoughts into faith.

May you linger in quiet moments.

All the best,
Karen

Weaving Slowly

Karen

After a solid hour of weaving, I have produced only two more inches (5 cm) of woven fabric. I am completely enthralled with the process, though, of this intriguing monksbelt weave. Some of the best things take the most time.

Monksbelt on the loom. Karen Isenhower
Walnut boat shuttle is an Ebay find. It appears to be an antique Swedish shuttle. I like the way it fits in my hand. The fabric measures 4 inches (10cm) from the beginning of the Rust and Brick section to the fell line.

I long to feel the completed cloth in my hands. This weft rep monksbelt is new to me. I honestly don’t know how the hand and drape of the final cloth will be. There is nothing I can do but wait. And, at two inches (5 cm) per hour, that’s a long wait. But I won’t give up. I have enough experience at the loom to know that this is going to be a treasured piece…if I don’t get impatient and cut it off early.

Monksbelt on the loom.

Monksbelt with 9 colors of Faro wool pattern weft. Karen Isenhower
Palette of nine wool pattern colors has been selected for this monksbelt project. Changing the ground weft and the pattern weft at differing intervals produces an active cloth, reminding me of musical counterpoint.
Monksbelt on the loom in the late afternoon.
Weaving in the late afternoon–a relaxing and satisfying experience. Temple awaits on the beater, to be re-positioned when the photo op is over.

Do you have a prayer waiting to be answered? Sometimes it takes a while. Does that mean that God didn’t hear, or that he doesn’t care? If we could see the invisible, I think we would see things being woven into place–at the right time, in the right way. Do not give up on God. Ask, seek, knock. And remember that our heavenly Father has good in mind for us.

May you rest in the wait.

Patiently,
Karen