quiet friday – Page 6 – Warped for Good

Quiet Friday: Blanket Sample Thanksgiving

November 28, 2014November 27, 2014 Karen

This warp for the double-width wool blanket is taking some down time while I complete a finishing sample. The five-fold purpose of the sample is to 1) check the sett and 2) the weft density, and 3) to examine the fold to see if I need more, or less, weft at the turn, and 4) to test the wet-finishing process, and 5) to see the effect of brushing the finished piece. I am thankful for family, friends, fellowship, and finishing. (Thankful for blog friend Marie for first suggesting a finish sample.) I hope you, friend, get to have time with the ones you love, and have some down time to enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving!

Just cut off sample for finishing. Wool double weave blanket. — Sample piece is cut from the loom. Warp will be tied back on to the front tie-on bar.

One side of the double weave sample. — One half of the double-width blanket sample. The fold is at the yellow.

Other side of double weave sample. — Other side of the double-width sample. The fold is at the yellow.

Double weave fold revealed in sample piece. — Blanket fold revealed. Weaving double width means you only see one half until it is cut from the loom.

Double width sample washed and air dried. — Wet Finishing. Sample has been washed and dried. Washed on delicate cycle in washing machine for 3 minutes, no spin cycle. Air dried flat.

Double weave fold in sample after wet finishing. — Examining the fold after wet finishing. Also, notice the improved weft density in the final segment (brown weft at the bottom), when I applied a lighter beat.

Double width blanket sample after being washed. Karen Isenhower — Blanket finishing sample.

Blanket sample - brushed. — Blanket sample brushed on one side, using a stiff dog brush.

Comparing brushed and not brushed sides of sample. — Compare the brushed top side on the left to the unbrushed bottom side on the right.

Brushed double weave blanket sample. Karen Isenhower — Brushed double weave finishing sample. Hmm… Could this be my new Christmas tree skirt?

May your family and friends experience your thankfulness.

Thankful for you,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Double-Binding Rag Rugs

October 24, 2014October 23, 2014 Karen

Ordinary has never appealed to me. I remember some outfits I wore as a girl that were far from ordinary. For example, I had a corduroy cape with a Peter Pan collar, that had slits for the arms. I wore a corduroy brimmed cap to match, with a striped feather on the brim. Did I know any other ten-year-old girl wearing such a thing? No, not really. But I thought the outfit looked “cool” and stylish.

When I make a rag rug, I am not aiming for ordinary. I like the idea of making a rug that no one has imagined before.

May your ideas be far from ordinary.

Your friend,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Unroll the Cloth Beam

September 26, 2014September 25, 2014 Karen

If you are a weaver, you know this thrill. I weave the very last pick, and then I hold my breath as the finished cloth is unrolled from the cloth beam. All ten meters / eleven yards of it! I don’t usually have an audience for the unrolling, but this time I want to share the experience with you, my friends.

If you stay to the end, you will see the cap I made from the sample pieces at the beginning and end of the warp.

And, one more thing, I added a little 3 1/2-minute time-lapse video at the very end. I hope it makes you smile.

Just finished weaving 10 meter warp. — Final pick in place.

Release warp tension before cutting off the warp. — Release ratchets on cloth and warp beams to loosen warp tension.

Cutting off the finished cloth. — Get out the big Gingher shears and start cutting.

Cutting the fabric from the loom. — First good view of the last towel on the warp. The last shall be first…

Unrolling the towels... — The Nine Color Towel.

Unrolling more towels... — Keep unrolling.

Red striped towel coming off the loom. — Each one is different.

Now for the brown towels... — Seeing brown now, so we know we are getting near the end/beginning.

Now we see the beginning of the warp! — Finally, we made it to the tie-on bar!

Slats on the floor after unrolling the cloth beam. — I love the final sound–warping slats falling to the floor as the last round of cloth is pulled from the cloth beam.

Empty cloth beam. Love it! — There it is. Now I want to get something else on the loom so I can do this all over again!

Goose eye towels just off the loom. Karen Isenhower — Ta da!

And now I invite you to join me as I weave the Nine Color Towel. Remember that this is time lapse–I really do not weave this fast.

May you be filled with joy.

Very Happy Weaving,
Karen

Quiet Friday: Going through Phases

August 22, 2014August 21, 2014 Karen

You will not often find a bare loom here. But every loom has its phases. The “Big Loom” (Glimåkra Standard 120cm) is in the empty phase right now. I finished weaving the coarse linen twill with rya knots. Now, I wait for the 16/2 linen that I ordered for the next project. Big Loom, don’t worry; you’ll be dressed again soon.

Rya weaving just completed. — Rya pieces ready to make into interesting shaggy pillows.

Glimakra Standard Countermarch Loom 120 cm — Affectionately known as “The Big Loom.” Seldom seen undressed. Glimåkra Standard Countermarch Loom 120cm / 47 inches weaving width.

The “Baby Loom” (Glimåkra Ideal 100cm) is in the weaving phase. It has plenty of warp on it, so I am still happily throwing a shuttle. I should get two more towels from this warp.

Red and brown goose-eye towel on the loom. — Color stripes of brown and gold break up the red in this towel on the goose-eye warp.

I want to start weaving a band to match the towels on the “Baby Loom,” for the towels’ hanging tabs. That means I need to put more attention on finishing up the current warp on the “Band Loom“ (Glimåkra two-treadle), so I can start the new warp. This is the hurry-up-and-finish phase.

Two-treadle Glimakra band loom in use. — Band loom is situated for weaving in short bursts. I often stop and weave for a few minutes on the way to the “Big Loom” or the “Baby Loom.” Three sisters look on from the stairway wall. (One of those girls is a younger me. Can you guess which one?)

May you make the most of the phase you are in.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

(The discount coupon on my About Page is good for another week. Thank you!)

Quiet Friday: Five Rosepath Rag Rugs

June 27, 2014June 26, 2014 Karen

My mother taught me to notice and enjoy beauty. I think that is why I find so much enjoyment at the weaving loom. The interplay of colors and materials never ceases to amaze me. I am often delighted as I see the woven material forming under my shuttle, feeling more like an observer than a performer. So, it was with great pleasure that I got to show my mom my weaving looms when she came to Texas for Melody’s wedding. I put this rug warp on the loom with that special visit in mind. Thanks for everything, Mom!

Rosepath rag rugs just off the loom. Karen Isenhower — Seeing the underneath side of the rugs first, just after the rugs are cut from the loom.

Winding rug warp on warping reel. — First step is winding the warp on the warping reel. 219 warp ends in two similar shades of grey, 8.5 yards / 7.75 meters long.

Weaving narrow strips for rag rug hem. — After weaving some waste fabric strips, I weave the hem, using 1/4 inch- / 1/2 cm- wide strips. I mark the green ribbon to show the weaving length of the hem, and the overall length of the rug. I also mark the midway point on the ribbon.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. 1 of 5. ki — This is the rug my mother got to see on the loom. She liked it!

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. 2 of 5. ki — Turquoise paisley fabric pairs with a solid blue to outline the brown rosepath design.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. 3 of 5. ki — Three ski shuttles create gradient color changes in the blue and teal (out of view) background, while maintaining the white rosepath pattern. It was a little insane to manage three ski shuttles! But I have to admit I enjoyed it.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. 4 of 5. ki — This is my version of Radiant Orchid, the Pantone Color of the Year 2014.

Rosepath rag rug on the loom. 5 of 5. Karen Isenhower — Two-toned rosepath, with dotted outlines. Subtle turquoise waves almost hide in the dark earth tones at each end of the rug.

End of the rag rug warp. Too close for comfort. — This is not how to plan a rug. The end of the warp is right behind the shafts. Or, maybe this shows how well I planned the warp, right down to the very last inch…

Five New Rosepath Rugs. Karen Isenhower — Not yet cut apart, ready for finishing the ends and hemming.

May you make fond memories with those you love.

(While I’m busy hemming these rugs, please visit my Etsy Shop to see more rosepath rag rugs.)

Happy Weaving,
Karen