Tag: threading

Big Squishy Warp Chains for Christmas

Karen

Merry Christmas! Julia is getting dressed with 7/2 Brage wool for a lovely goose-eye twill. Warp chains like this are big and squishy, just begging to be hugged.

Winding the first of two warp bouts.
Thick and fluffy warp chain of 7/2 Brage wool.
Getting ready to beam the warp. Wool in five colors for goose-eye twill.
Getting things ready to spread the warp and then beam it on.

This project is going nearly full width on this 70 cm Glimåkra Julia countermarch loom. My warping slats are exactly 67 cm. (I should have measured the warping slats before I started.) At 65.7 cm weaving width I’m asking for trouble. You can see the problem, right? Those ends can slip right off the edge of the warping slats on the warp beam. I got ‘er beamed, though, with the help of a friend. Hallelujah! The warp ends all ended up in the right place at the right time.

Successfully beamed, with less than a centimeter to spare on each end of the warping slats.
Threading the heddles is a restful, enjoyable part of dressing the loom, especially with wool this soft and squishy.

If we mortals celebrate such earthly victories, imagine the hallelujah’s that all heaven expressed when the Son of God came down to us in the right place at precisely the right time as baby Jesus. That manger in a stable in Bethlehem was not a centimeter nor a millisecond off. This was God’s plan from the beginning to come in person to bring back to himself all who would receive his offer of lasting grace. Hallelujah! The angel chorus rings out, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

May you see the Christmas story in a meaningful way.

Have a truly blessed Christmas,
Karen

Weaving Is Stretching Me

Karen

This warp is a triple challenge! 1. Full width (110 cm), 2. Fine threads (24/2 cotton), and 3. Unevenly-spaced narrow stripes. Three hours to wind the warp. Three hours to pre-sley and beam the warp. Seventeen hours to thread heddles, sley the reed, tie on the warp, and tie up the treadles. Why invest this much time and embrace this much difficulty?

1,984 ends have been threaded in heddles, and now are being sleyed through the 90/10 reed. Careful checking and re-checking all through the processes helps prevent errors.
It is a good feeling when all the ends are finally in their places.

Why embrace this challenge? Because I see what no one else sees. I see the curtains that are specially designed for our remodeled bathroom. I understand the draft, the threads, the stripes, and everything that works together in a certain way. I see it. Though not yet visible, I could see it before I started. And so, all the challenges become part of the story, and I’m determined to keep going. I aim to finish strong.

After all is set up, the first testing I do is with shuttles. Which shuttle is best for sending all the way across this wide warp? The medium Glimåkra boat shuttle that holds 11 cm quills is the winner, not the longest, largest, and heaviest shuttles.
Seeing the beauty of this cloth solidifies the hope of seeing special curtains gracing our bathroom windows.
What begins as an M’s and O’s draft for kitchen towels in Väv Magazine, and expands with pictures in a Malin Selander book, and grows with my imagination, is now visible on the loom!
The two biggest challenges that remain: 1. Filling quills. It takes a while to fill a quill with this fine thread. It doesn’t take long at all to empty the quill as I weave. 2. This wide warp stretches my arms to my full arm-length reach. It’s good to be stretched! 🙂

This is a picture of faith. Faith acts on things not seen by others. Faith sees what is not yet visible. With faith in Jesus Christ, all the challenges become part of the story. We go the duration because we have a view of the finished work.

May your challenges stretch your faith in a good way.

Giving Thanks,
Karen

Getting to the Fun Part of the Drawloom

Karen

Now for the fun part at the drawloom! Pattern heddles are threaded, ground heddles are threaded, reed is sleyed. Ground shafts are put in place at the front of the loom, hanging under the countermarch where they belong (thanks to Steve’s help with this awkward maneuver). Warp is tied on and leveling string is in place.

Two set of heddles are threaded. Ready to sley the reed.
Warp ends are grouped in small segments for tying on.
Warping slat on each end hold up the tie-on bar for ease of tying on the first few groups of ends. I start in the center and work outward.
Warp is tied on and leveling string is secured.

It is no small matter to have this much setup completed on the drawloom. Now that I think of it, all of it is the fun part! Yes, I am looking forward to getting the single unit cords ready and distributing the pattern shafts. And yes, I am super eager to be sitting on the loom bench reaching for draw cords and pull handles, but I can wait.

Just look at that flatness! This is what I appreciate about the leveling string–it makes the warp ready for weft right at the beginning.

I am taking my time, determined to enjoy every intricate part of the process. I’m deeply grateful to know the satisfaction of being a weaver. Patience is built in.

May you appreciate each step of your journey.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Weaving a Few Critters

Karen

I am imagining Texas hill country critters (and birds) that will make their way onto the family napkins I’m getting ready to weave. I am thinking of an armadillo, a jack rabbit, a gray fox, a roadrunner, a Texas longhorn, a Texas spiny lizard, a black-chinned hummingbird, and a few more. Designing each image for the drawloom is fun. Just wait till you see the armadillo!

All the pattern heddles have been threaded.

Preparation makes way for imaginative creativity. This is why I enjoy all the drawloom prep.

Six ground shafts hang in front of the pattern heddles for threading. Heddles on the ground shafts are long-eye heddles, which make threading a breeze.
Threading ground shafts is almost complete. I will move the six shafts to the front of the loom to hang from the countermarch. After that, I can start positioning the pattern shafts. And then…weaving those critters!

Everything we do today is preparing for something tomorrow. Enjoy today. Look forward to tomorrow.

What critters (or birds) would you include if you were designing these napkins? Tell us in the comments!

May your creativity soar in relation to your diligent preparations.

Happy weaving,
Karen

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Email subscriptions are ending April 11, 2023. Warped for Good posts will not arrive by email after that date. Stay tuned! I will tell more about this change next week.
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Creative Handweavers Need Persistence

Karen

It’s good for a handweaver to flow in creativity. That’s where designs, colors, and out-of-the-box thinking thrive. Add the virtue of persistence, and those creative ideas become tangible articles of cloth. Making things takes more persistence than it does creativity.

Threading pattern heddles. 22/2 cottolin warp.

Threading pattern heddles is a repetitive task that I enjoy. I find greater joy, though, in the actual weaving phase of the project. That is when I get to sit at this marvelous instrument and challenge my hands and feet to work together to make the glorious sounds of a loom producing patterned cloth. It does take persistence to get to that point. Even when weaving, my focus is on the outcome – creative napkins for our family meals. The end purpose not only drives my persistence to the finish line, it brings enjoyment to each necessary task along the way.

Will be napkins with fun designs. Green, with gold borders, and various linen weft colors.
Near the halfway point of threading pattern heddles. Six ends per unit.

You and I are God’s creative work. He is persistent in the forming of our character, desiring to weave the image of Christ in us. His end purpose brings meaning to all the steps it takes to complete the fabric. Imagine his enjoyment every time we allow his hands to do each necessary task.

May your persistence out pace your creativity.

Blessings,
Karen