Tag: understanding

Understanding Linen

Karen

What is your experience with linen? I know weavers who love it, and others who completely avoid it. Linen has remarkable qualities. Strength, durability, natural beauty. It took me several attempts, though, to become comfortable using linen as warp. Linen has indeed given me more than my share of broken warp ends! But truly, those struggles have been part of the learning process. The more I weave with linen, the more I love this natural fiber. I am beginning to understand how to work with it, instead of against it. In fact, weaving these lace-weave scarves with single-ply linen warp and weft has been a joy. And only two broken selvedge ends this time!

Linen lace weave scarves as they wind onto the cloth beam.
Linen lace-weave scarves as seen on the cloth beam. Fringe between the scarves is left unwoven. The separated stripes are caused by the hemstitching at the end of one scarf and at the beginning of the next one.

It takes effort and experience to understand some things. The love of Christ is like that. The love of Christ is extraordinary. It takes inner determination to discover the beauty of this unconditional love. Some things are simply worth the effort.

May your understanding increase.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

What Color Is It?

Karen

It is obvious where I changed the weft color, leaving a distinct line from one color to the next. I am intrigued, though, by the subtle color differences that appear within a single weft color section. It is amazing to see how different the color looks just by changing my angle of view. Blue, with a touch of pink? Or, deep red-purple? You would think I am describing two different cloths. When we view each other’s ideas with understanding, it helps us show mutual respect, even when we see things differently.

Linen fabric for bags.
Linen fabric for bags, with narrow strip of beads. Green weft and magenta weft produce two different colors of bags.

Sadly, it is easy to put down or belittle others. I, like many, have strong viewpoints about right and wrong; but if I use words as weapons, I destroy the very fabric I want to protect.

An understanding mindset gives you the willingness to listen to another viewpoint, and it helps you hold your tongue. It doesn’t mean we always have to agree. As hard as I try, I may never be able to see the colors you describe in your cloth. I may even try to convince you to see it my way. But hopefully, we will both seek to understand each other.

May you have an opportunity to practice understanding.

Listening,
Karen