Tag: video

Custom Handwoven Curtains and Process Video

Karen

When we renovated our master bathroom last year, I told Steve I would look for some curtains to hang on the windows that would complement the room. He said, “Why don’t you make some handwoven curtains?” So, I did.

We are using white Swedish lace curtains as temporary window coverings. I made these curtains for different sized windows of our previous home. The panels are folded over simple tension rods in the windows.

This is a beautiful way to close out the year. New handwoven curtains custom-made for these windows! 24/2 cotton warp and weft, with 16/2 cotton accent stripes. M’s and O’s in four shafts. I wish I had counted how many quills I wound. It seems like thousands. Steve did a rough calculation of how many times I stretched my arms a very wide stretch to send the shuttle back and forth. Something like 7,000+ times.

I have designed a distinct geometric pattern with uneven stripes to fit the style of our renovated master bathroom.
I am leaving the curtains unpressed, except for hems, to accentuate the interesting texture in the cloth from the M’s and O’s structure.

I hope you are getting ready for Christmas like we are. Christmas reminds me that there is a bigger story than my twelve-month curtains. I get immersed in a project and look ahead to the joy of seeing it come off the loom. The Christmas story is that God’s Son Jesus Christ humbled Himself to come to us as a baby, to grow into a man who would give His life away. Jesus was looking ahead to the joy of seeing us come into harmony with God. Merry Christ-mas to all.

Here is a short slide show video of the process of weaving these curtains, from start to finish. Enjoy!

God’s blessings to you,
Karen

The lyrics to the background music in the video:

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
by Charles Wesley (1744)

1. Come, Thou long expected Jesus,
born to set Thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth Thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

2. Born Thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by Thine all-sufficient merit,
raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Looms Have Personality and Year in Review Video

Karen

How do you keep five floor looms busy? You sit at them, one loom at a time. Each loom has its own personality. Or, just maybe, the personality of the loom is more about how the loom makes me feel when I’m active with the loom to turn threads into cloth.

The 120cm Glimåkra Standard Vertical Countermarch is my Queen of Looms.
Now: Spaced Rep rag rugs. Two more rugs on this warp.
Next: Jämtlandsdräll (Crackle) rag rugs

The 100cm Glimåkra Ideal Horizontal Countermarch is my Workhorse of Looms.
Now: Empty
Next: Pictorial Tapestry (subject matter to be determined)

The 70cm Isenhower Little Horizontal Countermarch is my Princess of Looms.
Now: Pictorial Tapestry sampler. Currently, “Figs and Coffee.”
Next: unknown

The 120cm Glimåkra Standard Horizontal Countermarch with Myrehed Combination Drawloom Attachment is my Gentle Giant of Looms.
Now: Being dressed for cottolin/linen napkins in 6-shaft broken twill
Next: unknown

The 70cm Glimåkra Julia Horizontal Countermarch is my Cinderella of Looms.
Now: Two-block broken twill cottolin/linen placemats
Next: Fabric for a stylish cape, using a vintage sewing pattern

Let’s take a look back to see how these looms showed their personalities in 2022!

What personality does your loom(s) have?

May your heart and soul flourish in the new year.

Happy Weaving New Year,
Karen

Threading Glimåkra Julia Is Easier than You Think

Karen

How easy is it to thread heddles on the Glimåkra Julia? It may surprise you that I like to put my loom bench inside the Julia, and then sit there to do the threading. It’s comfortable for me. Watch the video below to see how I get in and get out of the small space.

Climbing into my little “playhouse” for threading heddles.
Sitting in the Julia loom is a comfortable way for me to thread the heddles. I like to keep the shafts low so I can see the back beam, and keep my shoulders relaxed, as well. I look down through the shafts to see the heddles as I thread them.

Don’t worry, that’s not the only way to thread this petite loom. In the video I also show how to bring the shafts forward so you can comfortably thread the heddles while sitting on the loom bench in front of the loom.

Heddles are threaded. It won’t be long now till we see some woven fabric!

Enjoy!

May you find ways to keep doing what you love to do.

Happy Threading,
Karen

Ski Shuttles – Glide with Ease

Karen

Ski shuttles are a rag-rug weaver’s best friends. A few simple tips for using a ski shuttle make rag-rug weaving even that much more fun.

Ski shuttles are fun tools to use for weaving rag rugs.
In the video I explain why I don’t use the longer ski shuttle very much.

In the video below I tell you why I prefer Glimåkra ski shuttles, and how I wind the weft fabric on my shuttle. And I share two quick tips to make weaving with a ski shuttle a bit more manageable. If you are an experienced rag-rug weaver you probably already know these things. Watch to the end to see a short demo, plus a little blooper. Enjoy!

Ski shuttles by Glimåkra are just right for me. They fit nicely in my hands, have a low profile that slides easily through the shed, and are artistic in design.

May you know your tools.

Happy Weaving,
Karen

Process Review: Snowflake Banners

Karen

I reached the end of the drawloom warp on Tuesday evening. Wednesday morning, before Steve and I finished loading up the Casita travel trailer, I cut the warp off the loom. I grabbed a handful of thrums, chained them so they wouldn’t tangle, and threw the bundle into a small bag along with my cowgirl band heddle. And off we went for a short little getaway!

Relaxing under shade trees at the campground, I weave what I need for the four towels’ hanging tabs.

Steve is doing some wood carving. I tied my band warp to his chair. I doubled the 16/2 cotton warp threads in the cowgirl band heddle to make the band wide enough for towel hanging tabs.

Back home, after the towels are wet finished and hemmed, I have an “a-ha!” moment: Only one of these cloths shall be used as a towel. The other three cloths will serve as Christmas Snowflake banners.

There is some irony in the fact that I wove hanging tabs for these three cloths that have since been given an alternate purpose as celebratory Christmas banners.

Christmas Snowflake banners. Revisit the process with me, start to finish:

To see the towels from the first half of this warp, click here: Process Review: House and Home Towels. To see more about the cowgirl band heddle, click here: Cowgirl Band Weaving.

May you have “a-ha!” moments that change how you see things.

Love,
Karen