Triangular loom
      -       Trinity
Loom Size
      -       Determined by the size of the congregation
      -       the length of the pieces tied together
Open loom
      -       Open life - waiting to be filled by God's design for self & the church


Continuous strand       -       We are all tied together
Each piece of yarn       -       Our God given individuality
      Color       -       Personality
      Fiber       -       Characteristics
      Weight       -       Strength
      Length       -       Maturity
      Remnant of a special project       -       Life Story

Christ strand
      -       The same throughout
      -       With everyone, as needed
      -       holds (Holy Spirit) all the individual pieces together
      -       gives strength to any weaker strands

Each weave holds the fabric together
      -       creates a Cross, the basis of the church

Warp/Weft is the same strand
      -       Woven together to fill in the space
      -       of equal importance to keep an even tension

No grouping
      -       each strand is woven through many other strands
      -       a blending of colors, fibers to make a work of beauty
      -       God's perfect plan

Woven fabric can not be unraveled easily
      -       it has be taken apart

The top warp strand(s)
      -       The formers, founders, leaders of the church
      -       all the other weft is woven through them
      -       need to be strong, flexible

Hardest part - getting started - the nails are close together and there are no other warps holding the weave together.

Weave from the top, down and the outside to center.

The first weaves are quick, as there are fewer warp strands, as the fabric grows, it takes longer to weave through the more warp strands.

The last weft takes the longest and is the tightest, as it has to be woven through the entire warp.

What does this tell us about the growth of the church?
About your individual faith journey?

Symmetrical - like a mirror image - our lives - words, actions, etc.- affect others.

Characteristics:
- Mistakes appear on both sides of the loom
- both places have to be corrected
- making wrongs - right, benefits both parties.
- God forgives & gives us "do overs" - - sometimes.
- The weft has to be cut & rewoven. Takes time and some risk is involved.

Each shawl is unique fibers, colors, design, etc - *Each church is unique - determined by the size, depends upon the personalities & talents of the congregation.

When people watch me weave, I often hear, "You must have patience." - God is patient with us.

Fringe:   Strands of blue represent the water of baptism

No two colors are bad together - All colors go together - beautiful blending

Anticipate the next/new color and see how it works in

Depending on where the color begins:
it could be mostly weft,
2 strands on one side,
or 1 strand on each side with warp in between

The further into the center, each color piece makes more weft & some warp

Bulky yarn - fill in more space, so those on either side are closer to it - if very bulky, then it might even push the strands over on either side

Some wefts just seemed to "fall in place" - strands stayed straight, right tension, etc.

Working around the knots -- had to separate the shed more. -
      -       some more troublesome then others
      -       some "lifted" the white strand away from the color
      -       some just fell in place
      -       some had to be pulled into place to not disrupt the tension and appearance of the surrounding weaves
      -       some went into the warp above or below
      -       ALL are necessary for the ONE continuous strand

Most time consuming & requiring constant observation - keeping the two strands (white & color) straight