Stitched together in faith: RLM Swedish Weavers share fellowship and skill

Following the Biblical tradition of sewing and weaving, the RLM Swedish Weavers of Picayune, Miss. form a life group within Resurrection Life Worship Center that reaches across church affiliations and skill levels. Under the current leadership of Edie Flores, the group is in its tenth year of creativity and service.

Swedish weaving creates patterns on even weave fabric by the way colorful yarn or thread is exposed or hidden by the fabric threads. Fabrics include huck cloth, monks cloth and aida fabric, among others. The group's members work on individual projects and share ideas as they create beautiful handcrafted products.

The experienced help the newcomers, as they work from the basis of Exodus 35:35.

The RLM Swedish Weavers meet in the Holy Java Cafe area of Resurrection Life Worship Center in Picayune, MS. Their weekly gathering begins and ends with prayer. Throughout the session, members share their skills and worship together with needle and thread.

During a recent Picayune Street Festival, RLM Swedish Weavers filled a booth with their wares both to entice visitors to look and to spread the word of their ministry and upcoming convention. Leader Edie Flores demonstrated the process of Swedish weaving on a blanket-sized throw. 

Holly leaves and berries adorn a green plaid pattern worked into this cheery project. Patterns form based on whether the colored yarn runs above or below the threads of the base fabric. 

 

Traditional Swedish weaving

Diamond patterns form a traditional motif in Swedish weaving. The variety of sizes and colors on this sample show how vibrant the finished product can be. Weavers use an even weave fabric such as monks cloth as the basis for their projects.

Autumn themes grace project

The rich earth tones of autumn suit this pumpkin design. Patterns can be adapted to longer or shorter projects once the weaver masters the layout of the basic pattern. A different selection of colors creates a different feeling to the finished project. Swedish weavers can digress from the original color scheme to individualize the work.

Projects vary from decorative items like this table runner for the weaver's household to ministry gifts, such as lap robes for residents of a VA facility or baby blankets for women experiencing crisis pregnancies. The members express the joy of donating their work as a great part of the attraction of the craft.

A variety of projects show craft's versatility

Swedish weavers produce items as tiny as Christmas ornaments and baby bibs to those as large as bedspreads. In between, there are burp cloths, dish towels, table scarves, lap throws and anything else the weaver can envision. By changing the number of pattern repetitions, the basic pattern can be adjusted up or down to suit the weaver's needs.

 

Originally appeared on 04/29/2016 at http://www.examiner.com/list/stitched-together-faith-rlm-swedish-weavers-share-fellowship-and-skill