Saturday, August 30, 2008

In the beginning.....


I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while, now, but since I already had a website, wasn't sure a blog was "necessary".
This year, however, has seen some radical changes in my life and after 33 years of being a professional weaver, it is time to make some changes.
While I chose weaving because I wanted a career in which I wouldn't get bored, I have to be honest and say that in reality, weaving chose me.
Weaving has been an intellectual pursuit that quickly became a passion. I can't imagine my life without weaving. But my new health reality means that how I weave has to change. I suppose that this blog is partly intended to be a journal of just how weaving and me will accommodate each other into the future.
Since the beginning of August, when I finally felt able to weave I have completed two warps, and today beamed another. I have a lot of 2/20 mercerized cotton, and have been using it up making tea towels. The last warp was a solid dark blue warp, but I still have lots of that yarn left and wanted to do something a bit different.
Rummaging in my storage area, I found small quantities of 2/20 merc. cotton in purples, greens and blues. I wound those off onto spools and set up the bobbin rack, beginning with the section in the centre of the warp. Working to each side of centre, I wound sections, changing out empty spools with tubes of the dark blue. The warp is 22" wide and 30 yards long.
Tea towels are a great way to use up stash, but I've got lots of tea towels now, so decided to make a few shawls, too. For weft I'll use up some 2/10 Tencel, hand dyed silk boucle, perhaps some bamboo. I'll see how my sampling at the beginning of the warp goes.

5 comments:

Taueret said...

Glad you started a blog Laura. Your thoughtful posts on the weaving lists are always worth reading, I think you'll really enjoy blogging.

Dawn said...

Hi Laura, How lovely to see that you started a blog. I think they are fun and friendly and know yours will be full of interesting info.
luv Dawn in SW France

Anonymous said...

Hi Laura
So glad you will be blogging. Sorry to hear you have had to make some changes but I guess that is often how life unfolds and something else will come along. Sounds like you are back to weaving, if not as much as before, but it will be good therapy.
Thanks for sharing your blog.
Evelyn from PEI

Susan B. said...

I am thrilled to find your blog! I look forward to your thoughts and insights.

Anonymous said...

So glad you've decided to blog, Laura. You have a lot to say about weaving and weaving a life, and we want to hear it.