Opinions

 

Most 'hobbies' seem to come with rules/opinions formed by the people who practice the hobby in question.  All of them have 'opinions', and sometimes those opinions are at the complete opposite to each other.  The problem is when those 'opinions' turn into concrete 'rules'.

Every craft has this phenomenon, and generally they are held fast by the people who follow them.  Every textile craft I have practiced (and I have done quite a few) has those hard and fast 'rules' that some people follow religiously and others ignore.

It is why most times when I answer a question I begin by saying 'it depends'.

I answer questions with the life experience I have using my 'standard' techniques.  Frequently I will answer a question without specifying what *I* mean in the context of *my* work.  And the questioner will respond with *their* context, and then I will have to say to them that in their circumstance they need to do what gets them their best results.

Even wet finishing - I will sometimes clarifying that there are circumstances when no, you don't have to wet finish, but if you are ever going to get your cloth wet, you should find out what happens to it when you do that.

I will explain that no, you don't have to apply a hard press, but you should try it to find out what happens if you do.  IOW, sample.

The sample above (from Magic in the Water) has not been hard pressed, but I have applied the press to a sample to find out what happens.  Instead of the rounded 'furrows' you get irregular pleats.  

So I try to remember that not everyone is doing what I do, their 'reality' may be different from mine, and to give as thorough an explanation as I can, depending on the medium I'm using to communicate.  And yet, I still see people sharply disagreeing with me about certain techniques or tools I say I use.

But here's the thing.  I don't care what someone does.  They asked a question, I answered what it is that *I* do.  They then have to choose what is best for *them* - whether they weave with a particular yarn, or warp their loom front to back/back to front, hold their shuttle underhand or overhand.  When someone asks me for my answer, I give it.  I don't come over to your studio and force you to follow what I do!

Because I have preferences that someone else may not.  Looms are different, yarns are different, people are different - we all have to figure out what works and does not in order to create the cloth we want to produce.

magic-in-the-water