Life's GPS

 

6 shaft 4 block Bronson Lace

One of my favourite weave structures to design with is Bronson Lace.

Yesterday I worked on the article for WEFT (no this isn't a draft from the article) and was reminded how neat, how tidy the weave structure is.  And how much freedom I have because I know how to weave it in pick up.

I'm not a fan of doing pick up because it is so slow, but I don't mind picking up Bronson Lace, especially if I can use my floor loom as a mechanized pick up apparatus.

I have always lived my life reflecting about the meaning of Life.  I'm drawn to think about how we live.  How we interact with others.

Confession time - I have not always been the best person.  I look back with some dismay at the stumbles I've taken.  The opportunities to be kind that I messed up.  I regret them very much.  But every time I pause to reflect over some new offence I have committed, I vow to do better.  Be better.

I am far enough along in the current stage of 'recovery' or healing that I am beginning to look ahead.  I asked for feedback on what I should focus on and one person responded that I should do what I loved to do (I paraphrase).  

And ultimately I know that.  But I have a number of ways open before me and I'm exhausted.  So I was hoping for an indication of where I should expend my tiny amount of energy.  

After thinking about this for a number of days and just one response I am left to try and figure out which path to take.  Which, ultimately, is how it should be.  It is, after all, my life I am living.

With a number of paths to choose from, I have decided to leave my options open.  In the face of increased intrusions of things like LLM/AI into every nook and cranny of our lives I have decided to make some different choices.  It may cost me more, but I refuse to have data companies able to mine my data - as much as I can.  I know I can't avoid it entirely.  But I can do my best.

I am divesting myself of the worst of the lot, or minimizing my exposure to those companies.  I am making different choices from the obvious service providers.  Again, it may cost me more, but I don't care.  

I choose NOT to use GPS, but take my time to thoughtfully make my decisions.  It has how I have always lived my life.  It seems appropriate to continue to do so.

Am I 'scared'?  Yes, it is scary.  But I have never let myself be swayed because something was unknown and scary.  If I did I would never have set foot on that freighter out of Montreal and sailed to Sweden when I was 19.  

It was, perhaps, THE formative transformation I chose to make.  With the help of strangers I not only survived, I succeeded.  

I am going to continue to think, consider, weigh my options.  My recovery is early days - and to be honest, it is only *one* of the physical issues that is improving right now - and I don't have to make any hard and fast decisions today.  So I have just set up some new options and will take time to get used to them and continue to consider what I need to be doing with my life.

Doug reminded me I have a very large box of card stock (or heavy paper) which is left over from the original Magic in the Water.  I have, from time to time, designed woven samples and published small booklets with actual samples.  I could do that again.  Or not.  I could publish monographs and sell them in pdf format via my ko-fi shop.  I could hold remote presentations and run the meetings myself.  Study groups?  Lectures series (I have 11 already written).  One-on-one tutoring.

These are the options I am considering.  

Round and round the roulette wheel goes - where the ball drops...is anybody's guess.

Carrots. Sticks.

 

if life were easy...

Anyone following this blog for any time will be aware that I've managed to stumble through a bunch of health issues.  

If it was 'easy', everyone would be doing it?

Anyway, it has NOT been 'easy', and I'm a long way away from being fully functional.  However, as the neurosurgeon said to me "Don't wait until you are healed to live your life."

On the other hand, I seem to be gaining ground and managing to consider what the future would hold for me.

The last time I talked to my therapist, she asked me to consider what I want to be (she didn't add 'when you grow up', but...)

I have thought about that question for almost two weeks and I still am not exactly sure how to answer that question.

Every time I think about it, all I can come up with is....more.

Mostly?  More teaching.  More sharing.  More encouraging.  As well as more kind, more caring, more helpful.

Given my current physical issues, how do I do that?

Well, we now have the internet.  I have been writing this blog since 2008.  During the worst of the covid pandemic, I produced 11 presentations geared to being 'broadcast' via the internet.  And then began offering them as guild programs/seminars - until August 28, 2024 when I had the brain bleed.

But they are already written.  So I have a script to keep me on track.  I presented one of them in January this year and have another booked for the 28th of Feb.  

So, do I gear up and offer the seminars again?  Myself?  Not wait for a guild to contact me, then deal with 6 am wakeups to present first thing in *their* morning (dark o'clock for me)?

Or do I go ahead and set up the seminars and offer them - for a price/fee?

I see so many new weavers floundering with questions, really good in-depth questions, questions that I find myself not able to answer within the confines of a chat group reply box.  

So, I write articles for WEFT.  But I have other things I want to say/write, outside of their editorial focus.  I already wrote not 1, not 2, but 3 books.  But since I wrote those I have learned more.  And sometimes what I want to say goes beyond even a blog post parameters.

Do I write 'articles', edit and then self-publish and sell them as a pdf download?  Not sure I have the spoons or technology to do that.

Or do I recycle the 2 hour seminars and offer them?

Do I book 'Ask me anything' sessions?  Or one on one tutoring?

So I respectfully ask - what do YOU think I should do?

Email me laura at laurafry dot com

Let's talk.

Avalanche

 

I had to take this photo at an angle in order to show up the motif.  White on white is very difficult to photograph, but I think this turned out ok.

This is the same threading I used for the last warp (tea towels with the highly energized/twisted weft) and I thought it was quite pretty and wanted to show it off.

In the theme of KISS, it is a fairly simple progression to thread, and of course, the dobby makes it easy to weave.  When the loom is behaving.  I had some issues on the last warp with one shaft not behaving properly, but I'm hoping that is fixed now.

The selvedges aren't 'perfect' but much of the problem will be disguised during wet finishing.  And the beat is not 'perfect' as mentioned yesterday.  But I don't much care.  It feels 'right' for a nice dressy scarf as it is, so the diamonds are not perfect - and I find I don't care.  The beat is consistent, and if you can't be perfect...

I'm hoping that the hard press during wet finishing will bring up the shine of the silk compared to the mat of the cashmere.  The effect is subtle and that's fine, too.  Not everything has to be eye catching.

And that's the thing when you weave your own textiles, especially if you design them yourself.  You get to choose.

I find myself constantly intrigued by the various parameters involved in those choices, finding a path through the effect of one choice on the others.  

Not everyone wants to follow a 'plan' however.  And that's also fine.  Because we are not bound to follow rules - we can ignore them when it suits us.  

But our choices come with consequences.  And if you are okay with those consequences you can make whatever choices you want.

My goal, first and foremost, has always to make cloth that will serve a purpose.  So every choice I make I keep the end result in mind and try to be aware of how my choices will play off of each other and affect the finished textile.

As such, I have - over the decades (lordy, lordy, I feel *old* when I say that, but I have been weaving for a very long time) tried various things, woven countless samples, built a foundation of knowledge.

But the life so short, the craft so long to learn.  

Roller Coaster (CW - health issues)

 

Even as (some) things get 'better', (some) things get 'worse'.

So hey, I'm still here.  I'm not doing much right now, though.  My body seems to hate me, although in reality it is just complaining.  Mostly about how many times I 'pushed through' whatever it was I was dealing with at the time.

'Rode hard, put away wet' is a phrase I learned from some people I know who ride horses.  And it pretty much sums up the majority of my life.

The therapy I'm getting is part of the 'salad' of my life.  I am finally coming out of De Nile and actually dealing with some stuff that I, well, stuffed down and out of sight, but obviously not out of mind.

I've been advised to treat myself with compassion right now as I dig out the trauma that has been the bedrock of my life, for all of my life.

So I'm trying really hard to stay focused on encouraging healing to arrive in my conscious mind.  But when you have buried something for 75+ years, digging it out again is going to cause some emotional chaos.

Plus the physical effects of working too hard, not resting and/or healing enough before picking up the load and staggering onwards.

I tried to get started on the article late last week, and after a good start, I fell off the wagon.  And the rough draft is sitting to my right, within my peripheral vision.  I'm trying really hard to not feel guilty.  I still have time.  I can wait a few more days

The next two weeks are a bit of a challenge as I have appointments - massage, therapy, doctor (2 of them) and while I wait I feel reluctance to push forward.  It all feels like a hill too high, the road too rough.

I did manage to thread the silk warp.  Today my goal is to sley and tie up.  If I have enough spoons, weave a sample to check my plans.  Because reality will intrude the second I start throwing the shuttle.

And who knows, if that goes well, I may feel able to pick up that rough draft and add some more content to it.

In the meantime, reality carries on.  It is too warm, with too little snowpack in the mountains.  When the rains come this early the snow melts and because the ground is frozen, the water drains away.  And nothing is left to deliver moisture to the thirsty ground when the dry summer days come.  Which means that this year could become another blistering misery with multiple wildfires and too little water for, well, anything.

But there is nothing I can do about that, not really.  So instead I will try to continue to do what I can - answer questions, write (I have this article to do, and then maybe another - they aren't quite to the contract issuing stage), this blog, answers on a couple weaving groups I belong to, questions via School of Sweet Georgia, etc.

Today I'm going to try to book the guild room for another Weavers Show and Share.  They are having a Grand Re-Opening to show the guild members the 'new' guild room space this week.  I won't go because I don't do large crowds anymore.  Because on top of every other damn thing I'm dealing with, I'm *still* immune compromised.  And for me Covid is not 'over'.  (Nor measles, RSV, flu, colds et bloody cetera.)

If you can, if you are feeling overwhelmed, try to find one small positive thing you can do.  Maybe clean a little corner of some clutter if you can.  Send an encouraging note to a friend who may be feeling a decided lack of spoons/energy.  Spend time at your craft, bringing something new into being.  Create something.  

My dad always looked at something that someone had made, maybe a cake mom had baked, and would tell others that 'my wife built it'.  If he is still around looking down on me, I hope he is watching what I have done with my life and is telling others in heaven that 'my daughter built it'.  

Resources for Learning

 

Jacquard woven hanging by Sandra Rude

Sandra Rude Grant

The Complex Weavers will be meeting soon, and they have just announced their event details, one of which is a memorial grant in honour of Sandra Rude.

I first 'met' Sandra when I was a member of WeaveTech.  We had several conversations online, and then I was able to meet her at a conference.  We continued to stay in touch now and then, and when she died, it was a blow.

I remember her as a very kind person, very supportive as I went through a number of health issues.   When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 she sent me this wall hanging.  I had been anticipating losing my hair during chemo and she chose to remind me that even the mighty oak will lose it's leaves, but it remains strong and beautiful.

It was such a thoughtful gift and the textile still hangs in my living room - a subtle reminder to stay rooted in my strength (or stubbornness, whatever)

Anyway, if you are interested in attending Complex Weavers Seminars but having trouble with finances, you could apply for the Sandra Rude Memorial Grant.

Building Foundations

 

I got back to the desktop yesterday and started working on the text and diagrams for the next article.

I don't expect them to use the diagram above - they have 'nicer' graphics software - but I wanted to provide the draft information to explain the 3 options for threading this particular weave structure.  So many new weavers don't understand how to 'read' this information and get all confused.  But this weave structure is an example of how things are not as they might seem to be.

A new weaver may assume that plain weave is always treadle a being tied to shaft 1+3 and treadle b is always tied to 2+4.  

(By 'a' and 'b' I am using the 'usual' notation that was common pre-computer days, where a small a and small b referred to the two plain weave treadles.)

In this case, Bronson Lace does not have those two treadles, but the two treadles on the left are the plain weave options.

I've had new weavers tell me that's incorrect, they want the plain weave treadles.  But here's the thing, you treadle the shafts that will result in plain weave.  And if you look at what those far left treadles are doing, they *are* weaving plain weave.

Then some new weavers get confused by the blue parts of the draft.  At this point, the weaver should be just isolating the actual threads.  In that part of the draft, there are no actual threads in the draft - I am simply trying to isolate the units that comprise Bronson Lace.  

Generally with a 2 block/unit Bronson Lace you can 'program' (thread) areas that are dedicated to plain weave, unit A or unit B.

So in the above diagram, I have given those 3 options in the threading area of the draft, shown the tie up to create 'lace' by making the weft be the threads that float over the rest, and then the treadling which gives four options - plain weave, unit A lace with unit B weaving plain weave, unit A weaving plain weave with unit B weaving lace, and lace in every unit threaded to the Bronson Lace weave structure.

To 'read' the threading draft I refer to the threads on shaft 1 as the 'foundation' threads, threads on shaft 2 as the tie downs, and the threads on the rest of the shafts (in this case four shafts) as the pattern ends.  

And that, in a nutshell, is how to read that diagram.

I suspect that the text of the article will be more extensive, but this is the Coles Notes version.  Also, I am just at the point in the article where I need to explain this, so this Coles Notes version was partly an exercise in refreshing my memory.

I'm still dealing with the effects of the brain bleed in Aug. 2024.  My brain doesn't always 'brain' well, especially if I've had a 'bad' night due to pain.

So I'm having my 2nd cup of coffee, and preparing myself to take a run at writing this part of the article.  And partly because I saw (again!) a new weaver asking for help to read a weaving draft.  So it was made clear to me that I can't just start this article assuming that everyone who reads the article will already know how to read it?  Or maybe I can.  But if so, the editors can cut that part.  It's going to be diagram dense and they may need more room for the diagrams/drafts/photos, which is the heart of the article.  Anyway, don't hold your breath.  I'm working on an article for an issue in 2027.  

Tragedy - CW

 

white rose bushes on my daily walk when I could still walk

We have been dealing with a national tragedy, and I can't stop thinking about it.  And how this tragedy is being dealt with here in Canada.  And how the alt right is using our grief to make political points.

If you don't know, I'm sure you can find references to it, since the nation is in mourning.

I confess I am considered by the alt right to be a 'libtard' (or libturd, take your pick).  My politics are left of centre.  I believe in human rights for all, regardless of colour of skin, religion, whatever.  I have been (mostly) relieved that the majority of the Canadian politicians have chosen to send messages of condolence to the community of Tumbler Ridge.

And yet...

Yesterday I began to see alt right voices, trying to do their 'usual' and fear monger and by so doing, they are diminishing the lives lost.  The grief that we are all feeling.  By using the 'usual' scare tactics, they attempt to divert attention from the victims and lay blame on an entire 'category' of humans - when they never ever do that if the person responsible is a white male.

So I am by parts furious at their callous disregard for the lives lost and/or damaged in order to score political points by roiling up their 'base'.

And what a good word that is, 'base'.  As in 'base' instincts.  The very thing that their lord and savior told them to rise above by loving *everyone*.  As someone raised Christian, my very being recoils at how NOT Christian they are.  

The past few days have also been 'bad' pain days and the two things made things extra difficult for me.

But today is a bit 'better'.  I managed to beam the silk warp (with lots of knots in it), and today I'm going to begin threading.  

I had to adjust the threading draft because I gave up at 10" in width, which is a bit narrow for a scarf, but I would have had to patch together too many threads to make up that planned on 12" width.  It's going to be bad enough to repair the dozen (or more) knots already in the 20 yard long warp.  But I have lots of spools with a few yards left on them to use to hang repair ends to weave past the knots and then remove them.  And ultimately, using up as much of my silk and cashmere stash as I can is my current priority.

When in pain...weave.  When grieving...weave.  When confused...weave.  

Creativity is not pointless or useless.  When so many are attempting to destroy all that is good and kind in the world, creativity is an act of resistance.  

I send love and light to all who needs it.

Remote Teaching

 

Teaser...

Yesterday I finished weaving the samples for the next article for WEFT.  No, I'm not going to explain this photo - it's a teaser.

I don't know if the photos I took are good enough, but I needed to have photos to show what I was going to attempt to explain using words.  But not everyone learns from the written word, so I knew I had to provide visuals.  WEFT staff may choose to set up their own photos if mine aren't good enough.

It's the challenge in trying to teach 'remotely' - being able to provide information in different modes so that as many people as possible can process the information and be able to figure out what is happening.

Today I will press the samples I wove, then tidy them up when they are fully dry and will be rolling the information I want to convey around in the nether regions of my brain.  

The challenge with trying to write (or even think, some days) is that the brain injury opened up sinkholes and sometimes the words I want to use disappear into one or more of those sinkholes.  So it's now imperative that I must think clearly, if I can, about what I want to say - and how I want to say it.  And in the process, try to work out which words are missing from my vocabulary at the time I'm trying to craft the explanation I want to share.

In the meantime the pain I've been trying to 'solve' continues.  Some days and nights are better than others.  And I still see tiny glimmers of 'improvement' - I think.  But it never really goes away.  Not really and truly 'away'.  However, I have accepted that it may never totally and completely resolve, so in the meantime, I try to do the best I can to keep sharing information.  I am getting older every day and that isn't going to change, just get more challenging as time passes...

The local weaver who recently purchased a drawloom continues their journey, and I am joining them as best I can since I have actually woven on a drawloom, even the specific type of drawloom they have purchased.  They found Alice Hindson's book and I'm going to get my own copy and study it when it comes to remind me of my two decades old experience of weaving at Madelyn van der Hoogt's Weaving School.  

It seems I am finally finding my 'retirement' life.  I had written weaving on a drawloom off as something I could ever do, and now, here one is, locally.  And an invitation to come play on it.  My neck won't likely tolerate my doing very much, but I'm quite excited about being able to explore more and see what happens...

We are well into February and spring is 'early' it looks like.  OTOH, we could easily get more storms, and more snow.  But the days are getting 'longer' with every day that passes, and today we have a sunny one.  

Time to get to the studio and press the samples and tidy them up.  And then decide what I can do most effectively.  Maybe trying to write an article is not a job for today - especially when I have a silk warp calling my name...

Rocky Road (CW personal health issues)

 

This meme has never resonated so thoroughly as I begin what appears to be the beginning of recovery from what has been making my life miserable for literally years.

As with any health issue, it appears to be true that however long it took you to get to 'bottom' it takes the same time to climb out of the hell you have been living.

But I am a do-er (even as I complain about it) and I have spent the better part of the last 6 months flailing around trying to find out what the hell has been going on in my body as things kept getting 'worse'.

For those who are interested, on December 24 (Merry Christmas?) I got the lab report back - I have genetic markers for being unable to utilize 'ordinary' B 12 and a couple other of the B family vitamins.  As such my body was unable to heal properly and new research into peripheral neuropathy is showing that what happens is that the protective covering of the nerves in the extremities begins to deteriorate.  And then you experience nerve pain.  A not so silent 'scream' of the body falling apart.  

People who are diabetic, or who have had chemo or other conditions generally have peripheral neuropathy.  I am one of the ones who had chemo with Vincristine, well known to cause PN (I'm going to use the initials rather than type it out all the time), and indeed, I had PN during chemo.  I was told it would resolve when chemo was done, and it did, but it came back.  Most likely because I have genetic markers from both parents which block my body's ability to use the 'usual' B 12 (and two others) even though my blood work showed a nice healthy level of B12 in my blood.

I immediately started taking a different form of vitamin B plus some supplements that were to help boost the body to utilize the vitamin.  I'm about 6 weeks out from beginning that treatment, and I can fairly confidently say that it appears to be working.

But it's not a smooth passage back to 'health'.  It very much looks like the above meme - I *thought* it would be smooth sailing, but of course, it has not been 'smooth'.  At all.

Last night - again - I had a 'bad' night.  Was awake for 3 hours at dark o'clock while the nerves in my feet and legs pinged and frizzled, and my muscles cramped.

But!  It's no longer pain levels of 7.  Just 4-5 when the pain flares.  I still can't sleep when the pain goes over 3, but...it's NOT 7.

For the first few weeks I could not actually tell if anything at all was happening, but I can honestly say...it is better.  It isn't fixed.  It won't be for months and months, apparently.  But I've been living with this pain for about 6 years and it may take 6 years to recover fully.  If I ever do.  Some of my nerves may be permanently damaged, and I won't know until I get there.  

But it means that ultimately, I may get to the point where I will be able to weave on the Leclerc Fanny again.  The Megado has a very 'light' lift and I can use my thick soled shoes to weave on that loom.  But I cannot on the Fanny so I haven't been able to weave on that loom for over 3 years.  But now?  Now I'm thinking...maybe.

I am also getting therapy to deal with the trauma of my birth and the impact that has had on me my whole life.  So far I have no idea if it is 'helping' because I've been alive for 75 years and hiding my trauma as a way to continue to deal with life.  Apparently it is now time to address that trauma.

Last Saturday I did a one hour presentation for the Vancouver Guild.  Since then I've had 3 of the people who attended or watched the recording contact me to thank me for sharing my knowledge.  I have another booked for Feb. 28. If that also seems to go well, I will take a look at the calendar and consider taking more bookings.  I didn't want to last year because I was still in recovery from the brain bleed, plus I never knew what shape I would be in because of the pain.  It's really really hard to think when your body is screaming at you, asking you to DO SOMETHING.

Well, it took several months and multiple changes in what I was doing, then finally genetic testing, but we appear to have found out part of what was happening.  And as spring teases us (too soon, too soon!) my tiny sprig of hope appears to be budding.

In the meantime, the sale at blurb continues.  Use the coupon code of BOOKLOVE15 FEB 8-10 for a 15% discount.  US folk, the books are printed and shipped within the US.  Other countries may prefer to buy the pdf - it's cheaper and you get it immediately.  If you have issues with the website, contact THEM, not me.

Heads Up

 

Book Savings!

From time to time the online publisher I use offers a sale on books where they 'eat' the savings and the author still gets the full amount of the sale.

So, from Feb. 8-10, all books are on sale with a 15% discount if you use the code BOOKLOVE15

If you are in the US, the books are printed in the US and there is no tariff.  To people outside of the US, you can order the print version, or perhaps the PDF download would be 'better'.  Certainly that is cheaper and you get it immediately.  Use the link above and enter the coupon code.  If you have problems with the Blurb website, contact them, not me.  

Interdependent

 

'linen tester' showing .25, .50 and 1 inch dimensions (got it from Jane Stafford)

New weavers don't get the connection between the various factors in the development of a cloth.  

That is not a 'failing', just a lack of knowledge.  It is only after they weave enough cloth, pay attention to the results, that they begin asking the questions they need to ask (if they follow the thread) and begin to understand how the answers in weaving are only ever *conditional*.

What do you want?  What will it take to get you there?  Which fibre?  Spun in which way?  Which weave structure.  Even, what loom are you using?

The question of density is packed with conditions.  

There are the 'ideals' and then there is reality, based on functionality.

I see people saying that true freedom is to ignore the 'rules', do what you want, free your creativity.

Which is all nice and all, if you don't care about the qualities you are building into your cloth.  If you don't care, then, do as you will.

OTOH, if the apocalypse arrives, knowing the 'rules' and understanding the equation of time spent to get the cloth made and how well it serves becomes an issue, it might be a good idea to actually learn the 'rules'.  Just so you have those in your weaver's toolbox.  

I've been known to bend those rules in order to wind up with a particular quality of cloth.  I'm not adverse to bending them until they 'break', just so I know that particular boundary, too.  

So when I talk about 'ideals', I also hold space for bending the boundaries.  So there are times when my twill isn't 45 degrees (after wet finishing), but maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less, sometimes very much not the 'ideal' at all.  It depends.

When we shift the dial back and forth between this quality and that quality, we can fine tune our results.  But knowing certain things - like combining stripes of plain weave *and* some other weave structure, like waffle weave, will produce certain results.

(receipts)

I have been known to do something like this *on purpose* - for an article.  

Understanding the concept of dimensional loss (commonly referred to as 'shrinkage') should be understood.  And if you achieve that dimensional loss, know that you are doing it willingly, not by accident.  For example, the dimensional loss in waffle weave (or Brighton Honeycomb if you are in the UK) can be as much as 50%.  Not a problem if you have woven samples and you know that going in, not just discovering that after you have woven your entire project and do not have enough cloth to do what you wanted to do.

So, do use your creativity.  But maybe make a sample or three before committing to a large project?

Next!

 

Yesterday I finished the warp I put into the loom in January.  It doesn't always happen that I get the knots this close to the heddles, but it is quite satisfying when it happens.

Because I never (usually) make just one thing, but several items per warp, and I tend to allow a little 'extra' in case I need to weave more samples, or if the loom is misbehaving, or...whatever...I sometimes have more than a yard left when I'm 'done' weaving.

I have been struggling (for so long, so so long) that I have not done the things I intended to do at the end of December.

That said, I am beginning to see 'changes' in my pain levels.  It seems like healing is beginning (for one of my pain sources) and that feeds my tiny sprig of hope.  Maybe *this* year will be 'better'.

Otoh, speaking of misbehaving looms, my Megado is not happy about something.  I am getting floats on the back side of the cloth which will be suboptimal when I begin the silk and cashmere scarves.  I may get Doug's help to re-align the dobby.  The sensor is ever so slightly out of alignment.  OTOH it's winter and wood shrinks when the relative humidity drops, so perhaps it will begin to 'fix' itself?

But I really don't want silk and cashmere scarves 'ruined' with treadling errors not of my doing.  

I am going to take the rest of this week and try to get the samples for the next WEFT article woven so I can begin writing the text.  On breaks I might begin beaming the silk warp.  The threading draft is ready, to be tested to see if the structure is going to work.  Again I'm working with two sets of yarn of different grists, so a sample will be absolutely necessary.  

We are having unseasonal weather.  It has been raining (in January!) and the snow is nearly completely melted away.  If it doesn't snow some more to build the snow pack in the bush, this year's 'wildfire season' is going to be...not great.  

Someone asked why it was a problem?  Partly it is because when it melts at this time of year it doesn't get absorbed by the ground, which is still frozen.  It runs straight 'downhill' and down the rivers to the ocean.  Nothing gets stored in the ground for use later in the year.  If the rains don't come in the spring, the ground water doesn't get built up, the ground itself becomes parched and any little spark, be it lightning or campfire, can set up a blaze that devastates the forests and ultimately animals AND human lives.

We desperately need to recognize climate change and DO SOMETHING to mitigate the problems.  There is no Planet B.

More Snowflakes

 

weaving draft for silk/cashmere scarves

I'm about done with the current warp, which was an interesting little tangent to go into.  But I'm about done with that highly twisted single 6 cotton, and am anticipating a very nice jaunt down the silk warp, cashmere weft bylane.

I really liked the weave structure I used with the single 6 but the twist energy pretty much erased the actual motif, and I thought it had some nice features about it, so I essentially reduced it to the number of ends I needed for a scarf warp and will go ahead with the same thing for the scarves.  

Seems like I have a whole lot of very fine (as in gossamer) cashmere in natural white.  After doing a grist comparison yesterday, I decided I am going to have to double the cashmere even to get close to the 2/30 grist of the silk.  Since the cashmere is in skeins, it seemed the best way to deal with what is a fairly 'tender' yarn, is to use it doubled and the best way to do that is to use the double bobbin shuttle.  If that doesn't work very well, I can then double it by winding from two bobbins onto a single bobbin, but before I spend the time to do that, I'm going to try weaving with the double bobbin shuttle.

The other thing I wanted to point out is that this weave structure is the 'same' on both sides - except the warp and weft change places in the motif.  The front side is a mirror image of the back.

 The fabric will have a difference one side to the other since the warp is shiny silk and the weft is mat cashmere, so the effect will be a subtle difference.  The effect when done in contrasting colours is greater, but I like the mat/shiny effect, too.  

And I have rather a lot of the fine cashmere, so I'll be doing a range of scarves using these (and other sizes) of silk.  If I run out of options to use up white, I also have rather a large amount of very fine worsted wool to use on some of the intense coloured silks also in my stash.  So I have my 'work' cut out for me.  

I don't expect to be exploring much in the way of weave structures, but some colour options.

And, in the end, weave down some of my silk and cashmere stash.  Win-win!

New Book

 

Stacey Harvey-Brown's new book Creative Dimensions in Weaving is now available.

If you are curious about creating 3D effects in textiles, Stacey has been doing lots of digging into how to make that happen.  The book can be purchased immediately as a pdf download.  I haven't invested yet as I really prefer print, but getting books from overseas is getting expensive, and a pdf download is (ahem) immediate.  

And let's support actual human knowledge, not LLM/AI.  

And check out her web site for some other books she has written.

Better Questions

 

pretty painted warps for eye candy

I have been thinking about how learning works.  I mean what does a person need to do when confronted with a very large pool of knowledge - more an ocean than a pool.  Where do they start?  How do they manage the info dump that can be presented?  How do they file that info dump away?  How do they access it later?

Perhaps these questions are more important to me since the brain injury, which happened in my speech centre.  And because I was hoping to keep teaching for my twilight years.  And now struggle with words.

And over and over I come back to the same answer.  If you want better answers, you need to ask better questions.

Which is facile, I know, and what the hell is a 'better' question when you don't know anything?

So I've been thinking.  A lot.  About learning.  And teaching.  

I gave the first Zoom presentation in two years on Saturday.  It was, thankfully, a small group, but a diverse one.  At least two of the people were very experienced and the rest seemed to range from beyond beginner on up.

The topic was The Weaver's Toolbox, and I talked about how looms functioned, trying to convey the mechanics of how most of the common looms worked.  Plus some other tools.

At the end, there were questions.  Thoughtful ones.  Questions that let me know that the questioner had been processing the information, thought about it, started to follow the thread I had presented, and wanted to define the information so that they could fit it into their foundation of knowledge.

As we get AI stuffed down our throats from every direction, this is a process that we need to keep active - the absorption of information, processing it to make sure it is making sense within context, and analyze it to make sure it is fully understood.  This is the very opposite of what LLM/AI does - which is essentially make stuff up.  

I see it on chat groups when someone asks a question and someone responds by posting an AI response - inevitably not helpful or even accurate in many cases.  AI does not understand the craft.  How can it?  It is just making up an answer that appears plausible.  

OTOH, dozens of us are out here trying our hardest to help new weavers make sense of the craft.  Sometimes even showing a light on something they may have not quite understood before.

After sitting and thinking about the presentation on Saturday, I am encouraged.  I managed to get through the 60+ minute presentation without losing my words.  It helps that I already have my 'script' created, which reminds me of the path I want to follow.  The thing that helped me the most was realizing that even in the 30 minutes after the presentation I was still able to answer questions, not all of them directly related to the topic.  So I'm feeling a glimmer of optimism that I can take up the reins again, and who knows, keep teaching.

I am also encouraged to see others saying the same things I've been saying for decades.  Even new weavers seem to be aware of wet finishing, and are taking that 'final' step into consideration.

I suppose if nothing else, helping to bring awareness of that step means that I've done my 'job'.  

Over the past couple of years I've seen notices of the original Magic in the Water for sale - weavers downsizing, or in estate sales.  If one comes up it has 20 (or more) samples with actual fabric samples, before and after wet finishing.  I hoped it would become a valued resource for weavers, and so it appears it has.  The text (with photos) version is still available both in print or pdf download.

My other books were an attempt to explain some of the subtle effects that need to be considered in weaving.  (Also available using the above link.)

If you are a new weaver, get some books.  Read as many as you can.  Realize that not all experienced weavers will make the same recommendations - we may differ on details, but most agree on the principles of the craft.

Find the end of a thread and carefully tease it out until you can see it fully - if you can.

Weave 'samples'.  A sample can be a scarf.  Or a tea towel.  A pot holder.  A mug rug.  Study samples woven by others if you can.  If you can't, study photos in magazines.  And read how the weaver created the effect that intrigues you.

Above all - think.  Don't assume.  Ask yourself why something is happening.  Ask questions.  As you learn, your questions will become more informed and you'll get better answers.

Learning is a lifetime activity, if you should desire to make it a part of your creative processes.

The life so short the craft so long to learn...

Twist and Texture

 

I finally got a photo of the texture that developed during wet finishing.  Below is how the cloth looked in the loom...

Now, the cloth in the loom was really pretty.  And no doubt I may do something similar in the future.  I'm planning some white on white silk (warp) and cashmere (weft) scarves, and I think this sort of design will look really lovely.

But the goal was to use up some of that single 6 with high twist 'energy' in it, and on the whole, I'm pleased with the results.  

As tea towels, I think they will work (i.e. they will dry dishes) and they have an interesting texture.  The cloth feels a bit 'rough', so not something one would want to wear against the skin.  But neither will most people want to work with a highly energized yarn, which generally means a yarn with a high degree of twist.

There are other ways to encourage 'tracking' (for that is what this is, ultimately, just an extreme version of it) by using yarn with lycra in it, or the differential between yarn that will full and shrink versus one that will not.  I've done both and they can be quite effective.  And yes, sample before setting up for a big project because the results can vary in ways that might not be intended - or welcomed.

I've included the selvedge in the photo although you'll have to biggify the image to really see it.  It is not a plain weave selvedge and it is not straight.  And it doesn't matter.  The selvedges are secure enough for use.  

Normally I would give tea towels another hard press after hemming, but I don't think I'm going to bother.

I'm down to the last (maybe) 4 towels, and once those are woven, I'm going to move on to the next stash challenge - the silk and cashmere.  

I'm looking forward to working with some co-operative yarn for a while.  And weaving down more of my stash.