My Way

 

One of the challenges of being a teacher is the desire to take *your* successful approaches and try to convince everyone else to do what *you* do.

It took me a while to come to understand that just because *I* do something, that doesn't mean everyone *else* should do the same thing.

Everyone comes with the same parts (pretty much), but they may be different sizes, or arranged slightly differently, have different 'problems' or injuries they are dealing with.

When I finally came to grips with this realization, I began to focus on the principles, encouraging others to learn those, and then how to apply them to their own circumstances.

Short?  Tall?  Long legs?  Short arms?  Physical injury that never quite 'healed'?

Then there are the other limitations.  Space.  Budget.  Personal preferences.

So I tell people what I do.  I tell them how I do it.  I tell people *why* I do it.

And then...I had to learn to step away and let people do what they needed to do.  For themselves.

Wednesday I do the next lecture for SOS on weaving drafts.  One of the things I will address is reading the textile in order to understand how it has been designed.  Because when you understand the draft completely, you should be able to interpret a textile and how it was made.  Understanding a wide range of different interlacements (weave structures) will allow you to grasp how it was made, even very complex ones with lots of shafts.  Or no shafts.

While I may never weave those structures, I can look at them and know the path the designer took to achieve their results, be they woven on a Jacquard, draw or other shaft loom.  But also?  I have a rudimentary understanding of how textiles are woven on an inkle loom, with cards, or other techniques.

What matters to me is this - has the weaver achieved their goals when they set out to make this textile?  Do I even understand their goals?  Or might they have a different goal from what I would set out to use when I design my textiles?

Attending art exhibits that focus on textiles is a great way to break open my thinking about what I'm doing, and what others are attempting.  What they are doing may not be of interest to me, in terms of ME doing it that way, but there is always room for thought.

And sometimes that is the most valuable lesson to be learned - understanding that there are many many different roads to take and just because someone is not using my preferred path doesn't mean they are on the wrong road.  

But knowing how many different textiles are made allows me to look beyond my own preferences, see what someone else has accomplished, and given me something to think about.  Even if I decide that it isn't appropriate for me, I can appreciate what they have done.

Feedback from people who have taken my classes and adapted what they are doing in order to be 'better' weavers than they were are lovely.  But ultimately, I just want people to enjoy weaving.  And if they practice weaving in a way that reduces injury, I'm even happier.

Memories

 

This is us, in 1995.  Both of us wearing hand woven garments.  Yes, that sports coat is handwoven - 2/60 silk warp with 2/60 silk and alpaca weft.  It was professionally tailored for Doug and yes, he still has it.

While I still have the outfit I'm wearing (also fine silk), I no longer fit it, sadly.

When I rummage in my closet I find a lot of hand made clothing and each garment brings back the memory of making it.  Usually I was trying to be 'clever' and sometimes I was pretty successful at getting the results I wanted.

But not always.  Sometimes my plans went awry and I had to get creative and really work hard to make the fabric 'work'.

It was the sports coat where I learned the importance of a good HARD press.  The first thing the tailor did after reluctantly agreeing to see me and see the quality of cloth I wanted him to work with, was press it - much harder than what I had done.  It was a revelation.  

Having a bit of background in terms of sewing, I immediately saw the subtle but oh, so, important change that extra compression had on a fabric that was ok, but not particularly 'right' for a highly tailored garment.

It was life changing, truly.  After that I would send yardage to the dry cleaner with on site pressers and pay them what they were worth to do the job properly.  Because hard pressing yardage with a hand iron is Very Hard Work.

Until I got my own industrial steam press.  Which I miss dreadfully, but since I'm no longer making yardage for sewing, I can manage.

Here is a close up of the top and jacket.  You should be able to see the tiny butterflies woven into the jacket fabric.  I really enjoyed wearing that outfit, but alas, no more.  I suppose I should take it to a re-sale shop and see if I can sell it to someone who would treasure it.  But in the meantime, when I rummage in that closet, I have lots of memories to drag up.

Bottom line?  Don't save your handwoven garments for 'good'.  Enjoy them when and as you can.  

Better Late Than...

 

This afternoon I finally cut off the warp of rayon chenille scarves.  There were 9 in total, as expected.  Truth be told I could have woven one more, but it would have been very short, and I just wanted this warp to be done.

Last week got very 'busy', starting with getting both flu and covid vaccines on Monday, then chiropractor, massage and hair cut on the following days.  

My response to the vaccines were minimal, but I did feel achy so wasn't much in the mood to weave until Thursday afternoon.  Doing one scarf yesterday and one today meant less stress to my body, and really, I could still get it off today.  

So all 9 scarves are now in the washing machine and will go into the dryer.  I expect I can begin hemming tonight, although the hems are black so I may not feel like doing them all tonight.

One of the big differences between now and before 'retirement' is how much less pressure I am under.  Being able to listen to my body and give it the rest it needs is a luxury I was never allowed when so much of my yearly income depended on doing well in a 6 week window of sales.

I still have a few tea towels listed on my ko-fi store but if I start running low in the guild booth, they will get pulled from there and delivered to the guild for sale on consignment.

Today I worked on the upcoming beginning weaving workshop.  We should have information on that soon.  I can share that it will be four Saturdays, plus I'll be available to supervise and assist on the Sundays during guild drop ins.  Who knows, maybe I'll finally drag my spinning wheel out.  Because I'm going to sign up for a one day spinning workshop in April.  I need to get back into practice so I don't make a complete doofus of myself.  :D

Next on the loom?  More tea towels.  I'm very interested to find out how the unmerc and merc yarns will play together (unmerc as warp, merc as weft).  Given my previous experimentations, I think it should play nicely as tea towels.  And I already have two warps designed - just needed the time and the empty loom before I could plunge in.

But I will remember what I did for this warp because I only used up about 3.5 pounds of rayon chenille.  I had been thinking I had about 50 pounds but based on what I actually used, I suspect the number is more like double that!  So I supposed there will be more rayon chenille scarves coming down the pipeline at some point.  For now though, these 9 will give customers more choice and show up better than just the 5 that were left after last season's sales.

Little by little.  And better 'late' than not at all...

Memories

 You Tube Video

Brains do 'interesting' things, sometimes for no reason, sometimes for a reason you don't understand.  So this morning, half awake, a memory came to me about the time I was hosting Nell Znamerowski (spelling?) as she did a tour round northern BC.  Turned out she was here over Canadian Thanksgiving, and the official local hostess was unable to have her for the holiday, whereas I could.  It was an unexpected opportunity to get to know someone who had a very high profile in the handweaving community at a time when I was quite a new weaver.

So I tidied up the guest room, warned her that my house was always a bit of a mess (an understatement, going into the sales season!) but she seemed to be accepting.

When I picked her up, I let her know I had an early morning physio appointment the next morning, showed her the kitchen, pointed out where the coffee and tea were, and invited her to help herself to breakfast if she got up before I got home from my appointment.

She gave me a long look and asked why I was seeing a physiotherapist.  I mumbled something about having a 'bad' back.  She snorted and observed that ALL weavers have 'bad' backs.

Which is, I think, the spark that really got me wondering about weaving and ergonomics.

If ALL weavers have bad backs, perhaps it was something about weaving that was causing issues?

My background in ballet and sports and being coached meant I had a pretty deep awareness of when things felt uncomfortable and I'd already fine tuned a lot of my processes, but I began to do so with more awareness that there were certain jobs in weaving that could just be made a little bit more friendly to the body.  And I began to question the physiotherapists I was working with, then the massage therapist when I discovered that actually helped more than the physio.  Being a reader, I started reading more about anatomy and physics.  And then applying what I learned to the work I was doing.

Over the years I read about different disciplines and how ergonomics was being applied to those activities, talked to people with degrees in body mechanics, body movement, yoga instructors, and so on.

As I have aged and body parts started wearing out, I adapted myself (first) and then my equipment in order to keep weaving.

Over and over again, the health community emphasizes that staying active in some fashion is critical for people to keep moving and keep going.  Over the years people would earnestly urge me to join an aerobics class, which I did for a time, when I was younger and had more energy/money.  But as I got older (and had little money to spare) I stopped buying such activities and just focused on my weaving.  Because that was how I earned my money.  So it made sense for me to 'save' my body for what was 'important' to me.  An aerobics class was all well and good, but at the end of it all I was was sweaty.  When I wove for an hour on the AVL, not only was I sweaty, I had a couple yards of fabric to show for it.

From time to time someone will contact me and  comment that my advice has been invaluable to them.  They have given me feedback from *their* health providers that my suggestions are sound.  A few have said that they are now able to weave again after having had treatment for physical issues and their therapists have approved my approach as being 'not harmful' - so long as they remember to rest, stretch their muscles, and pay attention to their body and not go beyond what they are capable of doing.

As I age, I have had to adjust my own expectations of what I can do and what I should maybe do less of.  It's been a tough time accepting that my body simply cannot be pushed like I used to be able to do.  But otoh, I'm supposed to be retired.

So I keep my weaving to two sessions a day (or about 120 minutes total) spread out over the day.  Because weaving brings other benefits - a time to shut out the current 'interesting' times and get away from the stress of life in the 21st century.  The intellectual stimulation of designing a new quality of cloth.  The challenge of working - as much as possible - from my stash.  And keeping my skills fresh so that when I teach (or engage online with people having problems) I can answer questions.

But mostly I would like to keep teaching, even if it is reduced in quantity, or online rather than in person.

I have, however, offered to do a four day (four Saturdays) Beginning to Weave class for any local person interested.  The guild has been having requests for such a class and there really isn't anyone else who feels comfortable teaching (yet).  If I am to grow the weavers here, then I need to step up.  

Since I am immune compromised, I've told the guild that it will be only for those willing to wear a mask, even if they are vaccinated, even though the room has a hepa filter, there will be multiple times when I will be demonstrating and the five of us will be crowded close together).  And given the growing 8th wave, there is no telling where we will be given covid in Jan/Feb.

One of the other reasons I decided to teach locally is that I want the people I know to work in a way that will do the least damage to their body.  Given Nell's observation, and my own observations of people weaving, with poor posture/position at the loom, using techniques that are putting excess stress on their bodies, I feel it is part of the reason I'm still here, still doing what I do - to educate people not on just to weave, but *how* to weave without causing themselves harm/pain.

So, hat tip to Nell and her comment.  She helped turn me into a more *intentional* weaver.

Interlude

 

On Monday I got my flu AND covid shots.  Not sure how I would feel the next day I planned on doing nothing for the rest of Monday and all day Tuesday.  And that was what I did.

I had very little response - sore arms and a headache (which may or may not have been related) and today the soreness is mostly gone so I hope to get to the loom today.

I *think* there is enough for two more scarves, but not likely more and if I can get myself going there is a possibility that I can finish the current warp today.

And if I can't?  There is always tomorrow.

One of the benefits of being 'retired' (from doing craft fairs) is that it isn't nearly as important that I have a great deal of inventory to offer for sale.  One of the benefits of belonging to the local guild is that they have a booth at the big craft fair and will sell members' textiles on consignment.  We have a bigger booth this year (in part because we are in a larger venue and there is more space) so my inventory doesn't overwhelm the booth.  We bring my booth structure as well which the people setting up the booth can use as they see appropriate.

Normally by now I'd be scrambling, trying to get more, more, more done, but I don't need to do that anymore.  I have worked steadily all year and have a decent amount of inventory, enough that if things start to diminish,  Doug can deliver more during the sale.

Plus the guild has other sales opportunities following the big craft fair.

I'm pretty sure I can finish weaving the scarves on the loom today or tomorrow, wet finish them, then hem them, and have them ready to be delivered to the venue in a week.  Hemming takes a lot less time than fringe twisting, and will make a 'better' finish on these scarves than fringe twisting, anyway (imho).

For 40 years, I knew that I *had* to have a large enough inventory for the Xmas sale season to get me through to the spring.  Running a business costs money, money which sometimes needs to be spent months before the income begins again.  Now, my needs are modest.  I still pay for insurance for my studio, try to cover the costs of any weaving/teaching travel, pay for shipping things (sales via my ko-fi shop, etc) purchase books, magazines, etc.  And of course any yarn I might need.  Even trying to weave from my stash means that sometimes I have to buy more yarn to use up what I have.  (I know, I know!)

But mostly?  I weave because I still love it.  Weaving provides me with aerobic exercise (if your heart rate increases and you break a sweat, you are, actually, doing aerobic activity!).  Weaving continues to provide me with mental stimulation as I work out new designs and qualities of cloth.  Teaching weaving keeps me on my toes as I think things through to answer questions.  Craft written responses to online groups.  Take photos to illustrate what I mean.  And provide me with some 'meditation' time - a time where I stop thinking about the world and all the problems we are currently dealing with.  

When we listen/watch the 'news' at the end of the day I realize just how broken we are in so many ways.  At times I despair at how self-centered and yes, selfish, our species can be.   And then I see acts of bravery and compassion and my faith in humanity is restored.

And if this is the collapse of current society?  We will need weavers (and spinners and shepherds) in order to clothe people.  So I will continue to try to teach weaving for as long as I can, even if that means from time to time I need to take a few days to re-charge and find the fire to light my candle again.

Little Pieces of Done, part II

 

how it started

how it's going

The 'how it started' photo isn't really accurate because it 'started' long before I got to that stage of creating a bibliography.

This book was the one I didn't want to write.  Actually I swore I would never write another book after I finished producing Magic in the Water.

And yet.  

And yet.

I was teaching and more and more I was focusing on issues of ergonomics and efficiency and understanding the principles of the craft.  Not to tell people what to do but to show them that what they did would produce certain results.  And if they wanted different results, perhaps they needed to change what they were doing.  And what they needed to do was affected by things like physics and anatomy.

If it hadn't been for a student who asked for a recommendation of a book for the techniques I had demonstrated for a class I was teaching, I probably would never have written the book at all.  Because I knew how challenging it would be to try and put into words phenomenon that in many cases needed to be demonstrated.

I had done the video for Interweave Press and thought that would be the end of it, but...a video can only show so much.  And what needed to be shared went far beyond just the demonstrations of posture, position and shuttle handling.  Because the craft is more than 'just' the physical activity - as important as that is.

If a person is going to master the craft, they need to be open and receptive to analyzing their results, and then changing what they are doing to meet the needs of their equipment, materials and skill.  And sometimes we get set in our way of thinking and need a nudge.

So I began.

And then life happened.  Repeatedly.  And I kept putting the effort on the back burner, vowing I was going to cut my 'losses' (loss of time, energy and brain power already invested) and let the manuscript 'die'.

Until something would happen and I would open the Word file and peck away at the keyboard again.

But truly, I did not want to write this book!

Over and over again, I was shown that it was necessary, and I kept at it.  For the best part of five years.

Until I realized I had done the best I could do and really needed professional guidance, so I contacted someone I knew who does technical editing and asked how much they would charge to help me complete the task of bringing this book, the one I didn't want to write, into final form.  From the time I contacted her until publication date was about 14 months.  During the writing of the manuscript my mother became sick (again - she'd been having health issues for 5 years) and died, and I was chairing a conference committee as well as travelling to teach and production weaving.

And I was having my own health issues.

If it hadn't been for Ruth Temple and her encouragement, support and keen editing eye, this book would have never seen light of day.

So when Facebook showed me the 'memory' from this day 4 years ago, it all came flooding back - all the little pieces of 'done' that got this book 'born' and into the wild.  

If you think the book is of value, you could review it for your guild.  I don't sell on Amazon, but there are other sites, like Good Reads where it could also be posted.  And you can buy it from blurb or if you want a signed copy, I left 15 signed copies at Sweet Georgia Yarns.  And if you want to learn from me, my classes on School of Sweet Georgia continue with two more in post production AND my lectures every two months, plus feedback and questions answered on the forums.

The greatest gift you can give an author is a good review posted somewhere.

Little Pieces of Done

 

Scrolling through Twitter just now, saw a tweet from someone saying that their life was 'full of little pieces of done'.  And I thought wow.  That's my entire life!

You can't weave (or do anything with lots of steps, with a high level of complexity) without becoming accepting of how long it takes to get to done, done, and begin to celebrate the 'done-ness' of the individual steps along the way.

So I tick off when I beam a warp.  Done!

Thread the warp.  Done!

Sley and tie on (usually done in one go).  Done!

Weave for a session (one towel, one scarf, one 45 minute session, whatever)  Done!

Wet finish.  (washer/dryer)  Done!

Press.  Done!

Tag and price.  Done!

These levels of done get 'done' over the course of days, sometimes weeks.  So I live in a constant state of little pieces of 'done' so that by the time I'm done, done, I'm already working on the next project.

Same with writing.  Same with teaching.

Same with life, really.

Ads tell us that if we have thing X our life will be complete.  Society tells us we need to do Y for our lives to be complete.  

No.  Life is a series of little pieces of done.  We are done, done when we die.  Until then, keep doing the little pieces.  Can't weave for 4 hours a day?  Do one.  Can't write a book in the month of November?  Do a chapter.  Or a page.  

Measure progress not by being done, done, but what you have accomplished, even if it is only a step or two.  Celebrate the little bits of done-ness.  

As I get older, success is measured by a much different scale from when I was 30.  And that is entirely ok.  It is 'enough'.  I look back with some admiration for what I used to be able to do.  I long for the days when that WAS my 'normal'.  But I'm no longer 30, and it's ok to not get to that level of done-ness in a day.  The point is, I am still here.  I am still doing things, making things.  Hopefully I will be able to keep teaching for a while longer.

And when I am done, done, I hope I will have left something worthwhile behind.  And if not, oh well.  I tried.