Monday, April 30, 2012
Decisions
I decided to stop dyeing yarn to re-sell - after I'd bought a bunch more yarn in order to dye. What with all the kafuffle with mom's surgeries, it took a while to get the yarn skeined but I finally got it done over the weekend, soaked the yarn out and spent the better part of 4 hours at the guild room getting this last dyeing done.
While there are still some things that need to be dyed, I have little dribs and drabs of dyes which will do for those small batches. I have a customer interested in the bulk dyes and I'm hoping she takes all of it. There's no point my hanging onto it when someone else could get good use out of it.
Today I guess I was mostly in a blue/green mood although there is a little purple in there, too. If the yarn doesn't sell, it will make nice shawls. It's BFL and feels quite nice. I have one skein for sampling with and thought I'd knit a small bag and full it to see how well it fulls. There is so much non-fulling wool available now people are interested in yarns that they can either knit up or weave and full. The question is, will I have time before the Alberta conference?
Well I've got lots of taped tv still to catch up on so once the hemming is done, it sounds like knitting will be in order. :)
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Knowledge and Confidence
Rather messy looking? Yes, but after only a few minutes....(as in less than 5)
the loops are untangled and the warp is ready to be beamed. Knowing that the mess is really not much of a mess makes tackling it less traumatic. Also knowing that a thread under tension is a thread under control means that there is less trepidation when beaming a warp, even one of 2/16 cotton at 32 epi, 13 meters long like this one.
The warp is 24.5 inches wide (or so) and it was wound in two sections. Each section is weighed with its own weight. The warp took less than 45 minutes to beam, including stops for phone calls and setting a bunch of wool skeins into the washing machine to soak for the upcoming dye day tomorrow.
currently reading Intruder by C. J. Cherryh
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Lucky
Sometimes you get lucky. So it was with the knot in this warp. Since the cloth was going to be cut up into samples I didn't feel like taking the time to fix it - instead I just marked it with a contrasting thread intending to toss it. But instead the knot fell in the 'waste' area of the samples so I didn't actually wind up losing it.
And here they are - 300+ mug rug blanks, aka samples. They are far from done as the intent with this sample is to show how I do a fringe on all four sides.
With colour and weave it's time consuming to deal with the constant colour changes, so rather than worry about the selvedges and weft loops I just left the colour that wasn't being woven run up along the side of the cloth. No doubt several of the blanks will be 'lost' as I work out how many threads to use for the fringe length but I have a half dozen where the dye lot changed in the middle so I'll use them to work out the details.
This post could have as easily been titled "Time is the most valuable commodity you have". After all, there's no making more once you've 'spent' it.
When developing a publication with actual samples, the amount of time involved is enormous. For example, just to cut the above bucket of samples took over 3 hours. The finishing (sewing, wet finishing, pressing, trimming) is going to take hours more. And that's not counting the weaving. I'm intending to have 10 samples (before and after) so multiply that by 10. And then add in the assembly - stapling the samples to the pages, collate the text and sample pages and package them up.
And then there is the writing. One reason I haven't quoted a firm price yet is because I haven't started the writing so I don't know how many pages of text there will be; therefore I can't even begin to calculate how much the printing is going to cost.
One thing I can share is that Magic in the Water; wet finishing handwovens had 20 before and after samples. Someone in the textile industry saw it and said that a comparable publication made for the textile industry would have been valued at $3000.00.
Finished reading Coffin Man by James D. Doss this morning, started Let's Play Dead by Sheila Connolly this afternoon
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Hemming
trim corners
fold in three, pin about every 4 inches
knot thread, insert needle into peak
take tiny stitches to close tube/hem
when hem is closed begin stitching hem
catch one or two threads from bottom cloth and fold of hem
close hem at other end, knotting thread at peak then insert needle into hem to bury the end inside the hem - see needle eye to the right and needle tip to the left above word 'eye'
clip tail of thread flush with hem
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
A Healthy Ego
bag full of potential
My yarn order arrived today - it's primarily the yarns for sample #7 for AGY:Cotton in it. Still haven't actually designed the sample, just decided on the colours and actual yarn so right now it's still potential.
But I started thinking about how I got to where I am today. What on earth possessed me to think that people would even want to buy my designs/products in the first place? What leap of faith caused me to quit my rather well paying (but incredibly stressful) job and plunge into the deep end of the pool, so to speak, and become a weaver. Not just a weaver, but one with aspirations. Dreams of creating textiles that would add beauty to people's lives, that they would be willing to pay a premium for, that other weavers would be interested in my viewpoint, hire me to travel to them to teach, or buy my writings?
Obviously I had to have a pretty good ego!
But too much ego can get in the way, too. If you think too much of yourself you don't allow yourself to hear what other people are telling you. Sometimes you need feedback, the negative as well as the positive, in order to refine your dreams to make them be more successful out there in the cold cruel world.
In addition to having a certain sense of self-worth, believing that I did, in fact, have something of value to contribute in terms of my designing, writing and teaching, I had one other factor that gave me the courage to try - a knowing that I simply had to have some form of creativity in my life or I would wither and die spiritually.
This journey has taught me many things. It has affirmed that there are a certain number of people who do value my contribution, who are willing to pay me to be a creative person in this time, in this place.
It has also taught me to keep my ego healthy - strong enough to know when I need to stay the course in spite of negative feedback, humble enough to recognize that at times I need to change what I'm doing and let some of my dreams go. In the end, I've had a lifetime of creativity, and for that I am truly grateful.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Another Milestone - sort of
It's been a long road but I am at the very end of the tunnel - not quite out of it - yet - but nearly.
The intended print run for Magic was 1000 copies. When I ran into some technical issues I capped that at 900, plus 100 abridged copies. The complete copies are all gone and the abridged copies are just about gone, too. Technically I have one abridged copy left - in reality there are two. I was going to keep one, but I have a complete copy so keeping an abridged copy seems...redundant.
There are also a couple of sample packets left - 3 of the supplemental samples for Magic and 2 of the sample packets I put together for CD Weaver III.
Since I also have a few more CD Weaver cd's, anyone who wants the cd plus sample packet can email me (laura at laurafry dot com). Once these are gone, there will be no more.
On the other hand, the next publication with samples is still on track. The yarn for sample/project #7 should be here by the end of the week. Shall I commit to a July 9 publication date? Again, email me if you are interested. This publication will be called A Good Yarn: Cotton. It will discuss the fibre characteristics of cotton, how preparing it for and spinning it will affect those characteristics, and how weaving the yarn will further affect the characteristics in the cloth. I'm aiming for 10 projects (yes, there will be before and after finished samples - how could I not?). The print run will be 150. The publication will come in loose page format, partly to keep the cost of publication down, but also to keep shipping costs down. Why pay to ship a heavy binder when most people can get their hands on a 3 ring binder? With the costs of shipping increasing amost daily, it is probably cheaper to buy a binder locally than have me ship one!
Again, once these 150 copies are gone there will be no more. If demand warrants it, I might possibly go digital with it but since digital Magic hasn't exactly been flying off the shelves it seems like a waste of time, energy and money to keep going that direction.
There are very good reasons to produce publications digitally, but others seem to have that market sewn up and since I am primarly a weaver, seems like I ought to stick with what I do best - and already have the equipment for since producing Magic. :)
PS - for those of you who have Magic or other of my publications and want to be supportive, I can always use a little 'word of mouth'. I know I am on the internet a lot and people might not think I need any help with getting the word out, but not everyone is on the internet and self-promotion is always a little....suspect? To be taken with a grain of salt?
The intended print run for Magic was 1000 copies. When I ran into some technical issues I capped that at 900, plus 100 abridged copies. The complete copies are all gone and the abridged copies are just about gone, too. Technically I have one abridged copy left - in reality there are two. I was going to keep one, but I have a complete copy so keeping an abridged copy seems...redundant.
There are also a couple of sample packets left - 3 of the supplemental samples for Magic and 2 of the sample packets I put together for CD Weaver III.
Since I also have a few more CD Weaver cd's, anyone who wants the cd plus sample packet can email me (laura at laurafry dot com). Once these are gone, there will be no more.
On the other hand, the next publication with samples is still on track. The yarn for sample/project #7 should be here by the end of the week. Shall I commit to a July 9 publication date? Again, email me if you are interested. This publication will be called A Good Yarn: Cotton. It will discuss the fibre characteristics of cotton, how preparing it for and spinning it will affect those characteristics, and how weaving the yarn will further affect the characteristics in the cloth. I'm aiming for 10 projects (yes, there will be before and after finished samples - how could I not?). The print run will be 150. The publication will come in loose page format, partly to keep the cost of publication down, but also to keep shipping costs down. Why pay to ship a heavy binder when most people can get their hands on a 3 ring binder? With the costs of shipping increasing amost daily, it is probably cheaper to buy a binder locally than have me ship one!
Again, once these 150 copies are gone there will be no more. If demand warrants it, I might possibly go digital with it but since digital Magic hasn't exactly been flying off the shelves it seems like a waste of time, energy and money to keep going that direction.
There are very good reasons to produce publications digitally, but others seem to have that market sewn up and since I am primarly a weaver, seems like I ought to stick with what I do best - and already have the equipment for since producing Magic. :)
PS - for those of you who have Magic or other of my publications and want to be supportive, I can always use a little 'word of mouth'. I know I am on the internet a lot and people might not think I need any help with getting the word out, but not everyone is on the internet and self-promotion is always a little....suspect? To be taken with a grain of salt?
Monday, April 16, 2012
Warping Valet Details
bamboo blind coming off the warp beam - pile of them below
one end of rod affixed to ceiling - rod sits in groove in plastic
entire length of warping valet showing both brackets
Someone asked on my You Tube channel if they could see the bamboo blinds and how the rod was attached to the ceiling.
So here they are.
There are all sorts of ways a rod can be suspended from the ceiling. I've seen anchors put into the ceiling with chains and hooks and the rod is suspended from those. It doesn't really matter how high your ceiling as the chains (if you go that route) can just be made long enough for you to reach the bar. Of course a really high ceiling might not work all that well in which case other strategies might be called upon.
The point is to be able to suspend the warp chain so that you can groom a longer length and roll that longer length onto the beam in one operation rather than much shorter chunks. Keeping the warp under tension can be done any number of ways.
If you have a lot of space in front of the loom, you can spread the warp chain out, weight it with books or bricks or what have you, dragging the chain forwards across the floor. This approach is not recommended in a household with pets who might be inclined to assist you in this task. :^)
For other strategies, refer to Kati Meek's book Dance With Your Loom.
Remember this simple rule: A thread under tension is a thread under control.
However you accomplish this is less important than following this simple concept.
Currently reading A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison
Sunday, April 15, 2012
With A Little Help
Disaster strikes, anywhere, anytime, to anybody. When it does a little help from friends goes a long way towards helping people survive.
Disaster struck a small shepard, Earth Art Cashmere when fire devasted their farm in Nova Scotia.
You can help at Helping Herds on Facebook
There is an auction of various fibre-y goodness going on, including the above tea towel from moi.
Disaster struck a small shepard, Earth Art Cashmere when fire devasted their farm in Nova Scotia.
You can help at Helping Herds on Facebook
There is an auction of various fibre-y goodness going on, including the above tea towel from moi.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
New Video
Got a video showing myself beaming a 9 meter long place mat warp on my You Tube Channel.
Unfortunately You Tube has made some upgrades recently and it's not showing on my listings of videos so best to follow the link above.
Have I mentioned recently that I <3 my warping valet?
Unfortunately You Tube has made some upgrades recently and it's not showing on my listings of videos so best to follow the link above.
Have I mentioned recently that I <3 my warping valet?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Of Bogeymen
I have a confession. The thought of doing saline lavage of my sinus cavities kind of creeped me out. Which is a bit puzzling to me because as a kid, I knew that my father did this routinely. Frankly it creeped me out then; it creeped me out as an adult. Why? Who knows. I was just very resistant to the thought of doing this.
Unfortunately the environmental allergies I am plaged with were literally kicking my butt and the naturopath highly - yay, even strongly - urged me to consider it. To sweeten the deal he had some samples that I could try and if I couldn't get over my aversion, he told me to just throw the container and sample sachets away.
So I came home with them, where they balefully stared at me all of yesterday and this morning until I finally opened the package and read through the instructions.
Huh. That was it? Didn't sound too bad. Girding my loins, I prepared the squeeze bottle and tried it.
Well, I'm not a huge fan - it's not something I'm going to look forward to to make my day but I am actually feeling a little better, certainly I'm breathing better, and that can't be bad, right?
So I started thinking about all those years I had been creeped out about doing this and how just having the right equipment and clear concise instructions made it possible to overcome my aversion and banish the boogeyman to allow myself to do this. And how many weavers have their own personal weaving boogeymen.
One of the big ones is, of course, getting the loom dressed. I can't help think that if they just had the right approach (for them) it would all go so much more smoothly. But we seem to get caught up in "that's the way I was taught so I'll continue to do it this way rather than learn a different method".
Another one is advancing the warp. So often I see weavers who are weaving much too close to the reed. They don't want to stop and advance when if they would just force themselves to stop and do that they would have much better cloth - fewer broken selvedges, fewer loops, fewer inconsistencies in beat.
One that really puzzles me is winding bobbins overfull because they don't want to have overlaps of the weft. Especially stick shuttles - they wind and wind and wind until they have shuttles that are larger than the shed their loom provides which means they are causing needless abrasion shoving the overfull shuttle through. And all in the name of not wanting to have a weft join/overlap.
In the end, we all have to face our boogeymen and banish them. Our lives will be better for it.
Currently reading Troubled Bones by Jeri Westerson
Unfortunately the environmental allergies I am plaged with were literally kicking my butt and the naturopath highly - yay, even strongly - urged me to consider it. To sweeten the deal he had some samples that I could try and if I couldn't get over my aversion, he told me to just throw the container and sample sachets away.
So I came home with them, where they balefully stared at me all of yesterday and this morning until I finally opened the package and read through the instructions.
Huh. That was it? Didn't sound too bad. Girding my loins, I prepared the squeeze bottle and tried it.
Well, I'm not a huge fan - it's not something I'm going to look forward to to make my day but I am actually feeling a little better, certainly I'm breathing better, and that can't be bad, right?
So I started thinking about all those years I had been creeped out about doing this and how just having the right equipment and clear concise instructions made it possible to overcome my aversion and banish the boogeyman to allow myself to do this. And how many weavers have their own personal weaving boogeymen.
One of the big ones is, of course, getting the loom dressed. I can't help think that if they just had the right approach (for them) it would all go so much more smoothly. But we seem to get caught up in "that's the way I was taught so I'll continue to do it this way rather than learn a different method".
Another one is advancing the warp. So often I see weavers who are weaving much too close to the reed. They don't want to stop and advance when if they would just force themselves to stop and do that they would have much better cloth - fewer broken selvedges, fewer loops, fewer inconsistencies in beat.
One that really puzzles me is winding bobbins overfull because they don't want to have overlaps of the weft. Especially stick shuttles - they wind and wind and wind until they have shuttles that are larger than the shed their loom provides which means they are causing needless abrasion shoving the overfull shuttle through. And all in the name of not wanting to have a weft join/overlap.
In the end, we all have to face our boogeymen and banish them. Our lives will be better for it.
Currently reading Troubled Bones by Jeri Westerson
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Marking Milestones
One of the services provided by Blogger is a count of page views. I'm not sure why we like to read meaning into statistics. At any rate, this blog has recently passed one milestone - more than 200 official followers - and sometime today should pass the 200,000 page views. It's sort of like watching the odometer roll over on your vehicle. Why should it matter how many page views - or kilometers - there are? But somehow we watch, fascinated, as the numbers roll by....
It has been 37 years since I decided to radically change the course of my life and become a weaver. And examining this fabric was the pivotal point. Bumblebees aren't supposed to be able to fly - apparently in engineering terms, they aren't aerodynamic enough or something.
Likewise you aren't supposed to be able to earn a living in the crafts - unless you become a famous 'artist' - you certainly aren't supposed to do it in a small geographically isolated community like the one in which I live.
While I can't really claim that I've earned a living for 37 years, I've done it for some of those years and I have always had an income - sometimes larger, sometimes smaller - from some aspect of weaving. I would be 'proud' of that except that I made that choice and followed this path, not because I wanted to become 'rich' - because I knew there was slim possibility of that ever happening - but because I knew that, deep down in my soul, my spirit, whatever you want to call it - I had to do something creative or I would shrivel up and die.
The latest Handwoven arrived last week. I noticed that there are going to be gatherings this autumn on each coast of the USA, both in communities called Weaverville, in which weavers are going to gather to look at the aspects involved in earning an income via weaving. If I were 'rich' I'd be able to attend, but there is slim chance of that happening, either. On the other hand, if you are interested in aspects of earning an income through weaving, it might be something to consider.
Currently reading Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood
It has been 37 years since I decided to radically change the course of my life and become a weaver. And examining this fabric was the pivotal point. Bumblebees aren't supposed to be able to fly - apparently in engineering terms, they aren't aerodynamic enough or something.
Likewise you aren't supposed to be able to earn a living in the crafts - unless you become a famous 'artist' - you certainly aren't supposed to do it in a small geographically isolated community like the one in which I live.
While I can't really claim that I've earned a living for 37 years, I've done it for some of those years and I have always had an income - sometimes larger, sometimes smaller - from some aspect of weaving. I would be 'proud' of that except that I made that choice and followed this path, not because I wanted to become 'rich' - because I knew there was slim possibility of that ever happening - but because I knew that, deep down in my soul, my spirit, whatever you want to call it - I had to do something creative or I would shrivel up and die.
The latest Handwoven arrived last week. I noticed that there are going to be gatherings this autumn on each coast of the USA, both in communities called Weaverville, in which weavers are going to gather to look at the aspects involved in earning an income via weaving. If I were 'rich' I'd be able to attend, but there is slim chance of that happening, either. On the other hand, if you are interested in aspects of earning an income through weaving, it might be something to consider.
Currently reading Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood
Monday, April 9, 2012
Learning Opportunities
potential place mat warps....
When I finally made it to the loom progress went clipping along. Of course it doesn't hurt that the mats weave up at around 12 picks per inch - really helps grow that cloth!
Once my feet re-learned the choreography (broken twill, not straight twill) I had time to think.
Of course the internet is not ideal because not everyone has high speed connectivity. I know this all too well as I joined the internet in 1994 with a dial up Free-net account with a maximum of one hour at a time. I only recently got high speed when we changed over to fibre optics for telephone/tv and of course, the internet. I well remember not having high speed and waiting and waiting for websites to download and oftentimes just plain giving up.
So as I thought about learning opportunities I itemized them and examined them for feasibility.
The best option is to learn directly from someone, person to person. (People can come here, one at a time, for 3-5 days to study with me. The rate is $100/day if they stay elsewhere, $125/day if they stay in our modest home - shared bathroom facilities. Meals are provided although I only cook dinner - student fends for themselves for breakfast/lunch.)
Another person to person option is to take a class at a facility like John C. Campbel Folk School or other 'schools' or shops that have classroom areas.
Guilds can sponsor workshops (usually 2-3 days) for another person to person option. That means only the teacher travels (generally).
But not everyone can travel - students work full time or have family obligations or they just plain can't afford it.
Books are another way of learning. Frankly if I'd had to learn from a book I'd never have managed it, but I know plenty of people for whom this is the only option. In the 21st century we also have DVD's, (and/or video tapes although they are obsolete now).
Many people urged me to make a video tape (or DVD) but I'd done just enough video to understand how difficult it is to make a really good video and opted for CD Weaver instead. This format combined the best (in my opinion) of books and video/DVD's. There was text for people who can learn by reading. There were lots of colour photos to enhance the text. And there were video clips for people who need to really see what's happening.
I'm not sure why this format never took off and eventually I gave up. (That said, I have 8 CD Weaver's left - I'll sell them at the bargain basement price of $30 including shipping.)
And now we have the internet and on-line classes. Again not ideal because of the isolation of many and the difficulty of participating in on line events.
But Heidi asked a pertinent question. Would I advise people if they sent video clips of themselves. After mulling this over I realized that this need not happen on the internet at all. People could make a video of themselves weaving, burn it to a cd or put it on a flash drive, mail it to me and I could observe and make comments, either via email or return mail. Obviously if the person has internet connectivity difficulties, snail mail might be the best option.
Lastly there are the chat groups and blogs. People with slow internet connections can usually manage to participate in these but they are primarily a text based medium and not everyone learns by reading. Also, there is You Tube but a slow internet connection makes this a problem, too.
Anything else I've missed?
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Mentoring
woven towels being cut apart and serged for wet finishing on the table and the roll of yardage for samples on the beam below
Quite frankly, without the help of my friends, Magic in the Water would have been a very different project. Yes, I could have done it all by myself, but it would have taken twice as long and cost twice as much. Accepting help in the form of weaving, sewing, dyeing, equipment loans, photography, assembly, all of that made Magic what it was. It was my vision but I did not have the conceit (if you will) that I, personally, had to do everything associated with the realization of my dream.
On the other hand, there have been times when I have offered similar help for projects or to mentor a new weaver and been turned down. I've been told that a) they were intellegent enough they could figure it out on their own, or b) that some little voice inside their head said that they had to do everything themselves or it would not be theirs. (I'm paraphrasing here, but that was the message I took from the conversations.)
What I have come to understand is that offering someone in the throes of a Big Project is a gift of love. The person is offering their most precious possessions - their time and their knowledge.
But I have also learned that it is the right of the person being offered that gift to refuse it. They are on their own journey and it is up to them to accept or refuse assistance.
Perhaps my lesson to be learned in these interactions is that a refusal of my time and knowledge is not a refusal of me. It is one reason I write this blog and answer questions on chat groups - I can offer my experience/knowledge and people will either accept it or ignore it. Either way, it's their choice. :)
Currently reading Closet Confidential by Mary Jane Maffini
Friday, April 6, 2012
Pondering/Rambling Thoughts
One thing doing something like winding skeins allows for is the subconscious mind to pick away at things and one of the realizations I came to is that while I can dye yarn, I don't actually want to any more. And so once these skeins are dyed I will be inventorying my dyes and will likely offer them for sale. I'll no doubt keep some for myself, just in case I want to do some dyeing in the future, but I'll have no need for the box of dyes that I currently have on hand. Rather than have it go bad through aging or getting damaged (by getting damp) it will be far better to sell them on to someone else who actually wants to dye yarn...
Another question that has been simmering away in the back of my mind is that of teaching. Darryl Lancaster has jumped into on line classes with a will and made them sound very attractive, indeed, from the stand point of the teacher. (Anyone taken a class - what are your thoughts from the stand point of a student?) Since the biggest expense involved in my traveling to teach is the actual cost of traveling, I'm seriously looking at offering classes via Weavolution and have come up with two topics that could quite easily be done in an on line format - Magic in the Water and A Good Yarn.
One of the things I'll be doing in May is dropping my computer off to my computer wizard who will try to get a microphone working. Since the last upgrade the microphone I was using no longer worked - not sure if it is just an incompatibility issue or if the settings just weren't correct.
Anyway, if people are interested in an on line class on either topic, let me know. Part of the impetus for exploring this venue for teaching will depend on interest. (i.e. students registering)
As I have been standing at the winder watching the counter run up I've had time to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life, for however long that may be. The events of the past four years have left me in no doubt about my mortality. If I have 20 years left, how do I want to spend those years? (In reality, in terms of travelling to teach I probably only have at most 10 years, if that). Teaching on line would extend the time I have for effective teaching - no more bustling through huge airports dragging heavy suitcases, sleeping in strange beds, eating foods that might make me sick. Seems pretty attractive.
The downside would be not having face to face interaction with others - although on line classes would at least allow for real time conversation.
But in terms of how I want to spend the next 20 years? Weaving is at the top of the list. Therefore I need to get back to finishing the weaving for the Big Project. I'm over the half way mark now but running out of time if I'm to get it done by my intended publication date. So I'm thinking I may have to revise that to September. The deadline is, after all, my own and can be changed if I need it to be different than originally planned.
One of the benefits of self-publishing. I know I won't lose the contract because I miss my deadline. :^)
Currently reading Blink by Malcom Gladwell - interesting that this book should be subtitled The Power of Thinking Without Thinking when all I have been doing for the last couple of days is thinking very hard, indeed!
Another question that has been simmering away in the back of my mind is that of teaching. Darryl Lancaster has jumped into on line classes with a will and made them sound very attractive, indeed, from the stand point of the teacher. (Anyone taken a class - what are your thoughts from the stand point of a student?) Since the biggest expense involved in my traveling to teach is the actual cost of traveling, I'm seriously looking at offering classes via Weavolution and have come up with two topics that could quite easily be done in an on line format - Magic in the Water and A Good Yarn.
One of the things I'll be doing in May is dropping my computer off to my computer wizard who will try to get a microphone working. Since the last upgrade the microphone I was using no longer worked - not sure if it is just an incompatibility issue or if the settings just weren't correct.
Anyway, if people are interested in an on line class on either topic, let me know. Part of the impetus for exploring this venue for teaching will depend on interest. (i.e. students registering)
As I have been standing at the winder watching the counter run up I've had time to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life, for however long that may be. The events of the past four years have left me in no doubt about my mortality. If I have 20 years left, how do I want to spend those years? (In reality, in terms of travelling to teach I probably only have at most 10 years, if that). Teaching on line would extend the time I have for effective teaching - no more bustling through huge airports dragging heavy suitcases, sleeping in strange beds, eating foods that might make me sick. Seems pretty attractive.
The downside would be not having face to face interaction with others - although on line classes would at least allow for real time conversation.
But in terms of how I want to spend the next 20 years? Weaving is at the top of the list. Therefore I need to get back to finishing the weaving for the Big Project. I'm over the half way mark now but running out of time if I'm to get it done by my intended publication date. So I'm thinking I may have to revise that to September. The deadline is, after all, my own and can be changed if I need it to be different than originally planned.
One of the benefits of self-publishing. I know I won't lose the contract because I miss my deadline. :^)
Currently reading Blink by Malcom Gladwell - interesting that this book should be subtitled The Power of Thinking Without Thinking when all I have been doing for the last couple of days is thinking very hard, indeed!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Guest Post
Rhonda was a student in 2011 at the John C. Campbell Folk School and recently emailed me:
Hi Laura,
I wanted to show you the paraments I made for our church. It wouldn't have been possible without the 'fast weaving' skills I learned from you last year. And I amazed my friends and first weaving instructor by saying that I did NOT have to fuss with the edges - there wasn't enough time! I did the whole project in just over 2 weeks, finishing the banner at 3am Ash Wednesday. Fortunately, I have all summer to make another set for Advent.
Although I don't have a photo of the full altar piece, it's 4" x 102" attached (by hand) to a 'ground cloth' that covers the altar. It's solid purple except for the detail at either end. The color varies in these photos - the pieces are Amethyst with Gold accents, all 8/2 Tencel from WEBS (30 epi). The most accurate color is in the pulpit photo.
As the trauma of the short deadline begins to fade, I can enjoy them more. (The priest is delighted with them.) I used Brooks Bouquet for the lace, and people are amazed -- "how did you get all those little crosses in the windows?" Ha ha - that was an unexpected 'design feature!'
Thanks for continuing to pass on your experience and knowledge.
Happy weaving!
Rhonda
Hi Laura,
I wanted to show you the paraments I made for our church. It wouldn't have been possible without the 'fast weaving' skills I learned from you last year. And I amazed my friends and first weaving instructor by saying that I did NOT have to fuss with the edges - there wasn't enough time! I did the whole project in just over 2 weeks, finishing the banner at 3am Ash Wednesday. Fortunately, I have all summer to make another set for Advent.
Although I don't have a photo of the full altar piece, it's 4" x 102" attached (by hand) to a 'ground cloth' that covers the altar. It's solid purple except for the detail at either end. The color varies in these photos - the pieces are Amethyst with Gold accents, all 8/2 Tencel from WEBS (30 epi). The most accurate color is in the pulpit photo.
As the trauma of the short deadline begins to fade, I can enjoy them more. (The priest is delighted with them.) I used Brooks Bouquet for the lace, and people are amazed -- "how did you get all those little crosses in the windows?" Ha ha - that was an unexpected 'design feature!'
Thanks for continuing to pass on your experience and knowledge.
Happy weaving!
Rhonda
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Rule of Thumb
When weaving with a smooth yarn I prefer to overlap my weft joins at the selvedge.
If the weft is overlapped in the middle of the cloth like this....
...the overlap looks like a slub in the cloth...
...like this...
The thicker part where the weft overlap occurs will look much more obvious in the middle of the cloth than it will at the selvedge. There is also the added benefit (if one might claim it) in that the selvedge tightens up more due to the draw in which will make the overlap more secure (as far as I can determine - I stand to be corrected on this).
Regardless, I do try to make the overlaps as unobtrusive as possible by keeping them at the selvedge.
Unless, of course, I'm weaving with a textured yarn as I am in the body of these towels. In this case any overlap will be totally invisible, buried amidst the general slubbiness of the weft anyway, as you can see in the photos.
As a further aside, I'm trying to use up what I have so the weft for the hems of these towels is lighter than I would choose if I had a darker blue/green 2/16 cotton I could use. But I don't so I'm making do with the lighter value green shown. This will make the hems a little more 'visible' than I would prefer, but begger's can't be choosers. Since I have to place another yarn order I could have ordered some in - in fact I probably will be ordering some for future use, but these towels are on the loom now and I can't (don't want) to wait for 10 days until the yarn order comes in.
And people call me patient! :^)
Studio music so far today - compilation cd of past Juno Award winners - Diana Krall, Celine Dion, Holly Cole, Sarah MacLachlan (sp?) and many more
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A Knotty Problem
At times knots can slip through your fingers while winding a warp and you find them later during weaving. Kerstin explained a nifty way to fix them which requires no further repairs once the cloth is cut from the loom.
Oh no! A knot in the warp!
insert a repair end into the same heddle and dent as the warp end with the knot
pin the repair end into the cloth, hang it over the back beam and weave about an inch and a quarter or so
cut the end with the knot out and toss it over the back beam out of the way
weave until the original end is long enough to bring back through the heddle/dent and pin it to the cloth (white pin)
weave an inch and a quarter or so and cut out the repair end
Remove pins and clip all loose ends and continue weaving. The cloth is repaired and no further work is required once you cut the warp from the loom. Tack, Kerstin!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Reflections/Decisions
quick snap for blog
photo sent for promotional purposes
Quite often people comment about how much I blog and how much time it must take me. I have to confess - I am not trying to write 'literature' when I post - I'm just jotting a note to my friends and it rarely takes more than 20 minutes or so to write up a post.
Today I wound up doing more 'catch up' - it's 4 pm and I've barely spent 20 minutes in the studio and that was to choose yarns for one more towel warp and start winding it. I got about 1/4 of it wound and then had to stop and roar around town - again. It also became necessary to do some photography for sale and promotional purposes, which required a lot more thought and time than the usual snaps I take for the blog.
My general rule of thumb is to drape or scrunch the textile to convey - at least a little bit - the drape of the cloth. To make the tactile come alive as much as possible. I don't claim to be a great photographer, but digital photography has really helped a lot - I can snap as many shots as I like, ditch 95% of them and not be concerned about the cost of developing them, only to be disappointed and toss the photographs aside.
Towels shown above are now available for sale at my Art Fire store
One of the things I've been doing the past few days is reflecting on the course I will (should?) take for the next few years. Now that I feel so much better - and had a successful teaching tour last month - I'm thinking I ought to work a little harder at promoting myself as an instructor. (A little positive feedback is dangerous for the ego!)
Along with that decision comes the realization that I have not increased my teaching fees for a very long time. I intended to raise my daily rate last year and then when the roof fell in in terms of my health, I decided not to bother. But I've been told by several instructors that my daily rate is too low. So I've decided to give myself a birthday present and increase my daily rate to $350/day (plus travel and accomodation). Any bookings made before July 9, 2012 will be at my current rate of $300/day. So my next task is to remember who all I spoke to on my recent trip and let them know.
And now, back to the warping board, music courtesy of Diana Krall (fellow BC native)
Sunday, April 1, 2012
April Spools Day
Meg has challenged weavers to post photos of their spools/bobbins.
basket tied to my bench holding shuttles and bobbins - which are mostly empty as I finished the spring green towels last night - my shuttles and bobbins are from Leclerc
pirns for fly shuttle - I have an industrial pirn winder and fly shuttles/pirns
So much nicer than April Fool's Day, don't you think? Thought I'd include a shot of the pirn winder, too.
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