My initial interest in weaving was in making cloth for clothing. I wove a lot with 2/60 silk. These garments are both woven with silk from Treenway Silks.
My background is that I learned to knit age 5 or 6 (so long ago I can't really remember), embroider when I was about 10 (multiple bouts of tonsillitis meant days in bed), sew my own clothing when I was 12. Weaving was just going one step further and weaving the cloth for me to sew with. And yes, I sewed both of those garments.
Over the years I have delved into most areas of weaving, but not all. There are whole swathes of the craft I never see myself digging into - for reasons. And that is just fine and dandy - no one needs to be an expert on every single aspect of turning thread into cloth. My focus has evolved into developing fashion accessories (scarves/shawls) and household textiles (towels and table napery).
That doesn't mean I'm not interested in other types of cloth, and which is why I'm casting longing eyes at the conference schedule.
For example, I'd love to attend Abby Franquemont's seminar on Preserving Textile Traditions in the Andes.
Maureen Faulkner's seminar Travel and Textiles: Culture, Shopping and Making Souveniers a Part of Your Life sounds intriguing. Partly because I know I'll never get to India or Indonesia as she has done.
Fibres on the Wild Side by Sue Perron is going to look at fibre sources from locally sourced plants.
Sarah Wroot has studied historical textiles and will use historic fabrics to analyze how they were made.
What's the Point of Spinning off the Point by Mary Lessman? I didn't know I needed to know this!
I'd especially like to sit in on Dr. Susan Pavel's seminar Weaving Words. She will bring a traditional Salish Loom and share stories, bridging cultures.
Heide Kraus is a fount of knowledge about cashmere - I learned more in an hour listening to her and Mary Lessman talk than I ever knew I needed to know.
While I know a little about the sashes most commonly known as ceinture fleche', Sue Perron has studied them in detail.
I've never steeked, but Elizabeth Schatz will take the Eek out of Steek.
Syne Mitchell will look at Etextiles - a marriage of old technology with new.
Ack! So many wonderful choices. So much more to learn...I'm going to need another 40 years, I think!
3 comments:
Me, too, another 40 years! I wish I were closer to the conference, as there are a few topics on the list that look like a lot of fun.
Yes there are. We have an airport... :)
Plus the exchange rate is very favourable to the US $ right now.
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