Onwards. Onwards.

 

Yesterday I finished weaving the last towel on the warp and cut it off.  Today I strip the thrums and set up to beam the next.  We actually have some sun today, but I will not be leaving the house.  I did that yesterday and am happy to stay home today and get started on the next warp.

This design was my first tentative step in manipulating the structure into something that was less obvious in terms of design line.  It didn't actually turn out the way I expected and nearly deleted it but a little inner voice bade me wait.  Look again, it said.  So I did.  

The design is more, how shall I say it, chaotic, than what I usually aim for.  But on the other hand, it is interesting on several levels.  And I have to remember that these are tea towels and will rarely be seen in their entirety.  At least in our house, tea towels routinely 'live' on the handle of the fridge, so we almost never see the entire width anyway.

The design isn't fractal, but has a similar feel to it.  You can look at it and look at it and the relationship between the lines ebbs and flows.  Not restful for an art piece meant to be seen on a wall, plus that asymmetric push/pull won't be to everyone's taste.

It is certainly a departure for me.

But that's the thing, isn't it?  Change.  Growth.  Trying things out.  Seeing what results.  And bottom line, it's a tea towel.  It will dry dishes.  Or hands.

Last night I ordered more yarn in.  I'm nearly out of natural white, and I'm about halfway through the teal/turquoise.  Orders take about two weeks to arrive from Quebec, so I could have waited, but I'd rather have it on hand because I may grow tired of all the teal/turquoise and want to switch to white soon.  

Because I'm not done with this exploration.  Warp #5 is already begun growing.  The threading is sorted, just have to deal with the treadling.  For #5, I have changed the threading sequence, building on what I've done in the previous 4 warps, plus tweaked the treadling.  So far I have not changed the tie up, although I'm beginning to think about how (and why, and ultimately where) the tie up needs to be adjusted.

I am enjoying this seemingly slow pace of evolution.  For most of my life I had to work quickly, make decisions, get designs into production and then produce them.  I haven't shed my production tendencies entirely as I am beaming 20+ yard long warps, weaving the same design for the entire length of the warp, just changing colours along the way.  But there is no need to 'standardize' a design.  I can keep changing every warp.  I can take the time to methodically work through each iteration, taking notes as I go, seeing where further change might result in something interesting - to me, if no one else.

Onwards.  Onwards.