Beginnings, Endings

 

fibre to yarn to cloth...

All things, in our reality, begin then...at some point, end.

This seems a simple enough concept but one that some people find difficult.  Especially the endings part.

In weaving I suggest to students that they get really proficient at all the steps involved in getting yarn into cloth so that when they have to begin again, they don't dread it.  But so many people wind up spending a lot of time and energy on avoiding such things as winding a warp, dressing the loom, especially the threading.  They work out ways to have 'endless' warps.  OTOH, there is no such thing.

Because every thread has a beginning...and an ending.  And at some point they are still going to have to deal with that ending, and the beginning that follows.

I suggest that people take the time and energy to work out how best to work efficiently so that they don't wind up with a big mess on their hands.  And I see suggestions about 'tie more choke ties', and 'wind smaller chains', which ultimately means more work, therefore more time to get the loom dressed.

Recently I saw someone recommend that they never wind a warp chain bigger than 36 threads.

Even at 12 epi, 36 threads is only 3" of warp.  Such a narrow warp chain will frequently twist around itself, and tying each chain off will take a lot longer than winding a chain of 12".

But if the weaver is happy taken far longer to wind their warps, and feels it gives them better results, who am I to say nay?  It's all the new weavers who think this is the only way to approach getting a loom dressed that I would like to address.

It doesn't have to take forever.  It doesn't have to be painful - literally or figuratively.

Learn how to work efficiently and ergonomically.  Learn what the yarn needs in terms of 'control'.  Learn how to utilize tension to be your friend, not an enemy.

I am learning how to approach ending.  Hopefully not for a long time, but we never know when the sands in our hourglass will run out.

My goal for the coming years is to continue to advocate for ergonomic practices when it comes to weaving.  To help people understand the principles of the craft.  To encourage others in their fibre journeys.  

Keep weaving, keep learning, keep trying, keep 'failing', and then trying again.  Not happy with how things are going?  Try something different.  Listen to more experienced people, they may have a nugget of information you can benefit from.  

As ever my books are available from blurb, my classes are at School of Sweet Georgia or Handwoven, my You Tube channel has video clips and I am open to questions at laura at laurafry dot com