Endings, Beginnings

 

I cut the warp off the loom Saturday, then started beaming the next warp.  Given my aging body, I didn't push through and beam the entire warp in one day, but only did half, then finished beaming Sunday.  

Sunday was a bit of a 'full' day.  Given the new therapy appears to be helping (no instant cure, but tiny glimmers of improvement) I went up to the guild room where I worked on the 'antique' L model loom and with assistance from another guild member it now has new treadle cords as well as new cables for the shafts.  All I have to do now is wind a practice warp to check how well it is working.  The goal is to outfit the loom with all 12 shafts that came with the loom.  Or sell the beast once it is working.

Then I helped a new lace maker get her 3rd ever lace project started.

When I got home I set up to begin threading.  If you look closely you might be able to see the stick that I attach the bouts to in order to carry them up and over the back beam, then tape to the loom frame just behind the heddles for easy reach.  By the end of the day I had threaded nearly half of the warp.

The photo also shows the typing clipboard I use to park the threading.  As I thread each group of warp ends, I mark them off on the threading draft.  One of the nice things about Fiberworks is that you can choose the size of font to print the draft out in.  Now that I'm getting older, I'm finding it more difficult to focus on the smaller font I used to use, so now I magnify it for easier viewing.

There are two post-it notes on the castle.  On one I record the last pick I wove and the other keeps track of how many units I have woven.  With the Megado, I find I prefer to cut the web off after about 8 or so yards as the cloth beam becomes 'padded' and re-applying weaving tension after advancing the fell becomes more difficult.  My standard number of units is 7 towels, although I can push through to 8 if necessary.  

What isn't included in the photo is the lighting I use.  I have task lights - one at the right side of the loom, one at the left, and one at the back of the loom.  On grey dreary days, the one at the back helps illuminate the stick with the bouts, and the back few shafts which might otherwise be somewhat shadowed.

I have been working on this series for over a year and a half now.  This warp and one more will be the last I do - for the time being.  I may re-visit the technique in the future.  But for now I'm feeling the pressure to press on with stash reduction.  I've woven enough of my tea towel stash yarns that I'm  beginning to feel the pressure to tackle some of my other yarns.

It has been a bit of a relief to see 'holes' begin to appear on my shelves.  Nearly all of my boxes of yarn are empty now (still a few left, but those contain 'specialty' yarns, not frequently used).

As part of the studio clean up in November, I unearthed some more yarns I'd 'forgotten' about and I'd like to weave some of those up soon.  Plus my brand new fine singles linen which I'm itching to weave and see if it makes as nice a cloth as I'm expecting.

There are still projects on my to-be-done list that I'm feeling the pressure to do, too.  But everything seems to take so much longer now, I'm not sure when I'll get to those.  

Since the new therapy *does* seem to be helping, I am once again tending a tiny plot of hope.  Hope that I can keep weaving for a good long while.  But that is still to be determined, and in the meantime, I weave while I can, because I can, even if it means I have to take more frequent and longer breaks to let my body rest and recover.

This month marks the 49th anniversary of making the decision to quit my rather well paying job, at the time and throw my whole life into weaving.  Since this year also marks the death of my father, AND because much of the decision to change my life was sparked by his lengthy illness and death, I have been dealing with a lot of...feelings.

My father's death initiated my beginning as a weaver in more ways than I can express.

But that's the thing with living.  Things end.  People end.  But if we have the chance to go on, then, well, we must.  That was brought home to me again in 2008 when my younger brother unexpectedly and rather suddenly died.  Just over 16 years ago.  I had to work through 'survivor guilt' all while suddenly and unexpectedly needing to deal with my own health.

In the end, the only 'answer' I found for why I was still alive was this - my brother was dead, I wasn't.  Therefore I had to live my life to the fullest I could possibly manage.

Writing my 'memoir' last year also stirred up a lot of feelings, and I confess the past year has been difficult.  But I now have a local pain doctor, and a therapy 'team' that understands my need to keep weaving, and help me do that.  Ultimately, if this therapy is successful enough, I might even go back to teaching in person - locally only.

In the meantime, I love doing the Zoom presentations.  I have another this week.  And I love the fact I can still share what I know, still encourage others, stay in contact with far away friends. 

The truth is, I have very few 'local' friends - most of my 'friends' are far away.  And I count my blessings that I 'found' those far away friends as well as my 'local' friends.  Through the vehicle of the internet (including this blog) I feel connection with other like minded folk.  I feel part of a very large, albeit invisible, web.

The web of life.  The threads that we spin that allow us to stay connected.  The way we can encourage and support each other, the way we can continue to share and learn.

Every ending (bar the last and final one) ushers in a beginning.  

And so today I will finish threading the loom.  I hope to sley and tie on and maybe begin weaving tomorrow.  If not tomorrow (because I also have to set up and prepare for the Zoom Tuesday evening) I can begin weaving this week.

Onwards.  One step at a time.  One pick at a time.  One thread at a time.  Even if I do need naps to do it.