NA society (maybe more than that but since I live in NA it's my point of reference) seems to have been duped into expecting instant results. Many of us are no longer willing to invest in the time, effort and, yes, money, to learn a craft.
People take one class (of whatever) and assume they will make 'perfect' things immediately. The term 'labour intensive' has taken on a negative connotation, as if taking the time to learn, then craft things from raw materials, is somehow demeaning. Or, 'too hard', or 'takes too long, I don't have the patience'.
And then, when the student messes up, they throw their efforts away, declare that they just don't have the talent, and move on to the next 'instant' bit of gratification.
(Not all, of course not.)
Over the decades I have been a weaver there has been a pretty constant litany of 'oh you are so patient, I could never do *that*'. Or the more subtle 'oh, are you still weaving?' as if they can't imagine that there is something beyond the simple 'making' involved in my interest in continuing to learn about and explore the possibilities. (I write about this in A Thread Runs Through It.)
I'm wrapping up the shifted twill blocks series I have been doing for over a year. Not that there isn't more I could do, but I'm getting restless and feeling the pressure to make other things, use up different bits of my stash.
Yesterday I cut off the rest of the warp from warp #19 and began beaming #20. There will be one more warp after the one going into the loom now - to use up as much of the blues as I can. And then I will switch my approach and go 'back' to using 'fancy' twills.
I'm looking forward to weaving with the very fine singles linen, and who knows, I may purchase more of that yarn in the future.
But I still have way too much rayon in my stash, and zero shawls in inventory. So I will be scheduling some shawl warps this year.
Part of the reason I've dragged my feet doing more shawls is that I will be fringe twisting them, and that isn't a job I particularly enjoy doing.
Mostly I've been working with finer yarns, but in digging through my stash I 'found' some thicker linen yarns. So I've pulled some 2/8 cotton and will do a warp for tea towels using the 2/8 for warp and the thicker linen and some blends for weft (hemp/cotton, for example) and see how much of those I can get used up. I'm looking forward to something that will go a little faster than the finer threads I have been working with.
But here's the thing. While you *can* make thin fabric from thick yarns, it's not easy. In order to get the quality of cloth I want, my preference is to use thinner yarns. If you make tea towels from 4/8 cotton, you are going to wind up with really thick fabric. The fabric won't fit easily into small spaces (small glasses, corners) and generally the cloth won't be quite as absorbent as a thinner fabric made with thinner yarn.
People tell me they love my tea towels 'because they work'. Well, that's the whole point. I want the cloth I create to do the job they were intended to do.
When weaving with 2/16 cotton for warp, the density is between 32 and 36 epi and the ppi is about the same. When weaving with 2/8 cotton for warp, the density is between 20 and 24 for warp.
It takes longer to thread, sley and then weave the finer cloth.
I do it because I want *that* quality of cloth. It takes the time it takes to make it. Granted I'm pretty fast, but it still takes time.
I use weaving as a working meditation. As an aerobic activity. One that helps my body because aerobic activity generates endorphins. Being at the loom is supposed to be my happy place. When I'm weaving I block out what is happening in the broken world we live in and I focus on being in the here and now. I may think about the next warp and let myself poke at the idea, testing it to see if it will produce the quality of cloth I want. But at that point, it's still just a mind exercise. It isn't until I get the warp into the loom and then wet finish the results, that I will know if I have thought through the design process enough in order to achieve the quality of cloth that I want.
There is nothing 'instant' about weaving. If you want thinner cloth, you might accept that you need to spend more time on the warp set up (32 epi instead of 12 or 15, ditto weft). Using 4/8 cotton for baby blankets or placemats/table runners is a good choice (imho), but not particularly good for tea towels.
But you get to choose. Maybe spend a little more time in the making and wind up with the quality of cloth you want/need.
Hone your skills so that it doesn't take days and days to get your loom set up. Practice efficient techniques so that you don't spend days crouched up trying to thread your warp. Be willing to spend some time becoming skilled. (Plenty of hits and tips about working more ergonomically in The Intentional Weaver - or here on this blog for free - although you might have to dig a little harder to find it. Or take the classes at School of Sweet Georgia or Handwoven...)
Save 'instant' gratification for other things. There is a enormous satisfaction for taking a deep dive into something, learn the ins and outs, develop skill. It's also good for your health - both physical and mental - as long as you work ergonomically.
Just saying...
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