Thinking about Thinking

 

Yesterday a friend came over for a visit.  We have known each other since 1995 and we aren't 'besties' but we enjoy each others company and used to get together frequently to make bobbin lace or other portable textile crafts.  She is a professor of mathematics and has been a teacher since long before we met, and we often talk about a long eclectic list of things, teaching/learning just one of them.  I forgot to mention this book to her, but now that I think about it, she might find it of interest.

Since we both teach, but different fields, we have frequently talked about the student/teacher relationship, the things that we believe need to be addressed, and how we, ourselves, learn.   And cultivating a solid foundation of information to build upon.  We are different people with different brains, learning/teaching different information, but the concept of trying to convey information is generic enough that we can see similarities.

As it happens she experienced a brain injury a few years ago, and me one year ago, and we have during the time since her injury, talked about the ways brains work - or don't.  As I struggled my way through the past 12 months, I thought about the injury she sustained and the progress that she has made.  Part of what kept me going was knowing how injured she had been, and how much she has improved since her injury.

She encouraged me to keep going and never say 'never'.  I told her that I had, just this past week, agreed to do a guild presentation - not one of my 'formal' Zoom presentations, but an Ask Me Anything (Wet Finishing).  Trying to work within what is currently possible, in hopes that progress will continue.  She encouraged me to keep trying, keep testing my limits, pushing at them, tweaking them.  

I had 'missed' seeing her after my injury, but I could not have managed a visit.  OTOH, yesterday we sat and talked for about 2.5 hours.  And I didn't collapse afterwards, although I was feeling a bit tired.  She is extremely busy getting ready for classes to begin next week, but I'm hoping that we can get together a little bit more often.  Maybe I will remember to hand her this book and see what she thinks.  And maybe we can talk about the contents a bit.

I doubt I have the brain power to try and read this book right now, although I wouldn't mind digging into it a bit deeper.  

Never say never, right?

Hand Baskets

 

Scrolling through some of my old photos, I came across this one that was taken by a professional photographer as part of an effort to produce marketing tools when we were primarily weaving place mats, table runners, etc., and selling them to craft/gift shops.

We would attend the Southex Gift Show, held twice a year in Edmonton, stand on the concrete floor for about 8 hours a day for days, looking pleasant and approachable, while the shop buyers for the stores across western Canada would try to cram every moment of their day into finding great new products for their shops.

There were no sales to be made, only orders written.  This was very much a *professional* presentation, in our case. maker to shop, no retail sales.   So we didn't have any actual money when we went home - just the promise of money, if we managed to meet our delivery estimate.

We worked hard during those days.  Like *really* hard.  We had to look professional, act professional.  We had to know our product and our production schedule.  And we had to trust that the shop(s) would pay for the order.  

Mostly they did, but there were a few that...did not.  We were not shy about reminding the shops that they had agreed to a payment schedule.  One shop insisted their company policy was to pay 90 days after they had received the goods.  They were reminded that the contract they signed specified 30 days after receipt, and that *that* condition had been verbally explained at the time they signed the contract.

The owner sputtered and protested, but they were reminded we held a signed contract that agreed to payment in 30 days of delivery, and that interest *would* be charged.  The owner threatened to never buy from us again.  We told them we expected payment immediately or interest would be added to their amount owning.

There are all kinds of people out there in the world.  Mostly we found people were 'honest', but we did not hesitate to use our legal rights to collect overdue amounts we were owed.  We were too tiny to be able to 'finance' our buyers.  There were times when we had to be clear about their legal responsibilities and that we knew how to go to Small Claims Court.  

We had to learn how to be 'professional' within industry standards - and recognize when we were being 'played'.  And to point out that we saw what was happening and we expected to be treated fairly, within our rights.

It's called creating boundaries.  It's called being decent human beings - neither cheating our customers, nor being 'used' by them.

The Paradox of Intolerance is that the more you tolerate intolerance, the more others will try to take advantage of you.  You are allowed to declare that a boundary exists and that you will not allow someone else to try to take advantage of you.  We were always polite - but insistent.

The world appears to be on the road to hell with too many people wishing actual harm on others.  I do not know how to get the world off of this rather rocky, bumpy road.  But I will do everything in my power to not give people who wish others harm to collect more power to do harm.

I will continue to speak out against the alt right and their plans to shove the majority down while raising the few up.  

And I am ever so grateful that I no longer try to work every hour of the day - and sometimes night - but can take it 'easy'.  I wound up needing to take some time 'off' this week after a procedure that will - I hope - bring me more 'comfort'.  I had hoped to have the current warp off the loom by today, but instead I have not touched the loom since Monday.  And massage therapist strictly instructed me to take several more days 'off'.

So, I'm working on tagging/pricing the new inventory which I hope to deliver to the guild at the end of October for the fall sales.  I will try to do a final read through of the next WEFT article and email that.  And then next month I should get the book manuscript to 'review'.

It seems I'm not 'done' trying to teach - yet.

Books available in pdf or print formats at the Blurb website

Or if you are interested in what life was like as a production weaver, book in pdf format available here

First 'Birthday'

 

August 28, 2024 was a pleasant day.  I got ready to leave for an appointment, appreciated a 'clear' sky - no wildfire smoke.

I had plans for my day, but the world changed and my life with it.

The past year has been a bit of a train wreck.  I could watch it happening.  I could *feel* it happening.  Could not seem to do anything much to make it stop, prevent it happening, make it better.  

In the end I had to come to grips with the new 'reality'.  My old reality bubble had burst and in order to move forward, I had to find a path through the brambles.  

Doug was steadfast.  Several friends helped in small (not so small, in reality) ways, others were steadfast with support and encouragement.

My body struggled.  *I* struggled.  I all but gave up more times than I can count.  

In the end, what 'saved' me - and continues to pick me up and keep me going - is...weaving.

And by weaving I mean writing about it, not just doing it.  Because I can sit in my office and think (sort of) and try to convey what I've learned about taking threads and interleaving them into a textile and explain what I've done, or want to do, to others.  Who will take my rambling thoughts further, into greener pastures.

As I read through the 'news' each day, I am appalled by the curves in the road that humans are taking.  I do believe that the arc will strive towards justice, but there are times when there seem to be many hands trying to bend it 'back' and away from fairness, justice.  We are watching this happen in real time, and it's pretty appalling, given that I truly thought that the progress we had made in the late 1900s and early 2000s (sort of) would generally continue.  We had come too far to be yanked backwards now.  I thought.

Silly me.

Just this morning I read about an ICE 'raid' on a crew of wildfire fighters, in the midst of trying to put out an active fire.  The firefighters were made to *stop* their essential work, show their papers, and then two of the firefighters were dragged away.

Given the right bleating about immigrants needing to be 'productive' and 'work', what the hell is happening that they would do...this?  Mind truly boggled.  

It is now completely clear that the right is not the least bit concerned about 'immigrants' (because they take citizens, too), or that they are 'stealing' jobs from 'real' Americans, or that they are not 'contributing' to US as a country.  

Honestly, I see these shenanigans and wonder why I didn't just quietly slip away 365 days ago.  Frankly it would be so much easier than continuing.

Since I didn't quietly slip away, I had to figure out what I am meant to be doing on this 'bonus' time here on this mortal coil.

Yesterday there was a meme about finding your voice.

I have decided that I have stifled myself far too long.  I will speak out now, for as long as I am able.  I may not be able to march, or lay my body down to be tear gassed or beaten, but I can speak out.  I can register my resistance to the steady creeping forward of the alt right.  

So, I boycott the US.  My government did not tell me to do this.  I am a student of history, and I know where this goose-stepping march leads.  My father and many family friends served in WWII.  I cannot sit by, sit back, and say nothing when I see the alt right marchers try to destroy my country and take it back to 1939.

In an interview with Tina Turner, the interviewer asked if she (Tina) ever got angry.  She looked thoughtful and said (I paraphrase) "I decide if my anger will help me make changes.  And then I use that energy to try and fix what is wrong."

Wise words, Ms. Turner.

Mr. Roger talked about his mother who advised him to look for the helpers in the middle of a crisis.  Always look for the helpers.

I don't know if my views, my life, is helpful or not.  But another meme talked about speaking out, to let others who think the way I do so they know they are not alone.

Given this new lease on life, I have decided that I need to speak out, even if some don't want to hear it.

I need to resist, with all my ability, the creeping sickness of the alt right.  

I need to let people know that they are not the only one who objects.  And that if we focus on helping each other, we may discover that the alt right is still (for now) in the minority.  We need to drown their whining and complaining out and focus on helping each other up, not punch others down.

And every day, encourage people to remember that as humans, we can be kind.  We can light a candle to help others.  Let us build a circle of support and, yes, love, as and when we can.

Breadcrumbs

 

Ms and Ws weaving draft

As I scroll through my weaving files, I cannot fail to notice that so many of my designs have - at least lately - an abundance of twill variations.

This one is 'called' Ms and Ws and is a simple 4 shaft twill which can look 'fancy'.  But it can be used as a 'building block' when variations are generated, and then shafts added to create a 'block'.  And then the tie up can be changed so different tie-up combinations and treadling sequences can be used to expand the options.

Like many things about weaving - and life - it is what we wind up doing with it that creates something 'different', perhaps even 'new'.  Although given the mathematical progressions and availability of shafts for loom control, there are limitations.

How did I gather knowledge about how to do this?  Well, I generated a tonne of drafts, wove some, made small changes, wove them and observed what happened when I tried different yarn combinations, different densities.  

Doing this work (for it was 'work' for me) I was able to make a trail of breadcrumbs so that I could follow the progress as something changed and follow back to where I found something of interest, then perhaps change something else, and follow that trail of crumbs.

Lately the role of 'grist' has been on my mind (watch for WEFT next year with some breadcrumb trails) and how the thickness of a yarn is *related* to the length, but not exactly a 1:1 or 1:2 relationship.  

And in the gap between, lay all kinds of possibilities.  And lots of pitfalls.  Lots of 'failures' if I fail to meet the needs needed when I design a fabric.

This morning I was thinking about bread crumbs, trails, and messing things up.  A phrase in English is to consider the role of 'grist' in terms of sand, specifically sand in the gears of a machine.   And I thought about the Luddites, who were not peasants revolting against 'progress' in industry - specifically the weaving profession.   They were labour activists, trying to protect the professional weavers from being supplanted by machinery that they felt would kill off the weaver/workers.  So they chose to sabotage looms - mainly the 'factory' looms, looms which reduced the number of weavers by one half as there were now fly shuttle looms and one loom only needed one weaver instead of two for the broad cloth looms.

Up until John Kay perfected the fly shuttle mechanism in the 1700s, looms wider than about 48" needed two weavers.  Sometimes two were needed in order to create particular textiles, like vadmal.  Drawlooms needed drawboys until the dobby mechanism was perfected, and then in the 1800s the Jacquard loom.

All of those developments put actual weavers out of work.  Like developing AI to take work away from skilled creative folk right now.

We are facing the rise of fascism in the world (no the US is not the only one - some historians follow the crumbs back to the Luddites and their efforts to fight capitalism for workers rights) and the power grabs that are putting people with knowledge and skill out of work.  

Being a worker who follows their imagination, their creativity, and who becomes informed at the nuts and bolts (and the gears) of their craft, some people are trying to point out that the Luddites were working to keep people in skilled and meaningful jobs instead of shunting the 'work' off to AI type efforts.  And the evils inherent by so doing.

Which doesn't matter to the oligarchs, whose only aim in life appears to be like Mr McScrooge, swimming in his vault of money ('all mine!  ALL MINE!)  As if the acquisition of 'money' cast extra value on *them*.

If you work creatively, continue to create, when you can.  Do it because it brings you joy.  Or even just relief from the never ending pressure to conform to what someone else (who doesn't value *you*) thinks you should be doing.

Every time you add something to this world, born of your own experience, your imagination, you add light to the world.  Light to help others see you.  Light to help them see themselves as unique, individual.  Light to shine on the way you are being manipulated so that you can choose to add a little sand to the gears to slow down the steady creep, cutting you off from your creativity.  You.

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine...

More Sampling

 

wet finished and hard pressed on the left; wet finished and left to dry without applying a hard press

Yesterday I was able to press the latest load of towels, which also had a sample to find out what the next yarn in the stash I want to focus on in order to weave it up.  

The current towels are being woven with 2/15 cotton (manufacturer's marking, not mine) and I'm quite pleased with the quality of cloth.  But it's a very old batch of yarn, which I've been ignoring until lately, and once this warp comes off I'll beam another to use up more (the rest?) of the 2/15.  But I don't think there is enough of the 2/15 so I cast my eye around the storeroom, and noted the 3 large cones (kilo? would have to weigh them to be sure) which I bought in part because of the high degree of twist in the yarn.  I suspect it was spun to be plied, then wasn't.  It is (according to the manufacturer's notes) singles 6.  

If it had been plied/twisted, I doubt I would have kept it, but when it arrived (in error) I kept a case to play around with the high energy in it, sold some to other weavers also interested in weaving with 'energized' yarn, and used up some myself.  Now there are these 3 lonely cones.  Time to deal with them.

Before I cut the first section of towels off the warp beam, I wove a sample with the singles 6 in the same weave structure, so I could compare the results.  There is only a mild difference, with the biggest change the dimensional loss.  Instead of 20" in width after wet finishing, the weft finished width using the singles 6 is 18".

I had pondered using a waffle weave to really push the 3D development, but after weaving this sample and fiddling around with a few weaving drafts in Fiberworks, I decided that the dimensional loss would be larger than I would prefer and would create a very thick towel.  

Instead I came up with a rough draft which is a tweak on the current warp.  I'm still having words and things disappear into brain sink holes, so keeping it 'simple' seems like the prudent thing to do.

In the above photo I wet finished the sample while it was attached to the last towel in the section, then cut it off the damp towel and then cut it half width-wise so that I could compare using a hard press vs *not* applying a hard press.

The difference is subtle (surprised?) but there is a difference.  

Perhaps surprisingly (until I thought it through), the dimensional loss was more than what was in the half that was just left to air dry,  But here's the thing.  When you apply compression, you smash the warp and weft down into each other.  While this reduces the thickness of the cloth, it *increases* the stability.  Once the warp and weft are 'locked' into each other, the tendency is to reduce the thickness and increase the resistance to abrasion.  The unpressed sample dried with no tension applied in any direction, so since warps and wefts were not pressed down, the threads are less integrated.

The difference between them is not so much seen, but felt.  The pressed sample feels smoother; the unpressed sample has way more texture.  Although I would have to do studies, I suspect that the unpressed sample will be slightly more absorbent than the pressed, given the difference in density and how much closer and 'locked' into the pressed sample is compared unpressed 'partner' cloth is.

I will do another sample on the next warp, which should be going into the loom later this week.  I had two days of mostly 'light duties' - so far.  I am hoping I feel able to weave again by tomorrow, given I was such a Very Good Girl after my procedure this morning.

Finally learning to be kind to my body - and brain - in hopes of being able to keep weaving and ask myself questions like these.

Keeping on, keeping on.

Marking Progress

 

one repeat in the warp with the right selvedge 'border'

Yesterday I cut off and re-tied the warp with about 4 or maybe 5 more towels to be woven left on the loom.

Obviously it was time to start thinking about my next warp.

Since I'm still having issues with sinkholes in my brain, I decided to tweak the current warp (tweaked from the couple previous warps) and KISS.  

I have one more large cone of the 2/15 cotton left, which will not quite (I think) finish the next warp, so whatever is left will be woven with the singles 6 yarn.   There are 3 of the large cones left of that.  I had thought of doing a waffle weave, but after wet finishing the sample decided that probably won't work very well.  Instead I'll keep playing with a fairly simple threading progression and rather than an 'extreme' towel, will settle for the more subtle texture of the single 6 on the same type of twill I have been playing with.  

The single 6 still has a high level of twist energy left in the yarn and as soon as it gets wet, it tends to spring back to twist and turn and create a 3D effect.  The float length is about 5 ends in warp and weft, so not terrible given 32 epi.  The ppi will be different because the weft will be thicker than the warp, so I'll do a guestimate of how many ppi per towel and figure it out for the *next* warp after this one.  I might even not do a hard press to preserve the 3D effect.  Will know better once I do another sample.

The current warp will remain on the loom for a few more days because I need to take a 'light duty' day tomorrow.  I'll see how I feel on the following day, if I need another light duty day, or if I try weaving.

It depends on how the treatment tomorrow goes.

I am finally(?) learning the lesson of not taking my body for granted, insisting that it push through to deadline.  I'm 'retired'.  There is no more 'deadline' pressure.  Who knows, maybe I will learn to listen to my body when it cries 'uncle'...

Receipts

 

I have a few other textile science books, but I didn't feel like digging any further so this pile of books represents the kind of resource/reference book I own and which I consult frequently (the two standing up) or less frequently (the stacks in front) depending on what I want to check.

If you click on the image, it should 'biggify' it so that you might be able to read the titles.  If not, the two brown-ish books laying down date from the late 1800s and early 1900s, based on their size and format.  Neither has a copyright date in them

The other stack varies from the 1970s onwards, most of them in the late 1900s.  The Guide to Textiles by Jackman and Dixon is from um, 1984?  Maybe?  Somewhere around there.  I could not find The Final Steps, which came out around the same time as the Jackman and Dixon, and which gave me the first 'serious' look at wool and wet finishing it.

(Not pictured are the binders - yes, with an 's' - of samples I wove for my GCW master weaver level, nor Magic in the Water; wet finishing handwovens,)

I have heard people say that the term 'wet finishing' seems to be a bit...pretentious...as if it was a term invented by me to make myself seem more of an expert than I am.  Others simply ignore the term and talk about 'washing' the web.  

Frankly, I don't very much care what someone calls it (although the proper term is actually 'wet finishing') so long as they recognize that it needs to be subjected to water before it becomes 'whole' cloth.

The 'finishing' of cloth by industry can consist of a number of wet and/or dry finishes.  I don't generally talk about what industry does, other than explain the principle and how a handweaver might achieve something similar using modern laundry equipment.

But if you think it's all a figment of my imagination, I share with you my imaginary friends.  I encourage you to find at least the Jackman and Dixon book, if nothing else.  You don't need the latest version, as the first edition has pretty much most of the information a handweaver should have at their fingertips.

When I answer a question on a online weaving group - the above books are what I consult, not my own book, thinking that I am the beginning and end of the discussion. 

Because it depends!  

Which is why I am so enthusiastic about Michelle Boyd's new book and am looking forward to seeing what she can teach me about the construction of yarn, and then using it appropriately.  I will happily add her book to those already in my library.

I will be completely honest - I know Michelle.  We have had the chance to discuss yarn, spinning and weaving on several occasions, and I've emailed her with specific questions when I cannot find the answer in the above books.

Her book will be a boon to weavers, spinners, knitters and crocheters.  It is being written, edited and published in Canada.

One of the things I've noticed about WEFT magazine - is how *many* of the article authors are Canadian.  Given we have 1/10th of the population of the US, it is striking that we have So Many really excellent weavers/spinners.  I know we are embroiled in a trade war (not of our making, but which we are trying to manage) and personally I am buying as little as I can of products made in the US.  But if you take a look at the author page, you will find many Canadians represented, plus the editor and technical consultant are both Canadian.  

I think the worst thing about what is going on - politically - right now, is the divisiveness that is tearing the fabric of society apart.  We (as in weavers/spinners, etc.) need to fight to keep our larger community alive and encouraging people to keep learning.  Keep exploring.  Keep creating.

Granny...core?

 

There was an article online that was titled something about knitting being 'grannycore'.  Assuming it was filled by pap about grannies being the 'only' knitters, I ignored it.

Personally I learned to knit at age 5 and I know I'm not the only one.  Just because I am a knitter in my dotage, doesn't mean I started knitting recently.  I've been doing the craft (as well as others) for a very long time.  I've done complex cables, fancy ''Fair Isle", I have even learned how to turn a heel - in spite of the pattern having an error in it and my figuring out that it wasn't me, but the pattern.

And that was before I started weaving.  Which again, I started practicing at 25, not waiting til my dotage for that, either.

The above towel was finished in October of last year.  It was the warp I had on the loom when I fell and this warp was an integral part of my recovery/therapy.  I kept on going for a number of reasons, no matter how many mistakes I made because my brain didn't brain very well.  Eventually I pared back my expectations of being able to cope with complex threadings (I was making several errors per warp and was getting angry at myself for having made them).  

I also continued to write, with enormous support and help from a friend, who continues to cheerlead and do my 'alpha' reading so that WEFT editors don't get my raw attempts to make sense.  Since my friend is a good weaver as well as a good friend, she usually can spot what I *meant* to say and will provide me a 'sensitive' edit.

So when someone who (probably) knows zilch about knitting and other 'grannycore' crafts expresses shock and amazement, I keep scrolling.

Weaving is the most broadly based science that I do.  It is a combination of understanding the diverse and extensive list of different kinds of science that weaving contains.  Because I was intrigued about what was happening and I wanted to know why.

The physical skills are full of the science of movement and how the body works - or works 'better' if it is used in a way that incorporates ergonomics.  The more efficient you become, the less you tend to harm your body by doing repetitive motions in a way that invites inflammation.

The science of textiles looks at the materials that are used - understanding the characteristics of the different fibres so that they can be used appropriately to create the quality of cloth desired.  If you spin, or dye, there are even more sciences used in those.

Mathematics.  Calculating dimensions, understanding the fibres being used and how they will react in the woven web, and in the water during wet finishing.  Then calculating how much of the yarn(s) will be required.  If you are running a business, scheduling is imperative so that you aren't 'down' while waiting for your yarn to arrive.  

Setting up your studio to make multi-tasking possible - figuring out the best way to approach needing the work to 'flow', one task into the next, with the least amount of massive re-tooling your space every time you change a task.  

And so on and so on.  Weaving is considered a 'textile science' for good reason.  I should pull all of my science books off my library shelves, just so you can see how many I actually have - *and use*.

So, my hair might be grey, and my age would indicate that I am old enough to *be* a granny - I have been hard core weaving for 50 years now.  

With luck, I will be weaving for a few more.  With luck, I will still be writing about it, too.

Soap Box

 

wet finished

loom state

Heading into my 51st year as a weaver, I have been constantly amazed - and intrigued - by the transformation of the loom state web into the finished cloth.

It has been a constant learning experience as I worked with different yarns, in different weave structures, and experimented with the 'best' practices when it comes to getting to the 'finished' state.

And then trying to convince some weavers that it is necessary.

I've done my best to explain why I see the process as being integral to making 'good' cloth, and still try my best to educate people as to why I make that claim.

I know not everyone agrees with me.  And if my experience learning as much as I can about the process, plus my examples don't convince someone it is necessary?  Well, I've done my best.

The above photos are one of the examples in Magic in the Water.  The foundation cloth is a 2 ply merino, which will full quite readily.  The accent thread is a textured rayon.  

When I was working with the local printer who helped format and print the original Magic, they were not really understanding what I was hoping to bring into being.  After months of consulting with them, sourcing appropriate papers, deciding on format/font, etc., the printer asked if I would bring a copy in so they could see it, once I had all the samples inserted.  And asked if they could have a copy for their archive.

When I finally had a 'finished' copy of the book, I brought one in and while the printer and I talked, his son, a graphic artist, was paging through the samples, closely examining them.  When he got to this one he stood upright and said "Oh!  I get it now!  This one (pointing at the loom state) it looks like this yarn is just sitting on the surface.  On this one (finished) it looks like it is part of the cloth!"

I figured if a non-weaver could see the benefit, then surely weavers would, as well.

At that point I finally was able to breathe a little.  All the work, effort, and *expense* of creating this...thing...was not in vain.

Sort of.

There are some people who refuse (I know this because they have told me to my face) to use the term 'wet finish'.  I have heard others describe the term as a 'pretentious' way to refer to 'washing'.

Has any of that deterred me?  Obviously not.  

Because I'm a 'believer'.  I will continue to climb up onto my soapbox for so long as I see people who need to know about the transformation during wet finishing.  New weavers who don't know, don't know that they don't know.  So I will keep on, keeping on.

I should finish the current section of the warp on the loom tomorrow, and then I will take those towels, plus the sample with the singles 6 weft, and run them through the washer/dryer.  I want to see how the singles 6 behaves in the water.  My examination will let me know how far off from what I'm expecting to happen really is.  And give me a clue as to how I might get closer to what I want to have before I begin planning the next warp.

Because it depends.  And without a road map, all I have is my best guess.  Which is probably a fairly good clue, but I'd like to be surer before I go to all the trouble to dress the loom and do the weaving.

Remember, it isn't finished until it's wet finished...

Magic in the Water, pdf or print 'magazine' available here...

9th Life; 1st Birthday

 

Next week will mark the first birthday of my re-birth, or the beginning of my 9th life.

I was on the way to an appointment, and for some reason I 'stumbled' and did a face plant.  A couple walking towards me saw me go over, like a tree that had been felled, and rushed to help me stand up, dusted me off, and then insisted they would walk with me to my destination, about 2 short blocks away.  I was embarrassed, but did feel a bit light headed, so was grateful for the assistance.  I didn't appear to be injured, other than a spot of road rash on my right cheek and gravel embedded in the heels of my hands from where I had tried to break my fall.  But I was a little bit in shock.

When I was done with my appointment, one of the office staff walked me back to my van, and I still felt a little 'off' but not particularly 'injured' - beyond my pride.

I headed home, told Doug what happened and we chatted for a while until I said that I was very tired, assumed the adrenaline was wearing off, and said that I was going to go lay down.

I'm the kind of person who normally sleeps on my side, which was probably the first step in saving my life that day, because after I had been laying down for a while, Doug heard strange noises coming from down the hall from the bedroom.  He came in to check on me and discovered I was vomiting - and was completely non-responsive to his efforts to sit me up and get me to say what was happening.

He phoned a friend (RN) who heard what was going on and said to phone 911 and she would be there as soon as she could.  He phoned 911 and described what was happening, and asked for an ambulance.  They arrived in fairly short order and came in, realized they would never get the gurney down the hall to the bedroom and requested back up support from the fire department in order to carry me out.

In the meantime the friend arrived and talked to the medics and they took me to the hospital.  Doug followed, with my health card and such.  The medics had done what they could to stabilize me, noted the spot of road rash on my face, Doug described my fall.  The emergency doctor said that they would do a CT scan based on my falling and subsequent non-responsive presentation, then everyone disappeared while the CT scan was run.

Doug said it was hard to wait because it seemed a very long time before the doctor came back and when he did, he was all 'business'.  As soon as they saw the scan, the doctor had phoned a neurosurgeon in Vancouver and when *they* saw the scans, the surgeon advised them to get me ready for transport, because he was requesting a medivac flight to get me down there asap.  And that he would be waiting for my arrival to do the surgery as soon as I arrived, after midnight.

When I presented in Vancouver, I had a 'serious' bleed in my brain in the speech centre.  

The next day, when I came to, I did not know where I was, or why.  I was not in pain - even my back pain seemed to be in 'shock' and wasn't bothering me too much.  But I had an incision about the size of a tennis ball with many, many staples in my scalp.  (I did ask my doctor who removed the staples how many there were and he showed me the tub with all of the staples and said 'I don't think you want to know'.)

Things were confusing and scary, but the hospital in Vancouver shipped me back to the hospital here and a few days later they let me go home, too.  I was so relieved because the hospital in Vancouver had had a Covid outbreak, and the one here, hardly anyone was wearing masks.  I was so much more comfortable at home, especially when friends brought me 'safe' foods (allergy free) - because that was my other concern.  I never do well in hospital because of my numerous food allergies.

And then my face swelled up.  Like scary swelling, around my eyes.  Turns out it was 'normal' for that kind of surgery, but no one I talked to about it knew that.  For 3 days I could not speak at all.  Except swear words.  Doug learned to ask yes/no questions, and I could shake or nod my head.  That was scary as hell because I *had* been able to talk, and then all of a sudden I could not.  I did not know if I ever would talk again.  But eventually my words began to slowly come back.

Then, I didn't know if I could ever write again.  It was becoming clear to me that I really was not going to be able to teach.  Could I weave?  I asked the physiotherapist who saw me once I got home to book a time for him to watch me weave, make sure I wasn't hurting myself.  He did a few days later, and seemed satisfied.  Just warned me to begin very VERY slowly, just a few minutes at a time to begin with.

Then I booked with my massage therapist, and he went over my back and legs, and advised me on a schedule to help me NOT overdo the weaving.  Warned me it was not a speedy recovery.  That given I had a rather serious brain injury, to NOT overdo activities.  Rest.  Sleep as much as I could.

Two months after the surgery I had a phone call from the surgeon, who expressed pleasure at how well I was doing.  I told him I didn't feel like I was doing well - at all.

"Listen, you arrived with a serious brain bleed.  Most people arriving with the size of bleed you had would not even be discharged from the hospital, but would go directly to a rehab facility - for *months*.

"Oh."

"So you are doing very well.  You just told me that you are already weaving!"

Then I asked about the swelling and he assured me that it was completely 'normal' with that kind of surgery to have exactly that kind of swelling and that it would eventually recede, but that it was going to take time and I needed to be very patient with myself while my body healed.

I have tried to make sure I keep a 'good attitude', not get too depressed about how much more limited I am, how fragile I feel, how I have needed a cane since then because I am so unsteady on my feet.  I don't know that I will ever completely recover my balance, or be able to walk more than a short distance.  I feel...broken.  But I am nearly at the 12 month recovery, and the surgeon assured me that it takes about 24 months to see where your 'final' recovery will land.  So things *could* improve more.  I tenderly nurture my tiny crop of 'hope'...

In the meantime, I am hoping to take a class through the pain clinic on neuroplasticity, which I'm hoping will be beneficial for both of my physical problems - chronic pain and brain injury.

I had been thinking of having a 'birthday sale' on August 28, but given the shenanigans with tariffs and such, I'm not going to.  I will wait and see if things settle down in time for a 'Christmas' sale in Nov/Dec.  

Needless to say, sales pretty much dried up this year, and while it might be fun to do something on Zoom, I'm not feeling like I can manage to do something without tiring myself 'too much'.  

So, just a suggestion - if you want to send me greetings you can buy me a 'coffee' via my ko-fi shop.  I promise to spend the money on more yarn.  Because it seems I'm recovering enough that I can keep weaving.  

I hesitated for a very long time about telling this story - I know I've talked about bits and parts of it.  But I feel as though I have 'recovered' enough that I could tell it now.  Before you can 'accept' what has happened, you have to be able to talk about it.  I won't lie, I had some very 'dark' days over the past 12 months.  And while I'm not fully recovered - I may never BE 'fully' recovered, I *am* still here, still weaving, still manage to write (with help), so I guess it is the right time for me to feel like I am celebrating that fact.  I'm not angry (much) any more.  But this thing happened.  Now I need to figure out to live my life as fully, as completely, as I can.  And to me, that means weaving.

Sending best wishes to everyone struggling with 'reality'.  Remember to recognize the little pleasures, be they a rainbow in amongst the clouds, or a piece of cake, or weaving.  Whatever that brings you joy, do that thing.  

Delays

 

My copy of WEFT arrived and I neglected to book the guild room for another 'weavers gathering'.  However, it looks like this coming Sunday, August 24, 2025 is available and the room/key person is willing to come open the room for me, so...even though I delayed getting the word out, people may show up.  Or not.  

The relationship with the US is about to change in really significant ways.  I have no idea how the saber rattling Mr. Trump is doing is going to affect people like me, living in Canada, shipping articles with woven examples,  in order to get our things across the border.  Things are going to get crunchy after Aug 30, 2025 when the minimus threshold is eliminated and every single parcel mailed/shipped to the US will need to be examined by customs and then a tariff assigned for the recipient to pay before they can get their parcel(s).

What a mess.

I am aware that there are big changes coming down the pipeline and how it will all play out is still a mystery.  

However, I have articles in the upcoming issues, and since I have a subscription to the magazine, I will keep fingers crossed the print copy I requested will actually arrive.  

I am back to weaving (took a couple 'extra' days of 'light duties') plus I have accomplished a few of those 'light' duty things.  September is almost upon us, the fall sales will be beginning the end of October, plus if the guild has a sale in the room in December, there is a chance of making a few sales.  

Because I've shut down shipping to the US until we know what, exactly, is going to happen.  As usual, my books are printed in the US so they can be purchased there, either print or pdf download.

I finished assembling the cards yesterday, plus I started printing out care instructions on labels and then sticking them to the hang tags.  I'm going to print out the cotton/linen labels and get those ready.  Then I need to write out price stickers, and tag the tea towels with a care tag.  Since my energy continues very low, I figured I had better get started on those now, not wait until the stuff is needed for the booth set up.

Yesterday I finished the first section of the warp (7 towels) and at the end I wove a 'small' sample using the single 6 highly twisted yarn.  I wanted to see how it was going to behave.  I've used it before, but ages ago, so I wanted to experience both weaving it (high twist = pig tails in the weft) and then wet finishing it.  Do I compress it as part of the wet finishing, or nah?  To be determined.

We continue to have 'variable' days, but we (here) have been 'wet' enough we haven't been dealing with horrible levels of smoke.  So far.  Of course that can all change in a heartbeat.

In the meantime, I try to get up and get to the loom twice a day (or do some other tasks).  But I find myself still wrestling with getting any kind of sleep and very low energy.  OTOH, maybe I'm just old, finally?  I know it is a privilege to make it to my age.  Not everyone does.  More and more I find myself tired.  But I still get intrigued by some aspect of weaving and that is enough to get me up and to the studio.  

Time to print out the cotton/linen care instructions.  I can put them onto the hang tags on 'breaks'.  Or at dark o'clock, like this morning when I could not sleep.  Again.  

Getting old is not for sissies...

Cleaning Up

 

One of the towels listed in my ko-fi shop

Today I finally managed to get into my ko-fi shop and clean up my listings removing the USA from destinations that I will ship to, which leaves just...Canada.

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of my sales in ko-fi were made by USians, with just a few from Canada, and a small number from Europe.  So cutting off the US market was a really hard decision to make.  But the fact of the matter is that since the current president of the US has been rattling sabers at Canada, I felt it only fair that I not encourage US customers to purchase, given I have been very loud in the fact that my family is boycotting the US products.  As in almost nothing made in the US is being purchased.  It also irks me to no end that he keeps 'bragging' about all the foreign money coming into the US because of the tariffs, when it is the US customer paying the tax, not a vendor in Canada.

Oh, there are a few things that we have not been able to find replacements for, but we are keeping an eye open and when we see an opportunity to switch to a different source, we take it, even if it may cost a few dollars more.  Some things cannot be replaced, as far as we know, so we try to do without, as much as possible, and figure out other products that might work instead.

I have left the pdf of A Thread Runs Through It because I don't need to ship anything.  And because it is an online purchase, there is no tariff that will be collected by the US government for my customer to pay.

Yesterday I managed to assemble the greeting cards I was making, using fabric squares cut from the skirt of a ballgown I wove and sewed (too many years ago and in which I no longer fit) and managed to get 120 cards made.  I gave 10 to a friend, and will likely give more to select other friends.  I very much doubt I will use 100+ blank cards in what is left of this lifetime - might as well share.  So that's one 'light duty' task finished - just need to finish clearing up the assembly clutter.

And this morning I printed out care labels that will be stuck to the hang tags because the guild wants 'fresh' inventory this year.  And even though I have been working/weaving as much as I can, I still managed to amass a table full of new product in the last 18 months.  I still have to print out the labels for the cotton/linen towels, but one thing at a time so that I don't begin feeling overwhelmed.  Which I do, if I try to do 'too much'.  So, still not running at full capacity.

As such, I have turned down another request to teach online.  Next week it will be one year since I had a brain bleed, and I'm still far from functional.  Especially if I'm tired - or stressed.  And trying to speak on the fly (so to speak) which is how I have always taught, I'm left scrambling for words and fumbling around in my brain trying to find which sinkhole my words disappeared into - because they are not coming out of my mouth.

I need to talk to my webmaster about what I might be able to do* instead of 'formal' classes and what she has time to do in regards to my website.  

This week I have zero appointments.  I have no idea how that happened, but I am going to continue to 'recover' from the injection last week and begin to get back to the loom.  In the meantime, I still have the care tags to deal with if I don't feel up to actually weaving.  Plus I have one more article in rough draft, and need to go through and collect the highlighted 'nits', and make sure I said what I wanted to say or if my words didn't make it to the tips of my fingers - as been known to happen, all too frequently.

Anyway, sending love and light to my USian friends.  I hope you can get things sorted soon.

*taking suggestions for ideas to maybe do a Q&A or something instead of a more 'formal' presentation.  Would guilds be interested in such a thing?  Maybe an Ask Me Anything for an hour?  Suggestions welcome...

Where to Begin?

 

Leclerc decal from around 1950

Frequently I see questions on the internet, usually with a bunch of random loom parts/pieces with the question 'is this a good place to start'?

It depends.

Do you know anything about looms?  Can you tell if all the parts are there?  Is it assembled or just a bunch of random parts?  Do you know the brand?  Because if parts are missing or damaged, getting replacement parts might be a challenge.

This is my small loom.  It dates to around 1950 or so.  I know that because Leclerc Looms are still being made and in many cases, parts are still available.  As it happened we upgraded this loom replacing the ratchet system for the brake to one that is easier to set and release - the wire band and brake release treadle that allows me to advance and re-tension from the front of the loom.  We made a few other minor mods, including installing 'bumpers' that keep the beater further away from the shafts which makes beating easier.  My fingers don't tangle with the shafts/heddles with a bit more space.  

Doug also firmly attached the breast beam down so that I can use my 'warping valet' system for beaming.  I have long arms and never took the breast beam off to thread, so having it screwed down was no big deal.

We also updated all the cords because some of them had experienced a lot of wear and tear, and the treadle cords were all higgledy-piggledy.

I know that society these days is used to learning 'everything' from the internet.   But now, especially, we have LLM/AI and what the majority of people who try to learn that way don't understand is that AI doesn't actually *know* anything.  It has been designed to 'act the part' of a knowledge partner - while knowing exactly...nothing.

OTOH, we now have several reputable sources for online classes.  Jane Stafford is a favourite of many, and I can attest that Jane knows what she is talking about and makes every effort to convey that knowledge enthusiastically.  I have worked with two other venues - Long Thread (formally Interweave) and School of Sweet Georgia.  I hang out on the Handweaving Academy.  And of course now am writing for WEFT.  My editor for Stories from the Matrix collected as many articles as she could find that I've written/published over the years and listed them in the back of the book for anyone wanting to track the articles down.

I am working on the 'final' format for the next issue of WEFT and we are still exploring the topic to try and get something solid put together for the readers.

The next article has been done and is currently at my alpha reader who will take a closer look and get back to me.  And I'm trying to clear my desk in order to focus my attention on an upcoming book.  More on that next year when it is due to be 'finished', finished and ready to ship.

In the meantime our world continues to wobble and roll around.  I've gone through so many emotions over the past year.  I have come to the conclusion that I can go ahead and feel 'despair' - in small doses.  But I cannot let that emotion kick all the rest to the curb.

So, yes, I continue to write articles which will not be published for about 6 months after I hit 'send', then re-read them as they go through the process of becoming part of a larger magazine.  I am...flattered...to be asked to be the 'weaver's eye' to look the book over, as they attempt to fill as many blanks as they can do, in an extremely uncertain time and no one knows what the hell is going to happen this evening, never mind tomorrow or next month.

I try to keep planting seeds in hopes someone will be around to harvest the crop.  I try to be a supportive friend.  I try to keep getting up in the morning, dressed, and head to the studio.  

Keep being creative.  Keep celebrating people trying to help, not harm, others.

That is where I will begin with this one precious life I have been given.  

Links:

School of Sweet Georgia

Long Thread Media

Books

WEFT

Jane Stafford

Handweaving Academy

Puzzling Things Out

 

Puzzles were a frequent 'game' in my childhood home, and I returned to building them as an adult.  

Puzzles aren't all that different from what goes into building a cloth.  Lots of little pieces of the equation to fit into the formula, with lots of leeway to slide this way or that along a variety of 'spectrums'.

Because that's the thing with a spectrum - things change.  Sometimes more.  Sometimes less.  But as you change one thing, that change ripples throughout the web and other things need to change in response to *those* changes.

Feels very 'woo woo', but, it's kind of like life.  We face challenges.  We try to find solutions.  We try to adapt our plans.  We go astray.  Fail - in achieving our goal - re-thinking.  Re-doing.  Re-examining what we did, what path we followed to get to where we wound up.

Give up or try again.

I have one more kick at the can to try, to make my life 'easier'.  As usual there is a time for waiting.  While I wait, I think.  What if?  What if this other?  What - gawd forbid - it doesn't work?  What then?

A friend has been going through some health stuff and she has been having the chronic illness roller coaster ride.  It's hard.  You want answers!  But sometimes they are not the ones you were expecting.  And then you have to begin all over again, trying this, trying that.

If A, then this.  If B, then that.

Massage yesterday kicked the crap out of me.  But the therapist agreed there had been some significant changes in the muscles of my legs, so he pushed a little harder - then warned me I was going to 'feel it' later.  

He was not wrong.  I came home and crashed.  I'm still feeling a bit crushed this morning, but I made some phone calls and prepared for my next appointment with the pain doc.  Where we will discuss the last (probably) tweak that might work for me.  

Yesterday I told massage that I finally felt as though my body was beginning to 'wake up' and improve one of the chronic issues I had been dealing with.  That I had lost hope and had just been doing all the therapy in a desperate attempt to prevent things from getting worse.  

I left his office feeling like there was a reason to hope - at least about that issue.  We still have to see if the rest can be reduced in order to live more comfortably.

Today I will tackle a few more of my 'light' duties.  It will feel really good to get them dealt with and stop 'needing to deal with' them.  At last.  And tomorrow I will try weaving a little bit.  I will likely just do one session at the loom to begin.  Because my legs are still sore and they may need a slower entry back to the loom.

While I have felt too tired and wrung out, I have started another puzzle.  I have collected about 3 dozen puzzles of a size and brand I most enjoy making.  And making them over again is just fine.  I listen to a song more than once.  I can build a puzzle more than once.

In the back of my mind I think about *little* things I might be able to do.  I have begun the next article for WEFT and may do my first read through today.  I have 'found' an example in my 'stash' to use to illustrate the article (if they want something)  I am trying to clear my calendar from mid-Sept to mid-Oct in order to do the review of Michelle Boyd's new resource book.  They have achieved their Kickstarter goal and are full steam ahead.  I'm excited to be part of the process with this book and to have it on my library shelves.

The current warp is nearing 1/3rd done.  I'm using up that 2/15 yarn for weft and will run out on the 'next' warp.  I need to start thinking about what I will use when I run out of that yarn - what I should use for weft, when I do.  

In the meantime, it's time to head to the studio.  I have my next 'light' job ready to start.  Feeling like I'm making progress makes me feel hopeful about the 'mess' down there, too.  So, even though it has turned into a rather grey, dull day, I'm not too affected by weather.  I'd rather this than full on t-storms and lightning strikes - or heat dome and parched land.  So, I'll focus on being grateful.

Grateful to you, my readers.  Grateful for my friends.  My spouse, who has taken on the heavy lifting since my injury last year.  Grateful to keep weaving.  Writing.  Focus on the 'little' things.  Just because they are 'little' doesn't make them any less 'important'.

More Books

One of the 'fun' things about following people on social media is that you learn of things you might never have known about.

There are several authors I follow on Bluesky, and since I enjoy the writing of Guy Gavriel Kay, I always take notice when he recommends a book by someone else.  Generally he hasn't steered me wrong.  So when he mentioned this book this morning, I took note.  Then I went to my local bookstore and saw it was in pre-order and they would take an order for the book and let me know when it arrived in November.

Now,  I know nothing about this author, I've never read any of his other books, but a book using weaving as a metaphor?  

Count me in!  And if I feel like reading it once was enough, I can always donate it to the guild library.

I have not heard of the term 'powsels' before, but I surely know exactly what 'thrums' are!  And tales from a 'creative life'?  Yes, please.

And while I'm at it, I'll remind y'all about Stories from the Matrix, which is available as usual at the blurb website

And if you are interested in what it took for me to make weaving my career, the pdf of A Thread Runs Through It is still available on my ko-fi shop.  Blurb is a US company and their books are printed in the US, so no tariffs for US customers.  For non-NA customers, they tend to print locally to save on shipping, etc.

In the meantime I have Martin Walker's latest Bruno book with Laurie R King's latest waiting for me to pick it up.  I'm trying to get further into Walker's book before I collect King's.

It's the Little Things

 

In so many ways I have been feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the things going 'wrong' in this world.

Now, 'conservatives' should be 'happy' but I've come to the conclusion that they are never happy, they are just extremely unhappy right down to the core of their being.

So, given I am in the 'end cycle' of this one and beautiful life, I have made the conscious decision that I will - as much as I am able - ignore that segment of the population and focus on the people who want to help others.  Contribute, not destroy.  Create, not deconstruct.

The other day I came to the conclusion that I am still here to do...something...but that it looked like I was going to have to focus on what I could do, not feel guilty that I cannot do some things.  Like go out to protests.  Given my current physical limitations, there will be no 'marching' for me.

Given I've been quite 'public' about what I'm going through, a number of people have been in touch - either to be supportive, or open about their own personal challenges.  So I'm going to tell a story, which isn't really mine to tell, although I was involved.  And, because tell stories is what I do, I'm going to share this one.

A friend wanted to make something special for her child and we arranged for her to come and dress the Leclerc Fanny with a nice colourful warp.  She took some time (because she was 'rusty') to wind the warp and beam it, then thread, sley and tie on.  She had a sleying error that was spotted in the header, and I suggested to just cut off and fix it, which she did.

And then her life got over the top busy and she could not come back to weave - she didn't have the spoons.  She felt guilty because my loom was tied up with her project, but the truth is, I could not physically manage weaving on that loom and frankly it was such a nice, bright, warp, I didn't mind seeing it on the loom.  (Nothing sadder than a naked loom!)

Then, about 11.5 months ago I fell and had a brain bleed.  Another friend heard I'd been in hospital and messaged me to ask if I was ok.  I knew she had been dealing with health issues, and assured her I was, in fact, still alive although how functional I would be was To Be Determined.  As the months passed, I thought I really ought to contact her and let her know I was recovering and invite her to a catch-up visit.

It took a while to co-ordinate our schedules, but she came and I found out that since I'd seen her last, she also had been having yet more health issues.  She also expressed the desire to start weaving again.

I took her down to the loom to show her the rainbow warp and suggested that if she wanted to get her toes wet, she could come and weave off the little rainbow, then the two of them could 'share' the cloth.

She hesitated, but we worked out when she could come and weave, which she did.  It only took a few inches before she worked most off the rust off her weaving skills, and last week cut the web off the loom.

It wasn't a huge piece of weaving, but she had achieved what she wanted - broken through the snowbank (if you will) of resistance to getting back to a loom.  And considering it had been 19 years since she had last touched a loom, left feeling quite satisfied that she could actually weave.  Still.  We agreed that she should come here a few more times and continue getting familiar with dressing the loom, designing a project, and I could help with areas that she needed some help with.

Then I wet finished the cloth and last night hemmed it.  Today (because I'm on 'light duties') I will press the last load of tea towels I've finished hemming, and do the little 'runner' as well.

As I was hemming the banner last night I thought about how 3 different people came together to make a gift to a 4th.  All in all, it's tiny.  A small piece of cloth that holds a large amount of love.  It is literally bigger than the sum of its parts.

And this is how we overcome the negativity and toxic behaviour we see around us.  We do not give up.  We do not give in.  We do not let them win by not resisting against the tide of...whatever the hell 'this' is.  We do small acts of kindness.  We encourage each other.  We support each other.  

Or as Bruce Cockburn so eloquently put it - keep kicking at the dark until daylight bleeds through.  (I may not have that accurately quoted, but you get the gist...)

Book Costs

 

I'm watching with close interest as Nine Ten goes through the pre-publication process for Michelle Boyd's new book, and then saw a post on FB this morning about finances, debt and trying to juggle all the things.

The memories of producing Magic in the Water came roaring back.  Picture the late 1990s.  If you were alive then, were you old enough to remember the financial crises we had just been through?  The soaring interest rates in the 1980s?  The uncertainty, the bankruptcies?  For me to then decide to launch an especially expensive book was sheer madness.  Truly.

Before I spent a dime, I costed it out - how much money would I need to even contemplate producing such a book?  What would it look like?  What would it cover?  I was determined I had to (literally could not envision it without) having before and after samples.

I heard from some people who insisted it was not necessary, but I had been dealing with a high reluctance of a certain segment of the weaving community who insisted that wet finishing was a) just washing; b) not necessary.

Given the proof of the pudding is in the eating, what else would convince some (not all) of these nay-sayers that it was necessary?  Before and after samples.

I determined that 20 different fabrics would be needed so that people could see/feel the difference wet finishing made to *all* fibres.  (Yes, even acrylic, although I didn't include acrylic in Magic.)  (Already this month I've had someone ask in all seriousness if acrylic 'needed' to be wet finished - er, yes!)

The samples needed to be large enough for not just examination by eye, but big enough to feel the difference between the before and after.  So about 3"x3".

What yarns?  Well, that's always a bit of a crap shoot because different yarns go in and out of fashion and availability.  I tried to choose yarns that were commonly available in the 1990s, and which I hoped might continue to be available for a few years.

I made lists - yarns, weave structures, various combinations, various 'weights', trying to be selective in choosing fabrics that would show themselves to their best.

With the samples would come the drafts used and the technical details - epi, details of how the wet finishing was done.

Jane Stafford heard about what I was doing and phoned to talk to me about brushed mohair - and then offered to provide the brushed mohair sample.  (Jane is an incredibly supportive person.  And yes, I offered to cover the cost of the yarn.)

I spent about 6 months doing the planning before I spent a dime of my cash on the project but eventually I had to start ordering the yarn in.  I had ordered yarn while I was in Sweden in part because it was way cheaper to order that much linen from Sweden and have it shipped to Canada.  Plus I 'found' a woolen yarn that was finer than most woolen yarns available here and which fulled beautifully.  And then I broke out my record sheets to begin doing the final designs for the rest of the yarns.

Most of the projects were 'flat', but some were clothing.  I needed to hire a seamstress, and what would I do about photography?  I hired Handwoven's photographer, Joe Coca and asked him to hire models to showcase the garments.  At a time when the Canadian dollar was about 60% of the US.  Every US dollar cost me about $1.40 Canadian (depending on exchange rate.)

I chose a local printer who regularly printed books for local authors, but this book was not like anything they had ever done before.  I brought in an example (mock up) of what I wanted and spent time with the printer and his graphic artist son, making sure I was communicating with them what I wanted.  And then making sure they would accept my credit card.  The paper alone for the project was in the thousands.  The binders?  Ditto.  The staples alone were several hundreds of dollars.

I had begun writing as soon as I had committed to doing the project, and arranged additional financing to cover the costs, then spent two years juggling my cash flow, spending down the loan, and financing my credit card charges for the book.

At one point I realized the only realistic way to deal with the sample pages was to buy plastic tubs that were clear and stackable.  I figured I needed at least 40 just to keep track of the 20 samples - sample page, before sample and after sample.

Once the pages were printed, and enough samples were cut/taped and cut/wet finished, Doug began stapling the samples to the sample pages.  Everything was carefully tracked and stored.  

My brother agreed to let me use his rec room to do assembly, even though it meant he couldn't host his usual New Year Day party downstairs but only upstairs.  Pretty sure some of his friends were a bit miffed at not having the run of the pool table, but he told them the rec room was off limits.  Anyone who poked their nose in would have seen that the assembly was underway and there was no room for any kind of party.  Nor would he have been pleased if anyone abused his hospitality.  It was an enormous gift of his space.  I would have had to rent a space which I could not have afforded because I had not included that in my budget.  

This is just an overview of what all happened.  Needless to say it was a project requiring literally years.  It took until 2011 to sell all of the copies and if my brother hadn't died, I would have likely still been financing the project.  Instead I took some of his money in 2009 once his estate was probated and paid down my debt.  By the time he died it was costing me nearly $500 for a small ad in Handwoven, which meant I had to sell at least 3 books from every ad to cover the cost of the ad.  And I almost never sold that many.  Instead I would bring a copy on my teaching trips and write orders that I would mail when I got home and sell the one copy I had brought with me.

loom state

wet finished

Do I regret doing this project?  No.  I felt it needed to be done.  I had the production loom that made it possible to weave long/wide warps, a spouse who wound up without a job so I hired him to become VP in charge of assembly, and my then studio assistant got assigned some of the warps to weave as well.  Some friends and family volunteered to help with the assembly.

So no, I didn't do it 'all by myself'.  Far from it.  And it was *expensive* to do, too.  But it was worth the effort, in my opinion, and while I would never take on a 'job' like this again, now, I would not change the fact that I did it.

It was my vision, my expertise and my project, steered through to completion, aided by my spouse,  brother and family and friends.

So when I see others trying to provide good information to the weaving community, like Michelle Boyd, you can bet I'm going to promote their efforts.  If you can't afford the book yourself, encourage your guild (if you have one) to buy for the guild library.  But honestly, the price for this book is a bargain, given the depth of information I know will be in it.

PS - Magic is still available, but only with photographs, not actual samples.  You can still find the original here and there - usually estate sales or aging weavers trying to downsize.  I've seen it referred to as a 'classic' and if you pay less than $200?  It's still a bargain.  Or you can get the 'magazine' format or PDF on line at blurb.  For far less money because there are no samples, just the photos...

Reviewing

 

When I first started weaving I had little expectation of doing anything more than just that - weaving.  But I was tossed into the deep end of the teaching pool by my then instructor - with no training, little knowledge, but a love for this intriguing craft.  And the desire to share with others how much I loved it.

As time went on I began - tentatively - writing articles.  First was my local guild newsletter, then I knew someone who knew someone, and my first article in a real magazine appeared.  Which whetted my appetite.  I had always loved reading and writing, and soon enough I was submitting articles to other publications.

My knowledge expanded and deepened, and I kept finding more stuff out.  There was a small group of 'local' weavers who had enrolled into the Guild of Canadian Weavers master weaver program, and they kindly allowed me to join them.  I got to learn from them as they worked through the problems, then helped me as I began my journey.  One loaned me a small floor loom to weave the guild samples.

As the years went by I continued to teach, but from a more refined perspective - as I taught I learned about teaching, especially a hands on, skill based craft.

Weaving is a combination of a variety of different 'sciences' - from mathematics, to physics, to mechanics, to chemistry (if you want to dye your own yarn), and then wet finishing, which is a whole other 'science' that melds everything you have done to that point.  And where it can all go pear shaped.

Then the internet appeared and I joined in 1994, discovering chat groups.  And I began answering questions - because I could see the crying need for information that was difficult to find or access.  And I began to gain a 'reputation' about weaving related issues, from very beginner to more 'advanced'.

I fought against the perception that a 16 shaft dobby with fly shuttle and auto-cloth advance 'wasn't really weaving', not always successfully.  Some people just could not give up that myth.  I boldly purchased a computer assisted dobby - fighting the same 'fight' about it not being 'truly' weaving if the computer was doing everything for me.  Ahem.

I had people argue with me about all manner of things.  Some of them accepted the information (the receipts as 'they' say in today's parlance) and adjusted their attitudes.  Some...did not.

Some other weavers were supportive, which was gratefully acknowledged, but not all were.  Some played the 'the customer is always right' card when they were clearly wrong, blaming me for their faulty expectations.  I learned to shrug and move on.  Let them be mad.  Some of these learned that if you made a complaint 'public' I will respond publicly.

Over the years, learning to weave was not just a lesson about learning to weave, but how I wanted to live my life.

No matter how much some people insisted I wasn't a 'real' weaver because I was using a loom with more technology, I had to pay my bills, keep a roof over my head and food on the table.  If they were not willing to pay my prices they didn't get to choose how I was going to do my work.  I remained steady - in the main - although I did have to adjust my attitudes when I realized I was too wrapped up in my reality bubble and needed to make room for other approaches.

Next month is the 50th anniversary of beginning this journey.  As with life, it has had ups and downs and turn arounds.

Did I expect to write a book?  No.  There were plenty of weaving books around.  But information on wet finishing was very difficult to find so I wound up creating a book of reference samples - and as much of the essential information I could find - and tell 20th century weavers how to adapt 'ordinary' equipment to process their webs to create whole cloth.

I had only just finally sold the last of those books and converted the file into a pdf when I began working on another book.  During that time my mother became ill and we did a fairly extensive renovation of the house - stress city!  And mom died so there was all the closure of her 90 years to be done.  Let's say that the stress was kind of over the top and I wound up contacting someone who agreed to professionally edit the ms.   A god-send.

Thinking that was me sorted, regarding writing, two years ago I found myself taken by the scruff of the neck by my muse and spending about 2 hours a day banging the keyboard.  That was no sooner done and sent to blurb when I was once again directed by my muse to keep going.   Apparently I had one more 'book' in me.  Even though I self-published all my books, I still hired professional help to get them off to the printer/seller.  I know that the bigger the project, the less accurate perspective I have the closer to completion.

Today is Aug. 11.  On Aug. 28 it will be the one year 'anniversary' of the day I almost died - but didn't.

As I sit here and reflect, I am so grateful to all who have, throughout the years, been supportive and encouraging of my desire to share my love of this craft.

Recently, I was asked what is 'next' for me.  I honestly do not know.  I feel like there is something else, something more, that I am supposed to do and that I need to do it.  Of course my muse does not ever provide a map with X marks the spot, on it.  So instead I get up in the morning, creaking and moaning, trying to figure out what to do today.

If I just keep going, keep trying, keep accepting 'challenges' (write another article?  YES!) and eventually I will figure it out?  

In the meantime, I see from time to time that some of my messages have landed as people quote me (always a shock when I see it) or thank me for showing them a technique or help them solve a problem.  I have met so  many talented people who are working hard within the craft within the dream they have for themselves.  I love to see it.

Right now I have a friend who is dealing with health issues similar to my own and she has decided she wants to weave again.  So I invited her to come and re-introduce herself to the craft by weaving on my small loom.  Another friend wants to get back to weaving when she is done getting her degree.  A few local weavers are interested in my coming to guild with issues of WEFT and having a small weavers gathering.

So perhaps it isn't one 'big' thing I need to do but a multitude of 'little' things?

Tomorrow I get the next injection for my back and I will discuss tweaking my pain medication in hopes of reducing my pain some more.  I am at once hopeful and dreading it.  My hopes for less pain have been dashed over and over again.  Will this last, final, kick at the can work or?

Anyway if anyone has a little extra positive energy to send my way tomorrow at 3pm Pacific time, I'd appreciate any thoughts/prayers you can spare...

Books available at blurb and kofi