Variations and Options

A threading draft is just a set of pre-programmed options which may be executed in a variety of ways.

The above photo is a sampler I did for the GCW master weaver certificate.

The requirement was to take a 'traditional' overshot threading, weave a repeat of that, then weave it in 'rose' fashion, then in 'monk's belt' fashion.  (There were other options as well, but this is what fit on the scanner flat bed.  Besides, it's the 'star' and 'rose' fashions I want to talk about here.)

I covered this more extensively in The Intentional Weaver so I am just going to cover a few points.

Not every overshot draft can be effectively converted to 'rose'.  If you look at the above photo, the top design has very strong diagonal lines running through the entire motif.  The middle sample, has very strong circles in the design - the 'rose'.

The conversion can also be 'tricky' because the treadling sequence depends on exchanging blocks in the design.  This can be done by not changing the tie up and treadling it, or by changing the tie up and following the 'star' (traditional) treadling. 

But the underlying threading has to be able to exchange those blocks to create the circles or 'roses'.

It is possible to take a 'rose' threading (M. P. Davison has a section on rose designs) and convert them to a star, too.

An overshot threading can be woven in other weave structures.  If the design has small units/blocks, it can be woven in a 2:2 twill, lacey, honeycomb along with others.

Overshot is characterized by areas of floats (generally considered the design/motif), half-tones and plain weave.  Larger sized designs may have very long pattern floats, so sometimes the pattern float is tied down so that there is no plain weave area as such, but only the floats and half-tones. 

When going to overshot on eight shafts, it is possible to have no half-tones at all, or weave the overshot motif in double weave so that you don't have long floats, but still retain the motif.  Much like I have been taking overshot motifs and converting them to twill blocks (because I have the 16 shafts needed to do that.)

I frequently use the traditional Snail's Trails and Cat's Paws motif for tea towels.  It's a fairly large motif which has a strong graphic look to it. 

The warp on the loom right now is the  Canadian Snowflake twill (derived from the 8 shaft Swedish Snowflake into a four shaft twill) which I converted into twill blocks.

Once someone understands the potential in a threading draft, they can play with it and manipulate it to create unique textiles.

Where DOES the Time Go?

Goodness, while I have been distracted with book, health issues, conference, suddenly a deluge of homework to mark and - gulp - deadlines to sign up for the Olds satellite classes are upon us!

There are several classes that need to be registered for very quickly - Tenino, WA and Cape Breton, NS.  These are satellite classes, presented outside of the Olds College campus.  (There was another satellite class on the Sunshine Coast but that one slid by on me already...Date: March 20 - 24, 2019, 9am - 4pm  Location: 12887 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0)

Tenino, WA is just outside of Olympia, WA, about two hours south of the Sea-Tac airport (Seattle-Tacoma).

The class in Cape Breton is at the Gaelic College in Englishtown, NS.

The Tenino class is level two, following on from level one last year, May 6-10.

In Cape Breton, Dianne is trying to build on previous years and they are offering level one May 6-10, level three May 13-17 and level two May 20-24.

The other satellite program is in Elkin, NC and the dates in August are level 2 Aug 5-9, level one Aug 12-16 (I'm scheduled to teach these classes). 

Fibre Week will take place July 5-11 this year.  The master weaving and spinning classes will take place July 7-11.  I am reserving the dates although I have not yet heard if I will be teaching there this year.

I see on groups that people ask, from time to time, about stepping up their game, where can they go to learn more?  There are a number of options, but the Olds program is a bit different.  Firstly it is a for credit college certificate course.  However, you don't need to attend for two years, you go for five days in person instruction, then go home to fulfill the homework requirements. 

The focus is on understanding the principles and honing the physical skills.  There is a lot of theory, but also a lot of challenge in that the goal is to produce a textile as close to the course requirements as possible.

Classes are generally between 8 and 12 people, so not a huge group.  And the other advantage is that if you take one level at one campus, you can take the next level at a different campus. 

I am keeping fingers crossed that everything planned runs - although sometimes it doesn't always work out.  But if a class doesn't run at one location, or the dates aren't good for you, you can switch to a different location.

Not Perfect

Yes, I have a piece of paper that says I am a 'master weaver'.

No, I am not perfect.

Some days I struggle.  With concentration.  With focus.  With brain fog/fatigue.  With co-ordination.

This one little 'flaw'?  Proof that I am human.  I make mistakes.  I struggle, physically, mentally, emotionally.  Just like every other human being.

Am I going to beat myself up because this scarf has this one tiny 'flaw'? 

No.  Absolutely not.  The world will beat on me quite enough, thankyouverymuch.  I don't need to do it to myself.  Especially over something that most people will not notice, and - even if they do - won't care about.

Mastering a craft does not mean that you no longer make mistakes.  It does not mean that you are 'perfect'.  What it means is that you have a basic understanding of the craft.  You know how your tools work, and which ones are appropriate in the circumstances.  It means you understand the craft well beyond a superficial level.  And that you understand that there will be no end to the number of layers you can peel off and still learn something new.

Currently reading The Shoe Boy; a trapline memoir by Duncan McCue  (rant coming)

I have lived in Canada all my life.  But I'm white.  My experience does not reflect the experience of recent immigrants, or - especially - the people who were here before the Europeans came.

If you are white, please take the time to understand life from the point of view of others.  White is not the 'default' of most of the world.  It's time white folk understood that.

For Canadians, take the time to watch some of the programs on the APTN network.  Start with 1491; North America before Columbus.  Watch Wild Archeology.  Go to the NFB website and watch some of the documentaries there on the aboriginal point of view and/or experience.  If you are from central BC (or anywhere, really), read books like Stoney Creek Woman by Bridget Moran.  Or The Right to be Cold by Sheila Watt-Cloutier. 

And let us all try to do better for each other, be better for each other.  We are all on this planet together and together we sink or swim.  Perhaps literally, given global climate change...

Time Flies

It has been 2 years, 4 months and one week (plus a couple of days, but who's counting?) since my surgery.  

I was warned it would be a one year recovery, possibly two, some said three.  Well, frankly it has only been the past little while that I have felt anywhere close to functional.  But I'm not expecting to regain everything I lost.  After all, I am 2 years, 4 months and a week (or so) older. Other health issues have reared their unlovely heads during that time and my activity horizon has definitely shrunk.

That doesn't mean I'm not trying to push that horizon further back - joining the Y was one thing I figured would help.  Increase my strength and overall fitness, and that would have to help, surely?

Even so, I incorporated weaving into my recovery routine, knowing that mentally it would help enormously if I could get to the loom and gauge my recovery by how much more stamina I had by being active.  I did the same after breaking my ankle, and also during chemo - although that was a downhill slide until it was done.

I would feel frustrated at how little I could do and people would tell me that I could do more on a 'bad' day then they could on a 'good' one.

But weaving is my profession.  I'm very good at it.  I'm very efficient at it.  So trying to compare me to most other weavers is chalk and cheese.  

It took me a very long time to feel comfortable with the mantle of 'master weaver'.  But a master doesn't just make things, they also know how to do it efficiently, ergonomically.  They understand their materials, processes, equipment.  They know when something is working, when it isn't, how to fix it and when to give up and begin again.  They understand the nuances of the craft in a way that others who have not taken the time to dig into it all simply cannot  

So when people say they don't want to be efficient, I get that.  But I am all too aware at how close I came, not once but several times, to running out of time.  Forever.  And I'm not done yet.  So I do not want to work artificially slowly using tools that aren't engineered well, processes that are not appropriate to my materials, materials that are not appropriate to my intended end result.  

Mastering the craft means that efficiency will increase as skills increase, knowledge increases.  So yes.  I want to work as efficiently as I can.  Because time flies...

A Student's Journey

Nancy T included this summary of the experience doing Olds Master Weaving class as part of her homework.  I asked if she would allow me to post it to my blog.

My Journey from Olds to Final Project

This has been a journey of learning, disappointment, achievement and frustration.  Weaving with wool was my first challenge as I had never woven with wool until I arrived in Olds.  I thought the comparative book report would be the death of me; I seemed to get over that hurdle, then there was the weaving. 

My next plan of attack was to wind one warp 8 yards long which would weave 2 yards of plain weave and two yards of twill along with the six sett samples.  I found a very nice Peruvian wool, which I enjoyed working with.  I was very pleased with the sett samples, and the 2 yards of plain weave.  With a square at my side I wove and measured and unwove and rewove and remeasured, cut off samples, washed samples, resleyed, wove, measured, unwove as I tried to achieve a 45 degree angle for the 2 yards of twill.  I was at the point of settling or declaring defeat and walking away from the remainder of the homework.  So I settled and that is what I submitted.

With my remaining warp I moved on to the weft faced sample which I wove 3 times and was satisfied with the third sample.  Finally I reached the warp faced sample; only to discover that I couldn’t get an open shed as the friction of the yarn that was sleyed and threaded so closely together was impossible to pry apart.  I tried this sample with a reed and without a reed and was unsuccessful.  I was very discouraged as I would have to start again with the sett sample exercise using a different yarn as the instructions indicated that the same yarn was to be used for all sett samples.

I had woven beautiful samples that I couldn’t use, I was disappointed.

I decided to change gears and weave the value gamp.  I thought the book report was bad, how hard can it be to weave a value gamp? It was as if I had never woven a thing in my life.  My edges were so bad, they were like nothing I have ever woven.  After weaving samples and finishing them it appeared I had figured out the sett and ppi and was ready to go.  Again I couldn’t master the final product to achieve 2 inch squares so I settled, not pleased with my work again it was decision time to continue or declare defeat.  I dusted myself off and thought I’d better see if I can achieve a warp faced sample using the remaining warp from my value gamp.  A true test to myself to achieve this weave structure would be to use the rust yarn for the weft in a warp that contained the six colors of my value gamp. I did it!! Finally there was something positive to build on so I would wind another warp to redo the sett samples along with the weft faced sample.

As I worked through the sett samples I liked what I saw with the colors which got me thinking of the final project which I had decided long ago, it would be a scarf.  Through the finishing of the sett samples I was pleased with the hand and drape of the 9 e.p.i. so I was quite sure that would be the sett I would use for my scarf.  One additional sample was woven at 10 e.p.i. just to confirm that 9 e.p.i. was what I wanted, and it was so I completed my final scarf project.

I’m very happy that I have become very proficient and oh so comfortable in threading, resleying and dressing looms. I have learned so much throughout this journey.  I’ve learned how to place yarn instead of beat it, how lightly dyed yarns have more spring than darker dyed yarns which was most likely the reason for the uneven tension in my value gamp; about keeping better records, what fibres can and can’t do and how they react when finished; what I can and cannot achieve, how determined I am to continue and hopefully succeed, and how important it is to weave with your heart.  Nothing that I have woven throughout this journey was done by my heart (with the exception of my final project) it was woven with a tape measure and square being used every ½ inch to see if I was on track and if not it was unwoven.  I’m sure I unwove just as much as I wove.

When it was time to weave my final project, and with the luxury of it being my own design, I put all that I learned into play but with no “rules” I wove the scarf with rhythm and enjoyment and most of all the way I like to weave, from my heart, it was a joy to weave and I am very pleased with my final product.

Without the support of a fellow classmate I’m not sure I would have made it to the end.  Through all of the trials and tribulations I was never turned off of weaving, to which I am thankful and happy.  I’m looking forward to weaving my next project using all that I have learned and once again weave from my heart.

At the end of it all I am looking forward to returning to Olds to take the Level 2 course.

Away We Go!

Heard from the college today.  They anticipate that registration for the classes in Prince George will go live sometime on Tuesday. (Feb. 21)

To recap -

Level 1 - May 13-18

Level 2 - May 20-25

The classes here are six days, not five, with a maximum of 10 students.  They will be held in the guild room, and some floor looms are available for the use of the students.  The guild room is fully furnished, has a/c, a small fridge, tables, chairs, bobbin winders, warping boards and a mill.  Shuttles are available, but best to bring your own as well as bobbins.

Otherwise, bring the usual sort of things - binder, paper including graph paper or laptop with weaving software, scissors, measuring tape, pins, etc.

If you are from out of town, there are hotels/motels nearby - a five minute or so walk - more further away.  There are also restaurants at most of the motels or bring a lunch.

The room can be open in the evenings - I usually return to the room for an hour or so after dinner to answer questions.

If you have any questions, contact me laura at laurafry dot com

The Fun Begins

While this isn't the first box of homework from the Olds class (in Olds) it is the first of this year.  I'm feeling weary right now so probably won't do more than just go through it, and then really start on it tomorrow.  I like to get an over view of what has been sent in, then read through the written work and get a feel for the progress the student has made on this journey.

I think level one is hard for a number of reasons.  It is not like a weaving workshop - the aims and objectives are different, for one thing.  It is perhaps more challenging in some ways partly because the goal is to bring a consistency to the learning of the craft.  The graduates of this program should all have similar basic foundations of knowledge because they are all working to the same curriculum.

Will they know everything there is to know at the end?  No.  Not at all.  But they should have achieved the ability to think critically about the craft and their approach to achieving their intended cloth.  They should be able to think through how to approach an area that they may not have encountered before.  They should be able to bring creative solutions to difficulties they may encounter.  They should be able to understand the basic principles of the craft, understand their equipment and materials and how and when to use the various tools.

As an instructor it is also challenging for me, too.  I have to follow the curriculum and ensure everyone understands it.  I need to give them the tools to go further on their own.  I need to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.  I must not spoon feed them information, but encourage them to seek answers for themselves.  Because sometimes my answers will not be theirs.

Change one thing, and everything can change.

Registration for Fibre Week will begin on March 1.  Registration for the satellite program in Cape Breton is open now.  Last I heard there were just five places left.  Registration for the satellite program in Prince George should be available on the website by the end of next week, possibly earlier.  Classes at Yadkin are taking registrations now.

To recap:

Prince George Level one May 13-18

Prince George Level two May 20-25 (both classes are SIX days, not five as elsewhere)

Cape Breton Level one June 5-9

Old College (AB) potentially all levels June 16-22

Proficiency

What is a 'master' weaver?  Does s/he create 'perfect' textiles, every single time?

Actually, no.

A master weaver is someone who understands their materials, understands how their equipment works, understands how to work ergonomically in order to reduce stress on their bodies, understands the basic weave structures and can manipulate all of the above in order to achieve - as closely as humanly possible - the results they desire.

In order to increase proficiency, practitioners need to push boundaries, and at times, fail.  Failure defines the limits of what they are doing and if they can achieve their goals following that path or if they need to tweak their approach in some way.

There are ways to test ones proficiency - there are testing programs administered by the Guild of Canadian Weavers and Handweavers Guild of America as well as some guilds.  These programs are a way to find out if the person knows what they think they know.  They are also useful for pushing the candidate to perhaps explore things they might not have on their own, mainly because those things don't particularly interest them.

Then there are learning/teaching programs.

The one I am most familiar with is the Olds College Master Weaver course.  The program has been growing, and it will now be hosted in Cape Breton at the Gaelic College June 5-9.

I have been honoured to teach the level one classes for the past few years.  I love teaching level one (although I'm sure I will equally love the other levels when the opportunity arises!)

Teaching level one means I get to introduce weavers to the concept of mastering the craft.  The course is not one where the student walks into the classroom, gets given the information they need to pass, executes that information, then goes on to the next level.  That is not mastering, that is teaching to the test.

Rather the program offers the student an opportunity to open their minds to the possibilities inherent in the craft.  To understand their materials, equipment, and processes.  To pay attention to their body to minimize injury from repetitive motions (or at least, they do in my level one classes, because how could I not?)

Students are given challenges and encouraged to explore the possibilities in order to increase their own personal database of information, to push their boundaries, even to the point of 'failure' in some cases.

They must document what they do and extrapolate from their experiences.  They must analyze their results and draw conclusions.

I would like to see the craft remain healthy and robust.  In order for that to happen, weavers must learn facts, not myths.  They must learn to think for themselves.  They must get comfortable with not being 'perfect'.  They must learn the limits and tolerances of the tools and materials.  And when something is 'good enough'.

I really hope that the college will announce the classes here in Prince George soon as I know people need time to book time off from work or family obligations.  They are working on it, and early reports say that they should be available on the web site for registration this year.

Stay tuned!

Teaching

Finally got my 2017 calendar up and began entering possible dates for events.  Next spring is really beginning to fill up.  Which is great, but so far all of those dates are tentative.  

So, dear readers, I need some feedback...

Right now I am holding dates for possible Olds Master Weaving classes here in Prince George.  I am assuming there will be enough people to run level two. There has also been some interest in another level one.  I need to know if there is enough interest to negotiate with the college to have a level two AND a level one, here in PG in 2017.  

Advantage?  I am running the class over six days instead of five at the college.   If anyone is interested in attending either level here, please email me so I know to start discussions with the college.  (As a side note, if you have taken one at the college you can take two here, and vice versa.)

There has also been discussion with other institutions elsewhere about establishing satellite classes in other locations.  As things get settled I will post updates.  (The classes in Yadkin, NC are filling up as quickly as they can be scheduled...a very positive development!)

So please, if you are interested in the master weaving program here, email me so I know to begin the process with the college administration.  Laura at laurafry dot com