Bench Marks

The Efficient Weaver

From time to time I do a check on my productivity.  Partly it is a way to see how I'm doing.  Partly it is curiousity.  With all my health issues and not being able to weave over the summer, I started wondering if I had slipped on my skills.  Or was I back up to speed?

With the AVL and weaving software, I can easily count how many picks I weave in a session if I just keep track of the number of picks when I start and stop.  So today I did that.

In a 45 minute session I did about 1750 picks.  Now this includes the bobbin changes, the shuttle jams (because, linen), backing up a couple of times because the weft loop pulled in too tight (because shuttle jams), and so on.  So my actual weaving speed is higher than that.  I have been estimating about 48 picks per minute.  With all the stoppages, actual productivity was about 38 picks per minute, so it seems as though I'm pretty much back up to speed.

As I've said before (and will no doubt say again) working efficiently is not hurrying.  It is rather, a mental attitude first and foremost.  The attitude that one's time is more precious than anything else, and then consciously working towards minimizing the amount of effort put into a physical activity.  It is not something that happens overnight, nor all of a sudden.  You have to work at it.  The more often you do a physical skill (whatever that may be) the better you will get at it if you pay attention and constantly monitor your progress.

"If I change this to that, does it make it better?  Does it allow me to work more effectively with less strain?"

Minimum input, maximum output.

It's the name of the game.

A Day Off

It is rare that I take a day 'off'.  Usually the reason I'm not working is because I'm too sick to get to the studio.  But yesterday I didn't go to the studio at all.  I had massage in the morning and as usual she asked if I was going to take the rest of the day 'easy'.  With every intention of going to the studio I assured her that I would - fingers crossed behind my back, so to speak.

But the day was nasty with near blizzard conditions and it was dark and dreary.  I hadn't had a chance to visit with my neighbour for a while so instead of heading to the studio after lunch, I phoned and asked if she felt like a visit.  She did, so I went over and we had a long visit getting caught up on the past month (or more) since I'd seen her last.

By the time I got home it was 4 pm and I just didn't feel like doing anything...so I didn't.

Today is a much nicer day, though.  The snow stopped after dinner last night and the temperatures dropped bringing a lovely bright sun shiny day today.  A quick trip to town for a few minor errands before the weekend and after lunch I fired up the AVL and finished off (sort of) the wound beige bobbins.  There might just possibly be enough for one more towel, but I was anxious to see the brown weft, so said to heck with it, and began.

The brown linen slub is just slightly thicker than the natural so I adjusted the pick count from 28 to 26 and I think it's good to go.

It doesn't seem like 28 or 26 picks per inch would make a significant difference over 32, but it does.  These are going to go so much more quickly than the singles 20 (or whatever it was) I have been using!

Currently reading In A Dark House by Deborah Crombie

Uninspired

click on photo to biggify

Perhaps it is because I'm still tired.  Perhaps it is because of the string of grey dreary days we have been having.  Perhaps it is because a similar coloured warp I wove earlier this year failed to sell at the craft fairs.  Perhaps it is because these neutral beige shades really don't speak to me on a personal level.  Whatever the reason, I'm finding myself rather uninspired by the results.

Last year at NEWS, I cleaned out a vendor of all of their fine slubby linen in a dark sort of reddish brown.  (I left the other 70's colours - somehow harvest gold and the green that went with it just did not call my name.  At all!  We won't even mention the orange.)

Once I've finished weaving off the bobbins of the natural beige linen that are already wound, which should give me about 5 towels - and finished a small cone of the 3 of this yarn I have - I am going to switch to the dark brown.  I'm not sure I'll like that any better, but it should be a lot more dramatic and visually dynamic.  If there is still warp left when I've finished the brown, I will switch back to the natural.

I'm quite sure that once wet finished the more neutral beige will look just fine.  I just need something a little more visually stimulating right now.  Not to mention the brown linen needs to be used up, too.

In the meantime, we are waiting for the snow that has been predicted in a snow advisory.  Supposedly 8-10+ inches by tomorrow morning.  It still hasn't started snowing, so perhaps we'll get lucky and the storm will pass us by.  If not, I expect to spend some quality time at the loom tomorrow.  Doug still hasn't unloaded the van, and may not be able to for a few days if the snow does dump on us.  But once the boxes are emptied I will be selecting things to go on 'sale' like I did over the summer - iow, buy two (or more) items and get free shipping.

I still have copies of A Good Yarn:  Rayon, Weave a V by Kerstin Fro:berg and lots and lots of tea towels.  Just in case Santa needs a hint...

Feedback

Dear Laura,

 
I have just spent THE most enjoyable afternoon with you (via your DVD The  
Efficient Weaver).

 
You have brought enlightenment, many "ah ha" moments, along with several "duh -  
why did I ever do it any other way" comments. 

Living in Australia, there are very few weaving classes available, so most of my  
learning has been done via books, DVD's and the internet.  

Your DVD now has pride of place on my shelving units, never to see the inside of  
the filing cabinet where many other DVD's have been placed. 

Your clear and insightful instructions are the best that I have had the pleasure of  
viewing, and I just wish that I could pluck you from the screen and sit you down  
beside me just to chat and enjoy a nice drink and some lovely food. 

Thank you SO much for your generosity of spirit, and for making my weaving world  
a much less stressful place to be. 

So many thanks 

Happy Weaving 
Belinda

Several people have sent emails with lovely comments.  Belinda's arrived while we were on our trip round the craft fairs and I was beginning to feel very exhausted.  What a lovely lift to read her words - and those of the people who have written reviews on Weaving Today, Craft Daily and Ravelry as well as the personal emails that have arrived over the summer and into the winter.

No matter how much I love weaving, there are times - especially right now - when doing what needs to be done takes more energy than I really have.  I told Doug last night that with all my health issues, I really can't do shows by myself any more and I am grateful beyond words that he is willing to do the (literal) heavy lifting.

The good news is that I have a tentative surgical date.  Hopefully sometime in January I will have the by-pass surgery and be back in fine form (other than all the other chronic issues I still have to deal with) by spring.  Also while we were away I received another request to vend at the Alberta conference in May - this time I said yes, because I ought to be fully recovered by then.  I should also be at Olds in June although I won't know for sure until spring.  But it looks like those can go ahead without any problems.  If, that is, my body decides to co-operate.

After a truly horrible summer, I am once again (cautiously) optimistic about being able to have my brain and body back and functioning.  But I doubt I will do much traveling to teach unless it is within driving distance.  Even then I'm not sure I can any more manage 12 hour drives on my own.  So I will probably attempt a trip to Seattle next summer to visit friends and see if I can manage on my own or not.

Getting old is not for sissies!

Half

Art Market is halfway done.  I'm glad.

While I love weaving, I love even more that people pay me to take my textiles home.  While chatting with another vendor at another show, we talked about how the selling was the hardest part of being a professional craftsperson.   And then he summed it up by observing that if you don't sell what you make it might as well stay on the shelf as raw materials.

Since the whole point is to earn an income by making things, said things have to sell in order to pay the bills, buy food, and, oh yes, buy more raw materials.

Which is why it is disconcerting to have people offer to 'pay' you by offering 'exposure'.  The latest is a blog post by Revolvo.  (I'm on my iPad and can't easily link, but I am quite confident a quick search will bring you to her Blog.)

She said it much more eloquently than I could, so if you are interested, do read her blog.

It seems North American society has by and large lost an appreciation for the arts...unless someone soars to celebrity status.  Nowadays they don't even have to be particularly talented, apparently, because technology can fix less than stellar performances.  Most people are so removed from how things are made that they don't understand what goes into making textiles (or pottery, or whatever).  

And so craft fairs often turn into an educational experience as people ask if the vendors have actually made everything in the booth.  Then they want to know how long it takes.  I try not to get vexed at this question, but use it as an opportunity to explain how weaving works.  And how much time is involved.

An informed public has to be a more appreciative public.

What most people don't understand is that making things and selling them means that you are in business.  That means we have to pay attention to our budget, know how to schedule production, figure out legal requirements, design packaging or labels, hone our marketing skills.  The fact that we enjoy the making of our product does not mean that we should be expected to work for nothing.   Or 'exposure'.

Having spent about 40 years learning my craft, I have achieved a pretty high level of skill.  In any other field I would be making a whole lot more money and have a tidy pension plan.  Instead I chose to be self employed for the satisfaction of directing my own life the way I wanted it.

Am I complaining?   Perhaps a little.  But would I have changed my life in order to have more security?  No.  That doesn't mean that I will any longer work for 'exposure', though.

Art Market

At last, we are done.  Took longer today than usual, for some reason.   Maybe because we are getting tired?   Maybe because Doug returned the van to the hotel when it was empty.  Maybe because we use extra lights at this show to get more light on the product on the shelves.  Maybe all of the above?

We are finally back at the hotel having a toes up time.  We will probably go back to the bar and grill just down the block for dinner later.  The prices were good and the food is decent.  And I don't need anything fancy.  

Adventures

We were very lucky with the weather on the drive from Vancouver to Calgary.  The road was dry, it didn't precipitate.  Things could have been a lot more...interesting.  

We stopped for the night, not terribly late, and when I went to enter the room, realized it was already occupied.  I don't think anyone was actually in the room, but I rapidly backed out and closed the door. We were able to get another room and didn't have to share.  

What we didn't realize is that the town of Golden, BC is undergoing some major construction.  24/7, no less.  Needless to say we didn't have a very restful night.  

We moseyed on to Calgary, arriving at our hotel along with a fleet of emergency vehicles.  There was some sort of natural gas issue.  We left the van in the hotel parking lot and found a coffee shop to wait while they figured it out.  Apparently the vent exhaust was getting sucked into the fresh air intake.  Fortunately it didn't take long to get sorted out but with one thing and another, we never did get lunch. 

I really hope that is the extent of the...interesting...unless it is mega sales at Art Market.