No Regrets-left. My last years list of resolutions is completed and things ended and new things begun. The future is here and everything else is the past.Last years epiphany has now become reality.

Epiphany-Comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.

New resolutions-To set new goals or mile markers towards finishing goals. Create a New updated list of goals personal and professional; establish stepping stones or goals for achieving what I want. Let t go of those things I no longer need or want with out reservation.

I do have real  resolutions. Mine are to let the past stay in the past because it's over and done with and keep on moving. Get rid of  the Detritus in my life and just be me-a tapestry weaver.  Find more weaving time by saying no.  Become the storyteller I want to be and do it. Do more teaching in my studio. And, last, But not least a whole lot more journaling and writing at least 30 minutes a day. (Reflected images at the coast!)
Supposedly this can become a habit in just 22 days. Not sure how seriously I am taking this, but it’s worth a try- Anyway, I am reading a book called

Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick by Jeremy Dean. Discovered on a site that Tommye Scanlon recommended on face book Brain Pickings that’s a  great read in itself.

Thanks Tommye!

 

In December Cathie Beckman came to weave with me for  several(4) days. It was a great time. One on one teaching is wonderful. both of us learned to watch the negative and positive spaces as the dining room chair morphed into Georgia’s Chair.
The bottom sampler is one
I wover while Cathie was weaving on her piece to show several different techniques that we partially covered among other things. This Spring I will travel to teach a workshop in Cincinnati and visit again with Cathie.

 

 

Spencer and I spent Christmas at the coast at Yachats. Doing those things we love to do. Chene’s favourite perch to watch the trail along the rocks. Chene and I wandered for hours along the rocks and a trail that has been in existence for 15,000 years give or take. Spent time at the Purple Pelican looking for rug samples and pop up book at my favourite book store in Bandon.

It gave me a chance to think and journal and take pictures that I hope to use in tapestries someday.

AND, Finally to the weaving part.

 I am happy with the progress I am making on this piece. It will eventually be 12 inches by 12 inches. This is basically a memorial piece about my Dad’s life. He died a year ago December 6th. Any way, If I am lucky it should be finished in two weeks. Tax season is up on us and I weave longer hours when Spencer is doing taxes.

Another Thank You and explanation!
Rebecca Mezoff sent me one of her Grandmother’s Marian Mezoff for my collection of bobbins. They are way  large to work with on any of the looms I work on, but I really like the shape of the barrel. It’s concave rather then curving out. I have been thinking about doing a smaller riff on the bobbin. What I like is the way my fore finger naturally rest in the concave area. I think it’s a more natural and better ergonomically for arthritic fingers. Notice that the fore finger rides naturally to the side and not on top of the bobbin. Anyway,  what I meant to say is -Thank you Rebecca for the gift of your Grandmother’s bobbin. (you can see more of Rebecca’s blog post about her Grandmother at http://rebeccamezoff.blogspot.com/) I am going to talk to my bobbin maker and see if we can come up with a scaled down version to try.
Beatriz Nutz has written an article  that is being published even as I write on bobbins and such things ”Weaving Pictures. 15th Century Tapestry Production at Lengburg Castle.Archeological Textile Review; issue # 55. I am excitedly anticipating what she has to say about an historic find of bobbins. Haven’t seen the article, but I understand it has pictures of me using bobbins.
Materials in this new piece.
I have been switching back and forth and combining sewing thread and embroidery floss.
     I have discovered that
I can easily use 6 threads in my weft bundle at 20-22 epi  and not have any trouble covering. The main thing I need to watch for is that embroidery floss has a slightly more matte feeling in the weaving. After the debacle with the the silk embroidery floss I learned that using shiny things in tapestry is difficult effect because of the small length  weft that can be seen at any given time before plunging behind the next warp. I have been experimenting with changing and floating the silky threads over 2 warps. Haven’t decided if I like the effect. Have also been experimenting using floating soumack on the surface over two warps. This is a bad photo of both the long jump soumack and the silk/rayon going over two warps and under two warps
   It’s like the difference between old  mercerized sewing thread and more modern sewing threads. The cut off for old style seems to be in the 70’s between the old processes and the new processes of fiber and technique used in producing dressmakers threads. This is purely anecdotal information based on my weaving.  The older threads-prior to the 70’s- are slightly shinier and silkier then the matte like effect and coarseness of the modern dressmaker threads. In the modern threads one needs to be aware of the loft in the spinning of the thread. A fuzzy dressmakers thread even on the same spool can have areas without loft that can completely change the value of the thread as the light inter-reflects in the loft—making it appear lighter or darker when woven depending on the amount of fuzz or lack of fuzz. 
One of the things  have noticed when using embroidery floss is cost. I had to make a trip Joanne Fabrics when I ran out of the greys I was using. I am still suffering from sticker shock. A skein now cost 40-45 cents- a very large jump from the 3-5 cents I paid up until  I was in Academy in the early 60’s-I know I am really dating myself.
I rarely buy embroidery floss new. I have discovered by hanging out at estate sales I can buy it for almost nothing still in the boxes and skeins that it came in originally. Right is a picture of my last score this weekend at an estate sale over 300 skeins of rayon and cotton embroidery floss for around 20.00. I could have waited a couple of hours and possibly gotten it at 50% off put was to afraid someone else would purchase it.
PS grey is probably the hardest colour to find at estate and garage sales. 

Another 2-3techniques I have been using a lot  in this piece is actually a combining of two techniques lacing up the slide of a slit. Note note dark blue vertical line between cab and trailer and silver greys around the mud flaps)
Lacing up a slit
Cavendoli knotting---I know that some will say this isn’t cavendoli knots, but this is what is described in Victorian needlework book form the 19th century, but the name is unimportant. Normally this knot goes up one warp and creates a twisting ridge that can be moved to the back and stitched to keep in place or be fine enough to stay between two warp threads.
First lacing up a slip. It has a tendency to be toothy depending on how fine of a lacing thread one uses.

start with a larks head


wrap around warp every pass or two. The size of the vertical lace line can be varied by the amount of threads in the wrap. Usually as a slide tooth, which can vary  by the amounts of passes between the wrap or lacing thread.
Cavendoli knots on one warp

If you look closely you can see the ridge on the left side of the knots going up this warp. I have straightened because it has a tendency spiral. This can be pulled to the back and stitched in place. It makes a nice solid line up one warp that will not slide up and down as a regular wrap around the warp thread does. Compare to diagram of the process above. note ridge on left of in diagram. My camera sucks for taking close ups! Think it’s time to gift myself with a close up lens.
Combined Cavendoli and lacing
To begin it is larks headed under the first pass and the cavendoli is done on the first warp on the edge of the next pass. Again the line of knots can be sized by the amount of wefts in the knotting bundle. The knot can be made small enough that the line or ridge can be made to fit within the distance of half of the space between two warps and then stitched in place just as you would stitch in the ditch to close a slit. IT creates a very fine line up the edge of a slit.
Silver
I am back to working on my silver. I am revisiting some partially finished pieces, because my goals have changed for the box I was trying to build. I am going do a filigree box instead. So what you see are the pieces from the box, the start of a necklace and bracelet made of Malachite and Brazilian opal, and a small broken silver and amber spider that I am repairing. I have finally had the time to actually build a small corner place to work on silver and arrange it into a usable space.
I have spent part of the money  I inherited from my Dad for some tools I wanted and needed and a proper jewelers work space.
Last things to do are fix my chair and buy another fire extinguisher. This is a place I don’t have to put things away and out of sight before a piece is finished. Before you ask-no I haven’t taken up the piano. The piano stool; holds my repousse’ dish. Makes the process easier because it turns and will stand between ones legs.
Enuff-I am seriously into my weaving time.
tell next time!
kathe

Not nearly normal-yet, …and still not yet

But when is it ever-nearly normal-will be bit,  not just yet! There always seems to be a yet, that pairs itself with “in a minute.” Two words my Grandsons thought were extremely funny when they were little.I can still remember them saying –”yea, we know in a minute that hasn’t yet happened,  so when is yet?”  I was surprised and pleased to find that yet has another meaning or colloquialism. It mains gate. For some reason that appeals  to my slightly wacked out since of humour. A gate to what?

Yet “Yet is a common English word that when used as a conjunction, is equivalent to "but" or "nevertheless". However, used as an adverb, yet defines an action's persistence in time. The word can define an action in the past, present or future: Also, yet is a local dialect term in lowland Scotland and Cumbria for a gate.” From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In honour of the word yet. I just fixed the leg on my desk that has wobbled for years-irritating me beyond my normal language usage that always merit a I still haven’t fixed it yet-sigh. Well, It’s fixed-yet is now retired in the context of my desk. Now if the rest of my world would follow suite.
okay seriously-!


I did finish these two pieces for the small format show I wanted to enter. I am ready to start the third of the series and a fourth with a design about fire. The forth will be for a show called
Woven Together: Firestorm that is being presented in Colorado Springs. One can get a prospectus or try at www.pikespeakweavers.org/firestorm/firestorm.../Woven_Together_...
(just Google it, if all else fells) It’s about fire, commemoration, healing and the emotional turmoil of surviving, seeing and experiencing fire. I have always wanted to weave a piece about fire. When I was in Academy I was evacuated from a wildfire while on a camping trip in Eastern Oregon. The experience has always stayed with me.
It is such a beautiful day. Light clouds and warm enough to leave the studio door open. In a few hours Spencer and I will head out for a movie. The air conditioners are out of the studio. That was 4-7 days ago-after rain, hail, rivers of water cascading off the roof, etc, etc. Such Idyll conditions for working on a roof.
My paper work is finally caught up from the trips. After 90 days without rain. We had a monsoon. My roof decided to leak-so have spent part of the week working on details for the new roof and the new solar on the house. The solar on the studio has been a great success. We have been running negative energy bills. Anything to avoid the over saturated election news and telephones asking us to get out and vote. I voted more then a week ago. Today the roof is started, supplies bought and it’s rain showers. So, the roof is partially tarped, but the good news is my part is done.
Why I warp a mirrix like I do.
1. I am lazy. I can warp the loom so much quicker with a circular warp and get to the weaving quicker.
2. Circular warping is faster. It’s also easier to space the warps evenly on the edge that goes under or around the bottom beam. Picture from So Warped.
3. It’s easier to explain the process over the phone when I get calls from people that don’t understand the process that comes with the loom or for those who are now now the proud processors of a used mirrix loom.
4. Less prone to directional mistakes as it is warped.
5. Easier for beginning weavers and those with physical handicaps –such as shoulder problems, stiff fingers, sight problems, and directionally challenged.
6. It’s easier to correct tension problems in the warping process while weaving. Over tighten the loom, wait a few hours, preferably overnight, re-tension to the proper tension for weaving.
7. And, No, I don’t have trouble turning it around the beam. It’s actually easier. I use a batten. Loosen the tension on the loom I open a shed and put in a Navajo batten that is wider than the loom with a semi sharp edge on the fell line. Doesn’t move the warps to far apart while turning, keeps the edge of the batten on the fell line rather than opening the shed and possibly moving one part of the shed further around then the other shed-this can become a problem on a loose warp. Close the shed and turn, push, and pull the warp and piece around  to where I want the fell line to be.
8. The bars that come with mirrix loom are too fat and I loose too much weaving area by the time I bring the two sheds close enough to weave. I usually weave in 3 small bars that are an about an 8^th of an inch diameter for easier spacing and holding the warp as I space it.
9. It’s a better bet when using dual duty craft and button hole twist as the warp. Less chance of mistakes and a better chance of correcting warp tension and warping with even tension as one tires during the process of winding the warp around the beams and through the spring(S).
More bits, pieces, And random  thoughts on technique
Beverly Weaver in one of my two classes in Co. Springs for the Pikes Peak Hand weaving Guild made me aware of another use for soumack in the design process. I teach about handiness(right or left slant) all of the time. I use it for outlining, edges, concentric circles and nested squares.and spirals etc. What I never thought about doing is using in the design process to move the eye out or in and creating a Vasarely type of effect. The slant of the soumack turns can be used to move the eye outward or inward. By using the slant in relation ship to colour contrast-such as complements or warm and cool one can create more dimensions in the shape.
In the two pictures above Pike Peaks early morning. second photo note the slant of the soumack. Slant is called handedness and is dependent on the turn of the soumack weft  wrapper.
One can add a second element to the op effect by the colour contrast used in the ground and on the twiner-extreme would be red-green, orange to blue etc. By using warm and cool contrast or light and dark contrast the effect could be even more pronounced.

More random thoughts of Colorado Springs.
Work that done by Susan Seufer and Carole Stewart who had taken by Albuquerque class  and classes in Colorado Springs. Susan also had a piece in the Portals Small Format exhibit and catalogue.
One of the nicest surprises-  besides the wonderful people in my workshops- I had  while teaching in Colorado Springs was to walk through a door and find two really nice 16th century Flemish Tapestries that were on loan. They were placed in such a way they were almost impossible to photograph except for details, Baby grands lights and tables are notoriously hard to photograph around, but I did get some great details to work with. I also fell in love with the Devils Garden and it’s very thin outgrowths of rock. Sort of looked like a dinosaur or a dragon had fallen asleep leaving the spines, fins and spikes on his back at attention.

Ann V.- E.- This is a reminder-How is the 24 year old tapestry coming along!gr!!!! Thanks for a wonderful evening and returning my IPAD!

Even more Random!  OF Pig Tales and Pig Tails
I think one of the  easiest techniques for beginning and ending weft bundles can also be one of the hardest.  It’s a technique that I demonstrate over and over.  What makes it difficult is when you don’t understand hills and valleys. When your weaving hills are where the weft crosses in front of a warp thread and valley thread goes behind a warp thread- also know as hollow and full threads. 
Half passes by nature  want to create a doted line- an over and under. Pigtails just want to create a wrap whether it creates an over and under trip or not.  In order to create a half pass that creates a line of dots.(remember a half pass creates dots an over and a back a complete pass always creates a line.) there are two side by side warps to consider. One warp  will always be an over and the other under. In order for the pigtail to be created on the warp you want it has to  turn around either a hill thread or a hollow thread. Sometimes it has to go behind two threads to maintain the over and under pattern of the half pass. The tail will always need to curl around  a warp and under the weft thread to get the tail to the back of the tapestry.
O yeah-the tale- the reason it’s called a pigtail-pigs used to have corkscrew type tails that curled like –well-pigs tails. I have been informed by a student that most modern pigs no longer have cork screw tails.
GEORGIA ON MY MIND!… AND, PARTS OF THE CAROLINA’S TOO-
My workshop in  Atlanta with the Chattahogee Hand weaver's Guild was fun. There is some great work that will becoming out of this group. It’s going to be interesting to see the cartoons people were working on become full fledged tapestries.  I was able to visit with John Moss and Joy Moss that are woodworkers that create the brassy bob’s that I love to use. I now have enough jpegs to create a short slide presentation of the process. Watching John make them was totally fascinating.
Tommye Scanlin and I went through  a “forced March through Georgia”gr a quote from Thomas Scanlin who introduced me to his wonderful collection of out sider art. I loved ever minute of it. In the process of the “forced march”, I saw Hambridge Retreat, John C. Campbell's Craft School,  petroglyphs, fall in the Appalachians,  Pat Williams  church kneelers(I am still laughing over the image of Gabriel's thought provoking feathers),  that was very interesting. I am now the proud  owner of a Patricia Williams tapestry-who weaves ironic funny tapestries that really appeal to my wacked out sense of humour. Tommye and Pat are also great tapestry teachers and tapestry weavers. Saw Tommye’s feather cartoon. It’s even better in person.   It was so great to talk about tapestry and design with the two of them. I leaned a lot from my students too and renewed my sense of awe in the power that tapestries can produce-Thank you “crutch lady!” I even enjoyed riding Marta with Tommye and all the breaks in conversation! Thanks Tommye1

Any way, enough for now! I have so much stuff and pictures to go through and writing to do about the last 2 months that it will take me forever to journal about it all! So random is how it is
kathe