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