Weaverly

Knitting, For a Change

Sunday was the first day of a workshop with Ginger Luters, author of Module Magic. Ginger is a fine teacher and a talented designer. Her background includes tapestry weaving, and she is sensitive to issues common to weavers and knitters alike, such as repeat size, pattern orientation, color, appropriateness of yarn type to a given project, color, and (did I say color?). I've seen pictures of her work, but seeing the sample pieces in person is an experience of another magnitude. Today we worked on squares and triangles and other modules in stockinette, garter, and garter ridge, and practiced weaving in ends "as you go." Monday: more triangles. Here is Ginger explaining a fine point of knitting onto the side edge of a stockinette rectangle. The rest of the pictures are the neighborhood of the Tampa Convention Center after the rain.

Threading Proceeding at a Snail's Pace

What more can I say? This threading goes on forever. At least it's a straight draw, and I don't have to concentrate especially hard. The good news is that this is an opportunity for an Audiobook. Currently I'm listening to Felix Holt by George Eliot. I adore George Eliot, and the reader for this particular recording is one of my favorites, Nadia May. Coincidentally, Felix Holt is an apt choice for an election year. The action takes place in a fictional English town during the election of 1832.

Mail Call

Yesterday was a long day in airports and on planes, but now I’m home again have just attacked a huge mountain of mail. An interesting box arrived from Woodland Woolworks, and it contained three lovely cones of bamboo yarn, for some more scarves. It’ll be good to add these colors to my present stash of olive and cream.

The other box contained this wonderful book, Weaving in the Peruvian Highlands, which I highly recommend:

Abby Franquemont, daughter of the late Ed Franquemont revered by weavers around the world, has written a moving essay on her family’s life in Peru and their friendship with Nilda Callañaupa here. Abby’s enthusiasm about the book propelled me to buy my own copy, and it is a winner! The text with gorgeous clear color photographs includes history, many structure techniques, dyeing, warping, spinning, regional styles, garment types, methods of joining strips, and even some songs and riddles. My favorite photograph is of a weaver working on a discontinuous-warp fabric on a backstrap loom. The book is published by Interweave Press and is very reasonably priced.