Weaverly

The Sublime and the Everyday

Last week we went to Columbia for a look at the current exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art, "Van Gogh and His Inspirations." The exhibition was quite interesting, presenting a look at some of the artists who influenced van Gogh. There were a few of van Gogh's own paintings on display, including the wonderful "Weaver", on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In my old studio I had a postcard of this painting tacked above my sewing table, and it was a thrill to see the original.

Yesterday on my walk, I saw the Blue Heron again, in a totally relaxed pose, strolling down the little stream which leads to Swan Lake. He seems to be fearless, and quite used to humans, unlike the Blue Heron I used to see occasionally in the stream beside my old house. 

Back in the studio, I am weaving the third piece on this striped warp. It's fun to find interesting weave drafts for straight draw on 16 shafts on handweaving.net and see how different they look woven up.

Here's a closeup. I expect it will be a lot more "nubbly" after it's washed.

Both Sides Now

There's enough woven so that I can easily see the reverse side...

...but I see a little more than I wanted. A weaving error. Such is life. As this piece is destined for further construction, perhaps the error can be hidden. I am hopeful.

I wish you joy in this winter season, and may all your sheds be clean and your shuttles glide smoothly in the new year.

My New Studio

Some of you have asked about my new studio. Here it is! Love & thanks to Bruce for the pictures.

Rainy Day Doings

First there is eight ounces of Corriedale fleece I spun over the last few months, and it is having a good wash in the bathroom sink.

Then there is a problematic project with differential of shrinkage. The skinny yarn is overseen cotton and it is supposed to shrink. But meanwhile it's behaving badly on the loom and is pretty much out of control. I may not be able to complete the scarf.

Finally here is a new piece on an old warp. It's a straight draw on 16 shafts, and lends itself to all sorts of weaves.

Going well.

What I Did On My Lunch Hour

Downtown Greenville SC today.

My new friend Larry gave me a ride. Thank you, Larry. 

Larry doesn't really have a little person growing out of the top of his head.

Where were the TV cameras? We were yelling as loud as we could.

Will it do any good? I hope so.

A Brown Palette

This is a season of browns, for some reason. I finished weaving the lengths for the poncho, hemstitched, cut off, and here are the fringes being twisted. It's now washed & hanging to dry. Then the lengths will be sewed together (minus the neck hole), and we will have another Clint Eastwood lookalike.

Last night's sunset was in the same palette. Good planning, or what?

This morning, walking around the lake. Plenty of browns, and that gorgeous blue sky. Above and below.

Out to lunch with the spinners on Friday. Carrot pancakes and spiced apples. Locally sourced. Yum! 

More wildlife around the lake. A parliament of fowls.

An early morning walk over the weekend. Stripes.

Someone left a bicycle mirror hanging on a tree in the woods. How can you not take a selfie?

 

Selective Focus

This is definitely slow cloth -- 6 yards of handspun warp, plain weave, on a table loom. But it is very pleasant to weave, and most days I spend an hour or two on it. 

The loom (my new Louet Jane, with warp & cloth beams moved to the uprights on the floor stand) shows an interesting view of the path of the cloth. In this photo, you can see the warp beam on the bottom, and the cloth beam above it. I've focused on the cloth beam here. Everything else is out of focus.

And in the next photo, I've focused on the cloth at the fell. This will eventually become a poncho. Remember ponchos? I wove so many of them in the Sixties. Now they're back again. 

Those muted autumnal colors came back to me this morning on my walk. It was very misty. I saw flotillas of ducks, the black swans, the white swans, and a blue heron. 

In the department of books, here are a few I recently finished reading. All recommended for your pleasure. Olive, Again, by Elizabeth Strout (a sequel of sorts to Olive Kitteridge, which I also enjoyed); The Noise of Time, by Julian Barnes (fictionalized biography of Dmitri Shostakovich); and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, by Elizabeth Taylor.

 

Shades of Brown & Gray

Some recent observations. A walk in the woods.

A jacquard sighting in a waiting room.

A walk around the lake this past weekend.

Another walk around the lake.

A new warp.

And something to really celebrate: we have unpacked the very last carton. All books and records are shelved. We pause now for some liquid refreshment!