Fiberside Chat on February 18, 2021 is almost here!

I'm terrible at posting video, but with the way social media is right now, I'm trying to get used to it.  Unlike the 45 takes it took me on the last video, I tried to just roll with it his morning before work (with only 9 takes this time).  This is me, lots of "uummmm"s but very excited to talk about my weaving with Fiberside Chats on February 18, 2021, 6pm EST 4pm MTS.

Register HERE.  Pick a yarn shop to support, anyone can join!

Large Leaf Me Alone Weaving Update

So. Close. To. Done.... with the weaving portion at least. There's still hours of finish work to do once I have this off-loom. I'm weaving the reaminder of the header today.  I always make my warp about a yard longer than my pattern plans for.  I do this for 2 reasons, 1) in case I change my mind after I get a few inches in to the design of the weaving and I have plenty of room to re-start and 2) once the header is finished, I'll weave a mix of plain weave and the two fabrics in green or blue for the remainder of the warp.  The extra fabric I use to stitch leaves for the leaf panel on this piece.

I'm trying a new way of video recording for my YouTube channel, so here's this morning's video of me talking about finishing work, specifically the plans for this double weave pick up.  I hate the way I sound when I'm being recorded, but oh well, I just rattle on a bit here:

Paned Vines 2002

Paned Vines (like window panes) was an experiment piece that I wove in college.  I was considering how to mix double weave with plain weave in one piece and created this.  I was weaving loose, open fabrics a lot of the time back then.  The double-weave vine portions of the "panes" are woven loosely and the solid strips vertical and horizontal are the plain weave, woven tighter.  

As a lot of "experiments" wind up, I learned a lot, it's not one of my favorite pieces, but it shows parts of my development and processes as a weaver.  When I showed it for critique the double-weave portions were a jumble and almost too sheer to see the patterns.  Thus, I ended up backing this piece with black fabric to clean up the color confusion.

Currently this piece is hanging at the Haslett Library at the Bookend through the end of this month if you're local and would like to see it in person. 

There and Back Again, 2006

There and Back Again.  This weaving is my very first tapestry (aside from a tiny purple flames piece I didn't know was tapestry I wove in high school).  I had watched other students weave tapestry in college and decided it looked like it took too long.  I laugh now at that because everything I did and that I currently create takes a really really long time anyway.   

When I moved from Colorado to Wisconsin there was a feeling of homecoming.  Colorado wasn't quite for me and moving back to the Midwest was a breath of fresh air. One of the things I missed most living in Colorado was the fall. There was a lack of crispness to the air and little or no leaf color change in Colorado.  It was a really strange feeling when we jumped right from summer to snow in Colorado, so I enjoyed every second Fall in Wisconsin.  I needed to make a piece about my little jaunt to go chase the mountains, but then ending back in the Midwest.  

I worked on this piece in my tiny studio apartment in Madison.  It took me almost the whole year I was there to weave this.  I used as many different types and textures of yarn I saw fit and played with striping along the way. There and Back Again is one of my larger pieces measuring 45.5 inches long by 28 inches wide.

It is currently on display at the Haslett Library resale book shop, The Bookend, through the end of September 2019.

Michigan League of Handweavers Conference 2019

Michigan League of Handweavers 2019 Conference is officially behind me.  I've had artwork sitting in a corner of my dining room for a bit too long (trying to keep the cats away) and to be honest I enjoy hanging this show, but the intake and pickup process has to be less on the point person making a ton of special arrangements.  I had to be pretty stern with some people towards the end and frankly, I'm exhausted from that.  The show itself turned out great, I think the quality of artwork increases every year.  I enjoyed taking notes for Cameron Taylor-Brown as she juried the show and I always appreciate conversation and critiques on my own work as part of the process. 

All of the awards will eventually be listed at MLHguild.org, I didn't feel that I had my strongest two pieces (but I got Leaf Me Alone 2 done finally!) so I'm pleased to have received an honorable mention.  MLH and being around all the weavers I now there always inspires me to get back to my loom as quikcly as possible.

I have to set up the exhibit in a classroom, and with all the pieces that needed hanging I was quite grateful for the framed works and sculptural pieces.

I spent a lot of time in Room 203, Graves Hall.

I failed to get photos, but I had also entered two bangles in the Fashion Accessories Exhibit.  Klingon Light and Ginkgo Leaf Bangle.  The fashion show was fun as always.  We have so many creative weavers and artists in this guild.  Everyone is so inspiring.

Fashion Show Finale

I did something new this year.  I have somehow been involved in MLH since 2009...I know it was 10 years ago because it was the 50 year anniversary and Karen East had recruited my help to work on and set up the Lansing Guild Exhibit.  I had heard there was a beach in Holland but never took the time or had the time to go.  So Friday was my shopping, catching up with friends and "relaxed" day.  I I went and found the beach.  I'm not a big beach person, but it was a nice sunny day to walk the pier.  I was also relieved that I had gotten my State Park tab again with my licence registration because there was no line for heading in to Holland State Park Beach.

We had two presentations Friday night.  Marta put together a short history of MLH's beginnings which was really wonderful. There is a ton of history with this Guild and she said that she barely touched on it with this showing.

Cameron Taylor-Brown also brought a fresh perspective to the presentations with her talk on "How String Changed the World."  It was definitely a different sort of keynote talk than we're used to seeing and I really enjoyed it.

It's always wonderful to get back to Hope College for a few days to reconnect with fellow weavers and our passion for fiber art. Thank you to everyone who works so hard putting this on.  It is a LOT of work.

Leaf me Alone #1

This is the small version of a much larger draft.  I needed to get back to my passion of double-weave pick-up with a small piece after having exhausted myself with triple-weave pick-up.

Detail of beaded edging

I really am enjoying doing some smaller pieces so I might stick to those before warping my loom for the massive plan I have for this particular series.  I have been making so much jewelry I forgot how good it feels to play with extra warp on double-weave.

"Leaf me Alone" was started as a thought process when I was married and miserable, but in general, I need a lot of alone time.  I don't mind (and sometimes prefer) doing things alone, skiing, dancing, concerts. I was lost in the woods a few times on my Porkies Residency, and the leaf cover was always so comforting.  Loneliness is important for me, I suppose it's like meditation. I feel very fortunate to have found someone to share my home with who feels similarly.  We do things together, but we don't need to.  So the Leaf me Alone series looks like it will continue popping up in the next group of smaller weavings (and by small I mean, approximately 15in x 10in).