Weaving Challenges have something to teach us and the latest woven projects

Each weaving project  captures a certain period in our life. While we are preparing the warp threads, dressing the loom, weaving the item, countless thoughts, feelings and events travels through our mind. The woven project becomes almost a record of that period, whether through easy or challenging times, it is a testament to our lives, our perserverance and our hope. We learn in weaving, as in life, that if we work steadily through the frustrations, the disappointments, the challenges that each project brings to us, we will still produce something that others will certainly admire, eventhough we may not being having such kind thoughts about our work. The lessons we learn while weaving can very much be applied to our daily lives and relationships with ourselves and others.

Anne is featured above in front of her doubleweave afghan. She had many challenges with this. She was very enthusiastic about this wonderful hand dyed mohair yarn from New Zealand which she purchased when she was there for a few months. We discovered that doubleweave with sticky yarn/wool is not a good idea, and using a counterbalance made it even more challenging. The project started out with the intention of being a cape, and due to the challenges, Anne decided to make it a throw. Anne responded to last week's blog and said:  "Thank you for this wonderful posting. It was very meaningful to me, as is your wise friendship. I finished my blanket, and it looks really lovely. I have decided to give it to Phil, my husband, as his 60th birthday present. I will tell him how this weaving project is similar to our relationship - imperfect, difficult in the making, but beautiful, warm, and worth the effort. I wanted to give up on it, and I now so appreciate your heartfelt encouragement to persist and complete it......" What you have said here Anne, I know inspires us all!

Gert Rogers completed this afghan for her daughter in Lemieux 2 ply.  She is making another for another daugther. Gert asked me why I write the blog. It's easy for me because you, and each student, what they say, how they react, what they do, inspires me and I enjoy writing about and sharing what inspires me.

Registration for the Spring weaving classes has begun. Please register asap. At risk are the evening classes in particular, Monday evening. If you have a project on a loom and are intending to complete, please get your registration in immediately. Spring weaving classes start Wednesday March 28 and Monday April 2. The special course offered for Wednesday evening is Painted Warp off and on Loom. Registration for this is directly with me (Line Dufour).

We love the versatility and gratification we get from the 12" Ashford Knitters Loom. We can whip a project up quickly and satisfy our weaving cravings! This is Michelle Dubois' first knitters loom project. If you like small looms, check out the Ashford Katie Loom....an 8 harness sampler loom. http://www.ashford.co.nz/newsite/weaving-wheels-looms/102/weaving/katie-table-loom/moredetail.html . If you'd like to order it, I'll give you $50. off and free shipping as the special of the day.

What is nice about weaving with other people around you is the positive energy it creates. Janice has been working on her family tartan blanket and another student left her a lovely and admiring note. Kate sent me an email saying : "I have really enjoyed this weaving that I am working on. And it is nice to just be working away back there and kind of listening to conversations. Last week a lot of people stopped by to see how my little weaving was going. That was very nice of them." We should have a picture of Kate's latest 'postcard' series soon.

Lynne Wilson-Orr just finished her tapestry sampler. This photograph does it no justice. She's off this spring to learn tapestry weaving with Maximo Laura in Peru. If you think you'd be interested in such an adventure go to : http://www.puchkaperu.com/. Debbie Harris has already been and loved it. Judite Vagners is also going, another weaver who regularly attends our classes.

LINKS YOU SEND ME

Weaving in nature video sent to us by Rose Ruffolo: http://www.snotr.com/video/7331/The_Living_Bridge. You never know just how well your weaving skills might might save the day!

Cheryl Kerfoot sent me this link about miniature weaving. There is a big market for well made miniature handwoven items for doll houses. http://www.weevings.com/. Cheryl has taken classes with this person.

See you next week!

Learning Approaches and your weaving

Gwen Tooth chose the colours for her painting which she will interpret into a tapestry.

Each of us has our own preferred strategy of how we go about learning. Teachers colloege taught me that there are seven different learning modalities. I've always thought that my approach to learning was more radical than most, not taking well to following instructions. I prefer to use my intuition, a sensing approach to my learning. I have inclinations sometimes to defy the rules and want to make my own. Perhaps I even became a teacher not so much because I like telling people what to do but more because I don't like being told what to do. To my dismay, I have found that I learn best by being in a position where I must teach others. Gwen's painting and tapestry that will follow is a good example of the feeling and sensing approach. I say this because every now and then there is a student in the class who has a similar approach and want to put them at ease about it.

Rag rug by Agota Dolinay

As a learner in weaving I need to explore the possibilities. I need to ask myself 'what if'. I need to take risks, willing to allow things to go wrong, even fail. Each approach to learning has its advantages and disadvantages. In my case, if I had listened to what I was told in terms of rules, or read the instructions more carefully, I could have avoided some mistakes and problems, but these are all relative and depend on what outcomes you are seeking, the direction one is trying to steer oneself in. Why take this approach then? For me its very freeing allowing me to access my creativity and connects me with inspiration. Or perhaps too, its the inspiration that I am lead by first, and then I work out the details, experimenting and discovering, what works and what doesn't. This natural dyed cotton band by Leslie is a perfect example of all that I've said. Leslie challenges what I said was the 'right' way to prepare her project for weaving and she is discovering what works for herself, by challenging my advice. Leslie too likes to follow the impulse of her inspiration. Leslie dyed this on her own experimenting with different food items in her kitchen. Recently Leslie made a warp of 8/2 bamboo, a fairly fine yarn. She forgot to put the cross in it, which as many know is one of the things one should NEVER forget. I declared outright to Leslie that I WOULD NOT help her put it on the loom. I have to applaud Leslie for doing a very fine job indeed in getting this warp on the loom! Good going Leslie! Marion Kirkwood created this runner as a gift for the leaders of her trip to South Africa, who grew up there. She used 4/8 cotton, sleyed at 24 epi. The colours are those of the South African flag, stripes of blue, green, red, yellow and white, with the warp in black threading - twill, reverse twill, point twill, rosepath, reverse rosepath and basket, inspired from a baby blanket pattern from Handwove. The various patterns are designed to represent the diversity of South African society. Chenille scarves by Elaine Robertson

Some learners follow instructions precisely. Often their outcomes are exactly what they expected which is what the need and want. Some learners are fearless, taking on incredible challenges rapidly either technically or creatively. Others are careful, slow and methodical. Some learn best by themself in quiet moments. Others need lots going on. Learning and understanding how we learn is fascinating.

Undulating twill Alpaca shawl in beige and blue by Susan Abrams

What I've concluded after observing peoles different approaches, is that we learn best when we mix the approach we usually take with some of the approaches others take. I know for me it sometimes is outside my comfort level but I will still try and try and try to learn in different ways. I practice trying to follow instructions more carefully, more precisely. I am motivated to do this because I want to help my students with what they are trying to learn.

Detail of sampling for undulating twill in alpaca by Susan Abrams.

Above all, I try to let people learn in the way that works for the. The information and and experience won't happen any other way.

I am thrilled these days to see how the students in the class have been really evolving, growing in their weaving forays. In the next few photographs I wanted to highlight all the sampling people in the class have been doing. For instance above, Neil Brochu made a sample before embarking on making a line linen tablecloth, 60" x 72". The pattern he chose was a Lozenge twill from the book Keep me Warm one Night by Dorothy Burnham, a highly regarded historical book on textiles in Ontario.


Jill has struggled for almost two semesters to create this sampling for a rug she wants to create. I'm really proud of how she has figured out how to visualize what aspects of the sample she wants to incorporate into her final design. The limitation she set herself was to use the particular yarn she had bought on cones and choose the yarn based on colour and quantity.

Other samples being woven are the double weave sample by Cassandra Morton. Cassandra told me she was at a lecture at the University of Toronto in January where she is studying and the professor put up a You Tube video of me weaving tapestry! We were both surprised!
I've also been introducing students, when they start thinking of wanting to change a pattern, to software that will help them do it. Here Agota shows her own version of a huck design.

A number of people have woven huck samples and its remarkable how they differ from person to person. I had to show Lindsey's huck sample. Usually the huck sample requires using only one colour....which is how its been done traditionally. Lindsey needed to explore trying others colour with it, as did a number of other people in the class.

I work hard to respect and honour each persons learning style, while at the same time encouraging them to venture into and try other strategies...to stretch our muscles so to speak. They'll discover that practicing a different approach sometimes can be very rewarding and satisfying, as I have, learning to follow instructions. Carol Adams wrote me recently in response to my last blog and said: "Thank you for keeping me in the circle. I very much enjoyed viewing the work of your students from last semester. And I will miss not being with you in the Spring.
But this time, even more, your writing about the class has stayed with me. I hope your students learned to use the mat at the door. If they didn't, then the atmosphere you create in the class room with the soothing classical music from CBC, and the easy way you move around from one loom to the next, and your own personal quietness all have their own positive influence.
And then there is the loom. No matter what size, it requires you to put everything else aside and pay very close attention to it. My weaving has been and continues to be a refreshing experience for which I am very grateful.

At present, I am dressing my loom with a 100% silk yarn to make curtain material for the windows on my stair landing. My pattern is again the LeClerc placemat but I have changed from the Indigo and Gold, Lt Blue and Wine to Cream and Gold, Ecru and Apple Green. The placemats called for 36 epi; however with the silk, I am using 18 epi and as long as it is even I won't mind a bit of light coming through.

Line, I miss you and the collegiality of the class and you are often in my thoughts." Thank you Carol!

Huck sample by Jane Tucker.

I guess after all this I'm just trying to say there is no right or wrong way to learn. We all have our own unique combination of approaches and we have to work with that.

I'm ending with this table runner woven by Janet Andrews. She wove this for her parents. Although there were a number of threading errors in the pattern, Janet still was delighted with her efforts. I love it when people can laugh at their mistakes, plunders, false starts....as we must have a good laugh at ourselves sometimes and still think that what we have just done is still praiseworthy and good. As one weaving clas tapestry weaver, Pauline Abraham said, "I'm practicing the art of imperfection". Here's to imperfection! Cheers!

Return to weaving classes

The summer was busy for me because I received a grant from the Ontario Arts council to collaborate with the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners to design and launch the weaving of 12 tapestries depicting the community of New Tecuseth. I invited this guild to join me at the opening reception of my own solo exhibtion of tapestries entitled Wholeness, and to officially launch the Community Threads tapestry project. The tapestries will be woven by guild members, visitors, guests, and members of other organizations and institutions over the coming years. When the tapestries are completed, a self guided tour brochure will assist visitors in seeing the tapestries at different venues in the municipality. The picture above shows a part of my more recent tapestries at this exhibit.

Our weaving class is definitely the 'happy place' for many of us. I couldn't resist taking this picture this week as there was a full line up of table loom weavers. From left to right, Mimma, Justine, Jane, Phyllis, Sandi, Agota and Emily at the back who just started with us this week.

To help everyone figure out what they'd like to learn in weaving, I've created a Weaving Menu, listing all the kinds of things you can learn about weaving. Ask me for a copy if you are interested in expanding your repertoire and understanding of weaving.

Many of the returning students completed projects over the summer. In this photo, a beautiful shawl woven by Agota Dolinay. She used 18/2 merino for warp and some very fine yarn from Habu in the weft. The pattern was one that most have overlooked and taken from The Handweavers Pattern Book (Davison). Its called Indian March and is on page 38. There is so much going on in it.

Anther finished project....this 2/8 cotton scarf in M's and O's by Mimma Draga. This is Mimma's first project and her edges are near impeccable. She is definitely a natural born weaver.

Wendy Szpindel came back eager to share her summer projects. She explored an undulating twill which we clearly see in the white piece. In the foreground, is a study of using variations with colour and treadling with the same threading. A very good study indeed. Wendy and her sister Leslie seem to be going in the direction of creating wall hangings.

This week Sandi Dunn came in wearing a Halloween outfit. I applaud her fearlessness! She is wearing a fascinator by David Dunkley who is a millner in Toronto and has a shop at 998 Bathurst Street. The business is called KC Hats.

A couple of our weaving class participants have exhibitions on or about to occur: Beth Stewart at ESP Gallery at Dovercourt and Queen, who is a winner of an RBC prize of $15,000, and who is teaching drawing at OCAD and Gwen Tooth at the beaux-arts brampton from November 1 to 26.