Tien Chiu

  • Home
  • About Tien
    • Honors, Awards, and Publications
  • Online Teaching
  • Gallery
  • Essays
  • Travels
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Dye samples
You are here: Home / All blog posts / From fiber artist to writer
Previous post: Time
Next post: short update

August 8, 2006 by Tien Chiu Leave a Comment

From fiber artist to writer

I suppose it’s time for me to say it: I’m no longer an active fiber artist, I’m a writer. The spinning wheel has sat untouched for over a month now, and I’m only stitching on this cross-stitch piece in the mornings when B. is asleep and I can’t work on the computer without disturbing him. I haven’t had much urge to play with new fibers, and the pair of socks I started is sitting there half-finished on the computer, and may never get done. I find that I resent the time I spend on fiber arts, because it just doesn’t feel expressive to me anymore. Fiber arts is officially done with, until further notice.

In a way, I’m happy that I’ve become disenchanted with fiber arts of late. I think it was fun, but there’s a very high ratio of fingerwork to creativity in fiber arts, and writing is a bit more expressive. But it seems odd, since I’ve identified as a fiber artist for such a long time, and most of my mailing lists still center around fiber arts. So it’s strange to remove myself (mentally speaking) from that community, and reorient how I see myself.

I’m not saying I’ll never go back to fiber arts (it’s been one of my long-term loves), but in a way I feel like that phase is over for awhile””my focus has clearly turned to writing, and to spending time around B.. And cycling, of course””which is not at all creative but which is challenging in its own way.

All of which seems particularly ironic considering I just won a $200 credit for a fiber arts festival, and am going down to LA in two weeks to pick up my prize. I have no idea what I’ll buy there with my credits””it depends on what I see. But spending ten hours a week on writing will leave me with relatively little time to play with my new toys.

I’ve started a new blog, this one a private writing diary in which I plan to put free writes and thoughts/notes/observations while writing. (Sorry, no link to this one””it’s private, just my random scribblings!)

I’ve also ordered (and just received) several books on creative nonfiction writing from Amazon.com””hoping that will help jumpstart me into my new craft, writing.

Share this post!

  • Tweet
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Discover more from Tien Chiu

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Filed Under: All blog posts

Previous post: Time
Next post: short update

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Archives

Tags

aids lifecycle outfits autumn splendor book cashmere coat cats celtic braid coat color study cross dyeing design design class devore doubleweave doubleweave shawls drawing dye samples dye study group gradient colors house infinite warp jacquard loom katazome knitted blanks kodachrome jacket ma's memorial mohair coat network drafted jacket/shawl project network drafting painted warp phoenix rising phoenix rising dress phoenix rising kimono phoenix rising reloaded pre-weavolution project sea turtles taquete tie-dye tied weaves tomatoes velvet weaving drafts web design website redesign wedding wedding dress woven shibori

Categories

  • Africa
  • aids lifecycle
  • All blog posts
  • All travel posts
  • Asia
  • Bangkok
  • Belize
  • Cambodia
  • Central America
  • Chai Ya (Wat Suon Mok)
  • Chiang Mai
  • Chiang Rai (Akha)
  • China
  • chocolate
  • computer stuff
  • creating craft
  • Creative works
  • cycling
  • Delhi
  • Dharamsala
  • drawing
  • dyeing
  • Fiber Arts
  • finished
  • food
  • garden
  • Ghana
  • Guatemala
  • Hanoi
  • Ho Chi Minh City
  • Hoi An
  • India
  • Khao Lak
  • Knitting
  • knitting
  • Ko Chang
  • Laos
  • Luang Namtha
  • Luang Prabang
  • markleeville death ride
  • meditations on craft
  • mental illness
  • musings
  • Phnom Penh
  • powerlifting
  • Rewalsar (Tso Pema)
  • sewing
  • Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
  • Southeast Asia
  • surface design
  • textiles
  • Thailand
  • travel
  • Vangvieng
  • Vientiane
  • Vietnam
  • Warp & Weave
  • weaving
  • Weaving
  • weavolution
  • writing

© Copyright 2025 Tien Chiu · All Rights Reserved ·

%d