Sara Lamb saw my “Liquid Fire” (gold/orange/red shawl) at CNCH and had these kind words to say about it! I’m pleased, really pleased, as Sara is a teacher I respect a lot (I always devoured her articles in Spin-Off, Weaver’s, and Handwoven) and would like to meet someday. I’m also starting to think I might have some future in weaving, if my early work is drawing praise from people who are established in the industry. If I can just get my beginner’s mistakes over and done with and polish up my technique, I think my design skills will be able to fly. I owe a lot to Bonnie Inouye (who has been a godsend in helping me learn network drafting and other aspects of design) and the other teachers who post to the weaving mailing list – nobody learns in a vacuum! I also hope to be able to take seminars and workshops someday.
I have almost gotten the warp beamed on. Contrary to my expectation, it is not faster than beaming on tensioning by hand – in fact, I think it’s significantly slower. However, I hope it will produce better, more even tension.
It is becoming clearer and clearer, however, that I’m not going to have time to thread, sley, weave, and sew a handwoven tutu this year – especially not with several other outfits left to sew! So as soon as it’s beamed on, and the trapeze disassembled, I will put it aside until after the Ride. If I finish my other outfits early I may come back to it, but I only have three weeks left, lots of feathers to put on, two outfits to finish and two or three to sew, so it seems unlikely.
With the new medication, my bronchitis has been improving rapidly, but still not good enough yet to bike to work. Tomorrow I do hope to be able to bike in, and then Saturday I will go out for another long ride + a 3-4 hour ride on Sunday. It won’t be enough to get me ready for the Ride but I mean to be as prepared as possible. I have already resigned myself to possibly having to “sag” (take the bus) on some days – what else can I do, with my training this compromised? – but I’d rather avoid it if possible.
Howdy! I saw Sara’s praise of your work, and was glad to find you again – I had lost track of your blog. You’re doing beautiful stuff, as always!
Once I learned to warp with a trapeze, I have never gone back. Your liquid fire shawl is gorgeous. Is that a networked twill? I know Bonnie and her ability to mix color and pattern is really amazing. It looks as though you have the same ability.