I’m going to Convergence!
If you’re not familiar with Convergence, it’s the biggest handweaving/fiber arts conference in the US. It’s held biennially, and (in addition to great classes) has a fabulous marketplace packed with vendors.
One of those vendors will be Digital Weaving Norway, which produces the TC-2 jacquard loom. And they will have a TC-2 loom there to demonstrate! They have generously offered to show me how to use the TC-2, and give me time to weave on the machine over the four days that the vendor hall is open. As this is my best opportunity to try out the TC-2, I have just booked plane tickets and hotel for Convergence! I will be there from Thursday through Saturday (flying in Wednesday night and flying back on Sunday). So if you happen to be at Convergence, stop by the TC-2 booth and say hi!
That same week, I am also trying out the AVL Jacq3G. I’m driving up to Chico to spend the two days before Convergence visiting AVL and trying out their floor model Jacq3G. Super excited about that as well!
Plans for the next few days involve getting the warps dyed for the shadow weave project, and maybe working on the book a bit more. I’m torn about this weekend – there are so many things I would like to get done! I am going boysenberry-picking on Saturday morning, which of course will be followed by making lots of boysenberry jam. Then I have a choice: I can either make a batch or two of caramels – probably jasmine tea-vanilla-honey and lavender salt caramels – or work on the shadow weave warp and the book some more. I am really tempted to blow off the warp and the book and make the caramels. That way, I could bring some into work on Monday to celebrate with my coworkers, and bring the rest to Complex Weavers Seminars, to “sell” at the silent auction to benefit Complexity, their juried show. Somehow I just like the idea of bringing chocolates to Seminars.
On the other hand, I really do want to make progress on both the shadow weave warp and on the book. Perhaps I can figure out a way to jam it all in…the caramels only take an hour or two to make and two or three hours to dip, and there are sixteen waking hours in each day – so I might be able to do that, the jam, and some dyeing, all in a single weekend. You never know. Perhaps the cats will help me!
(Although, with feline help, it might actually take twice as long…)
Speaking of feline “help”, here is Mike doing the advanced version of tying his shoes. Once more – with cats!
I’m going to Convergence too! Also visiting Ottawa, Toronto, Washington DC, Williamsburg VA, NYC, Boston and Montreal while I am “in the area”. Can’t wait, I leave home June 29 and will be in Ottawa for Canada Day. See you at Convergence.
Ok, that’s one patient man! Have fun at Convergence. I hope, someday, to go myself.
Love the cats helping with the shoes! I was browsing through old Handwoven magazines and ran across the article about your wedding dress – and see that you just celebrated your anniversary a few days ago.
Then I found an article that explained the difference between a dobby loom and a Jacquard loom.
Have a great time at Convergence and may you find the loom of your dreams!