Summer & Winter

I'll save us time by summarizing what I've learned about this structure so far from multiple books. It's useful for weaving in blocks, and I think for garments, bags, and upholstery where you can't afford long floats; Ali says it's great for blankets and vests. I shall amend/correct this post as I learn more; I hope you will tell me where I've gone wrong, please?

* Summer & Winter is fundamentally plain weave. This make it more forgiving than Overshot in designing coverlet-style cloth.
* It is woven with two shuttles, requiring tabby and pattern wefts.
* It creates a reversible cloth.
* It requires two shafts, usually 1 and 2, for the structure; however many shafts you have left, each one can create one block. So on an 8-shaft loom, you can have up to six blocks.
* In the first instance, they recommend warp and tabby weft yarns to be the same or similar, making the fatter/brighter/fluffier pattern weft the most visible feature of the cloth. Where/how the pattern wefts come to the fore creates the shapes/patterns in the cloth.

Threading:
Each unit has four ends, 1-n-2-n, where n is the shaft for this particular block. So, if a block uses Shaft 8, one unit consisting of four ends is threaded 1- 8- 2- 8. If another block uses Shaft 4 and is wider, say 12 ends, this is threaded 1-4-2-4, 1-4-2-4, 1-4-2-4. And so on.

Treadling:
So far, this has been the most interesting. With the same threading and tie up, but a slight changes in pattern weft treadling, you can get four different appearances. This is useful when changing the nuance of the cloth, or fine-tuning the corners of the blocks.

Example Profile Draft
4 blocks / 6 shafts

"Alternating"
The pattern weft treadling alternates.
"Birdseye" or "O"
Each unit of the pattern (black) weft creates the letter O,
while each background unit creates an X.
"X"
Each unit of the pattern (black) weft creates the letter X,
while each background unit creates an O.
"Dukagang", perhaps the most familiar?
"Dukagang" uses only one treadle for the pattern weft.

Here are some photo showing the different styles. Thank you, Dianne.

Tie-Up:
I'm guessing there is great scope for experimenting with the tie-up, but I can't think that far, so more later.

Material:
There are infinite number of interesting possibilities here. What I have in mind for the near future are are:
* Very skinny yarn for warp and tabby weft; thick, fluffy or loopy wool in pattern weft.
* Warp and pattern weft the same size but different colors, the tabby weft being very much skinner.
* Warp colors in gradation or stripes within a very narrow range on the color wheel, tabby weft in one of the colors, and pattern weft in strong contrast, perhaps complementary.

Books:
"Learning to Weave", revised edition, by Deborah Chandler, Interweave Press (Shocking to see this is in the "Almost Gone Forever" section of Interweave Store. What is going to be the new classic intro text?)
"Mastering Weave Structures", by Sharon Alderman, Interweave Press (Hardcover is "Almost Gone Forever".)
"A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns" edited by Carol Strickler, Interweave Press
"Summer & Winter", by Donna Sullivan, Interweave Press
"Designing with Blocks" by Doramay Keasbey, AltaVista Publications

Software:
Fiberworks PCW Silver, V4.1.0.20P.
In the first instance, however, I used pencil in graph paper.

Feeling Stupid

Yesterday was Claudia's 40th birthday party. We had been warned of the costume party theme six weeks in advance, "Religion, Cult and the Occult". I thought I'd go as the Domestic Goddess Nigella, in a black pair of pants, a bright orange (alas, not red) cardigan, red lipstick and stuffing in my bra; Ben was going as a Spirit-Taker, i.e. a photographer.

I have been under the weather for a few days, so I took a nap in the afternoon which lasted half a day, and when I woke up, it was long after 8. Still very confident the party would be going strong, we got ready, but not as disguised as we planned, and was driving around the venue around 9.30. It was to take place at #21, just up the road from Claudia's, but we couldn't find it. We found #19 and #23, but Ben insisted the one between the two was not #21. Sabotage, I thought!

Feeling a bit defeated and stupid, plus a bit feverish, we came home and looked at the invitation and Google map and it turns out we were lucky I didn't barge into the house in between, because the said #21 was on another road.

The stupidest thing is, I knew the name of the correct road, but somehow I convinced myself Claudia lived on that road, so we kept driving back and forth on her road. That was our horror "The Road" story.

* * * * *

I've been trying to get my head around Summer & Winter, and after five books, two afternoons, some graph paper and a pencil, I'm ready to try to move on to the loom. When I don't fully understand a structure from words and pictures, the last step sometimes takes place on a table or frame loom. I've been playing on PCW software for a simple test draft for this. It's also dead easy to convert a profile draft to S&W on PWC, and keeping what Ali wants me to try in mind, I've been trying to make asymmetrical drafts.

I had to check a few fine points about blocks before I got started, and we exchanged a few emails, and whoa, she told me to get off of PCW and go back to collaging I did with Clare! Which is the opposite of what she told me the last time I saw her; put away the collage and start weaving blocks! Ali might think I'm dithering, but I am totally stumped and am not sure where I've gone wrong.

My best guess is, Ali wants me to design a cloth first and then break it down into a weaving draft, and I think she's trying to point out I am building up a cloth from a weave structure.

Even though I enjoyed the collaging, I can't connect them to a weavable draft.

That Ali, she has a lovely smile and a great laugh, but then she turns around and dons her silk-embroidered, jewel-encrusted pale kid gloves, and whips her velvet whip. Woooosh!

* * * * *

I got my "Women who Run with Wolves", and tried to read it the last three nights, but I'm having a really hard time. To me, the first part reads like the worst of the 80's Women's Lib article disguised as a 90's Self-Help/Spiritual, and the repeated, chanting, style, where she lists the many names of the same thing, separating, every, one, with, commas, is driving me nuts. I'll stay with it, because so of you loved it, but I keep praying it won't be another "Poisonwood Bible", which I hated the last 1/4 of, and therefore consider the whole thing to be one big Oprah hype.

* * * * *

Still, I'm not feeling grumpy. Just a little detached from the world. In other words, a good day to ignore Ali and try my asymmetrical drafts, yes?

Photography & Inspiration

While selecting photos for the previous post, I deliberately delved deep into my archives from 2006, when Ben bought me my camera. Unlike then, when I was hopping around Nelson photographing everything and anything, lately I am too focused on what or how to photograph and don't take chances, nor shoot for the sake of shooting. On the other hand, I look at things more carefully, albeit unconsciously, (thanks to the drawing class, I'm sure), so I take much fewer photos, but sometimes manage to remember things I saw without photographic proof. Though more often I remember I saw something, and if I'm lucky, if and where.

I was vaguely thinking of focusing vs. not focusing, (as opposed to not being able to focus,) and how to find/look for inspirations just for the fun of it if nothing else.

Then I did something I've done only twice before in four years; I pressed "next blog" from one of yours, and landed on "Altering Thoughts". Just by chance, on a whim, by accident. And as if that was not gift enough, I discovered its author Pat is part of "ideas of inspiration".

A nice Saturday morning circle, yes? And I'm also vaguely thinking, (but not sure about this one) starting a group blog where anybody of us can post images (and stories if you like) to share. Or are we already doing this in our individual blogs? Your thoughts?

Saturday Daydreaming: Things I like

I don't look for inspirations in nature like some artists do; I look for my inspiration in colors, people and stories, people-made shapes like architecture, historical motifs and textiles. But I do like to look at certain things. My favorites are:

Rocks and stones

Sand

Leaves

Clouds

And deep-sea creatures, but I've got no photos of my own of them. And feathers, I collect feathers. And I take pictures of eggs and bird nests. But not spider webs.

Clare Plug has scrapbooks for each of her favorite things. How lovely would it be to stare at the pages, in bed, on lazy Saturday mornings.

I've started a few notebooks myself this week.

Just Doing What I Like...

Ali said I can get 14 blocks on 16 shafts in Summer & Winter, and finally understanding S&W in my head, I opened my PCW weaving software only to discover I am still confusing blocks with threading. However, the pretty pictures I'm getting from trying out 14-block profiles keep me happy; I think they look like the kind of architectural features I like. But, sheeeeeeeee, we won't tell Ali.

Lace

In my hometown of Yokohama, there is a famous shopping district called Motomachi. It's really just one short stretch of a road, three or four blocks, but because of it's proximity to the port of Yokohama, we were able to find exotic goods there before everything became available everywhere in the 70's/80's, and people came from all over Japan just to walk down Motomachi Dohri street.

In Motomachi there is an exquisite lace shop, (table linens and women's handkerchiefs), called Chikazawa; the company was founded in 1901 and even has a Wiki entry. Whenever we went to Motomachi, (most memorably whenever my mother took me to her high school class reunion, her school being just up the hill and elegant shopping being part of her high school life, lucky girl,) we made it a habit of stopping by Chikazawa to admire their goods. My favorite has always been the very subtle Chinese gray embroidery on white linen; every time we walked in, I sighed in front of every piece, while my mom and the man at the shop smiled at my "very old" taste. I also liked the white cut work after I learned how they were made, but I loved the elegant gray embroidery like not many other things in my life. I still do.

My mother had few of these handkerchiefs tucked away in her hankies and jewelry drawer, and I grew up believing when I'm old enough I'd naturally have some. And because she didn't use them often, I learned how special they are.

When I got my first proper job, I started buying them for my mother, my sister, my girlfriends and colleagues; this was in the bubbly, gaudy 80's and I desperately tried to pull these women's attention back to elegant, slowly hand-made cloths. I loved to see the look on their faces when they opened my gifts, and it didn't bother me much that nobody used them. But I never bought one for myself, partially because I wasn't in the habit of spending that kind of money on myself, (aren't we all?), partially because I always believed someone (Mother!) should buy me one as a very special gift, but most urgently, because I could never decide on just one, or three.

Since Chikazawa began opening shops all over, they started to sell colorful, inelegant, cheap pieces as well. I still go to look at the delicate gray works from time to time, but my admiration for Chikazawa has been tainted. Most of the wood-and-glass shop+dwellings were replaced by the plasticy 80's so-called architecture, (including Chikazawa,) and some old establishments have gone, while anywhere-shops like Gap have moved in. And I discovered my mother finds these Chinese-embroidered hankies a little to fussy for her taste!

Yesterday, Ben came home and gave me a reward, a parcel from Sampling in Australia. In it was a lovely birthday card, but you can well-imagine my heart skipping a beat when I opened the purple wrapping. Five delicately monogrammed linen pieces!!!

Thank you so much, Sampling. You've made me happier than you can ever imagine; all the lovely times I spent with my mother in Motomachi is flooding back to me. Thank you, again.

(Loving the Grose River Gorge postage stamps, too; we really need a long vacation in Australia.)

Wednesday that Was

I went back to the Textile Awards show at The Refinery, and had a quiet look around again. I confirmed that I was wright in saying the technical bar was higher this year, but how that ties in with what I can make is still a mystery. Later, Lloyd walked through the gallery with me and pointed out what he liked and why, me learning his taste can be pole opposite to mine or my Textile Lunch friends'. But then were ones everybody admires very much, though none of those won prizes, nor were offered solo exhibitions and I am once again dismayed at the discrepancies. We talked about his work, about getting some of the exhibition pieces online, and was asked to help out with taking down the exhibition on Monday; nice to be asked!

At the sewing machine shop, I confirmed Ronnie Martin is running a short design workshop, but it's been pushed back to May. The organizer remembered I've had my hand up, so it will happen in due course.

My friend Nancy is moving back to Australia, (sob, sob,) so I've been on a lookout for a nice memento, and found it in Vintage Heaven. It's a piece of wire with ten cute magnets; you can display cards, photos, and fabric swatches, and the magnets are surprisingly strong they even hold thick postcards. I liked it so much I couldn't help but get one for myself also.

The owner of Vintage Heaven, Dominique, is from Bordeaux, and after having a chat with her, my resolve to resume studying Italian got weakened and I'm momentarily glancing at my French books; I can go see Dominique and have a live conversation in French, albeit at the most basic level. I had to take French in my convent school in Tokyo, so off and on I studied it for five years, whereas Italian, only one term in Auckland and the rest on my own. But to me, Italian is easier and I get to wave my arms around more according to my friend Gino.

I had lunch with Nancy in the cafe where we first met in January 07. And among other things, we swapped some of the magnets, because I coveted her Hounds Tooth one. When I got home, I had a message from Nola about a farewell lunch for Nancy. (Yes, that Nola is a Nelsonian.) She asked what I've been up to, and I told her, "Not a lot of weaving, but a lot of reading about weaving, collaging, some shibori, some photography, even some knitting, and I'm enjoying all of these, but not focusing on anything deliberately." She said all these will eventually seep into my weaving, and I sure hope so, but I don't feel desperate nor disparate; just mildly worried if I should be worried.

Yesterday afternoon was so dry my skin prickled, and I remembered we were to prepare drawing papers with gesso for next term, so I did that. I mixed a bit of gray into the gesso to try to get nuanced shades, but some of the drawing papers were so thin they became dismayingly wavy, and I'm not good at smoothing anyway, so overall the results were poor. Besides, I couldn't find my old ID card so I used a current membership card, and wondered if gesso and water would damage the magnetic strip. I might use one without a magnetic strip next time.

I started pasting nice photos on two of these books; one is has a gardening theme, the other a color theme. I also covered three more notebooks, two badly, but one looked good with an old SLR camera on the back cover and Ben asked for it; he's playing around with ideas on what to do with it. I'm continuing to stitch Shirt II for shibori, but I think I need better needles.

We bought a paper shredder yesterday, not because we have a secret bank account or "important" documents sitting around but because I thought it'd make starting the fire in the winter easier, and it was on sale. Anne-Marie (a Marlborough Weaver) suggested I weave with the strips, and Ben said I could collage. So I can even use this as a creative tool??!!??

Unfocused, yes. But when I write all down like this, I am doing things, so that's good.

Mag Pic

I've seen this weave structure several times times lately. It always seemed to me like there are lots of floats that might catch your nail or ring, but what's it called? Have you woven with it?

DYI Crafters, Good or Bad?

Lynne asked on Facebook: "Interview question: Craft v Art. Where do I stand on this age old debate? Pondering if DIY crafters diluted the word 'craft'. What are your thoughts?"

DIY crafters don't bother me, nor do the "quick", "one-hour" and "weekend" projects in magazines. If these can get one more person to participate, that's great, and who knows, one out of 30 or 50 or 200 might pick up the craft and change their life. That's where I started, and I'm still stuck there most days. Besides, I prefer to be inclusive than exclusive. Besides, I'd rather these people made things than... do less creative stuff.

On the other hand, I've read this in several blogs lately, and I understand the concern. A bit.

My first thought is when the economy improves and disposable income returns/increases, many will desert craft to fancier pursuits.

I can't forgive teachers and books/magazines that don't tell you the whole story. As in Lark Books' "Creative Weaving", which shows photos of what I believe to be cloths not wet-finished as completed scarves, particularly by such a reputable publisher of craft books as Lark. Even though I realize how far to "instruct" hobbyist/beginners is an uneasy editorial decision, or how to define "creative" in this context. (I know I blogged about this book before, but I cant' find the post.)

But more seriously, I think there comes a point where the work stand for themselves, as in Lynne's, where discerning viewers can see immediately that the maker is serious. So whatever she answers in her interview isn't going to be as flippant, or what she calls "craft' the same as, what the DYI crafter are/do.

I guess this is why I haven't pondered art vs. craft in a while; I need to raise my game fist.

Gotta Laugh...

This is one of those things that, if I don't laugh about it, I'd have to cry. Dad's always said I should cry and then do something to remedy the situation instead of laughing, but life is becoming too short to "try hard" constantly. So there. It's about my first shibori T-shirt.

The great thing about making one's own clothes is I should be able to accommodate my unique bear-barrel shape, yes? So, some considerations for future designs:

I'd like the design to go all the way up to the shoulder, or rather, for the design to come down from the shoulder. That's the easy part.

• The point where the two shapes meet comes dangerously close to hiding my boob unless I keep pulling down the T-shirt, particularly on my right side.

• If this exact design were to be raised by 7-10cm towards my shoulder, the problem would have been solved.

• More seriously, I'd reconsider having a curve going around my rotund middle section in future. That curve on the right seems to accentuate my unsmall protrusion!

What? You really didn't expect me to post a picture of my ample "side", did you?