Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Study Group




Part of what is fun about being part of a guild is the opportunity to learn new things about your craft and to share with others. This year I have the honor of being co-president of the Fiber Guild of the Savannahs (yes, that is not a typo - savannahs are grassy plains in tropical and subtropical regions with few trees and what Savannah, GA was named for - thus the Savannahs refers to the surrounding area including the neighboring low country of South Carolina... PHEW! - I know, more information than you needed... sorry...)

In addition to our regular Fiber Guild of about 30 members, we have an active group of about half a dozen who meet twice a month to SPIN - the first Monday at downtown's Wild Fibres and the third Tuesday at Unwind in suburban Savannah. Several of us are also weavers and wanted to get a weaving group started. The idea of a study group evolved and last summer it was decided that we would set up enough warp for 6 hand towels with different weave structures and we would either move the looms from weaver to weaver or go to weave at the loom owners home to complete a hand towel from each weave structure.

My first study group towel was woven on an overshot draft warped by new weaver Anastasia on a directly tied up 4 shaft Dorset loom. I will take a photo my finished overshot towel and mount it soon.

Because I wove off the last of the warp it was my turn to thread it in a new pattern. I wanted to do a block weave on my 8 shaft loom but it is not very portable and the Dorset was open, so I designed a summer and winter striped warp that creates blocks as I weave. I ordered unmercerized 8/2 cotton from WEBS for both warp, pattern weft and tabby weft in natural, light green, dark green, dark brown and burgundy the colors of my living room, dining room, sunroom and kitchen. I have just started but have some photos to share and promise to add the finished towel soon.

Monday, November 22, 2010

I'm thankful...



I have to try to update more often. I have been busy creating... and searching for wabi sabi along the way... I'm so thankful for family and friends and having time to explore new things...

I often find it at the beach on Tybee Island... the shells that have been tossed and turned on many incoming and outgoing surfs loosing bits of themselves along the way... always fascinate me! I really am not attracted at all by the "perfect" ones... they have lots of tides to experience before I'll pick them up! And then there's beautiful historic downtown Savannah where you can find some wabi sabi images behind the storefronts!

I'm back working in the SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) galleries part-time. I love how it keeps me in touch with what's going on at this amazing art school. Since I've gotten back in the galleries mid-October... during SCAD's Savannah Film Festival we hosted several well-known personalities including Carson from Queer Eye and Hildi from Trading Spaces and John Gidding, from Curb Appeal, James Cromwell, the guy from Babe & 6 Ft Under and some producers and directors who were all very inspiring... especially John Gidding, who sat down with about 20 students after the panel discussion to ask for their ideas for a future home curb makeover. He's QUITE engaging!

SCAD also was very involved with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Savannah while it was in town last week. I had hoped to volunteer in some way, but they were inundated with over 1800 volunteers and really wanted SKILLED laborers the most. So... I went down to watch. Fascinating to see SO many workers in blue t-shirts busy, busy, busy. Someone referred to it as organized chaos. They demolished and rebuilt a beautiful home for a young couple with a handicapped child in 106 hours working non-stop!

Another interesting SCAD connection was hearing the children's book author/illustrator Peter Brown give a slide presentation to the students and a few of us old folk last week. He was quite interesting and gave a lot of insight into the industry. My out-of-town friend Dee sent me a copy of his book, the Curious Garden which was my favorite. Thank you Dee!

I finished a sweater on large needles - 10.5 - using yarns left over from my 2010 Vancouver Olympic inspired woven haori. After finishing socks on tiny needles this was a real treat!