Planned Eccentricity

Quick post to show the development of the eccentric weft with different thicknesses of jute. It will grow quite fast. I hope to have it finished and installed before Easter. I have the promise of a Press Release.....

The cartoon is now attached behind the front warps; of course it has had to be folded over an extra long (=two held together with parcel tape) shed stick, and will be unfolded as I move the weaving line down and round the bottom bar. Now to get weaving.....

Lawks, its Massive!

The cartoon came back from the printer after lunch - in three pieces, so I had to match the edges and stick it together. For the first time the size of it was obvious (picture left shows how it fills the seminar room table), and I realize how much there is to do. The picture on the right shows it unrolled on the floor of the studio, and photographed from the mezzanine above. The next job is to attach it to the scaffold behind the front warps. As always, there are a number of ways of achieving this, so a thought break has ensued. Probably need tea to help the process.

Mould and Other Delights!

Thebigone fell over a few days ago in high winds - the ground is so waterlogged that the pegs just slid out. We left her lying in the muddy grass, Pat thought it 'would be good for her'. Today, Rich and I lifted her, repegged her and added more pegs. On the side which had been in contact with the grass there were white fluffy bits, which at first I thought were bits of wool fleece, then realised it was some sort of mycelium. FUNGUS! And the green mould is developing well too. She is developing a life (ecosystem?) of her own.

The New One

The scaffold loom was moved into my area over Christmas, so a different view through the warps from when I left it. Being stranded here for an extra day gave me the opportunity to warp it fully, thanks to the assistance of a stranded 'clockie'. I took the image to the printer today, so the cartoon will be ready on Monday (approx 2m wide by 3.5m high - it is a continuous warp that makes this possible on a 2m high loom), and in the meantime I have begun weaving the selvedge to stitch the lower edge of the cartoon to. I am very excited! I have also created an Artisi't Impression of the oak circle with the tapestry in situ, using Google SketchUp:-

This is the view as one walks up the track from the house to the arboretum. The armature and anchoring points are yet to be decided. It will be a very heavy structure, and the trick will be to brace it just enough for stability, but not so much that its 'clothness' is lost.

This is the image I shall be using:-

My New Sketchbook

It is approximately A6 format. The pages are made from old envelopes and paper bags, with some lokta and cotton rag papers left over from other things. The driftwood closure is from Jura, and the deerskin (oh so soft!) is a scrap from a final year project at DMU. I used the natural edge for the overlap, hence the ripple effect.

Now to catch up with the daily drawing......

Invisible Progress

Working on dissertation reading interspersed with vegging out with Boy. You really don't want to see pictures of either thing. I have made good progress with the Reclining Nude tapestry in the last couple of days, and am about to stitch the next level of cartoon to the finished areas. This fulfils one of the three resolutions for 2011:-

Weave

Walk

Draw everyday.

Falling behind on number three already.... Mainly because I decided to make a special new sketchbook from recycled papers to make the exercise more interesting. About 6 more sets of pages to stitch in (it is pamphlet sewn in a leather cover). I really enjoy making books, and am easily distracted by same.