I Survived

Well, after a good weekend spent hanging out with Mum and visiting Dad in hospital, I made it to Tate Modern with only 45 minutes until closing.  Nowhere near enough time to fully enjoy the Richter, but it gave me a taster and I will have to make a return visit with more time.  At least I have a Members card, so it did not cost me.  I did also buy the exhibition catalogue, so I can enjoy my favourites in the meantime.

No Weaving 'til Tuesday. Will I Survive?

I finished a sample for 'Identity' this afternoon, and started another one at a closer sett, but won't be back at the loom until Tuesday afternoon.  I am off to a BTG committee meeting in London tomorrow, then northbound to see my lovely Mum and Dad in Northamptonshire.  Back on Monday, hoping to get to the Gerhard Richter exhibition at Tate Modern.  His 'Cage' paintings ( Cage 1 above) are among the most beautiful I have ever seen, and I am really looking forward to seeing 'September' (below) in the flesh; I have the book and love what I have seen there.

Robin III

I admit to being rather pleased with him, but then I do really like robins!

Today I:
Booked a rail ticket 'home' to see my Dad at the weekend; he is in hospital for knee surgery
Baked a loaf of bread
Cleared the working area of rejected yarns and stuff
Made an A4 cartoon of a full size section of the potential design for 'Identity'
Warped up the sample loom
Wove a decent section of the sample, and am itching to get back to it tomorrow
Ate lots of fruit
Drank lots of tea
Had a good chat with my friend Stevie

Off to do  a bit of sewing now, then a lovely shower.  I do have a nice life!

I Don't Know Where My Brain is, but It does not appear to be in my head

I finished Robin III today (because the car lives, hoorah!) and took photos, but left the camera at the studio.  Doh!  Also managed some Photoshop experiments, and some colour weaving samples.  Good Day.

Snarl!

I loaded up the car with iMac, yarn samples, packed lunch etc ready for a nice design-ey day at the studio.  And the car WOULD NOT START.  Not so much as a cough.  Flat battery!  Cause diagnosed from 30 miles away by APB - boot lid left ajar since Saturday (how could he possibly guess that?)  Kind neighbour loaned a charger, and has been trickling all day.  No life at 6.30 so decided to cycle to the advertised meeting of Fishbourne 'Stitch n Bitch' to check it out.  Cycle lights defunct.  Thought it wd be OK to cycle on the footpaths, only to find that there are none in the lane, nor streetlights.  Arrived at the Centre to find that I was in the wrong place.  Poddled to the Bull's Head (lights on that part of the cycle path :-)).  No club there either, not since before the summer.  So I walked home, pushing my lovely Miss Marple bicycle.  At least it was not raining!  Hopefully the car will work tomorrow.....

although I could cycle to the studio, as long as I leave before it gets dark.

Give me a 12" Adjustable Spanner and I am a Happy Girl

In a change to the advertized program, after blocking Robin III I started on a major sort out, inspired by Paul dismantling old tables and assembling new ones donated by a closing down museum.  I knew that I needed to adjust the scaffold loom before starting anything new, so, without ceremony, cut 'Curvaceous' down, and set to with the spanner.  The upper and lower beams are now lower and closer together, giving me the option of a continuous warp without excessive waste.  'C' is face down on one of the old tables and has had her ends trimmed, Robin III is drying.  Measuring 'C' showed me how much I had crept in with the 'soft' warp (note to self "Tighten Up!!") so severe blocking session necessary. Hey Ho.

Fickle Pickle

The stylized robin was OK, but a little steppy, so I warped up again and wove it sideways.  Result!  Photo later once he is blocked and his feet have been stitched on (?).  He may go into production (or at least 'made to order').

In the meantime, inspired by the upcoming BTG South East Group exhibition 'Identity' in April next year, I have made a new sketchbook and started working up some ideas based on the Jewish concept of 'You-ness' having five elements, namely Soul, Spirit, Life, Breath and Uniqueness.  It has been bubbling away in my brain since I first heard of it last year (thanks DB), and now seems the ideal opportunity to work it through.  I shall take the iMac into the studio next week and do some Photoshop layering and such of handpainted text and a photographed fingerprint.  I love this stage!  Plan to work quite large - five panels 12" wide, so need to get a wriggle on....

Fickle?  Because I have ditched the plans mentioned in the last post for the time being.

Not blogging but weaving

I have been having a 'play' with my rigid heddle loom, making a length of fabric for a poncho to keep my shoulders warm in the studio (from Curvaceous' darker weft) and a couple of scarves as potential sales items.  Yesterday I got an urge for robins so worked up a cartoon from a photograph and made a 4" square warped at 6epc woven double - I do like my double warps!  The beak has come out a bit big, so no photo until that is remedied - a cut out and needle weave job off the loom I think- but otherwise OK, just time consuming.  Today I made a more stylized version, and have started weaving that on the same warp.  My little Glimakra frame has a peg system and is very quick to warp, so great for sampling on.  I am trying to find a quick to weave but aesthetically satisfying range of tapestries to make for sale at reasonable prices to go alongside my bigger speculative work.  Writing of which, I think that I shall enlarge my 'Matisse' nude (she has the most gorgeous curvy derriere!) to A3 and weave her in my signature style alongside the commissioned 'Fear No Evil'.  There is room on the scaffold for both, even though they will be woven sideways.  I can then swap between grey and colours depending on my mood.....

Tomorrow is the British Tapestry Group AGM and South Eastern Group day - my first.  I shall get to meet some local weavers; should be fun.