Flowers in a Vintage Jug

Flowers given to me yesterday by my friend B. Are they Sweet Williams?

Location:Home

Untitled

A few fiddly areas but also most of the lower part of the first bet. Such a pleasure to be back with my blue mixes.





This evening's little task was to make a tricouleur bow tie for The Boy. He is going to a 21st birthday party tomorrow 'Black Tie with a French Theme'. He wanted a proper bow tie; I have taught him well!

Location:The Dungeon and The Flat

Here and There

My little bobbins; from L-R, ?Tulipwood, ?Mexican Rosewood, Purpleheart and Pink Ivory. Wish I had kept the labels!





Two more blocks and the start of window tracery.





Filling in and building up under the first bet. Very aware of the swift passage of time!

I had a meeting this morning with the local coordinator for Stop the Traffik about a potential art project to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking, whether it be for the sex trade, slave labour or child exploitation. Lots of ideas and the hope of putting something together for anti-slavery day on October 18th. The year is filling up....

Location:The Dungeon

Happy Alignments

A couple of weeks ago, having filled all my wooden ones I used a small brass tipped bobbin to hold yarn instead of as a beater. What joy! Why have I never tried this before? Easier in the hand when working at this fine sett, and, it has to be said, most attractive. My first ever bobbin was a Purpleheart one from Handweaver's in London, but probably made by Ian of IST crafts on the Isle of Wight. I bought a couple more direct from him a year or so ago, simply for the beautiful wood; they are now 'loaded' and in use, which is as it should be.
The alignment? We stock IST bobbins in the WD shop and had a delivery last week :-)) I have chosen a few of the most beautiful to buy myself over the coming months. Here is the first:-





Pink Ivory - a wood I had never even heard of before! Tomorrow I shall put it into use as I return to the loom after what seems like a long break.

Location:Home

Yesterday's Important Life Lesson (Mercifully No Pics)

Eating a large 'Oyster' ice cream and then accepting son's dare to roll down Portsdown Hill is A VERY BAD IDEA. 'Nuff said methinks.

Note to self: Next time you take parents and son out for the day, act your age

Before the (hem, hem) incident we visited the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson. Extremely interesting collection and location. Wonderful views of Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. Free entrance!

Location:Portsdown Hill

Exhibition Catalogue!!

My piece 'Thread of Grace' is on page 36.

Or here:-




And here is a bonus picture of catkin and doglet in perfect harmony:-

Location:Clay Lane,,United Kingdom

Missing You Already....

I did not get to the studio until after lunch, but made up for it by staying until 8.30. Finished the top of Panel 1 on 'Wilfred' and added Ghiordes knots to the narrow section at the side:-





It is strange how changing the sett (working only on the front warps) makes the same yarn look so much darker.





Five and a half blocks worked on 'Rebuilder'; progress is faster when there are no hachures.

I shall be away from the loom for a few days; WD's new festival 'Fusion' is this weekend and the next three days will be spent in prepping for it. I am running a drop-in workshop on Saturday and staffing our Pop Up Art Shop on Sunday. Mum and Dad are bringing their camper van for a few days' visit and my Boy is coming home on Saturday. Busy, Happy times ahead!!





This the lovely bouquet that my friend MM gave me. The scent is gorgeous!

Location:The Dungeon

Four Legs Good; Two Legs Better

Moved from perching on a stool to standing up to weave the latest two blocks. More hachures and a new weft blend too. Looking forward to more tomorrow.





Tilda Swinton for Chanel. But look what is in the background! Love to know where they did the shoot to see the rest of it.

Location:The Dungeon

Phew, it's Phriday

Panel 1 of 'Wilfred' (formerly known as Abram). The cardboard and steel rods will be removed once I have finished weaving it completely. I found the bit of rusty pipe on Aldwick beach near the remains of a Mulberry Harbour section which sank and did not make it to D Day.




Back working on an area of more detailed rubble rather than the stylised bits to the right. Nice to be working hachures and hatching again, but it is slower!

I shall very soon be at the stage where I can weave 'Rebuilder' standing up; my chiropractor will be delighted.

Location:The Dungeon

Eight Hours and No Backache :-))

One large block with hachures (normal and double ended). One pale and one dark block, both with the 'ray line' dividing them so that part has a lurex thread in the weft blend. I also did a whole load of Ghiordes knots on the back of panel two of the 3D piece - now renamed Wilfred for the time being.

Two days ago I had a preliminary discussion with the Clerk of Works about hanging 'Lament' in November. To be honest, I was expecting to have all sorts of objections, but basically the answer was "Yes" and "Where would you like it to go". I am repeatedly amazed by how welcoming and accommodating the Cathedral's personnel are; I love being part of it!

Location:The Dungeon

LoumLoum!!

Panel Two completed - and a tantalising glimpse of Panel One beyond! The supplementary weft has been plunged through and tied off while I decide whether to use it on the reverse or not. The joy of improvising!





More blocks completed on 'Rebuilder'. Alternating between two weavings has been very productive today.

Location:The Dungeon

First Glimpse

One of the reasons that I went on that course a fortnight ago was to reconnect with working in 3D, which I was missing A LOT, having straitjacketed myself into working (almost completely) flat and to a cartoon. What I came to realise during the course is that the other aspect that I was missing was weaving intuitively for at least some of the time. The bonus was that I began some experiments which quickly became the beginnings of a new piece - probably for the exhibition. The other interesting thing is that I had what seemed like a blinding flash of inspiration, but, as I worked on something repetitive and mechanical (finger knitting a loooong length) the thoughts in my subconscious came to the fore and put flesh onto the bones. Letting my 'fingers do the thinking' was hugely valuable in this instance. The working title is 'Abram' and the inspiration is the Wilfred Owen poem 'The Parable of the Old Man and the Young'




Panel 2: loops and plain weave with supplementary weft




Weaving on the supplementary weft.
I suppose I should have photographed Panel 1 as well. Maybe tomorrow!
In future I will ensure that I have a balance between 2D and 3D, directed and intuitive.

Location:The Dungeon

The New Regime

Last week's course (of which more another day) and extra days in the shop this week have made me very aware of the fact that I have to keep up my weaving hours. Accordingly, both yesterday and today I went straight from WD to the studio to get two or three hours in rather than going home and falling asleep :-)). The evening light over the cathedral is so beautiful when I leave.

Another piece of Amichai:-

"I know how slight are the threads that tie me to my joy
but from those slight strands I have woven strong clothing,
a kind of soft armour, the warp and weft of joy
to help cover my nakedness and protect me."

Lovely, no?

Location:Clay Lane,,United Kingdom

'thebigone' two years on

I walked up to the Arboretum in order to inspect and photograph 'thebigone' for the first time in eighteen months.  She is mouldering splendidly!