Ouch!

I sat down at Lemminkäinen for an early morning session yesterday, only to have to cease and desist after about ten minutes because of excruciating pain in my lower back.  I have two prolapsed discs, and permanent sciatica as a result, but I can usually manage the issue without too many difficulties.  Yesterday I just had to admit defeat and hobble to bed and the foetal position.  I consoled myself watching some weaving videos until the painkillers kicked in and I fell asleep.  Thankfully, the Chaplaincy part of my work is all remote and iPad based at present, so I managed a Zoom conference later, and I can type lying down sideways.  LouLou will not be defeated!  

Much more mobile today, so at intervals I made an attempt on disentangling an old (2009!) rigid heddle project.  At some point in all my moves, the warp had become unwound from the back beam.  I had begun to work on it at the weekend, but the snarl up made me snarl; sometimes a second person would be so useful to have around!  This afternoon I had a brainwave:

Even tension for winding on by careful use of matching mugs tied on with pieces of old sheet; then it was a cinch.

All ready to continue with Leno.

I chose this yarn long before I encountered Yehuda Amichai, but in reclaiming it, I remembered this from his poem ‘In My Life, on My Life’:-

  5

I know how slight are the threads that tie me to my joy

but from those slight threads I have woven strong clothing,

a kind of soft armour, the warp and weft of joy

to help me cover my nakedness and protect me.

I did a small piece for my 2013 exhibition inspired by those words:-

Somehow, the reclaimed shawl has the same vibe associated with it now, a ‘warp and weft of joy’.  It should not take long to finish, and being so airy, I will be able to wear it in even the hottest weather.