Phew .. thanks to Melanie Venes our tutor on Handweavers Diploma I’ve had a light bulb moment and real progress in my explorations. I wanted floating warps in sections and I’m getting there.. it bodes well for scaling up.
Linen, twills and double-weave, exploring fabrics for upholstery, has been on my agenda this week. I have not found linen as difficult as everyone seems to think it is.. pride before the fall perhaps 🙂 Double weave seems fine too, once I had sorted out the selvedges and which layer is doing what; much more to be discovered though. Here are some trial pieces.
I am taking for my brief for this next project: A woven textile collection to modernise a geologists study: including window treatments, soft furnishings and upholstery. Her particular interest is in the geology of metamorphic and sandstone especially the formations found in the Canyon Lands of western USA. Bryce Canyon is a favourite. These are Hoodoos!
In my research I came across June Swindell who runs Salt consultancy – she focuses on how light filters through fabrics into spaces etc .. quite beautiful.
I’m enjoying reconnecting with Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) to support students studying for their teaching qualification.
Catch up with BIMM news here.
The Age of Absurdity
It is shocking and profoundly regrettable but, apparently,
sales of oranges are falling steadily because people can
no longer be bothered to peel them!
As soon as I read this I began buying oranges more
frequently….
Now, I peel an orange very sl.ooow.ly
De.lib.er.ate.ly.
voluptuously
above all
DEFIANTLY
as a response to an age that demands
war without casualties
public services without taxes
rights without obligations
celebrity without achievement
sex without relationships
running shoes without running
course work without work
and sweet grapes without seeds
From The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes it Hard to be Happy
by MIchael Foley (Simon & Schuster).
I had great fun working with Braided twills for project 2 of my diploma. They are difficult to thread but it has meant that I am so much more confident at the technical side of putting a warp on the loom. Here are some of the results:
sue orton | gathering threads 