Alabama Weaver: New Taqueté

Greetings from “Selma Handwovens” and the studio assistant, Miss Daisy Dog.

Why do I weave? Growing up, it never even occurred to me that this was something I would ever do. At my college, the Home Ec department offered weaving and I wasn't even curious. Odd, then, that I end up with it's being one of the things that most defines my sense of myself. From the time my dear friend, Carla, took me upstairs and announced that she was going to teach me to use her loom so that I wouldn't waste any time while she was away and I was looking after her cats, I was hooked. Then I enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Textile Desigh. There was a long, dry spell where I did not weave and thought that part of my life was over. Then an accident that could have left me crippled for life, but, instead, left me recovering, had the effect, as these things often do, of bringing my life back into focus. I needed to go back to weaving.

Another thing is that I have always needed to work. You need to make a meaningful contribution to your world by working at SOMETHING! That is just the way I see it, anyway.

Today, I own my “dream looms:” a Macomber and THREE AVL looms. Something I never thought I would have. I have a room full of beautiful yarn. How blessed can you be?

Now, when I spend the day in my workshop, I feel a peace and joy at the end of the day.

I am so grateful.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

New Taqueté

Getting the small loom set up to sample for a new taqueté project. This involves finding the four other shafts, putting on heddles and loading them up in the loom. I had taken the extras out when I was using the looms for Art Camp. Miss Lizard and I both got marooned in the weaving-shed, along with The Daisy, due to the monsoon going on outside! My yard was transformed into "Lake McLeod" within minutes! Anyway, seemed like a good time to get this done.

1 comments:

Laura said...: sounds like you are feeling a bit better. :)
cheers,
Laura; December 22, 2011 3:47 PM