Gallery of past work

Wednesday 29 January 2014

A woven glimpse

I've woven the first few inches of my 3D piece - one of the soft-coloured ends with just a hint of the colours to come. On my PC screen, this appears almost to size, though the colours seem changed a little as is so often the case.


I'm weaving intuitively as I always do, treating the warp bed like a canvas to be painted upon and stitched into and taken out and changed and rewoven if the balance seems wrong. 

So this is not set in stone and may change as I progress. Perhaps this is a lazy way to weave and I should plan all before I begin, but planning in detail seems constricting and limiting and contrary to my instincts.


16 comments:

  1. Looking yummy so far! Does this take a long time?? I imagine it's quite meditative.

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    1. This is really quite quick. Progress is much faster than with hand-stitch, thank goodness. I hope this will be a large piece when it's finished ... and with only a couple of months to go till the exhibition, and other work to finish, pressure is on!

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  2. Soft rolling Cotswold landscape. A connection with the local weaving industry?

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    1. Indeed there is - some of the wool I've chosen to use is from the Cotswold breed of sheep. Given the textile history of this area, weaving seemed the most natural way to interpret the landscape.
      The work is for an exhibition in Lydiard House, Swindon beginning in April, under the title Customs and Crafts - An Exploration in Stitch. I will be blogging with more details nearer the opening date!

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  3. Interestingly enough, your progress so far reminds me of the fields around Dundee last March when they were under snow. It looks a beautifully ordered field-scape, and I love the tiny interventions of vibrant colour which take nothing away from the whites and their textures. I am curious to see how this grows and what it will be.

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    1. As I know I've said before, I visit eastern Scotland - mostly the Dee Valley, west of Aberdeen - regularly and love the landscape. So who knows where the threads of inspiration come from but mainly I'm thinking as I work of the gently rolling hills of the Cotswolds. But then, hills are hills everywhere so maybe there is not so much difference between the two landscapes and I'm being influenced by both.
      Thanks for your comments about the vibrant colour - very helpful. As this is to be quite a big piece, I think keeping control of the colours will be my biggest problem as I progress. I sense there will be much re-working and reconsidering ...

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  4. I love the idea of unplanned weaving - letting the yarns take you where they want to go. I get a sense of this myself, but it's fascinating to see how it works here. I'm feeling very drawn in to that landscape, look forward to seeing more.

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    1. The thought of very planned weaving is anathema to me. I like the unpredictability of starting without detailed plans but then that's how I approach all my textile work, though I think a lot about it in general terms before I begin. For me, it's like painting abstracts in wool.
      I will post as I weave. I will be as interested as anyone to see how it all changes and where it all goes!

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  5. Hi I have just discovered your blog through you commenting on Fiona's entry at Paper Ponderings. Another person who stitches and weaves and in my part of the world. Love your weaving and will be following you with interest. My venturing into stitching and dyeing is fairly recent through discovering India Flint and Jude Hill.

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    1. You are very welcome. Thank you for your lovely comment. I have visited your blog with interest as a result. Your weaving looks so deliciously colourful so I know I'm going to enjoy following you.
      This blogging thing is a wonderful way of getting to know who is out there and what they are working on, isn't it? I especially love Fiona's delicate work and Jude Hill's amazing cloths. I follow both regularly.

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  6. I've been looking at my warped loom every time I walk into the bedroom lately.....it's all ready to weave four tall/narrow panels....the foundation rows are even done already.....

    ...maybe one day when I have a little more "spare" time!!

    Love the undulations in your piece......spontaneous....is always best...

    x C

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    1. Spontaneous is always best - for me at any rate. Weaving a repeating pattern would bore me silly, I'm afraid - no sticking power, probably!

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  7. I think weaving is a lovely way to be creative... I tried weaving years ago and discovered I did not have the patience.

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    1. I don't have the patience for conventional weaving either - too static and planned for me - but I find the spontaneity that's possible with this 'tapestry' style of weaving very beguiling - as a companion to my other work.

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  8. I don't think it's lazy at all. And it looks beautiful.

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    1. Thanks for your kind comment - I can't weave any other way and it gives me great pleasure.

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