October: What Inspires you...Practical Resources

As the weather chills and the pandemic continues, the Weavers went Virtual-Meeting via ZOOM. Part of the fun of this has been acclimating the "older" weavers to yet another technology and having to sign on, volume and video on, but off as needed and staying tied to what weavers do best...share their love of this craft via show and tell, programs, and in general, a comradely or collegiality of minds to learn from those who go before us.  I have been weaving now for over 17 years...and I am not an expert on anything. I do have a wealth of OOPS to share and which shortcuts you NEVER take. For example, the S word ...Sampling; a must but often not a desire. I have a litany of how your notes are crucial, legible and believable. I could go on and on, however, this is why we gather, to share our experiences, our joys and often our lives as the years roll on. The pandemic will not change any of that. It just sharpens the reasons why we do what we do. We adapt...ZOOM will allow that. We can meet it's challenge.

Pat's Finnish American Rug

And meeting that challenge we did, albeit, having someone as experienced as Nita facilitating helped make it easy for the rest of us. Our October meeting was "What inspires you?"  Check out this rug. It's one of about 25 Pat has woven lately. She truly must have been inspired the book she recommended-Finnish American Rag Rugs by Y. Lockwood.

Inspiration comes from many sources, whether it's internet, workshops, books, or a friend showing a rug or runner. Here's a summary of what inspires us as weavers, as artists, as enthusiasts as shared by our weavers.

Liftplan Connection by Alice Schlein and videos from Becky at Vavstuga in MA.  

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKEu_1Wf-jw

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3iH26gNQl

Online Pinterest

Workshops, Conferences, ie, Deb Sharpe workshop, biannual Weavers round robin, MWC classes,

Guild Monthly programs

Art books-i.e., Fiber Art Design Series (there is 8 of them);

The Fiber Arts Book of Wearable Art; 

1000 Artisan Textiles

Simply Experimenting, i.e. "just playing around with the treadlings".

Double bound rag rug

Weave Classic Crackle and More by Susan Wilson.  If you get the opportunity, Cathy has a crackle rug on the "Tools of the Trade" loom upstairs at the Guild House. You can go into the guild house, however, one person per room, masked, etc. 

A BIGGG cone of 20/2 cotton 

A Weaver's Book of Eight Shaft Patterns book by Strickler

Learning to weave by Deb Chandler

Weaving, a Handbook for the Fiber Arts by Shirley Held

The Big Book of Weaving by Laila Lundell; 

Periodicals like Handwoven, VAV, or Shuttle Spindle and Dyepot have projects 

Project specific resources from our guild weaver's library. i.e., rugs: Rag Rug Handbook by Janet Meany or Jason Collingwood and Tom Knesely's books and videos

Weaving Made Easy by Liz Gipson

Handmade Home by Liz Gibson

The Weaver's Companion from Interweave Press always keep at hand for all levels of weavers.

Bateman Extended Maniforld Twill Weaves by Robin Spady 

anything Vicki Tardy

The Weaver's Book by Harriet Tidball 

Advertisements from Yarn Barn, WEBS, the woolery.

My stash of 40/2 from years back challenging her to do something. 

Best of Weavers Huck Lace and Twill Thrills By Madeline VanderHoogt.

Doubleweave by Jennifer Moore

And lastly, a moment in time: a tapestry's from my college years that continues to inspire.

Lucy's Native Tapestry

As you can see a book, a journal, a memory, or a friend; something auditory, visual, or tactile;  

can inspire and lead to new beginnings and new weavings. Our lives continue to be enriched by weaving.