Look, feel, hold and wrap

Lydia1
“I wove it”

This weekend was full of the clacking of shuttles once again. Here Lydia is a 2nd time weaver to the studio. Following on from the theme of wider cloths on the loom, she took the opportunity to weave a full wrap. In two very full days of weaving she wove over two metres of fine and detailed work in wool.

When a cloth is cut down off the loom there is something about just looking and looking at whats been woven. Even though we can regularly unroll and see our work it is mostly hidden on that cloth beam providing a memory that doesn’t really reveal itself totally until we can hold it, look at it, feel it and wrap ourselves in it.  The tape measure was a popular workshop tool too, with a regular measure to keep the weavers on track to completion.  It is worth it to keep weaving to get a decent wrap around for our bodies rather than leaving it too short. A great project and achievement on the loom.

Together Lydia and Jan worked a long two days to finish their projects in studio time. I feel that every time I write about a workshop I’m full of gushing cliques.  The dictionary meaning of gushing is “ (of speech or writing) effusive or exaggeratedly enthusiastic.”  Never am I exaggerating my enthusiasm for woven work or for the weavers I encounter.  I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.