I just had to include this book in my Christmas wish list. Pacific Pattern
by Susanne Kuchler and Graeme Were is a beautiful book especially for weavers
and textiles artists.In true ‘pacific colour’ the authors review the history
of the Pacific, the techniques of fibre and fabric and it’s cultural relevance
to the people. Historic photos accompany beautiful contemporary photos of the
arts.Although tatooing and other body decorative arts are included, there is
much more on weaving, quilting and tapa. The bibliography is packed with futher
references – so I am so happy.

I always feel that the Pacific region is very quiet about it’s rich cultural
heritage and we (in Australia) are not exposed to it very much even though many
migrants come from the Pacific. Perhaps its just that I walk around ignoring
things until its ‘all about weaving’! Anyway, the book is very special.

Saying ‘goodbye’ to my handwovens isn’t easy. This photo is of a magnificent wrap (being very immodest here) I sold recently. The drape is wonderful. 20/2 silk set at 24 epi with a 16shaft twill pattern with borders different to the main weave.

I’m planning to make several more (although they are never the same) for myself and my girls. They make the perfect attire for travelling. I’m weaving on both my looms at the moment and I plan to have a little tutorial on how I warp up with multiple ends using a rigid heddle reed soon.

Meanwhile, to quench your thirst Cathy has some wonderful photos of a warping mill and getting the warp to the loom. I can’t see enough of these type of photos. I am a weaving voyeur. I have become so used to working alone and in my own ways that I’m so surprised when other weavers do things differently. Recently at the Online Weavers Dyers & Spinners Association I discovered that many weavers leave their lease sticks in their warp as they weave – who would have thought! This makes it easier to re-thread to new patterns. I also learnt that most weavers don’t warp up with a rigid heddle reed for speed so I thought I’d do a photo montage for my next entry.

For more photos of weavers, weaving and looms, I really enjoyed the Healing Family Foundation in Thailand’s site. As I work in an Equity (Disabilities) Teaching unit I was so enthused to read about this project. Using Saori weaving, the Japan Foundation has established an extraordinary project in Changmai. How do we live a meaningful life – to weave, of course! Or in other words to "engage in creative activities that will give meaning to [their] lives"

Otherwise where else have I been…well lazing around at Coffs Harbour. Here’s me at Crescent Head NSW on a perfect day. The colours on the sky and the ocean are so uplifting, no wonder surfboard riders talk about the meditative and cosmic experiences they have in the water.

My 8 shaft floor loom is on the move again. This time with a ribbed weave. Five scarves of warp painted 2/20 mercerised cotton with a 2/60 silk weft.

I seem to be unwinding alot of skeins lately ready for the warping process. But I’ve developed some smart ideas! When I use an immersion dye method on any skeins they are so ‘tangly’ to unwind. So I am now weaving with the yarn undyed then cross dyeing after I have finished the weaving. To maintain the clarity of the warp painting the undyed yarn must be one type of fibre and the painted yarn another type.Silk can be dyed with a fibre reactive for protein fibres which won’t affect the cotton warp.

There’s alot of room for experimentation with cross dyeing, and I think it can be more productive for a small weaving studio operation as winding and unwinding skeins takes up so much time.

Also, The Thread Project site has posted up a photo of the 49 cloths in St Pauls Chapel for the 9/11 memorial. They look spectacular hanging from the balconies. This rewarding project is also documented by webcast on the St Pauls site. Click on Thread Project to see an overview of the project by Terry Helwig.

The class for kumihimo braiding went really well. We started by working on ideas of measurement. Using our bodies to find an approximate metre length, then measuring 2 each of 4 colours, each 2 metres long. This produced eight strands which were then halved to place 16 strands on the circular board in preparation for braiding. Nearly all of the students completed the braid within 3 hours and some attached them to a keychain fitting.

A couple of students wanted the braid coiled into a circle, as seen in the second photo, which was particularly effective.

This lesson was really one on practical literacy combined with an appreciation of art and the development of an expressive technique. The skills of measurement, understanding verbal and symbolic instructions are important in all work places. So the idea was to introduce these skills in an indirect way…then lead to more direct work skill applications.

By the end of the class, students were readily able to understand the process instructions from a symbolic diagram. But this wasn’t just an intellectual exercise, the braiding gave a ‘real’ quality of experience for concentrating and using the hands to manipulate the pattern.

I was also fortunate to share the teaching with a colleague, Robyn, who skillfully broke down each process into smaller units so the students could successfully achieve at each step.

Teaching is the greatest, most creative and rewarding job in the world sometimes.

Photographing textiles is sometimes as good as making them. As I said "goodbye" to these, I photographed them for my samples and notes collection. But my notes are so messy. And I don’t really know how I can make them better. There as so many processes connected to handweaving.
Firstly I have my large journal design book. This is ring bound, so I don’t loose my thoughts. I draw, colour, shape and design here. Then I add some calculations; how wide, the starting sett, how long, add in the shrinkage and loom waste. Importantly, I now name the textile, (more so I can find the multiple references later!)

Secondly, I go to my software on the computer - PCW Fiberworks, where I design the actual construction of the textile. There is a place for notes, which I also complete. It is filed under the chosen name.

Thirdly, I have a proforma made up on lightweight system board where a copy of the notes, perhaps photos and a sample can be glued on.

Also, the fabric must be actually woven in amongst all of this.

All of these are then put into a plastic folder. What do you think? Too many processes, too many bits – but they all have an important role, albeit chaotic. The artistic, the technical and the form. How do other weavers go about this?

Just what is art? and how can we recognize it. I’ve been thinking about this because I have to teach a short introductory class to a group of teenagers.

I think the immediate response to my question "What is Art?" will be "pictures". What sort of "pictures", perhaps painted, drawn. What about photography, is that art. Our family photos don’t seem to fit into that category but perhaps a Max Dupain photo would. Why? What’s the difference? Is a basket art? Well no, but then we see many we would call art. Textiles; are they art? Well the tea towel in my kitchen wouldn’t be considered art by these teenagers but I could show them tea towels that are art. What is the difference?

When the students begin to struggle with words to answer this, I will tell them they have the answer. It’s impossible to describe the differences. We don’t seem to have the right words to define what is art and what isn’t…we just seem to know. This is exactly what art is. The unexplainable, the things where our language fail us. It’s a feeling towards a work by the viewer and an attempt at describing the unexplainable by the artist. An artwork captures another human’s attempt at describing their human experience .Writers, musicians and artists all use their mediums to try to describe concepts which lay beyond our general speech. Making experience tangible.

There is an ancient Polynesian belief that the artist is a vehicle through whom the Gods create. Art has not always been a separate division of life left to ‘talented’ people. It was seen as a birthright. Just as a right to clean air and water. I think the activity of making art is for everybody but everybody shouldn’t be forced to agree with me! Painting, drawing, pottery etc. are not the only forms of art and it may take some experimenting to find a medium that suits. A medium where you can feel comfortable to explore technique. Yarn is that medium for me, but others may like cement, metal, needle and thread, clay, software, pencils, paper etc., etc.

So what art form will I introduce these young students to? Textiles of course. A form where technique, function and beauty can meet. We will do a 16 strand Japanese Kumihimo braid in wool.

All of the Curiousweaver Journals published 1994-1996 are now freely available on the Tutorials and Articles page.
I also have Issues 3,4, & 5 as back issues available posted to anywhere in Australia for $15.00 or to the rest of the world for $20.00 (Australian Dollars only via Paypal. Equivalent to $US15.30). Please email me with your postal details and I will send you a Paypal invoice (overseas customers) or payment details to Australian customers.