At the moment, I’m reading Extreme Textiles by Matilda McQuaid. This is a really inspiring book. As handweavers we always look to past traditions and patterns for our work, but I think there is a place for understanding our future position in how textile technology is being used all around us. Each textile construction technique has it’s own strengths and weaknesses. Weave, knit, crochet and braiding can be used in conjuction with new fibres and mixes to create situation specific performance textiles.
For example, knitting as a looping technique can be easily distended and has been used to make a cardiac support device to hold the heart and prevent it enlarging. This is made from a knitted mesh with untwisted yarns as they disperse stresses preventing the yarns from cutting into the flesh.

And for weavers, one of the first things to leave human marks on the surface of Mars was the impressions of plain weave from the airbags of the Mars Exploration Rover in 2004. A fitting tribute to one of the oldest human creations and skills.

Piecing the glass into a rough pattern.

This diversional therapy was a real change for me. Meaghan, my new weaving student, told me how to do it in a couple of short, non threatening sentences.

"You get a sheet of glass, cut to the size you want. Then cut up pieces of coloured glass (available from a stained glass supplier) and mosaic them on top of the sheet of glass glueing them down with araldite.Then finish it off with black grout." Simple! Also one extra clue – I saw the mosaic cutter used to chip away at the glass so I knew what it looked like.

Now, if I was to write up instructions for this in a booklet, contemporary Australian convention would have me write the first chapter devoted to how dangerous glass is and that it can cut you. Beware, Beware. This chapter would have totally put me off starting or even lingering longer to think that I could ever do it.

But Meaghan’s direct instructions allowed me to get the materials and have a go, before being put off by too many experienced instructions. I learnt alot while doing this and I used my commonsense pushing ahead without procrastinating. (and yes, I cut myself a little once)

Too many instructions and warnings are threatening rather than encouranging to beginners. I think our own practical experience is important to develop on our own, with only gentle guidance from teachers. What constitutes a good teacher? And is there common traits in good teachers aside from their own experience?

I am so happy with this completed project as it is quite outside my usual yarn activities, working with dangerous media.But I’ve learnt something important about learning itself.

Completed panel of glass installed in my kitchen

Teaching Meaghan to warp and weave her first textile on her loom was great fun.

She was organised with a custom built warping frame and had started the warping process before I arrived. She’d even done those pesky weaving calcs to perfection. The only variation was too little yarn for the warp so the original plan had to be modified in situ.

I shamefully but all too naturally slipped into using weaving jargon without being aware. Meaghan looked puzzled, then I realised that this is what a beginner weaver must contend with. The language of weaving. Raddle, reed, sett, cross…special words to explain weaving specifics. Words that don’t mean anything outside weaving.

The Leclerc Fanny loom was in sound condition but had an unusual tie on system for the back and front warp beams which I had never seen…but worked really well. It was just an apron with a rod inserted through it then a permanent lacing attached through the rod and apron. This lacing held another rod where the warp could be tied on.

Although it was a good method, it still takes the brain a bit to work around how I normally do it on my own loom. After years of warping my loom has various additions, like extra cords, attached to it to make the job easier. Another loom is rather naked in a way and needs a weaver to dress and adapt it for her own ways of creating a woven textile.

The loom is a four shaft counterbalanced with six pedals. We threaded the loom in a four shaft straight draw i.e. 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 etc. then tied two pedals to plain weave (1 & 3 vs 2 & 4), and the other four to a twill. The tie up on this loom was very easy to do and could easily be changed even when weaving was underway.

Teaching Meaghan has stimulated my own practice and I came home to my studio with a renewed sense of excitement, contentment and committment.

Isn’t it funny that computer and printed fonts are finally tiring the eyes. I think we’ve had enough of preset ugly borders and ‘ransom note’ style resumes and handouts. Perhaps this is why journalling is becoming so popular. Handwriting, calligraphy, doodles, drawings and blotchy colours suddenly seem fresh and inviting rather than homespun and awkward.

In this new light I prepared these notes recently for a workshop handout. I drew and wrote and painted the instructions in an old fashioned journal way. I then used computer technology to print up multiple copies but I thought it looked nice and inviting as instructions can be inaccessible and too wordy.

Thank you so much for all the comments and emails relating to my previous blog entry. Writing up a blog is very rewarding. It’s an exciting writing genre. One where you’re not alone. It’s social. It’s short. It’s reactive.It’s guarded. It’s specific. It’s evolving.

So reflecting on the grant application and its consequences I see it now [with help from readers] as it should be. I’ve realised the value of the word – evolution. Ideas evolve, and always start with little things – baby steps if you like. Maybe life is a series of multiple baby steps too. I’m starting by taking up Syne Mitchell’s Weavcast challenge to teach someone to weave. I’ve taught many people how to weave but [strangely] never on a shaft loom. My first victim eager student, Meaghan, is ready and I’m seeing her with her newly purchased 46" Leclerc Fanny 4 shaft counterbalanced loom next week.

Right now, I’m dyeing and painting warps and wefts on chenille for a small series of textiles to be woven on my 8 shaft CounterMarche loom. As Easter approaches I hope to really get a start. Hope you all have a fibery, chocolatey Easter.