Discovery?
I have so much news – I don’t know what to write about first . . .The thing I am most excited about is my new “discovery”. As I was reading about and drafting deflected doubleweave, trying to wrap my brain around as many aspects of the structure as my wayward brain would allow, and having just attended Anita Thompson’s fabulous workshop on 8-shaft Overshot, I realized that one could use any 8-shaft overshot draft as a deflected doubleweave draft (with a little tweaking). I knew that almost any (unbroken) twill could be used and since overshot is considered a twill derivative and since overshot already has multiple thread blocks . . .Bing! The lightbulb. Now the only question is if this astonishing revelation (to me) is an obvious or well known fact to other weavers. Must ask gurus . . . The above photo on the left is deflected doubleweave on the loom threaded almost exactly like the overshot on the right. Unless there is something major I overlooked, and the DefDW comes to pieces off the loom – I might have a had cool idea.
Next exciting news is that I am on the scholarship committee at Vav Stuga in Shelburne Falls, Ma. If you haven’t heard of it, it is a beautiful, beautiful Swedish-style weaving school right on the river in Shelburne Falls. The owner/teacher there is Becky Ashenden who has been weaving, teaching weaving and translating Swedish weaving books into English for many years. Anyway, the scholarship committee is assigned the task of handing out scholarship money every year for one or two students to attend Becky’s 5-day “Basics” class. It usually costs $750.00 to attend which is why the scholarship money is so important. The only prerequisite for application is that the applicant has a household income of $50,000.00 or below. I have heard and read so many testimonials about what a great teacher Becky is, and that her instruction will change/improve one’s weaving forever. Check the Vav Stuga website out for more information about applying (applications for 2010 are already in – so apply for 2011.)
Next up is the “Scary Coat” – Ha! not so scary now . . . Cheryl Rezendes local fiber artist and life-long tailor has agreed to hold my hand through the process. We are starting with a pattern fitting on June 02 ,and we will go from there. On a comic note – Cheryl asked me to model some of her fabulous clothes in partial barter for her sewing guidance – I guess she wanted a person “of a certain age” to model the clothes. I have to say that although I envy young modeling beauties their youth and gorgeousness – I definitely do not envy them their work. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if one wasn’t supremely self-conscious and if one didn’t feel the need to beg the photographer to please aim the camera away from the “problem areas”.
Lastly, I am in Handwoven! Three times! Only don’t look for my Project Article, sigh, (I will have a project in Handwoven, as God is my witness . . .) Look for me in the Schacht ad, the Not Just for Socks announcement, and the Study Group article.
