Carolyn's post about why she weaves had me thinking about why I enjoy it so much. Although I'm new to weaving - at least relative to how long I've been knitting - I think I like it so much because it encompasses everything I love about fiber. I get to sit down and calculate, in a rather formal way, how much warp I need, what sett do I use, what weave structure, etc. But then I still have to realize that no matter how much I plan there's an uncertainty about how the different yarns will react with the weave structure and with each other. How will the colors blend? Will I like it when it's finished? Add all of that to the feel of the fiber slipping through my fingers as I wind the warp and sley the reed and the rhythm of throwing the shuttle and pulling the beater and I have to wonder ---- how could you NOT want to weave!
I had a relaxing three day weekend. I spent most of my time spinning the silk and finishing up another Wallaby for a baby gift. I also finished Laura's mohair scarf. Now I can get back to finishing my sage mohair cardigan. My game plan for this week is to finish that sweater and plan my next weaving project.
I like it because it forces me to think and act in a more methodical way than I usually do. I still weave by the seat of my pants, though. . .
ReplyDeleteWell, my "seat of my pants" usually comes in when I'm trying to compensate for some huge error I made. Like the nice wool lap robe I made when I forgot to allow for loom waste when planning a blanket :-)
ReplyDeleteReasons not to weave:
ReplyDelete1. Hatred of planning ahead.
2. Hatred of 99% setup, 1% fun.
3. Fear of large mechanized objects.
Hey. Less competition for you to get all the nice looms/yarns/weaving equipment in the world! Yeah!
Isn't it amazing to see the cloth "Appear" before your eyes?
ReplyDeleteI agree with all you said about weaving, Charleen. I still do much less weaving than knitting, but I now think of myself as a weaver who also knits and spins, as weaving feels like 'me'. Knitting is portable and as I usually don't work from commercial patterns now, it ticks a lot of the same boxes as weaving. Spinning, for me, is relaxation - non-technical, mindless, often social.
ReplyDelete