what’s next?
it’s hot and my brain is not fully functional
the last small bit of the rag warp
folded double and sewn into a pot holder/hot mat
it gave me the idea for the next warp
sometimes ideas are hard to come by
several years ago I wove dozens of these using up thrums
if you weave a lot the thrums tend to add up – in a tangled mess
what to do with them?
weave a few for the next studio tour
folded double and finished with handmade bias binding
that uses up fabric scraps too
using several threads together, they are a good thickness
and you don’t have to worry about the selvedges as they get covered
I’m always asking myself “what’s next?”
how do you decide what to weave/make next?
do you start with an idea, a colour, materials/yarns, a finished article(s) or a fantastic new pattern?
do you ever get stuck or do you have a list and never enough time to try it all
I often get out the books
and play with yarns and colours
write a rough plan on index cards
and start
My ‘what next’ varies between a custom order request, that requires something different from my usual (often then sends me off on a tangent!), a self imposed boundary created because I want to use only leftovers or reuse items, or I have a tool / technique I want to use, to a book I keep by the sofa, and sketch (badly!) ideas into, ready for when I have the time and inclination for some experiments. Love your textiles. Thanks.
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Dawn – thanks for replying with your ideas, it’s always helpful to know how others approach a “problem”. I too have a binder full of drawings, magazine pictures, yarns etc. some of them years old. I have also found it useful to list past projects, colour schemes, weaving patterns that were exceptional. It is always fun to rework them.
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yes. I often find that one project springboards into another!
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Dawn – it’s interesting that, although we work in very different materials and techniques, we find inspiration in similar ways.
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I do keep a list but I haven’t been weaving nearly long enough to ever struggle with what to weave next. I doubt I’ll live long enough, as a late-start weaver, to get to that point!
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Kerry – you have woven a lot of beautiful work in a short time. No doubt there are great things in future years.
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Thank you, Jean–I hope you’re right!
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