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surprised by a tapestry

9/15/2020

 
Picture
I didn't mean to start this tapestry--
and when I did begin,
I wasn't thinking
​about the air.
Picture

Back then
(all of four days ago),
the wind was blowing 
in a different direction,
and I was merely amazed
to be working with wool at all --
​much less weaving
it into a long narrow tapestry
with absurdly elongated slits.
(My ubiquitous wool sweater
steadily takes shape
on spindle and knitting needles,
but that is for evenings and lunch breaks;
regular studio time
has not been 
wool-centric
​for a while).
Picture

​So the whole thing
came at me sideways.
I mean -- 
this is a cordage moment--
​right--
and even if I was to
weave a tapestry,
milkweed
(or maybe willow)
would be
the obvious choice.

These fibers, however,
have other fish to fry
(or wrists to encircle)
and are not interested
in adapting themselves
​to a weft faced form
at this time.
Picture
​"Well," thought I,
having already
(somewhat precipitously),
built a pipe loom
and wound
a continuous warp.
"what about
coffee filter yarn?"
Picture
Alas, no.
The coffee filters
did not care for
the freshly wound
wool/silk warp
(nor, methinks,
for playing second fiddle
to milkweed--
though that is 
mere speculation
for  while
they feel free to tell me
what to do,
these fibers tend to be
somewhat sketchy
when it comes to
​ explaining why).


(note--for more on continuous warps and how to wind them,
this blog post: Long Warp/Short Loom,  has info)
Picture
At any rate,
in the midst 
of my connundrum
(should I unwind that warp?)
some lovely, fine wool skeins
cleared  their collective throat
from their comfy place on a shelf.
This gathering of skeins --
my "purse spindle project"--
​is a graded color progression
of Merino, Cormo, Polworth fleeces
I carded a couple of years ago--
and ever since
have spun and plied on the go
 with my Jenkins Kuchulu
(the aforementioned purse spindle),
whenever my dear  friend Rochelle and I
have met for tea--
historically at a local coffee shop
and these days
(carefully distanced),
shouting enthusiastically
across her back yard.
Picture
The plied yarn
is approximately 5500 yards/pound
so each little skein
represents many chat hours--
Picture
--enough that the
collective twist energy 

had apparently reached
 a critical level

and the skeins
were unwilling--
or unable--
to wait patiently
on the shelf
for another moment

(ever had that feeling?)
Picture
And of course once I began,
it was clear that the fiber
usually does know best.
 I'd forgotten
how familiar
and forgiving 
wool can be--
pure pleasure--
which is a fine thing
​on a series
of icky days.
Picture
Soon enough
(no surprise
to you who know me
​though I had not planned it),
a little way up
​the color progression,
there appeared a tiny house:
encased in smoke
and with lights on during the day
as is the case right here--
​and in much of the rest
of the western half
​of the USA just now.
Picture
It's  horrible --
the fires I mean,
not the house.
​Even those of us
not in immediate danger 
of losing our homes to the flames,
know every dry leaf
​to be potential danger.
We long for rain
to clear enough air,
and ease the worry
about friends, family
and perfect strangers 
​in Oregon and California--
and wish we could
 open windows--
or go outside 
for an autumnal breath,
or even a walk.
On top of 
"everything" else,
it sometimes feels
like just too much.
Picture
Except, luckily,
though being 
somewhat crazy 
is absolutely "a thing"  these days,
working with magical
and opinionated materials
can help to turn
potential madness
into more of a
focused frenzy.
And when one can
share that frenzy,
and the utter
over-the-top-ness
​of bloody everything
with dear friends,
it is easier to remember
that up above 
the grey sock we're living in,
acres of blue sky
await.
Picture
So on we go,
up the warp
into the blue--
in all the ways,
soon.
​
Right?
(don't forget, my USA friends,
to order your absentee ballots soon!!!!)
Picture
And as we work our way along,
it's a fine thing
​ to have support--
from our compatriots
and from lovely books
like this  one
by Linda Ligon--
filled with stories
ideas, connection
and inspiration --
 a place where
tiny house tapestries
(blue skies and all),
might even
run into
​themselves. 
Picture
Velma Bolyard
9/15/2020 03:27:57 pm

i keep all of my western friends and my son in my heart, and am pissed off all over again over this craziness of climate change. take good care, be safe, (so many layers of saying 'be safe').

Jocelyn
9/15/2020 03:28:53 pm

Thank you Sarah--
Waiting, over here in WA, in lo-ong grey socks, waiting for those acres and acres of blue sky.

Gloria Ross
9/15/2020 03:52:09 pm

Thank you

Vicki Aspenberg
9/15/2020 04:04:32 pm

Thanks for the lovely post and the chance to see another beautiful weaving. My heart goes out to you in the west who are dealing
with yet another catastrophic event. I hope the fires don’t last much longer.

Masseyna olstynski
9/15/2020 04:35:37 pm

All my prayers for you and all in the potential range of the fire... As I stand on the edge of the start of a new year all I can offer is prayers for a healthy happy sweet upcoming new year. Be blessed and stay healthy free of the flames and smoke.

Joanne Seiff link
9/15/2020 05:04:34 pm

We too are under the long plume of smoke...it lasts all the way to Manitoba! Thank you for the gift of art in gray, it is surely sometimes hard to see the poetry in this. I see above someone has beat me to it, but it is soon a new year, 5781! I am hoping that during our services and big meals this weekend, and hopes for a good, sweet new year, we can also hope for better health and fewer environmental disasters all around. It sure is time to turn a corner on this experience...

Juli S
9/15/2020 05:54:55 pm

I am currently evacuated (it's been a week now) and am really waiting for those blue skies to come. The view from my home (which survived the fires so far), however, will be very sad for a few years.

Minty
9/15/2020 05:57:52 pm

Wow

Charlotte Switzer
9/15/2020 07:05:50 pm

I am so sorry all you Western border people are having to deal with the fires and all that entails for each of you individually. There are many of us who are rooting for you and hope for blue skies soon for you all.

elizabeth
9/15/2020 07:33:54 pm

Having been through this many years ago the rain can never be more welcome and blue skies dont look real the smell of wet ash reminds me every time of that time. The children have now grown and left but the last couple of summers have been a worry and even though my children moved three states away they all had to live close to bush and for their areas last year was a worry. I really hope those rains are with you soon, and the fear is gone for another year. Stay safe on all levels from Australia

elizaduckie
9/16/2020 12:17:33 am

My heart hurts for all those affected, in whatever way, by not only the fires but so many disasters, of one kind or another that have so far, beset us in 2020. One always has hopes of better times, lately it’s been hard to hang on to that. These little houses you weave always seem to remind me of the important things, hearth and home, kith and kin. Even if the latter feels distant right now, since I’m staying safely hunkered down in mine, in a state where my children are not. They are in your state affected by the smoke and covid. My younger daughter is a “long termer” the only blessing being she has mild symptoms, but has zero energy, so can do little. The teenage daughter, of my oldest daughter contracted a very mild case, for about eight days and bounced right out. Yes, I’m more than ready for a new year, but I fear this one comes too soon to bring better times. In a state vulnerable to hurricanes I am grateful not to have been affected by more than a ton of rain, so far. Hurricane season is by no means over, we have entered the busiest month, I’m hoping for the best, but not counting on it. Thank goodness for my hobbies or I’d be nuts by now. Your blog is always a unique little oasis of calm. Thank you, I needed that.

Dawn link
9/16/2020 04:20:32 am

Oh my, this made me weep this morning for everyone enduring this latest burden. From the talking fibers, some spun during socially distanced visits with a good friend, to the smoky sky, to the sheltering sanctuary of the little house and finally to the clearing blue sky, I found this message not only filled with angst of these current times, but more importantly with hope of better times to come. I am praying for those blue skies for all.

Laura Cominetti
9/16/2020 05:46:57 am

Beautiful - the weaving, the blog -and the replies to both. What a loving community. I am grateful i found you. Thank you to you all. Strange and eerie that all the way to Wisconsin there is a haze in the sky to remind me of the fires out west and our connectedness. Stay safe, and find joy and hope somehow... and VOTE.

Mary Barbera
9/16/2020 07:24:44 am

Your listening to the materials is inspiring. My heart goes out to you westerners with fire, smoke and ash. even in Maryland the haze has come, this morning casting long shadows like eventide.

Erika
9/16/2020 08:41:08 am

Wishing you the best from hazy Michigan! It doesn't smell like smoke here, but the smoke and haze are in the high atmosphere and making the midday sun have the orange cast of evening with that peculiar haze of clouds that aren't clouds at all.

Your tiny tapestry is a perfect representation of the strange layers in the air! Beautiful!

Tracy Hudson link
9/16/2020 01:09:28 pm

Attempting to turn “potential madness
into more of a focused frenzy” is a perfect description of my studio life these days!
Xoxoxo

Elaine Todd
9/16/2020 05:33:10 pm

Thank for the journey with you of exploration of your processes as you discover 🙏

Melody
9/17/2020 12:41:39 pm

Thank you for this post and reminder of blue skies to come. Evacuation has passed, we are getting misty but cleaner air. The studio doesn't smell so badly of smoke today, maybe I need to go see what materials are speaking to me.

Heather Bungard-Janney
9/19/2020 01:57:42 pm

Can I ask what the slits are for in the tapestry? And of course, keep safe while you wait for rain.


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    ​Sarah C Swett 
    tells stories
    with
    ​ and about

     hand spun yarn. 


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