Against The Tide; hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
are strewn across the flat surfaces of my studio.
Rough Copy #10 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
23 individual pieces.
Rough Copy #13 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
Though by no means all I have woven in the recent past,
together they represent years
of drawing
of gazing into the warp,
of tapping bits of weft into place,
together they represent years
of drawing
of gazing into the warp,
of tapping bits of weft into place,
Against The Tide (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
of making decisions about structure
about slits
about joins
about character.
about slits
about joins
about character.
Back Alley Blues (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
I'm always after something -- a feeling
a mood, an idea, a story,
a mood, an idea, a story,
Rough Copy #11 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
and there is so much I could say--
so much I probably already have said--
about finishing edges
and the importance of drape,
so much I probably already have said--
about finishing edges
and the importance of drape,
Please Can You Pass My Knitting (detail); Notes To Self (Detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
about choice of yarn, choice of technique
Rough Copy #6 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
about slits and joins and hatching and
avoiding the dreaded nipple effect when weaving circles,
avoiding the dreaded nipple effect when weaving circles,
Clearing The Decks (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
about simplicity and complexity (how many bobbins do I want to manage at once?).
Back Alley Blues (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
and the amazing textures one can imitate with a pile of yarn and a grid.
Rough Copy #10 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
I actually had a plan earlier this morning to write about the bliss of weaving in the ends as I go so there is virtually finish work at the end and absolutely no "dark side" to any tapestry (I so enjoy the lovely 'clean' backs that I want to share the love...),
Pizzicato (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
but now that I'm here, I'm content
to take funky photos of a few bits of my beloved work--
not neatly pressed,
professionally hung,
or beautifully lit as it will be next week,
to take funky photos of a few bits of my beloved work--
not neatly pressed,
professionally hung,
or beautifully lit as it will be next week,
Rough Copy #13 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye
but sprawled and relaxed,
out of focus, barely illuminated,
imperfect and at ease and perfectly lovely as the cloth that it is--
the cloth I want so much to let it be.
So that must be what I really had to say today!
out of focus, barely illuminated,
imperfect and at ease and perfectly lovely as the cloth that it is--
the cloth I want so much to let it be.
So that must be what I really had to say today!
Rough Copy #3 (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye Two things before I go, however:
1. I probably won't write a blog post next Tuesday as I'll be in La Conner awaiting the opening of the show with these 23 tapestries at the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Art Museum (reception 3 May from 4-6 Pm), and I haven't figured out how to use the portable Weebly app. There is a good chance, however, I will post things to Instagram so if you want to see the tapestries out in the world and can't get to La Conner this summer, that's the place to go.
2. This show will be the last time that all thirteen of the Rough Copy tapestries will be exhibited together as they will be for sale individually for the first time at and after this show. One, indeed, has already sold. Making the decision to break up the series five years after finishing it is probably worth a blog post all of its own, but for the moment I'll just say that if you are interested in owning one you can contact the Museum starting next Wednesday, or, after the show comes down at the end of July, you can contact me!
sarah.swett1 (at) gmail.com
1. I probably won't write a blog post next Tuesday as I'll be in La Conner awaiting the opening of the show with these 23 tapestries at the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Art Museum (reception 3 May from 4-6 Pm), and I haven't figured out how to use the portable Weebly app. There is a good chance, however, I will post things to Instagram so if you want to see the tapestries out in the world and can't get to La Conner this summer, that's the place to go.
2. This show will be the last time that all thirteen of the Rough Copy tapestries will be exhibited together as they will be for sale individually for the first time at and after this show. One, indeed, has already sold. Making the decision to break up the series five years after finishing it is probably worth a blog post all of its own, but for the moment I'll just say that if you are interested in owning one you can contact the Museum starting next Wednesday, or, after the show comes down at the end of July, you can contact me!
sarah.swett1 (at) gmail.com
