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The Right Tool: Tapestry Bobbins

6/12/2018

 
Picture
So how silly is it
​to spend a chunk of the morning
​wandering around the garden, 
looking for the perfect place to pose
(excuse me, to STYLE)
my suddenly expanded collection 
of hand turned tapestry bobbins?
Picture
Rosewood extra slim bobbins by Alexandra Iosub
Or maybe silly isn't the word -- 
it's more that I find it interesting to notice
that my desire to do this
​ has become something to notice.
​If you know what I mean.
Picture
Skinny Minnie bobbins, with and without brass tips, by Milissa Dewey
Not that I don't relish the warm feelings I get
from visually satisfying images.
It's just that after a time one begins to have some judgement.
This photo will do.
That one will not.

And since Photography is not my gig,
I'm a little bit annoyed
that I might consider avoiding an idea for a blog post
because I don't have good enough photos.
Picture
bobbin: Dewey/ Iosub/ Dewey
So I don't.
Avoid it, that is.
Indeed, as most of you know
I usually do show my work
(and tools, and face)

in  less than perfect conditions:
sprawled across an old piece of cardboard,
​in active use,
 neither well lit nor artfully arranged
so probably you're not even here for photographic eye candy.
Picture
Indeed, you're probably not surprised 
that I was so excited to use
  these
custom, extra slim rosewood 
beauties  
by Alexandra Iosub,
that I neglected to take more than

a couple of unwrapping snaps for Instagram.
(don't you love how she stitched them into that scrap of fabric?)
Picture
Picture
Or that though I meant to take more pics once I began to warp,
the process sucked me in,
​and photos were not taken.
Having the perfect tool for a job is so distracting.
Picture
Four Selvedge Auxiliary Warp # 1
And who could pause for a moment
when a second package arrived:
a collection of Skinny Minnies
​(with and without brass tips)
made by Milissa Dewey of Bobbin Boy?
​Not me. 
Those too were put right to work.
Picture
Four Selvedge Tapestry; spindle spun wool warp, linen and wool weft; indigo; 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
But this morning
​ ​I really wanted to try to show them off
in all their luscious, hand turned,
hardwood glory--
Picture
Iosub/ Dewey
even if that meant getting my feet wet
and taking photos
​in a place where they will ​rarely, if ever, be used. 
Picture
Iosub/ Dewey
But so what?
A small attempt at bobbin porn never hurt anyone.
​Least of all me.
And vicarious pleasure is most definitely a thing.
Picture
Then again,
given a choice between styling exquisite tools
and actually using them, 
I usually choose the latter.
Picture
Which I guess is one of the many ways
you can tell 

that I am a weaver
and not a photographer. 
For which I am a little bit sorry --
but not all that much.
Because weaving is the BEST,
​don't you think?
Velma Bolyard
6/12/2018 11:44:10 am

weaving IS the best, except papermaking.

Sarah
6/12/2018 02:50:02 pm

Probably true, Velma.... but when you can make and spin paper and then weave with it -- must be utter heaven.

Lynn
6/12/2018 03:06:28 pm

And I think spinning is the best because then you can weave or make paper with it. Or both.

Ann
6/12/2018 03:12:30 pm

I'm not even a tapestry weaver and those are making me have bobbin envy. they are lovely.

Inga
6/12/2018 03:40:45 pm

Your weaving is amazing! Your pictures are so inspirational! Your photography is great, believe me. This is not a wedding or fashion photo shoot. It shows your process of creating, your stuff, it's a real thing. If you ever decide to publish a book on your tapestries, you can use your photos. Please, keep showing your amazing stuff! I am addicted to your blog and it is the only one I'm following. Best, Inga

Sarah
6/14/2018 11:52:15 am

Wow — thank you Inga! I so appreciate hearing this.

Bonnie Klatt
6/12/2018 06:48:15 pm

Trying to say which fiber passion (or ANY creative passion) is BEST is like trying to choose a favorite child. I love them all equally.

Sarah
6/14/2018 11:54:21 am

Definitely agree with you there, Bonnie. Best is, perhaps not the perfect word —though I will say I am usually the most connected to the one I’m working on at a particular time. Or am about to begin....

Lynn
6/12/2018 07:01:40 pm

Had visited a bobbin lace group last week and lace bobbins look fairly similar. When looking at bobbin lace book thought they remind me kind of old style spindles maybe people used 1 tool for many crafts and perfected them with use.

Sarah
6/14/2018 11:57:36 am

Interesting observation! Could well be true — Many years ago I bought a couple of lace bobbins thinking I could use them for tapestry, but found that the abrupt transition from the yarn storage part to the body of the bobbins made it hard to slide them through the warp.
Also, they (the lace bobbins), did not have pointy ends, and those points are essential to the way i use tapestry bobbins. But perhaps the origin is similar?

Elaine Todd
6/12/2018 07:31:23 pm

I do love weaving and I love your new bobbins. I have a few brass tipped wooden bobbins that I purchased years ago by mail from Australia. I would love to get a few small brass tipped ones in the near future. Your bobbins are beautiful and your tiny houses are Fun! Thank you so much for your sharing I’m Really enjoying your blog

Sarah
6/14/2018 11:58:42 am

Why thank you Elaine. And yes — these tiny brass tipped ones are also new to me and lovely to use.

Martina Müller
6/13/2018 12:08:12 am

I for one don’t come for the perfect, or otherwise, eye candy. I come because your blog is food for the soul, totally inspirational and you seem to have an utterly delightful nature. A great place to hang out! Oh, and those bobbins look gorgeous!

Sarah
6/14/2018 11:59:25 am

Oh Golly! Thank you!☺️

Debra
6/13/2018 04:00:21 am

My new favorite tools are the flat tapestry bobbins I bought from a gentleman named Don Betterley. They're about 1/8" thick, with the outline of a regular tapestry bobbin, so they fit beautifully through a tight warp. They're made from beautiful hardwoods and very nicely finished. Mr. Betterley doesn't have a web presence, so we do business via email and old-fashioned check-in-the-mail.

Sarah
6/14/2018 12:00:48 pm

Now that is a fascinating idea — flat tapestry bobbins! I’m intrigued.... Also, the bliss of snail mail.

Don Betterley
6/14/2018 09:22:43 pm

Thanks for the flat bobbin reference . . . those I make, and have to credit the idea to our friend Maggie Clark, who has posted on Ravelry.

Debra
6/15/2018 05:09:41 am

And there he is! Hi, Don B. I continue to love your bobbins and wooden weaving needles ....

Maggie
6/21/2018 05:05:42 pm

Don really gets the credit for these very cool bobbins. I simply described what I wanted and he made them magically appear! Love rhem

Debbie Held link
6/13/2018 06:48:18 am

It's not silly at all. I find that waiting for the perfect swath of natural sunlight for photographing my handspun and handspun-related projects just tickles me to no end. Sometimes I can open enough blinds indoors to make the shot workable, but there's nothing like going outdoors in nature to make it just right.

Sarah
6/14/2018 12:02:19 pm

True. And this time of year, the green backdrop is so thirst quenching —particularly because here in Idaho, it’ll be brown and super dry soon enough. Light is something, isnt’ it?

Kate Robertson link
6/15/2018 10:39:40 am

Hi Sarah, First its great to see your work after all these years. Do you remember coming to Idaho Falls maybe 25 years ago. You stayed at my house and taught a workshop with our guild. I had no idea you were blogging. I am enjoying reading some of old posts. Your work continues to amaze me. Your pictures of the bobbins were beautiful so all the time you spent in the garden, was well worth it. I found you through Rebecca Mezoff and I am really excited about your new class. This new way to warp sound fabulous.

Kate Robertson

Sarah
6/16/2018 11:29:18 am

Hello Kate! I certainly do remember you and that amazing trip to Idaho Falls. Wonderful that you’re still weaving tapestry, and studying with Rebecca. She’s astonishing. And thank you for checking out my blog and for your kind words.

best essay writing service link
6/29/2018 02:58:48 am

These tapestry bobbins were so amazing. I couldn't help but to feel amazed with what I saw because this is actually my first time! I have this feeling that if I will be given the chance to learn the craft., I would surely have fun doing it since it's a not-so-traditional ways of keeping yourself busy. The activity might have been forgotten for so long, but it would be better if we will reintroduce it more one again for the public. I am sure that a lot of people will be hooked up to it once again!


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    ​Sarah C Swett 
    tells stories
    with
    ​ and about

     hand spun yarn. 


    Picture
    Click for info on
    my four selvedge
    warping class
    with
    ​ Rebecca Mezoff  
    fringeless


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