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a note from my younger self

4/27/2020

 
Picture
Dear Sarah,
I just have to ask--
why are you sometimes so rude to me? 

"
Why oh WHY did you do that thing
back when you were eighteen???"
you moan.
"
It would have been so much better if..."

If what? 
​That's what I want to know.
Picture
I mean --
I'm the one who had the gumption
to learn how to spin
AS you might recall.
Picture
And also weave.
Picture
You know it's true!
Picture
Out The Window; hand woven tapestry; 9" x 9"; wool, natural dyes ©Sarah C. Swett 2008
Ok, so maybe I took a few chances--
Picture
Don't Look Back; hand woven tapestry; 9" x 9"; wool, natural dyes ©Sarah C. Swett 2008
--didn't always think things through.
Picture
Indigo Bath; hand woven tapestry; 28" x 48"; hand spun wool warp and weft; indigo; ©Sarah C. Swett 2003
It's not like a gal could --or would--plan
to find herself naked and blue
​with nothing but  a few strands of warp
to hold her up.
Picture
Sunlight On The Floor; hand woven tapestry; 36" x 24"; hand spun wool warp and weft; natural dyes; ©Sarah C. Swett 2002
But what could I do?
It  was all so interesting.
​And I was curious.
Picture
Blue Day; hand woven tapestry; 48" x 36" wool, natural dye; ©Sarah C. Swett 2007
I never expected 
the hard parts.
I mean really -- who does?
Picture
Two Recipes for Coffee Cake; hand woven tapestry; 48" x 24"; wool, natural dye ©Sarah C. Swett 2007
And we sure ate well.
Picture
Anyway, you've got to admit
​it HAS been really really interesting.

I mean,
​ what could better --
Picture
Diana's Fire; hand woven tapestry; 9" x 9"; wool, natural dyes ©Sarah C. Swett 2008
than to find yourself
​a white-haired woman
Picture
Jane's Picnic III: Toast Marshmallows; hand woven tapestry (detail); 48" x 40"; hand spun wool warp and weft; natural dyes; ©Sarah C. Swett 2000
who gets to play
​with fire and l
ight?
Picture
If you think about it,
all I really did
​ was pick up that strand of yarn--
Picture
Casting Off: A Comic in Seven Tapestries -Pages 2-3; 10" x 10" x 2"; wool, natural dye, cotton/ hemp, thread ©Sarah C. Swett 2009
Picture
Casting Off: A Comic in Seven Tapestries -Pages 3-4; 10" x 10" x 2"; wool, natural dye, cotton/ hemp, thread ©Sarah C. Swett 2009
and follow it--
Picture
Walking The Walk 13" x 10" x 6" Hand Woven Tapestry Hand Stitching, wool, steel wire, stone natural dye
into the night
Picture
The Last Few Pages; hand woven tapestry; 18" x 24"; hand spun wool warp and weft; natural dyes; ©Sarah C. Swett 2003
until one tiny house--
Picture
The Plum Shed; hand woven tapestry; 9" x 9"; wool, natural dyes ©Sarah C. Swett 2008
led to another--
Picture
Tiny House Book 2.5" x 2.25" x 1.0" Handwoven Tapestry Spun paper (washi) Coptic Binding (linen) Paper (Handmade by Velma Bolyard (flax, milkweed, cotton; natural pigments)
and yet another--
Picture
Blue Moon; Hand Woven Tapestry (four selvedge); Hand spun wool warp and weft; natural dye; 2.5" x 2.5"
and eventually
I turned into you.
Picture
So no more whining OK?
We have stuff to do.
​
​love,
Sarah

Picture
ps
and don't forget
that I started working in the weft ends too
so that  all of the tapestries in this post
(plus the bazillion others in the archive)

could be woven that way --
 AND so that you could write

TUCKING THE TAILS.

I mean, it's not like the technique is limited 
to the monochromatic/geometric stuff
you're doing now.

Right?

So come on --
let's mess around some more.
It's still so interesting.
Picture
Nancy B
4/28/2020 11:24:06 am

What indeed?

Lyn link
4/28/2020 11:25:36 am

Sarah -- This is amazing. I love your cartoons of your two selves together and that yarn weaving through the entire narrative of you and you then and now and in the future. I love the all of you even though I really didn't understand that original 18 year old because you headed West and left me behind and seemed so interesting and daring..but now it makes sense and you inspire me every day and I am the luckiest younger sister in the world. Lots of love and hugs, Me

Linda
4/28/2020 11:43:22 am

Oh I loved this post. I love all at the old weavings. I was always so in love with them and the stories they told. So glad to see some again.
It is amazing the decisions the 18 year old makes that changes our entire life. Making decisions at such a young age can be a blessing and a curse. We take it all with stride..

Eileen
4/28/2020 12:01:47 pm

This is wonderful! Telling a story about your younger self and all the ideas you had a long the way. And showing some of your work that tells the story is such great addition. Thank you Sarah!!

Mary Barbera
4/28/2020 12:33:41 pm

Thank you for your courage to share this with us, Perfect from beginning on through forever.

Nancy Martin
4/28/2020 12:37:08 pm

Dear Sarah, What a great blog, really genius. And your work is wonderful! Just tuning in to Tapestry Weaving and you are a delight!
It is the best blog evah!

Suse Medland
4/28/2020 12:47:04 pm

Thank you! Thank you. For your writings. There is something that deeply resonates with me as I sit here on our old deck after a mainly delightful day of wrangling a wild somewhat deer eaten garden into a tad tidier shape; drinking a Fat Tire and glad for all of it. Suse

Lynn Somerstein link
4/28/2020 01:31:03 pm

Ahh- younger and older selves weaving together. Thank you, Sarahs!

Phoebe Dylan
4/28/2020 02:01:34 pm

"Don't Look Back" and "Leaving Home" are stunning. Hanging together they are truly great. And a bit of a nod to Bob Dylan, and a line from a Beatles song "she's leaving home," nice!

Jodi link
4/28/2020 02:09:04 pm

Fantastic.

Jenny Heard
4/28/2020 02:10:04 pm

Oh, how many times have I wondered recently, why did I do that when I was 18 ... and on and on. Thanks for saying that. I’ll try to laugh in the middle of the night next time I wonder(worry).
Jenny

Amy Norris
4/28/2020 02:43:10 pm

what a wonderful Ode to Curiosity!

Cheryl Silverblatt
4/28/2020 04:28:26 pm

I've ambled 3 times now through this conversation with your old, snappy, smart, "have to find out what's out there" self and love the tapestries and you all over again. And it's all still so interesting.

Carol Thomas
4/28/2020 04:59:59 pm

Thanks for the reminder to remember who I was and how she got me here. I don't despair of her, but more frequently, I wonder if she despairs of who I am now.

Susan
4/28/2020 05:58:16 pm

Emotionally yours, Susan

Elizabeth
4/28/2020 09:26:55 pm

Love it as did my husband as we sit here a long long way from 18 even all my children are a long way from 18 but what a journey, i just wish i had been a little freer but that is life, thankyou for your stoey in words and tapestry .Beautiful

Freyalyn Close-Hainsworth
4/28/2020 11:55:01 pm

What a thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation.

Donna Hudson
4/29/2020 02:38:14 am

Thank you for this. A wonderful reminder to do and be in the moment.
And reminds me of Robert Frost, "I took the road less traveled, and it has made all the difference..."
So enjoyable to see a sample of your tapestries!

laura
4/29/2020 05:28:25 am

Oh Sarah, I love this post. Beautiful and so much fun to read. Of course I love all the tapestries and the one climbing out the window reminded me so much of my younger self when I left home at 17 and never did look back. From building my first loom with my husband to having so many babies grow into adults. Isn't life just wonderful!! Thanks again and I love your Tucking The Tails. Thanks for all you do.

Jessica
4/29/2020 06:44:47 am

Beautiful!

Andrea Maria Oland
4/29/2020 10:56:56 am

What I really admire with you, Sarah, is how you explore and try out the most Simple Things which seem to give you so much joy and then I find out that you are really such a good weaver being able to make the most complicated tapestries.
You turn out a strong role-model for me: Explore !! Try out !!
Go for the Most Simple. Go for what gives you Joy in Life.

Vicki Aspenberg
4/30/2020 07:27:43 am

I’m so moved by this post and grateful. The positive and reassuring and honest voice of your young self is just so poignant and heartwarming and wise. I’m glad you are listening to her and I hope to listen to my spirited and zealous young self.

Thank you for all you give to the weaving community. I love your posts, enjoyed the Fringrless class and am so happy to have Tucking the Tails.

Kathi in Calif
4/30/2020 12:46:48 pm

Sarah, I love your paper yarn explorations. I got an email from Habu Textiles this morning. She has paper yarn dyed with green indigo in two shades. Thought you may like to see it.

Sarah
5/5/2020 02:36:06 pm

That Habu paper yarn is amazing and luscious. if not for my complete fascination with the coffee filters, I’d be on it, and either way, it is bliss to admire. Thanks

Dita
4/30/2020 07:16:40 pm

Sarah, you intrigued my younger self when we crossed paths briefly in Prince George, BC, years ago, and you continue to intrigue and inspire this grey haired gal now.

Alison
5/1/2020 12:49:26 pm

Thank you. A thousand times thank you x

pascale
5/4/2020 01:12:08 am

soo beautiful and insightful and
there are no words really

Prudence Bovee
5/4/2020 07:09:53 pm

I knew you then and I know you now. You may have evolved - but you're still you. And I celebrate that - you were a delight then and you are now. Much love to you!

Sarah
5/5/2020 02:39:52 pm

Feeling is mutual darlin.
Weird how much is the same, isn’t it?

catherine
5/19/2020 07:14:02 pm

Absolutely wonderful! I am off to ask my younger self what she has to say. And maybe I, too, need to be a little kinder to her. But, why oh why, didn't she ...


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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