That light bulb moment

I’m shattered after a busy week of being here, there and everywhere.
The good news is that I have been able to get some things made, including a cowl that will be for sale in the very near future once it’s had it’s photo taken.
I have been keeping up with my aims from my previous post and am now on my third sample for my CoA. It’s proving to be really beneficial to do go back to doing samples as it’s getting my head to finally click into place as to how to construct weaving drafts and then how to merge drafts together to create patterns. It’s even more of a good idea to actually read through the weaving books I’ve got instead of flicking through them as I can actually learn something from them. Who’d’ve thought that would be possible. The book I keep going back to at the moment is Janet Philips’ Designing Woven Fabrics. I spent a good chunk of last year humming and hawing over whether to buy this book as it’s a bit pricey, but eventually caved in. I’m so glad I did as it’s really well set out as the first section of the book goes through the basics of designing for weaving and sets you up for weaving a sample blanket which has different threaded sections and then changes the treadling for each block. It’s one of those things that’s easier to read than describe. However, it did click a big light bulb in my head as to how to start merging different blocks of patterns together to then get my own designs. Very cunning.
The second thing that clinked the design bulb on in my head was playing around with weaving software. I’ve had the demo for Pixeloom for a while on my mac and hadn’t really played with it too much. So, I started to tinker with it last week and then discovered that Fiberworks PCW was available for the mac as well now. So I downloaded the demo for that was well as I wasn’t quite gelling as quickly with Pixeloom as I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong, both programs are great and they both do very similar things in the process of designing, but Fiberworks was just feeling a bit easier to use for me. It has got me finally realising now how this whole weaving thing works now and I finally feel that I am getting the hang of this fully in my head. I just now need to make some more cash so I can get the full version of the software.
Anyway, apart from my brain finally getting back to working again I’ve been starting to get myself set-up for doing classes and demos locally in the village as the knitting lessons I’ve been doing with my friend and her army of helpers has seemed to developed an interest amongst the girls to start knitting. Fingers crossed I can get something sorted in the next couple of weeks to get a class up and running to keep the momentum going, and also hopefully get a class going for grown-ups as there’s been a few interested in learning as well.
I’ve also been busy with Clyde Coast Guild stuff as it was Dunoon’s turn to host the meeting this month, so a hardy band of us sailed over on the Western Ferry to Anne’s house (via Sandy’s house) and myself and Karen got warped up on the tapestry looms to see what we could do. Karen went for a tapestry based on a photo her daughter took of a sunset over the Clyde. While I went for a beach scene which turned into something trying to resemble Portencross Castle.
Ok, so it does look like my 5 year old did it, but it’s not bad for a first attempt, and it was great fun to do. I can definitely see myself doing more of this stuff.
Finally, the last bit of Guild stuff that I’ve been involved with was a demo this morning with the Ripe Bunch in Greenock. This was a group of lovely ladies who were so enthusiastic to see myself, Innes, Sandy, Kirsty, and Moira come along with our wheels, looms, and knitting that they all came up to have a chat and had a go themselves. I’m really enjoying being able to get out and about and show people how much fun this weaving and spinning lark can be.
Hopefully, my next post will have some pics of my new designs and hopefully of some stuff that will be going up on Etsy for sale.
Until then, keep calm and weave on:)