Kermit & Grover go for a Walk

I recently went for an introductory weaving class here and got to try a small rigid heddle loom (a cricket loom by schacht). It was fun and I managed to weave a scarf for the Mr. in less than 3 hours. The class was taught by Collete of Interstitial Spaces who has a weaving workshop. Having had the class I have been dreaming about weaving ever since. Now I'm planning on getting my own loom but maybe a bit bigger than the Cricket as its only 10 inches of weaving space wide. I like the look of Ashfords slightly bigger loom but I'd like to test drive it first... Here's some pictures of the Mr. modelling his scarf which I have dubbed 'Kermit and Grover go for a walk" due to the colours...

Its a little too short for the Mr. (I used all the wool wound on the loom!) but worn like this with a jacket kinda like a cravat should look okay.

Before washing the weave was slightly more open. Washing pulled it together slightly as well as softened it up nicely.

I wove sections of 4 rows green & 4 rows blue for about 10cm then swapped to 3 rows of each so you get a subtle variation in pattern. Most of the pattern is from the way the loom was warped though (the vertical threads) which Colette set up for us. Its fun how just alternating two different colours can create so many patterns.

I think weaving may be addictive.

Neck Things

I was getting jumpy from lack of making so I made some more necklaces...

New Toast Catalogue is nice to gaze at. May have inadvertently influenced the colours of my necklaces...

Wooden it be Nice? Square wooden beads & copper beads on brown waxed polyester thread (the inter-situ copper beads help it to sit flat when worn)

The Orientalist. Vaguely orientally inspired in the Victorian sense (as in the Victorian era mania for all things oriental resulting in a profusion of 'oriental' goods that were neither from Asia or replicated things from Asia, but were well sought after decorative items in middle class Victorian homes none the less). Black glass matt finish oval beads, bronze beads, red painted wooden carved bird bead. black waxed polyester thread. The whole reason for this necklace is because I found the bird - it was love at first sight - and I had to have it.

Glazed and Confused. Green & blue glazed ceramic beads, small copper beads and brown waxed polyester thread. Likewise, fell for the colour of the beads and the interesting features of the glazes, each bead is interesting in itself.

A paler shade of pale. Grey waxed polyester thread and grey painted seeds. It was grey. What can I say. I love grey.

Living in the Silence Between Movements of a Symphony

I read the new Toast travel article today about the Arctic & Antarctic travels of Sara Wheeler. I was struck by the poetry of that line:

"Life was absent from our landscape; it was like living in the silence between movements of a symphony."

Sometimes things just reach into you and dig deep resonating with somewhere deep inside. I like this line because it does seem to me that the essence of our lives are not found in moving from one activity to another but in the stillness in between. Not of doing but of being (we are human beings after all, not human doings). In these moments where everything comes into this strange clarity and makes sense just for a moment, very briefly. The sunlight falling across autumn leaves, the clearing in the clouds, the smile of a friend.

Quietness, stillness, silence.