Works In Progress

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Day 248: Years ago, I realized that I was going to have to set some rules for myself if I ever wanted to see a project through to completion. As a young needleworker (and by "young," I mean in the age range of 4-18 years), it was not uncommon for me to begin knitting a sweater (for example), finish a few inches and then start knitting a hat or mittens. My workbasket might have contained three partially-completed knit items, an equal number of crocheted pieces half-done, and off in the corner, perhaps two pieces of crewel embroidery or needlepoint on frames or in hoops. I wasn't finishing anything because I wasn't focused. That was when I wrote the Law of Projects: that no more than one piece of any type of needlework could be in progress at the same time, i.e., one knit item, one crochet project, one piece of bobbin lace, etc. That said, there is some latitude in the interpretation of the Law, as is the case with most contracts: if the form of execution is sufficiently different, the second project may be considered as a fiberart of another type. This interpretation is particularly important when it comes to weaving.

The floor loom and the rigid heddle are two entirely different breeds of cat. The floor loom is treadled to form the sheds, whereas with the rigid heddle, the reed must be lifted manually, processes as individual as dancing opposed to lifting weights. In the case of the large frame loom (rigid heddle), I work standing up, as opposed to sitting on a bench when working at the floor loom. The action of passing the shuttle back and forth, although common to both methods, is as incidental as the use of a knife to cut bread or to whittle a stick: same tool, different product. The Tail Project (top) is an active sport. In weaving it, I am standing to manipulate the sheds, stepping from side to side to draw the weft across the work, beating the threads into place with physical exertion. The slub cloth on the floor loom (bottom) becomes a meditation, a repeated sequence of steps, throws and beating done in rhythm.

Should I be so inclined, I could add backstrap, tapestry or card-weaving without breaching the Law of Projects, but there are other fish in the ocean: a quilt to finish, a tablecloth to crochet, spinning to be done. How do people find the time to watch TV or play on their computers when there are so many crafts begging for hands to complete them?

Slubby Cotton

Day 46: Around here, you never quite know what you might find in a forgotten corner of the crafts room. In this case, another foray into the depths of the cedar chest yielded up this slubby cotton, something I purchased over thirty years ago. I bought two large hanks, roughly 800 yards in each, and apparently used one for something at some point (I have a vague recollection of having knit a top out of it) or else the twins got separated somehow and the other one is still around here someplace. The slubs are too heavy to pass through the heddle eyes as a warp thread, but a vision is forming in my mind of warping alternating black and white stripes in 8/2 cotton and then using the slubby cotton alternately with black in the weft. This is why weavers' stashes are always packed full of bits and bobs: contrary to planning logic, we're waiting for the fiber to suggest the project rather than the other way around.