The weekend was amazing in so many ways.
First, I went to Florida. There was no snow. It got to 80 degrees. I wore a handwoven top with no sleeves. I got a weeks worth of Vitamin D. (Thanks for the photo Judi!)
There was a fiber conference in Florida. Florida Tropical Weavers Guild. Sunshine and fiber. Since it is currently 30 degrees in NJ, and there are still piles of grey icy snow, what’s not to absolutely love about sunshine and fiber. No wonder there were so many northerners at this conference. We watched the sun rise every morning in the dining hall.
Weavers frequently stopped by to tell me about things they did with techniques they learned from me in previous classes. Like this bag from Alice Ann Ferderber made for Diane Click using my leftovers piecing technique.
The class was called Weave a Memory. I usually teach garment construction. Teaching a weaving technique was a bit different for me. I had a fantastic class of 12 students, not including the Sandhill Crane that really wanted to get inside. (That’s me on the right wearing my snakeskin stretch cotton pants and my new leather jacket. Thanks for the photo Mary!)
The space was huge, this was only half!
And the technique produced some really wonderful stories, some great woven memories and some fantastic gifts for loved ones. The techniques I taught here were not really challenging, take a photo that means something to you, scan it into the computer, manipulate it in Photoshop (lots of information on that)…
Print the image on cloth. Cut into narrow strips…
And weave back together in a structure affectionately called Theo Moorman, after a legendary weaver of the same name who wrote a book back in the 70’s called Weaving as an Art Form. This structure allows you to weave a ground cloth while laying in a design element on the surface, row by row, held down with a series of fine tie-down threads.
The technique wasn’t that challenging, it was more about what they did with the images. They wove photos of their grandkids…
They wove photos of their pets…
They wove wedding photos of their relatives…
They wove photos of their parents…
They wove photos of their vacations…
Some of them managed to finish a half dozen woven memories in the two and a half day workshop. If you are interested in more about this technique, I do teach it online through Weavolution.com. And I have a monograph by the same title available here.
I did manage to slip into the vendor hall briefly before the Friday night fashion show. I found this…
If you don’t recognize the face, this little carved sculpture looks just like Shaun the Sheep. If you don’t know about the claymation series Shaun the Sheep, you need to run directly over to youtube.com and watch every episode. They are hilarious. Start with this one. Notice the handwoven dishtowel…
And I found something that got me so excited I couldn’t wait to get back to the studio. No it wasn’t yarn. I have enough of that. It is a silly piece of equipment I’ve been scratching my head over for a long time, missing from one of my small looms, and I’ve been unsuccessful as to how to replicate the original. And there is was just sitting in a baggie on a table of other odd assorted things. With a price of $4.00.
I have these two Leclerc looms, perfect replicas of a Structo, except they are mostly wood, and 10″ wide. I even have a second warp beam with spools for one of them. The crank is very specific on these little Leclerc looms.
I needed a second.
And now, I have what almost appears to be an original piece of Leclerc equipment, it fits the loom, it works and I feel like I found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (Sorry, it is St. Patrick’s Day. I have a corned beef on the stove as I write…)
I had a glorious four days in Florida, and an easy uneventful flight home, more than anyone could ask. I’m packing up tomorrow for a series of sessions for a Gifted and Talented event in my area. Just three sessions Wednesday morning but a lot of stuff to pack. I have 42 students over three sessions…
Stay tuned…
It was a truly magical three days, Daryl, and the class gave me wonderful memories, too. I love the technique. Thank you, thank you.
Glad you got some beautiful rays and loaded up on Vitamin D! And, found a treasure!
The wonderful handbag you show was designed and pieced by Alice Ann Ferderber. Such a talented and generous lady!! I LOVE my Daryl-style handbag. Credit should be given to the lovely lady that made it. Thank you, AA!! And thank you, Daryl, for teaching the technique. It was great having you at the FTWG conference.
Yeehaw……I knew something from somewhere would fit that as a handle someday. Congrats on having a sharp eye!
You look like you are REALLY soaking it up! Fun and to find a handle for your loom is just TOO
much! Those weavings seem like way beyond my ken but the participants look like they GOT it.
Nice.
Even though I wasn’t one of your lucky students in this class, it was so much fun visiting the classroom & witnessing memories coming to life on everyone’s looms! You are right up there with the best of the teachers. Glad you could enjoy some of our Florida sunshine & comradery!!
I think that’s actually an original style Harrisville handle…looks exactly like the one I have on my 1974 22″ A4. Great that it fits!
So glad you posted the picture of your sandhill crane visitor! I heard him tap the window of the door with his beak. I think he was trying to lure you outside into the sunshine! Great seeing you at the FTWG conference again!
So glad you got to be in the warm sun. Your technique looks “neat.” Thanks for the link to Shaun the Sheep. Really fun. Saw your handwovens in our Northern Colorado Weavers Guild Show. Thanks for entering. I took Tien Chiu’s class on Creative Design. Wow. And I got to look at your beautiful work up very close–but didn’t touch. She was a good judge of the show and teacher of the class. We need you here now. Hmmm…..
Thank you for the link to Shaun the Sheep! It is clever and so much fun! I’ll be watching more of them when i need a little break. And – thanks for keeping the blog postings…. 🙂 I Always learn something with each one.