A few weeks ago, I shared a photo of a scarf that I’d recently created, and said that while I’d already been weaving scarves for 6 years, I would continue to do so until I got bored. In hind sight it appears that there was some foreshadowing that I didn’t seem coming.

About two days later I sat down at the loom and wove my first top. Not because I was or am bored with making scarves, there will be more, many more, but because the idea of making a top wouldn’t get out of my head.

While purchasing one of the new tops at the gallery, the customer asked how I came up with the designs for the shirts.

I explained that I’d been thinking about for at least a year, while not all designs stay in my head for that long, they do hang out up there for quiet some time. I don’t follow patterns, directions or guidelines. Nor do I sketch or put anything onto paper before I begin weaving, making it appear that I just wake up in the morning and whip up a new design.

Instead I get an idea, and then it rolls around in my head, over and over and over and over again, until it makes complete sense and is ready to come to life. Ideas are ready to turn into reality when they become extremely loud, and they’re all that I can think about.

As the idea becomes a reality a whole new process takes place, and this is the one that you get to see. If you look closely at my work, or hear me talk about it, there is clear line of development woven through the scarves, and while much of work appears random, none of it is.

Since the tops journey is much shorter ( about three weeks) , here’s how it’s gone so far:

– first top was actually a vest, and the sides were connected with the grommets ( the best was okay, but I didn’t love it.)

– the next piece turned into a top, and was also held together with grommets , however, it became clear that the grommets weren’t going to hold

– top number 3 was sewn together, with a fringe along the bottom ( I didn’t like the fringe, it didn’t look finished)

– top number 4 was sewn on sides, and hemmed along the bottom

– next I began playing with a variety of lengths

– at this point there are so many ideas in my head that I can’t even come close to keeping up. I wove 10 yards of fabric in one day, and for those of you that know about weaving, you know that’s pretty intense. My body ached, my back is full of knots, but the obsession of creating and pushing the ideas out of my head is stronger. ( and if my mom is reading this, she is attempting to stop herself from calling me or writing me an email telling me that I need to take care of my body. She’s wanting to cover me in heat packs, and have me lay on her new acupressure matt )

Now go and check out the new tops

 

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