Monday, September 28, 2009

A Method to the Madness Workshop

I’ve been a very busy little bee creating a workshop that I’m instructing in my Studio in a couple of weeks. I’m calling it “A Method to the Madness” and it’s about using familiar weave structures in unfamiliar ways. It’s been an amazing learning experience creating all original drafts and the accompanying binder. Because this is the workshops ‘maiden voyage’ I’ve broken it down into two sessions with six weaves each to accommodate my space. To make it a great experience for all of us I have decided start with warped looms, so guess what daughter Ngaire and I have been doing! I plan to present the second six weaves in January and have it all tested out and working wonderfully by spring.

Sorry about the quality of the photos, I think my camera battery is telling me something.
This is the third Turned Taqueté scarf in the series I've been working on of late. I change the warp order to various gold/red/amber stripes rather than an A/B series with completmentary colours and have used black every other thread and have also used black weft. This is the same threading and tie up as the previous two scarves but I have simplified the treadling. It's still on eight shafts, but the colours are very dramatic and the pattern is jumping right off the loom!Here’s a close up so you can see the three thread floats which are a characteristics of the weave. September seems to have flown by! We have been having the most amazing days which are between 25 and 30 C and lovely cool nights that are plummeting toward frost. This has kept me away from the computer and out in the garden trying to preserve the last of my veggies. Last night the frost got the patty pan squash, but as you can see it’s still setting flowers! I have late season raspberries and they are still going nuts! Sorry about the quality of the photo, but the grass was wet and I didn't want walk any closer. Mea Culpa!And I don’t even want to talk about the cherry tomatoes which are still going strong. We made a new garden bed in the front yard this spring so today it’s time to populate it with bulbs for next year – I’m sticking to a pink, purple and white theme. Now to find the time to plant them...

10 comments:

Delighted Hands said...

First, the scarf is stunning in this bold colorway! The raspberries gave me a moments regret-I haven't had any in years and they are my fav berry!

Susan said...

Your garden was amazing when I was there and it still looks like its valiantly trying to produce for you with its dying gasps!
Its been quite cold here at night too and a warmer, heavier comforter finally came out for the bed yesterday.

Hub is all for more blueberries at our place, but I told him to leave room for *my* raspberries!

The turned taquette scarf is visually stunning. The black really helps to set off the other bright shades doesn't it? That one will be snapped up quick and grace someone's black winter coat.

I'm really looking forward to hearing your report on how your first class ever goes. Charge up the camera battery and take lots of pictures!

Susan

charlotte said...

Your garden is just amazing! The scarf is beautiful and I love the colors, they remind me of the autumn. Some day I wil try turned taquete, the effect is great.
I wish I was able to attend your workshop, the concept is so exciting!

Deanna said...

The turned taquete is gorgeous, and your workshop sounds like a lot of fun!

Peg in South Carolina said...

I'm very curious about your workshop. It sounds like a lot of work to prepare for but it also must have been fun to work out the details. No so much to get the looms ready........ Anyway, I do hope you will share with us the workshop when it takes place. I am looking forward to seeing what happens.

Dorothy said...

Love to see your workshop, and the turned taquette scarf certainly has a "wow" to it, even in a small photo the pattern is alive.

R. Delight said...

Good for you for putting together a workshop. I have only done programs and they are a lot of work. I believe a workshop would be more!
I have to add my "stunning" and "beautiful" to the scarf response. Wow! They look so rich and perfect to wear on a cold winter day.
I am looking forward to reading how your workshop goes.
-Renee

Sharon said...

We got home from our vacation late yesterday afternoon and last night the garden froze - bummer. I have a huge sack of green tomatoes that we picked but don't know what to do with them.

Sunrise Lodge Fiber Studio said...

As always....this scarf is amazing!!! I just wish I was closer to take your course!

Life Looms Large said...

Sorry for the delayed comment! I saw this post while I was away on vacation, and wanted to save it for when I'd have more time to read and digest it!

The workshop sounds great. Lucky participants who get to attend without even warping a loom!

Your scarves are beautiful. Makes me want to try turned taquete.

We've still avoided frost here, but not for long I bet. Looking outside today I keep seeing yellow leaves drifting by the windows. So pretty!

Wow - the cherry tomatoes really are going nuts!! Jim would love that. He's a huge tomato fan - but especially cherry tomatoes.

Good luck with the class! Let us know how it goes!

Sue