Hankering for Yarn

Small Loom Weaving

by Noreen on June 1st, 2007

May was an incredibly difficult month for us, with the death of my beloved mother in law, and also the wedding of our son.   Talk about intense emotion- and it has taken it’s toll! whew.

Now, we’re in the thick of the chaos of getting Mum’s house ready to sell and dealing with the challenges of that process - on top of deadlines to meet and the usual dance of keeping the plates spinning in our lives. Another ‘whew’ on that one!

Today, I said to heck with all the other stuff that is jumping up and down, needing my attention, and spent the entire day in the studio. Bliss.

I  was working with a new small  loom, getting ready for workshops I am teaching this summer. (It’s a Schacht ‘School Loom’ and I am intrigued by it’s possibilities. I am just getting acquainted with this nifty little loom and am really bonding with it).

• You can see what they look like: School Loom 

I am passionate about small loom weaving: There is so much joy to be found in weaving on small looms.  Many weavers feel that large floor looms are the bee’s knees, and just don’t get it with small looms.

For me, there is a sense of connection that only happens for me with the intimacy of small looms. I am intrigued by working with ‘low tech’ small looms and love exploring the possibilities of small loom weaving.

I  got sick in May (stress response), and once again, I have found weaving to be profoundly healing. There is something deeply contemplative and meditative about weaving that just makes me feel better. Sitting with a loom, and finding a rhythm, adjusting the subtleties of motion to make a pile of yarn come together into a pleasing web…. well it just doesn’t get any better. And, that made me feel better.  I’m not going to stop taking my antibiotics,  :D     but I do feel like weaving did enhance my wellness quotient today.

Even  though,  today, I have spent almost as much time ~un-weaving~  as weaving.  Sheesh.  Negative weaving? Virtual weaving? Air weaving? Something like that!

My daughter,  Chloe,  a fine fabric artist, came over today, and I said to her: This isn’t working right, is it?

And, she agreed. So, phwoop. Off the loom it came and ribbit, ribbit, ribbit.  Sigh.   And, I was much happier with the piece once I re-wove it. Except that I have ‘lost focus’ on it several more times and have had to un-weave chunks of it.

But, it’s worth it. I want this weaving to be bang on, and when I loose focus, that’s reflected in the weaving. Bringing myself back to a sense of ‘being in tune’ with the weaving sometimes means taking several steps backward.  And it’s all part of the process of moving forward.

Weaving as metaphor.  :D

Back to the loom I go… un-weaving a little more.  Picking up the thread………..

Hope your threads are all in line!

take care……… Noreen

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POSTED IN: small loom weaving