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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Forever Hellebore

This blog is primarily for my weaving adventures with just a dash of  personal. Its time to share that while I'm never a fast weaver, things have slowed even more around here. There's the normal spring time call of the house and yard, it seems my joints have decided to complain about their situation.

I've been  waiting to see a specialized surgeon for foot surgery, but now my left knee is singing a sad song. I've had it x-rayed and so will start the process with doctors and possibly a surgeon for the knee. Its OA or osteo-arthritis (same as my right foot) and all part and parcel of my SLE or Arthritis Lupus .

I've discovered that everyone in and around my age group has something to complain about so this isn't to illicit sympathy but to simply say,  that sometimes it hurts to weave, so I can't.... and as a result,  posting a weaving story can be slow.

I have been weaving but just for short periods with rest breaks in between! I should have some new for you next time...

So lets take a look at some other items that I've had tucked away waiting to share with you:


This is a pink hellebore that grows in our front garden. I took this picture at least three, maybe four springs ago and posted it here at my blog as part of a spring garden  camera walkabout.  Sandra Rude spotted it and asked if she could 'weave' it at some time. I said an enthusiastic "YES" and then waited.  It took a long time before it came up in the queue. Sandra's new AVL jacq 3g loom needed several tune up's and tweaking until it runs just right. Here is a link to the AVL web site with all of the looms specs  I did receive this computer adaptation of my image from Sandra where the color values are established:


The warp would be black and the other colours are all potentials for the weft. I must confess that I'm not clear on how the color selection works or even how many Sandra can use at one time, but the whole concept is just fascinating!

Here is a link to a blog post where Sandra attended a workshop and explains the method of using Adobe Photoshop and assigning colours.

Just before this past October 2012, Sandra emailed me that the weaving would be under way very soon and the weaving ready to ship before Christmas. It was fun to keep a close eye on the daily progress!

I was hoping to show you the weaving bit by bit as it was revealed to me but it seems that Sandra has had a photographic loss at her blog so there's text but no pictures.  Here's the only one I could find:


This one was taken by Sandra underneath the loom as the cloth is slowly being wound onto the cloth roll while she weaves away above!   Before too long, it was on the way to us and I picked it up at the post office.

Hellebore, woven by Sandra Rude, from original photograph by Susan Harvey

Sandra uses a stabilizer on the back of the cloth and so it can now be stretched over a frame. Sandra just recently sent me directions on that process and the special outer  frame the stretched image will 'float' in.  We may just get it stretched professionally! Until then its carefully rolled up and waiting....

This is one fleeting spring flower that will last a life time!

Then by way of a bonus for you, my brother was in England this past September and one of his stops was at the British Museum. He took these pictures thinking of my interest in textile history.


Ancient Minoan stone loom weights circa 2100-1450 BCE


Stone loom weights and spinning whorls...all found at the city of Troy 2600-2300 BCE

Kind of makes you glad we have the beautiful modern tools we have now huh?  If you love historical stuff like the loom weights above, then, if you haven't already, then you gotta read this book!




9 comments:

Unknown said...

Love book recommendations - ordered :-)

Acorn to Oak said...

Sorry to hear about your knee and foot. I hope you find relief soon.

That woven flower is incredible! Wow! Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Susan, oh dear I am sorry to hear you are not feeling the best. Hopefully the surgeon will offer you relief.

barbara said...

Hi Susan - Sorry to hear that your body is not letting you weave as much as you would like. Good for you not forcing things - when the body is ready to weave again for longer time-frames, you will be too. Hard to do gardening also - I end up weaving in short time frames, and also out in the garden I have to really pace myself - it's all good. This has been a very interesting post to read - thank you for sharing. The woven flower is a piece of art work. Take care of your self, and take it easy when you need to. Weaverly yours ... Barbara

Unknown said...

How lovely to have a piece of work from Sandra especially created from one of your photos. I'm sure it will hang in pride of place !

India said...

A lovely Hellborus both in original and weave.

Sharon said...

My library book group is of a "certain age" and after we finished talking about The Madonnas of Leningrad last week, in which memory is a key element, we just talked about being this age. You are so right - it's where are today. It was great to have a collective laugh because that's the best medicine. At least we're still here and that's nothing to sniff at.

Sandra Rude said...

The huck scarves are very beautiful! And I should be able to send you the instructions for the "floater" frame very soon - I've just been mounting more pieces, and was able to take pictures along the way. So "Sandra's Illustrated Guide to Mounting Jacquard Weaving" will soon be complete.

BTW, I **love** end-delivery shuttles. Such good selvedges! (Although yours hardly needed improvement.)

Avalanche Looms / Susan Johnson said...

Loom weights always give me a shivery feeling down my spine, a good shivery feeling. I'm mystified why they have this effect on me.