Another YouTube--this one, an interview with Susan Martin-Maffei

Pat shared the video I'd discovered on YouTube in an earlier post; she alerted me to this one this morning -- and those of you who are going to be at the Archie & Susan workshop that Tapestry Weavers South will be hosting in May may especially like to take a look.  By the way, there are quite a few YouTube videos about tapestry weaving on the web.  I've only viewed a few but I found more when I did a search for "tapestry weaving" rather than just "tapestry" (although you can't go wrong remembering Carole King and her album, Tapestry, from the 1970s, can you!?).

Wealth of information about tapestry techniques

I have to continue reminding myself that I have a wealth of information about tapestry techniques on my bookshelf in my Peter Collingwood book, The Techniques of Rug Weaving.  I've had a copy since the book since late 1970s and have used it many times for rug techniques.

Over the past couple of years I've gone back to it to search out detailed discussion and diagrams of wedge weave, clasped wefts, and--most recently--soumak.  Pat Williams just pulled out her copy of the book when I was at her house a few nights ago so we could look up variations of soumak.  Lo and behold, many more options were shown there than in the other books to which I've been referring as I do my month-long study of soumak in this year's tapestry diary.

If you've got the Collingwood book... take a look!  Tapestry techniques are covered beginning on page 141.  Soumak and other raised surface techniques begin on page 183.

If you don't have the book--don't despair!  It's one of the many included in the On-Line Digital Archives of Documents on Weaving and Related Topics.  Here's the link to the books page.  Click on "C" and scroll down to The Techniques of Rug Weaving.  Peter Collingwood allowed the book to be placed in the digital archives before he passed away.  The digital version of the book is great.  While it's not a substitution for having the big, thick one in hand to flip through, it gives immediate access to the information if the book isn't available.

Hope all tapestry thoughts and actions are proceeding wonderfully for this first month of the new year!

Sooo Beautiful to see this video!

Enjoy.

Fantastic Class at John Campbell Folk School, January 16-22, 2011

I'm back from a week of teaching at the Folk School.  The class was about design for tapestry and although not much weaving took place, I believe quite a bit of learning happened.  Nine students came from all over the country to take part in the class.  Everyone worked hard and the wonderful world of designing options opened to all of us.

I've invited those in the class to become authors to the blog, if they wish.  I hope we'll begin to see more and more posts from others.  I've also added a search option at the top of the left column.  Try it out with key words and see if it make it easier to locate information from earlier postings.

And now... a few photos from last week's class:

Portable tapestry & idea

Pat, Thank you for making this list more interesting and active. I'm going to add a note here. Reading this and the blogs is helping me keep going.

Not long ago I was reading Robin Spady's blog. On it she was discussing "et tui's" or little cases. I was also interested in finding a more portable way to take weaving with me as I go places. I remembered some little bookmark looms that my husband made for me to use with our girls and their friends when they were younger. The design was from Osma Todd Galliger's book The Joy of Handweaving. I was also inspired by Sidsel Moreb's little loom that she showed us in the fall TWS workshop. I didn't want to weave bookmarks--wanted to try tapestry on this little loom. So, I made me a small et tui from a pencil box that fit this little bookmark loom and supplies. It is working so far. The sett is 8 epi. There's a small pair of scissors under the loom that you can't see. So nice to learn from others!

Rescheduling the textile exhibit at NGCSU

This was in my NGCSU e-mail today:

Due to inclement weather, the reception for New Traditions in Textiles, which opens today (January 13, 2011) at 12 p.m. at the Bob Owens Art Gallery, is being rescheduled for Thursday, February 3, 5-6 p.m.

An informative discussion will follow at 6 p.m., by the exhibition curator and NGCSU Textiles Instructor, Ms. Jo-Marie Karst.

 Please stop by the art gallery at 315 Hoag Student Center to enjoy this wonderful exhibition that demonstrates the versatility and richness of contemporary textiles created by artists from the North Georgia region.

RECEPTION POSTPONED BECAUSE OF WEATHER!

Karen Donde, who was with us at the Camp Mikell workshop in October made this very nice post at her blog about the weekend--here's the link: http://sutherlandhandweavingstudio.blogspot.com/2010/11/slow-weaving-in-north-georgia.html

Hope everyone is warm and cozy in spite of the several inches of snow that's fallen throughout the Southeast!  Good time to be weaving, isn't it!

RED ALERT ON RECEPTION MENTIONED BELOW!!  POSTPONED BECAUSE OF WEATHER!!!  I'll post new date when it's announced. :((


If you're near Dahlonega, Georgia this week (and if the weather conditions improve), please come join Pat and me at a reception for a textile exhibit, "New Traditions in Textiles" that's opening at North Georgia College & State University.  Pat and I both have pieces in the exhibit--and I think several of you may have work there, as well!