Knowledge and Wisdom

 

In many societies, it is recognized that the elders of that society are repositories of knowledge and wisdom.  Not that you can't be wise 'beyond your years', it's just that people who have lived for a long time have had the chance to gather knowledge, make mistakes and find out how to fix them.  And so, many societies protect their elders so that they can continue to teach younger people and pass their knowledge on to the next generations.

So it is with weaving and other fibre crafts.

We have been living in the midst of a global pandemic where literally millions of people have died (over 6 MILLION AND RISING) and many more laid low with Long Covid.  After two years of isolating, cancelling group activities, like workshops and conferences, people are fed up.  In Canada over 90% have at least one vaccine, more than 80% have two or more.  People are tired of isolating, no in person events, and anxious to 'return to normal'.  Forgetting that for some of us, 'normal' is not going to look anything like the Before Times.

Because along with being older comes higher risk of catching a virus like Covid.  And for elders with compromised immune systems or underlying conditions that make us more vulnerable to serious illness, up to and including death, we will have to keep protecting ourselves.

I have agreed to teach level one weaving in Olds in June.  This month Alberta, along with several other provinces - including my own - are removing covid mitigations.

In BC not only are mask and vax proof mandates going away, THEY WILL ONLY REPORT CASE NUMBERS ONCE A WEEK.  So people like me are being told to do our own risk assessment as they remove the very means by which we could make that assessment.

Just off the top of my head I know other fibre teachers who will be putting themselves at risk to travel to and teach at in-person events.  

Auto immune diseases.  Diabetes.  Cancer.  Organ transplants.  Cardiac issues.  And so many more.  There are lots of fibre teachers who are living with health issues that make them vulnerable.

If you or someone you know is planning on an in-person teaching event in the near future and the instructor is requesting that students wear a mask?

WEAR THE DAMN MASK.

Or risk killing off the highly knowledgeable at risk teacher you so much want to learn from.

Olds College is the only in-person class I have agreed to teach this year.  With all mitigations in Alberta going away and the province taking away the right for venues to have covid mitigations in place, all I can do is request that my students wear masks in my classroom.  I will provide masks for my students if they would be kind enough to want to protect me and my knowledge and don't have any with them.  If they do, then I will feel safe enough to remove mine during the lecture portion of the class.  I will bring a room air filter.  I will not eat in the dining hall or any of the local restaurants.  I will forgo shopping in the vendor hall or going to the lecture.

If I have to protect myself like many of the provinces are telling me, then please - help me do that.  If you want me to continue teaching, it is the kind thing to do.  For me, but also any other people who want to learn what I know.

Otherwise, I am continuing to present information on line.  I have several guild programs booked in the coming few months and work is on-going with the School of Sweet Georgia.  More content will be available in May, July, September and November (lectures) with two more workshops scheduled for taping in October.

I'd really like to be alive and well enough to do them.  Because while I might survive, I might be too sick with Long Covid to teach.  

Weaving to Spec

One of the things I needed to learn when I became a weaver was to figure out how to weave to 'spec'. 

What does that mean?  It means I had to weave to a certain quality - given specifications.

At first those specifications were determined by me - I wanted a very particular quality of cloth.  The first step was to clearly articulate what those qualities were.  Then the challenge was to determine how to achieve those qualities.

And that's when the sampling happened.  I would try a particular yarn, experiment with density, weave structure, wet finishing techniques.  Yes, I wet finished the samples because until I did, the true nature of the cloth was still unknown.

Over the years I also wove for others.  In those instances I had to weave to their specifications.  Sometimes they gave me all the details but then I had to meet their criteria.

I wove upholstery fabric for vintage cars.  I wove yardage for another weaver/designer,.  I wove for a fashion designer, ultimately also doing some exploration for her - she would tell me the effect she wanted supplying the yarns she wanted used and I would weave 7-10 samples, recording everything.  Once she chose which she wanted I would then put those into production.  I have even woven tartans for a mill because it was cheaper for them to hire a handweaver to make 10 yards for samples than set up their industrial equipment.  (Seven shuttles - it was an experience!)

Along the way I also started the Guild of Canadian Weavers master weaver program.  That entire program was weaving to spec - the program's specifications.

The Olds master weaver program is also all about learning how to weave to spec.  The Olds program is different from the GCW program in that students get in person instruction and strategies for how to learn how to weave to spec.

Each program does approach weaving from the same intent, they just go about it differently.  GCW is a testing program, Olds is a teaching program.

My entire career I have spent trying to explain to weavers why they might want to approach weaving from this direction, but truthfully?  Not everyone has to or needs to.  However, what the craft needs to stay pertinent and vital is a core of people who do understand the craft at the level of being able to conceive, extrapolate, and articulate how to create textiles that will successfully serve their intended purpose.

Recently there was an article about the resurgence of weaving as a craft.  I started weaving just as the last resurgence began in the 1970s.  Weaving is real estate hungry and budget hungry and not everyone wants to can afford to weave on a floor loom.  But there are other options - rigid heddle looms, back strap looms, inkle looms.  There are also techniques such as card weaving, finger weaving, and braiding.  Even bobbin lace incorporates weaving - I call it weaving where you build your loom as you go and where warps can change into wefts and vice versa!

I expect that the craft of weaving will continue for a very long time.  My hope is that the students of the Olds program will continue on to teach, even if it is just one person, write, even if it is just blogs, design, even if it is just for their own enjoyment.  But mostly my wish is that the knowledge of the bones of the craft will continue, on into the future.

Currently reading Fall Down Dead by Stephen Booth

Mentoring

One of the aspects of the Olds College Master Weaving program is being able to mentor the people going through it.  Mentoring students is just an extension of teaching.  It is a loosening of the student/teacher relationship, offering guidance and feedback.  A recognition of the fact that they are growing, learning, becoming independent of the student/teacher aspect of two people, both passionate about this craft we call weaving.

As part of my role in the program, I have made the decision to teach myself out of a job, so to speak.  Preparing the soil for other seeds to take root and grow.  As such I have agreed to mentor one student through the fifth level - the independent study.  Apparently the college is very close to publishing the requirements for that study, so hopefully those people poised to enter this final stage will be able to get the bit between their teeth and dig in.  (Mixed metaphors, but oh well!)

The older I get the less and less I am concerned about my own standing in society and the more I wish to see others succeed who will be able to take up the torch and keep the light of knowledge about this craft alive.  I am well aware that my time as a really active teacher of this craft will be drawing to a close - maybe sooner, maybe later - but that after 40 mumble years, I've done my bit.  It is time to start edging towards the side and let others take over. 

To this end, I have already talked to a few people about their intentions, whether or not they are interested in teaching.  For those that are, I will do my best to assist them in what ever way I can.

So many people have encouraged me along the years.  It's a great feeling to do the same for others.

How long will I continue to teach?  To be determined.  But I have already made the decision to stop accepting bookings from guilds.  My last guild workshop will be Oct. 13/14 for The Woolgathers guild (Comox/Courtenay) on Vancouver Island.  I MAY fill a few seminar slots at the conference here next year although I am holding myself in reserve in case we need a few more.  I have told Zachary that I will add two more classes to my schedule (given I'm not doing guild workshops).  I may also write articles, although - quite frankly - this book manuscript has about worn me out in terms of my wanting to write for publication.

The medication I'm taking for the lymphoma causes 'tired' and every day seems to be a struggle.  I need to conserve my energy for those things I feel most strongly about.  And right now, that is passing on my knowledge and ensuring another generation of teachers who will carry on teaching and keeping this craft healthy, vital and alive.

The Drinking Game

The level two students at Cape Breton were obviously well indoctrinated during level one and very quickly on day one someone suggested that every time I answered a question prefaced with the words "It depends" that everyone got to take a drink.

We very quickly increased our caffeine intake!

Because almost every weaving question requires those words, it depends, before the specific circumstances of what the question is asking is defined.

Almost every part of weaving lands on a spectrum.  Indeed, sometimes the distance on that spectrum is large.  Very large.  Because change one thing and everything can change.

The Cape Breton level ones are threatening to have my 'Laura-isms' tattooed as a way of remembering.  Not something I suggest, by any means, but...

And this is what I really love about teaching the Olds program - I get to delve into all the 'it depends' aspect of every question.  I am heartened by the people interested enough in the program to invest their time and energy (and money) to come to the course.  I am even more heartened by the number of younger people I am seeing in the classes.  In level one in Tenino there was one person in her 20s; in level one at Cape Breton there were three in their 20s and/or 30s (I guess, I don't ask people their ages!)

This morning the college confirmed 12 in level one at Olds.  I am interested in how many of this years crop of students will continue - out of last years classes, there was a 100% rate of people sending in their homework (one asked for an extension because Life Happened, but she is working diligently on it and I expect she will send sometime in the next while.)  I expect that most classes will see one or more drop out, but this year?  100%.  Wow.  Just wow.

One student at Cape Breton came from 'away' and is interested in getting a satellite class going in her geographic region.  I am looking forward to talking to the college about how we can continue to grow the program.  I have offered the college a free information table to promote the college's programs at the conference here next year, plus I have other suggestions.

Not sure I'm going to suggest a drinking game, though!

Currently reading To Die but Once by Jacqueline Winspear

Multi-pronged

There has been conversation on one of the internet groups I belong to about what it takes to be a professional in the leisure/hobby textile profession.  An oxymoron, of sorts, but not really.  

Because there are many people who follow the profession of teaching or producing textiles to a greater or lesser extent.

There are people who practice the craft, designing and making textiles for sale.  There are people who research and write about the creation of textiles.  There are people who teach the craft.  And mostly?  There are people who do all of the above.

There are also people who provide the supplies for the crafts, from growing the fibre, to importing it from other countries, to dyeing unique colours, to having local yarn shops, to selling supplies on line.

For me, I did all of that including weaving cloth for others.  I made a great deal of my income for 9 years weaving for a fashion designer, which I discussed previously, but also for other textile artists.  Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't.  Sometimes an international border stood in the way, like the time I wove 'samples' for a designer in New York.  Getting materials across the border and back again was a pain - for both of us.

Right from the beginning I taught.  My very first workshop was a (gasp!) spinning workshop.  No, I wasn't very good at it.  But I was better than those people who came who knew nothing at all - and wanted to.

Right from the beginning I wrote - first the local guild newsletter, then bravely sending articles off to magazines.  The very first one that accepted one of my articles was The Weaver's Journal.  

As soon as I could create enough inventory I took a booth at the local craft fair, plus I sold my textiles on consignment at a local shop.

And I learned.  Boy howdy, did I learn!  I knew very little about retails sales, but I did know how to set up a double entry ledger and how to balance it, reconciling it to my chequebook.  I knew enough that I'd rather pay an accountant than do my year end and file my taxes, so I wove enough to pay for those services.

Eventually we were both working in the studio - Doug was my studio assistant, winding warps on a 'spare' beam while I wove, doing the wet finishing, hitting the road and selling what we were making.  At one point I was weaving 240 yards per month - 200 for the fashion designer, 40 of my own design.  We had 28 shops in western Canada buying place mats, table runners, napkins.

Then everything came crashing to a halt.  Instead of 28 shops, suddenly there were three.  There wasn't enough work for two so Doug got a job elsewhere while I tried to figure out how to continue.

I worked on the Guild of Canadian Weavers master weaver certificate, writing, teaching, scrambling to bring in enough money to keep going.  And I saw the need for a book on wet finishing, so I worked on that, eventually self-publishing so I could include before and after samples.

The book launched in time for Convergence in Vancouver 2002, but taking a booth to just sell a book wasn't going to pay for the booth, let alone anything else so I had started importing yarns and selling them.  From there I started selling yarns at other fibre events, but most of the vendors were all pretty much selling the same things so I started importing yarns from China and dyeing them so sell.

And in between, I wrote and taught, and wove.

I gave up weaving for the fashion designer when I spent more time away teaching one year than I was home.

But that sort of teaching schedule wasn't sustainable, especially when I started having health issues.  Something had to give and I pared back on the teaching.  And then the dyeing.  Because dyeing is actually harder physically than weaving (for me).  And of course I never seemed to have the 'right' colour in the right yarn in the right quantity.  Eventually I just wove up whatever yarn was left over from those days.

Because I had essentially three stashes - the yarn I actually used for weaving my textiles, my teaching yarn stash, and my re-sale yarn stash...

I've been in this business for 40+ years now.  I have pretty much tried everything.  I have pretty much enjoyed a lot of it - some of it not so much.

Bottom line?  If you want to be a professional in this line of work?  It's hard.  You have to show up.  Every day.  You have to be self-motivated.  You have to either do it yourself, or make enough money to hire someone else to do it.  But most of all?  You have to just do it.  Nike got that part right.

Slowly

I forget how many towels are in this stack - 70?  80?  Doug went pressing yesterday so there are 20 more waiting for me to hem while these wait for Doug to have time to go pressing again.

Plus all the ones that are in the later stages of production - some already tagged, some just needing tagging.  

Let's just say I have more than enough of this style of tea towels*, probably for several years to come.

But they were just the balm for my soul that I needed for the past few months.  I have two more warps of this design in the pipeline and then it will be (past) time to deal with the rest of the warp on the AVL - 40 yards of fabric for the conference here in '19.  Some of that cloth will be used to decorate the hall(s) for the conference, some will be used in other ways and, once the conference is over, they can be turned into souvenir tea towels.  But first they have to get woven.

In other aspects of my life, things are also slowly progressing.  I have a workshop to teach in October so that needs to be dealt with.  This class has way more 8 shaft looms than usual and most of them floor looms, so that means an extreme 'tweaking' is needed for the drafts.  I have been reluctant to do such a deep editing of the workshop because it will be the last time I teach this topic and the time it takes will be significant.  On the other hand, why not go out in a blaze of 'glory'?  

I have managed to clear some things off my desk - the oral history mom did back in oh, 2005? - was kindly transcribed for me by a friend and I added some stories mom had typed out - single spaced, no paragraph breaks, ALL CAPS!  I really had to force myself to transcribe those, but I'm glad I did because I 'heard' some stories I'd forgotten, or never really knew.  I will likely print out the edited transcript because I prefer reading from a paper copy, not digital.

I am nearly 'done' with my obligations for Olds College for this year - just one more student who is scrambling to complete her last sample.  I really want to finish this so I can clear my head space of thinking about Olds for a while.

Because...next phase...craft fair season.  I pretty desperately need more table runners and shawls.  I sold out of the one and almost out of the other at Vancouver's Circle Craft last year.  It is beyond time for me to at least get some table runners done.  I'm not sure I can manage shawls, too.  There just aren't enough days left in the calendar...

*for anyone interested in the details for these towels, check out my article in the Sept/Oct 2017 issue of Handwoven

Mastering Spinning

I bang on about the Master Weaving program at Olds College, but I also want to tell people about the Master Spinning program.

I came to weaving via the orifice of a spinning wheel.  Once I discovered weaving, spinning got set aside because I simply had no time to do it.  Eventually I sold my spinning wheels and moved on.

But about 12 or so years ago, the universe began 'gifting' me with spinning wheels.  A phone call asking if I could come pick up a loom for free, which turned out to be a spinning wheel.  Another phone call asking if I could take a wheel.  And so on.

None of these 'gifts' was quite 'right' for me and eventually I wound up buying a Canadian Production Wheel.  I prefer to spin woollen (supported long draw) from rolags and I really needed a wheel with a higher ratio than most wheels on the market.

I have been happily spinning on 'Larry' for a few years now.

As the 'free' wheels began showing up in my life, I started taking workshops from spinning teachers, not because I particularly wanted to become a better spinner, but because I wanted to be a better weaver.  Having arrived at weaving with a basic level of understanding how yarn was made, and having investigated yarn and fibre properties on my own, I found myself wanting to know more, know my materials better.  I knew that the way to do that was to take spinning classes.

(Note - I always warn the instructor to ignore me because I am there to become a better weaver, not a spinner!)

And so over the past few years I've taken classes with Judith MacKenzie, Kim McKenna, and several from Mary Lessman.

Mary is a graduate of the Olds College Master Spinner program and has now begun teaching classes for that program.

If you are ever in a position to take a workshop from her, I highly recommend taking it.  She is teaching at several venues in the US (check out the off campus link on the college website above) plus she has agreed to be one of the instructors for the ANWG conference here in 2019.

I have lined up most of the instructors for our conference and the conference website should be up by the end of summer.  Stay tuned!

Proficiency

What is a 'master' weaver?  Does s/he create 'perfect' textiles, every single time?

Actually, no.

A master weaver is someone who understands their materials, understands how their equipment works, understands how to work ergonomically in order to reduce stress on their bodies, understands the basic weave structures and can manipulate all of the above in order to achieve - as closely as humanly possible - the results they desire.

In order to increase proficiency, practitioners need to push boundaries, and at times, fail.  Failure defines the limits of what they are doing and if they can achieve their goals following that path or if they need to tweak their approach in some way.

There are ways to test ones proficiency - there are testing programs administered by the Guild of Canadian Weavers and Handweavers Guild of America as well as some guilds.  These programs are a way to find out if the person knows what they think they know.  They are also useful for pushing the candidate to perhaps explore things they might not have on their own, mainly because those things don't particularly interest them.

Then there are learning/teaching programs.

The one I am most familiar with is the Olds College Master Weaver course.  The program has been growing, and it will now be hosted in Cape Breton at the Gaelic College June 5-9.

I have been honoured to teach the level one classes for the past few years.  I love teaching level one (although I'm sure I will equally love the other levels when the opportunity arises!)

Teaching level one means I get to introduce weavers to the concept of mastering the craft.  The course is not one where the student walks into the classroom, gets given the information they need to pass, executes that information, then goes on to the next level.  That is not mastering, that is teaching to the test.

Rather the program offers the student an opportunity to open their minds to the possibilities inherent in the craft.  To understand their materials, equipment, and processes.  To pay attention to their body to minimize injury from repetitive motions (or at least, they do in my level one classes, because how could I not?)

Students are given challenges and encouraged to explore the possibilities in order to increase their own personal database of information, to push their boundaries, even to the point of 'failure' in some cases.

They must document what they do and extrapolate from their experiences.  They must analyze their results and draw conclusions.

I would like to see the craft remain healthy and robust.  In order for that to happen, weavers must learn facts, not myths.  They must learn to think for themselves.  They must get comfortable with not being 'perfect'.  They must learn the limits and tolerances of the tools and materials.  And when something is 'good enough'.

I really hope that the college will announce the classes here in Prince George soon as I know people need time to book time off from work or family obligations.  They are working on it, and early reports say that they should be available on the web site for registration this year.

Stay tuned!

Planning Stages

Hard to believe, but I'm already working on my 2017 calendar...

So far all dates are tentative, subject to change, but here is what is in the planning:

(November 26/27, 2016 - Mug Rugs and More, Prince George Fibre Arts guild room)

2017

May 13-18 Olds Level One, Prince George
May 20-25 Olds Level Two, Prince George

The Olds classes* are usually five days, but I prefer to do them in six.  This gives an 'extra' day to the students to absorb the very dense information 'dump' during the class(es).  The classes in Prince George are also smaller - max of 10

June 5-9  Olds Level One, Gaelic College, St. Ann's, NS (on beautiful Cape Breton Island)

June 16-22 Olds Fibre Week.  I'm not sure if I will be teaching there yet, but hopefully Level One

June 28-July 1 ANWG conference Treadle Lightly at Victoria, BC  I'm booked to present two seminars

October 21-22  Lace Weave workshop with Olympia, WA guild.  Looking for another group to book the weekend prior in order to share travel costs

*Remember that if you pass a level, you can take the next level at a different location if it is more convenient for you.  You do have to pass the level in time to register for the next level.  Check the Olds College website in the new year for registration information.

No Pictures

I intended to take a picture of the group today, but what with one thing and another, completely forgot.  So here is a photo of the valley the town sits in from Cranbook Hill.  :)

It was an incredibly intense six days.  I had some personal stuff going on as did a couple of the other participants and it was good to just shut all that out and focus on weaving.  And the information flowed practically non-stop, for the first three days.  By Day Four I had cut my lectures back in order to let people get the weaving done and today, Day Six, was the oral presentations, then a few final demos that either had been forgotten earlier or just didn't have time to fit in until now.  And then a final review of the homework to be done at home, clarifying what I would prefer to see.  I also urged them not to go home and set everything aside until January, but to review the manual and start thinking about and working towards completing their homework.

One person said she needed a palette cleanser and was going to weave some tea towels before she started thinking about the homework.  Which is not a bad idea - the main thing is that everyone make a commitment to doing some weaving, preferably every day, but at least once a week, so that they don't forget everything they have learned.

Weaving is a complex activity.  Things need to be done in a consistent manner, frequently enough that bits and pieces of the information doesn't get forgotten from session to session.  And burning new neural pathways can only be done with repetition in a fairly short period of time.  If you don't use it, you lose it!

Currently reading Adventures of a Female Medical Detective by Mary Guinan

Planning for the Future

With the first Olds satellite class about to begin here in Prince George thoughts are turning to the future - because once level one is successfully completed, provisions need to be made for level two, right?  And because not everyone who is interested was able to take level one this year, but might be ready next year...well, calendars have been consulted, plans drawn up, dates set aside.

The next questions is - will there be enough interested people for level two to go ahead next year and will there be enough interest in level one next year?  Who knows.  Life Happens, sometimes in a big way and plans made can fall apart.

But, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

And so I propose that 2017 offer the following...in Prince George, level two May 20-25 and level one May 27-June 1.

If I can remember how to post a survey to my blog I will add that to the banner to see if people are actually interested.  If so, I will talk to the powers that be in Olds when I am there in June.

What is really exciting is that a couple of people have inquired about having satellite programs in their neighbourhoods - stay tuned!

Reasons

One more box of homework to mark.  I will get to it on Monday because the Beginning Weaving workshop begins tomorrow and I need to do class handouts today. 

The Olds program is not a how-to weave program, it is much more than that.  To me it addresses foundation knowledge that lays the groundwork for an intellectual examination of the variables that need to be considered in a thoughtful approach to the construction of textiles.  It dovetails with what I consider important information.  It also requires that students prove they have a good grasp of the theory and the physical skills of weaving.  It attempts to cover in an organized fashion the basics, including weave structure, density, wet finishing, materials and design fundamentals.  And that is just level one.  The other levels build on that beginning.  

It is a for credit college course and certain levels of communication are examined, and homework assigned.  It is meant to expose students to essential (imho) aspects of weaving. 

Because I am who I am I also talk about issues of ergonomics/efficiency.  

Weaving can be done on many different levels, in many different ways.  My hope is that there will be enough people interested in the nuts and bolts of weaving so that this information is not lost but continues.  Each one, teach one.  We stand on the shoulders of giants.