This is the first (sample) table mat in Summer and Winter on 5 shafts. Partway through weaving the patterned section, I changed my mind and the right hand half is the what is on the second (submitted) table mat. It was posted two days ago and I forgot to take a photo before it went.
It is of cottolin and has been an interesting exercise. I have attended two classes with Margaret Roach Wheeler who uses Summer and Winter and thought it was about time I did some drafts myself. The first attempts were no good at all and I clearly had not understood about tied weaves. Eventually (after two tries) it worked. The table mat has come out as I hoped. I have just rethreaded the rest of the warp on to 8 shafts to weave Christmas cards. There is not enough warp left so I am going to use it as a ghost warp when I have woven most of it off. That way I can go straight in to sampling for the Complex Weavers Tied Weaves Study Group after finishing the Christmas cards.
The photo shows what I have done with the handmade paper from Wake Robin Paper Mill. The book is 11 cm square and is made from 11cm strips cut from everyone of the papers. Each small sheet was folded in half which gave me 4 pages. They were bound individually which was not a good idea but I did want all the pages from one paper together. Then each page was treated. On the first page is written what the paper is made from, the second page is block printed with printing ink, the third page is a stencil of a wake robin (American for trillium) using Paintstix and the fourth page has been stamped with letters using acrylic paint. Given the variation in colour of the papers, most of them take this treatment quite well. A few are pretty transparent and the acrylic and Paintstix show through. This little book provides me with a record of how each paper behaves.
The weather has been atrocious and driving conditions on the Malvern Hills is interesting. The car gracefully travelled skated 20 yards down hill on Wednesday and at a speed of about 5mph hit another car. Fortunately for her (unfortunately for me) she had a caravan tow bar! So my number plate is seriously dented but she had no damage. It took me 45 minutes to complete a journey that normally takes 5 minutes. I have chickened out of going to Creative Textiles class in Bournville this morning and also out of going to a class on braiding run by Rod Owen on Sunday. The idea of driving over the Cotswolds fills me with horror.
The forecast is for much more snow to come and so I will spend the whole of this morning dealing with a large number of small jobs like going to the bank and the tip. I need a new pair of boots for one thing. I have a carer coming in anyway because of the Bournville class.
It is all very depressing. Add to that, that Michael has been unwell in several different ways at the same time and hours are spent each day getting hold of medics and attending them when they turn up.
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