Weaving Spirit

Focus Pocus

2009-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

I find it extremely difficult to focus on the matters at hand. Perhaps it is because I am farsighted or because I am a Pisces or a child of the 60's, but I seem to cast my gaze on some distant otherworldly point. In day to day life, I move from project to project leaving piles of disorganized papers, dirty dishes and unmade beds in my wake.

I will be shipping off this bamboo/cashmere Woven Words scarf today. (forgot to do it yesterday and is my main goal for today).

There was enough warp for (almost) another scarf (a shawl for a small person). I wove this one in the soft blue I used as accents in the scarf above.

Have I mentioned how in love I am with the recycled cashmere?

Meanwhile I'm weaving off this wonderful black and white piece. I can't wait to feel how the cashmere combines with the merino wool (although I will have to take greater care with the laundering---no popping into the dryer like I can do with the bamboo/cashmere combo)

And I am having a blast playing with the color wrappings for the Blessing Blanket! I am waiting for the arrival of some additional yarn before I begin winding the warp, plus I have to weave off the black and white since the blanket will be woven on Gary. (wrappings to left of center are the colors I will be using) I am still working out the dimensions of the blanket, so playing around with the wrappings gives me the opportunity to contemplate.

So I thought I would wind yet another incarnation of my own Color Horoscope Weaving. I always like to weave a piece dedicated to an upcoming workshop. I leave for the Bay Area on the 25th. I hope to bring this with me to inspire my students.

Perhaps writing this post will help me focus.

Blessing Baby Blanket

2009-07-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Let's begin at the beginning.

Part Gift/Part Commission----A Baby Blanket

Instead of a Color Horoscope Weaving Baby Blanket, I thought it would be delightful to create a baby blanket of blessings in Woven Words, one from each of the new baby's close relatives.

Ten blessing words were gathered and preliminary colors selected in Bambu 7. Actually the prospective mom selected only 13 of the 20 colors needed, so I filled in the other 7 colors with various shades of blue. (since aqua is her favorite color and I needed a place to begin) I also thought blue would help prevent the weaving from looking like a circus. Then I arranged the colors in what I believed to be a pleasing array.

Then I created a series of wrappings spelling out each of the blessings. I knew this would not be the final decision, but I had to have a place to start.

Color is so subjective, and you just have to see it.

Mom's decision---too blue! So I shuffled the colors and started at the warm end. Oh yes, an 11th word was added as well: CREATIVE. (I'll give you the whole rundown of the list of words in the next post)

Mom's decision---too red! So with just a little more tweaking, we have the final colors below.

I have never approached a project quite like this before and thought it would be nice to document from the inception.

Getting Back in the Groove

2009-07-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

It's taken me several days to sink back into a schedule. I like to take advantage of holidays to get work done because it is so quiet with very few distractions. I stopped weaving for a bit and went up on the roof to try out the fireworks setting on my camera. It is a lot trickier than I thought it would be, plus the outline of a huge pine in the lower right corner....

Then today I finished the second scarf on this Woven Words warp. I will wash them both tomorrow and take appropriate pictures.

At last, I got this merino wool ikat piece on the loom. It is most interesting working with wool in the summer. I was not trying to actually match the sample draped over the harnesses, but rather re-create the same feeling. It remains to be woven if I have succeeded.
And I am in the planning stages for a Blessing Baby Blanket. I'll be talking about this lots in the weeks to come.

AND I leave again on the 27th! Focus!

Way to Go

2009-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

The mountains of Western North Carolina are beautiful! (but you have to know where you are going). We put 500 miles on Irene's car during my visit. She lives at least an hour away from everything, good if you want to get away and bad if you don't drive.

We visited Penland, John C Campbell Folk School, Earth Guild, Yarn Circle, and the studios of Catharine Ellis and Kathie Roig. This list goes on, but I seem to have misplaced my list.

I took several wonderful pictures, but I thought this one summed up my experience. I went to North Carolina with expectations of having a life changing experience, but once I was able to put them aside I had a lovely time. I don't have any pictures of my high school reunion, (for which I had no expectations) but I had a blast!

The "Meet Up" in Asheville was jolly fun!

I have to admit I sorely missed the Northwest climate and arrived back in Seattle to perfect cool sunny weather. While in Baltimore with my mom, we un-knitted 20 more sweaters. Note the sunlight sneaking through the shades.

I must have evolved into a "mole-person" because I couldn't wait to get back on the loom with the sounds of the Gay Pride celebration echoing in the streets below.

I couldn't resist tossing in this picture I found of my mom and I circa 1945. We had a really good visit.

Now Onward to prepare for a Color Horoscope Weaving Workshop at the Golden Gate Fiber Institute on July 27th.

Ready to Fly

2009-06-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

Saying goodbye to my studio for a while always fills me with mixed feelings. Leaving projects unfinished assures that I will attempt to return.

Here is what's on Grace. Perhaps I will know which colors I want to use for weft the next time I sit down to weave.

My little "Seeds of Hope" are ready to hop into the suitcase.

I'll try to post while I am on the road.

All I really want to do right now is head over to Weavolution and form a group. I can't imagine you haven't been there, but it not.....well it's what the weaving community has been hungry for.

Asheville "Meet Up" Details

2009-06-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

FINAL PLANS
Date: Saturday June 20th (Summer Solstice)
Time: 12:30 PM
Place: The Laughing Seed

Bring: A recent Show & Tell (could be a work in progress)

I can't tell you how excited I am to visit a new place and actually meet some virtual friends.

I made the meet up time a little after noon to give me time to attend a NIA class beforehand. The class is at 10:30 AM at Training Partners with Black Belt Nia instructor Anne Lowry. If you feel brave and want to work up an appetite, I'll see you there.

I haven't started to pack, but then I don't leave here until Friday morning. Yikes!

Going to Do Meets Doing

2009-06-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

Before I head down to Asheville, I will be attending my 50th High School Reunion in Baltimore. I thought you would appreciate seeing my high school yearbook picture.

I am heartened by the comments I received about meeting up in Asheville and will talk about the trip tomorrow.

Back to the Seeds of Hope: This morning I pinned all the pieces together and sewed them. After lunch I trimmed and turned them.

All of it leading up to my favorite part--stuffing them with 21 grams of lavender flowers.

Now I just have to hand sew the openings, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Making Seeds of Hope

2009-06-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

My greatest desire in life is to find a craft focused community in which to settle.
There, I've said it!

I have been dreaming of visiting Asheville for over a year and am so very excited about this trip I am beside myself.

In preparation, I am making a bunch of lavender sachets from my woven recycled cashmere and bamboo cloth (with Thai silk for the backing) to offer as seeds of hope that North Carolina will house the community I am searching for.

As soon as I decided to create these as travel favors, all of my resistance to sewing dissolved. I pulled out my sewing machine, cut out 5" Thai silk squares, and began sewing a label onto each square.

Keep in mind that I am semi sewing challenged, but I had a blast.

After 49 years of weaving, it is still with a certain amount of reluctance that I take scissors to handwoven cloth even though I designed and wove this cloth to cut into sachets. I had been weaving for 20 years before I could cut up anything I had woven (and for 10 of those 20 years I was actively trying to cut).

Today I pin and sew---more pictures to follow.

MEET ME IN ASHEVILLE!

2009-06-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

I have my ticket in hand! This will be my first trip to North Carolina, June 18th-22nd. I will be visiting an old friend who lives in Balsam, and I am most anxious to meet as many weavers as I can. I thought a "Meet Up" in Asheville on the 20th and/or the 21st would be divine. I was just checking out the restaurants and Mela's Indian Restaurant (I love Indian food!) sounded pretty good although I am more than open to suggestions.

So if you live in the general vicinity, leave a comment.

I also want to visit as many weaving studios as possible.

What I Am Doing

2009-06-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Both Fran and Sarah purchased their weavings using CASHMERE DOLLARS (10 cashmere sweaters equals 80% of the price). Most custom weaving ordered in this manner are in the Woven Words technique, but these ladies wanted something a little different.

Fran 's Color Horoscope Weaving is finished and ready to ship. I like it so much I am having a bit of trouble letting it go. I believe I captured the feeling of sunset with the cashmere weft. I will send it off on Monday though.

In the picture below I have the piece hanging over top of some other weavings.

Oh yes, I changed the sett on the Bambu 7 warp from 20 epi to 18 epi, and I have to say I was very pleased with the results. I wanted the weft to show up a bit more. Before laundering and drying in the dryer, the dimensions were 19" x 78" and after 18" x 72" (minus fringe). It washed like a dream and didn't seem to shrink quite as much.

Sarah's fell in love with this merino wool ikat sample I wove 10 years ago. This was a sample for a 90" x 100" blanket. Instead of using bamboo yarn for the scarf warp, Sarah wants to have a merino warp and cashmere weft.

Much to my delight, I discovered I had enough ikat dyed Jaggerspun Merino left over from the blanket to create a scarf. I certainly have enough to create yet another as well. This is what I totally love about Turned Weft Ikat. The ikat warps are pure potential until I sit down at the warping board to spontaneously create a design. Of course, I won't be able to duplicate the pattern above, but then I don't really want to.

You may notice some little tags on the balls of yarn. I know they must have meant something when I wrote them, but now I have no idea what "Q NEG" means. Plus only half of the balls have mystery tags on them. Now each ikat dyed ball is a magical surprise waiting to be revealed.

Shea's baby blanket is still in the planning stage. The yarn has been ordered, and I am awaiting its arrival.

Blog Clog

2009-06-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

When I first began writing a web log, I never realized how satisfying it would be on many levels. I have such a deep appreciation for the connections I have made and how personally inspiring this process has been for me.

I see my flagging ability to post regularly mirrors the rest of my life.

My ideas and ambitions have outflanked my day to day reality.

Today I sat down and outlined my life (on the back of an envelope). Now that I have it down on paper (and now posted) be prepared for a flurry of posts.

WRITE ON BLOG:
1. What I am doing
a. Kathie's piece
b. Sarah's piece
c. Shea's piece
2. What I have done
a. Mercury Retrograde
b. Set up new blog
c. Set up Etsy
d. Sent out cards
e. Finished Fran's piece
3. What I will be doing
a. 50th high school reunion
b. Check out North Carolina
c. Teaching at Golden Gate Fiber Institute
d. Move "Inspired by Bonnie" posts over to my new blog

A Word About Cashmere Dollars

2009-05-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

What are Cashmere Dollars, you might ask? Every (imperfect) cashmere sweater a person sends me gives them a $50 credit towards a custom designed scarf/shawl up to 80% of the total cost of the weaving. Most weaving purchased with Cashmere Dollars becomes a Woven Words scarf, but Fran from Calgary decided on a Color Horoscope Weaving instead.

Fran favors sunset colors, so I selected an array of 12 such hues from my cashmere stash. I matched the coral thread I used for my floating selvedge. (my spell check doesn't agree with my spelling here, but I like it)

When I weave, I triple the weft and change one of the 3 strands at regular intervals creating an interesting shading effect. I pull the knotted tails out of the shed.

And then just trim them right off. The remaining 2 strands of weft are strong enough to not compromise the cloth. I am semi-haphazard in my shading, but it is possible to be extremely precise.

Cards Ready to Send---at last

2009-05-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Whew! I am finally gathering my energies after getting a semblance of an Etsy Shop up an running. The experience has left me with a feeling of both satisfaction and suspense.

A huge thank you to Sandra Rude for telling me how to put type ABOVE images! It is easy. I am also having a problem with the same finger of the same hand! I guess it doesn't matter how many harnesses a person has (grin).

At least a month ago, 16 people voted for their favorite greeting cards. I said I would send each person who voted, their favorite card, if they would send me their mailing address. At last, these cards are ready to send! Alas, I can find only 4 addresses : Katherine, Fern, Charlotte, and Denyse. Your cards are pictured below and will go out in the mail tomorrow.

Here are cards below for Heidi, Deanna, Irma, Carol, Holly, Margreet, Martha, Bonnie S, Meg, Cindie, Leigh, and Valerie. I am sure that Irma sent me an address, but I can't locate it, so please resend. The rest of you, send me an address if you wish......

Now that I have completed this little project, I can begin to move forward again.

Up, Running and Published!

2009-05-14T23:13:00.000-07:00

I have yet to figure out how to make the writing on the blog appear above the picture! There are several things I want to say before I talk about the pictures, so pretend you don't see them yet.

First and foremost, read my new article just out on WeaveZine! It is called (oddly enough) OUTSTANDING MORAL FIBER, WEAVING WITH RECYCLED CASHMERE.

And second up is my Etsy Store, Bonnie Tarses Designs! It is an ever changing work in progress, but I have cashmere and cashmere related items.

And third, I put this warp on the loom last weekend....something happened.

Most of the cloth I weave with un-knitted cashmere is warp dominated. The cashmere adds a luxurious texture, warmth, and drape but remains a subtle undertone. I wondered what would happen if I changed the sett of Bambu 7 yarn from 20 epi to 15 epi, so I did.

Here is a delightful weaving method full of surprises. First I line up as many different colored balls of yarn as I want to use. I must have collected at least 100 different shades of cashmere. In this case, I picked out light to dark neutrals. Then I pick up any light threads and wind them together on my rag shuttle. I wind to the count of 5 (It could be any number you choose). I break the lightest

of the three threads and tie on another ball of a slightly darker thread. I wind to the count of 5 and break off the now lightest thread. (Some people will do anything to not dye yarn)

Triple weft threads create subtle and rich color possibilities. There is probably a Japanese name for this method of creating yarn.

Although this technique is used in Saori Weaving, I first came upon it back in the 70’s in Peter Collingwood’s book The Techniques of Rug Weaving, p. 130, Meet and Separate Technique, B. Method Using Clasped Wefts. I am surely using the clasped wefts in a more Saori style because I am weaving without any sort of plan.

And of course I have to toss in a little variegated yarn for color.

I love the look! I haven’t cut this off the loom yet, so I can’t report on how it finishes.

Stay tuned.....

True Confessions

2009-05-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

This has been a week of challenges, resistance and creative procrastination. There, I've said it!

Bonnie Tarses Designs, my Etsy Store is kinda up (not much on the shelves yet). My mastery of weaving sure doesn't carry over to setting up an on-line store. I am well out of my comfort zone and have hesitated to share my shortcomings.

I have found that if I do something fun first, then I can spend about a half hour working on the store before I have go run away from the computer. So HELP! Please stop by my store and give me some feedback---like prices too high, prices too low, typos, unclear descriptions.

It is certainly a work in progress. I decided to list the easiest things first, so more items will appear daily.

I know most of you are not "into" astrology and the term "Mercury Retrograde" doesn't mean much. Just let me say that starting a new venture during a retrograde Mercury would have astrology buffs shaking their heads in disbelief. Mercury is the planet that rules communication....need I say more.

TO KIMBERLY! I have not been able to email you. My messages to you keep bouncing back. (another example of Mercury Retrograde)

Celebrating 50 K Visitors--With Deep Appreciation

2009-05-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to post this picture for ages, but it never seemed to fit a topic (not that it does now). Since I couldn't seem to find the appropriate image to mark this milestone, I fished up an ikat image I wove in the early 80's shortly after I moved to Seattle. I visited Montana often the first couple of years I moved away though and always found great backdrops to display weaving.

Thanks to everyone! I have certainly enjoyed the blog experience far more than I thought possible. Whereas having a blog hasn't inspired me to begin writing a book or monograph....

I STARTED A SECOND BLOG!

Since people keep sending me "Inspired by Bonnie" pictures and paragraphs, I decided this is a topic that needs its own space. I will put a link on the side bar. I hope you like the change and will pop over and visit from time to time.

Cuttin' Up

2009-05-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

I used to believe the best part of weaving was having woven. I couldn't wait for the moment my scissors would release the warp from the loom.

Don't get me wrong, I adore the thrill of seeing time stretched out in a colorful path and wallow in delight of accomplishment. But every step of the journey holds a particular joy for me.

This piece is Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope in Bambu 7. I wove it to cut up for swatches included in my Color Horoscope Weaving Kits.

Now back to working on my Etsy Store. I am up to writing my bio.

But I Digress.... The Top 10

2009-04-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks folks! Very helpful, indeed.

Sorry for the wonky picture, but I realized I had left a loose thread here. Here are the top 10 from upper left to lower right: A6, A3, A2, A4, A5, A1, C1, C3, C4 & C5 tied.

Regardless of whether your top choice was selected, if you voted I will send you your favorite card when you send me your mailing address. CLICK ON "VIEW MY COMPLETE PROFILE" AND THEN CLICK ON "EMAIL" to leave me your address.

If you didn't vote already, I will let you know when the cards are available for purchase.

Gary has Visitors

2009-04-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

Today Syne Mitchell and her son Kai came by to weave a bit of Mary Meigs Atwater's Horoscope Weaving. What a treat and an honor! Gary invited Kai to be the first boy to weave on him. Since I will be using this warp to cut up for swatches in my kits, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for a weaving experience.

I really love these pictures. Syne's sweater is one of the many cashmere sweaters I collected to recycle. It used to be white, so I decided to send it to Connie Rose to overdye. I thought it would be great fun to ravel a variegated --that was until I saw the sweater. It came out so beautiful I just couldn't take it apart. Sadly it didn't look good on me but, it was perfect on Syne, so she gets to "borrow" it until...

I noticed a teaching "style" I didn't realize I possess----spending 3 minutes talking to the person at the loom and then walking away. Hmmm

I've been thinking about "the woven mile" and wonder how long it took.

BONNIE TARSES DESIGNS---it is....

2009-04-21T16:01:00.001-07:00

Here are the rest of the greeting card designs that were selected by the Sacramento Guild.
The 6 designs above are collages from direct scans of bamboo/cashmere weavings.

The 6 designs above are collages made from magazine images.

This group (1,2,3, and 6) are collages made from photographs of my weaving. 4 &5 belong with the middle group.

Which are your top 3 favorites? I am interested in producing a set of 9 cards. If you send me your top 3, I will compile the results based on your selections. Your name will be put into the pot for a drawing for a set of cards.

Select from these 18.
A 1 * A 2 * A 3
A 4 * A 5 * A 6

B 1 * B 2 * B 3
B 4 * B 5 * B 6

C 1 * C 2 * C 3
C 4 * C 5 * C 6

Percolation

2009-04-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

CASHMERE/BAMBOO GREETING CARDS

I have so many ideas in my head and projects started that I haven’t known where to begin to write about it. Let me just pick up any old thread and follow it today, and see where it takes me.

Before I begin, let me say once again that I have 2 meme awards that I haven’t posted. I will continue to delay on them although my thanks to (fill in the blanks). I am sincerely grateful to both of you and will acknowledge them properly before the month is over.

WOVEN IMAGE PHOTO GREETING CARDS

One of my percolation projects is to set up an Etsy Store. I have been mulling this over for at least a year, perhaps longer, but finally I decided what I was going to sell---greeting cards using woven images and woven lavender sachets. When I used to participate in crafts fairs and shows back in the 90’s, I started making greeting cards just to have some inexpensive item to sell.

TWENTY-ONE CARD STYLE GROUPS

Over the years, I have created hundreds of designs. I decided to hand produce a line of 24 cards and to use the Sacramento Weavers to market test which designs to use.

SACRAMENTO WEAVERS MARKET TESTING GREETING CARDS

I made up 100 different cards and asked those who wished to select their favorite card. If they could have one card, which one would they choose. I asked them to put their name and address on a post-it and stick it on the back of their first choice, and I would send them their cards.

When I returned home I discovered 53 people selected 29 styles which I whittled down to 24 designs which is the number I wanted. There were 5 I took out of the line because they were either too difficult to duplicate or they were so individual they didn’t fit into a grouping.

Like so many of my bright ideas, my 53 “gifts” turned out to be much more effort than I had imagined. Happily I mailed the last 6 off today! Now I can turn my attention to actually making them up. Pictures of the complete line to follow.

Now I have to decide what to call my “store”.

POSSIBLE NAMES:

Bonnie’s Weaving Spirit Store
Bonnie Tarses Designs
Bodacious Bonnie’s Bodega
Outstanding Moral Fiber Emporium

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

INSPIRED BY BONNIE

2009-04-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Even if you only have a table loom and a terrible cold, you can still create a beautiful Color Horoscope Weaving.

"-I really enjoyed selecting my color pallet for Bonnie's horoscope workshop. I started my warp color choices with a copper scheme and then followed that by using a copper colored weft. I have been wanting to do a piece using copper colors, but couldn't decide how I wanted to start it. Bonnie's workshop was a wonderful catalyst. Thanks so much Bonnie, for getting me out of my "usual box".-

Thanks again Bonnie, it was great. "

Dona

WEAVECAST FUNDRAISER SUCCESS

2009-03-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

The Happy Birthday Mary Meigs Atwater Kit fundraiser to benefit WeaveCast is officially over. During the month of March I received 12 kit orders and am able to send $300 to Syne Mitchell creator of WeaveCast and WeaveZine.

A big thanks to all those who purchased kits!

Inadvertent Collaboration

2009-03-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

Back when I was weaving a lot with rayon chenille, I was in the habit of saving all of my thrums, tying my thrums together, and then using them as weft. I asked one of my knitting friends to attempt knitting with the thrums. We decided the experiment was a failure, and I put the 3 knitting samples in a drawer where they have languished for several years.

Last night while I was searching for something I never did find, I came upon the knitted pieces and tacked them up on the wall. I was thinking about art quilts at the moment and how quilts need to be 3 layers, so I wonder if this fills the bill.

By the way, the dimensions are 16" x 29"

Below is the Mary Meigs Atwater Color Horoscope Weaving going on the loom. I have actually finished setting it up, but my camera battery needs to be recharged. I will have more pictures soon.

It looks a lot different without the ikat stripe between each section.

Getting Ready

2009-03-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

I ran out of the sample swatches I put in every kit, so this is Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope weaving warp chains. I will be weaving this to cut up into little strips. I am using Bambu 7.

Below is a Woven Words piece I am weaving in exchange for 10 cashmere sweaters. It has been such a long time since I wound this warp I can't remember what words I am weaving. The recipient selected her favorite colors, and I made the wrapping for her before I wound the warp. And I have the perfect color of cashmere to weave through. Of course I will experiment with some of my other colors---especially beige and gray.

HEALTHY HAPPY FAMILY are the words in the warp. I just had to look it up. I will have a nice picture of the PEACE scarf that I recently cut off the loom, but I am working on a better way to photograph a scarf.

JUST 6 MORE DAYS OF THE MARY MEIGS ATWATER SPECIAL!