Wandering at the Shadows' Edge

exploring potential and possibility

Archive for the category “Fiber Arts”

29 Oct 2019

Tiny Steps

I think I’m starting to get a handle on my writing schedule at least so long as I’m working nights. I’m writing at least a bit every day – usually a blog post and at least 400 to 500 words on fiction. Lately it’s been short stories. I want to do more writing, or at least get more words in, but I am making time in my schedule to write. I am making it a priority.

There are other things I want and need to do and I haven’t done so well in making those things happen. Admittedly, most of them don’t get added to my planner. I don’t block time out for them specifically, or add them to my to-do list.

What kind of things am I talking about? Donating, selling, or otherwise getting rid of stuff (It’s all sorted out, I just haven’t gotten it out of the condo!), finishing the weavings on my rigid heddle loom and my inkle loom, practicing my calligraphy and illumination so I can get some projects finished, sewing new clothes – both for daily wear and for costumes.

There are other things too. I know I can’t get them all done at one time. But I need to start getting them done. I need to start checking them off my list. I want to better my skills, I want to get the clutter out of my house.

Most importantly, I want to stop feeling overwhelmed. I know it affects my ability to use my time wisely. When I feel overwhelmed, I procrastinate and choose to do nothing at all. I’m working on that part – I’m making it point when I feel overwhelmed to pick one small thing to do, or to spend just 15 minute doing a specific thing. It gets me started and gets at least part of something done. I usually end up doing more than that one thing or 15 minutes.

These are all little steps. But the only way to get anywhere is to put one foot in fromt of the other. And to keep doing it. Each step may not get you too far, but when you put htme all together, you may find you’ve reached your next mile marker. That’s what I have to reminding myself of.

Posted by Jenn in Calligraphy & Illumination, Fiber Arts, General Wandering, Modern, Rigid Heddle Weaving, Writing | Leave a Comment
15 Aug 2019

Weaving Past, Present, Future

I posted previously about revisiting projects. Some of those old projects I need to finish so I can start new ones. For example, I have a plaid on my rigid heddle loom that is mostly done. I need to get it finished and off the loom before I can start the next project. And that’s not the only thing I need to do before I can start that project. I have to finish re-balling the yard that will be the weft. It’s yarn reclaimed from a project I killed rather than finish.

What is the next weaving project? An attempt at a rug of sorts. The nice thing is that I’m re-using the yarn from a project I gave myself permission to give up on. Also, since it’s a rug, the warp will be nice and short. I have some thick cotton string I’m thinking of using. And a couple of the packages I’ve received lately had brown paper as packing material, so I have a good material for keeping layers of warp separate on the rollers. That will help keep the warp from tangling and sticking.

I’m really looking forward to weaving the rug. I don’t know that I’ll actually be successful in accomplishing the vision I see in my head. But I will learn a lot from the attempt, whether or not it works. I’m hoping the string works for the warp, but I’m not sure it will. If it does, I have lots of fabric scraps I can use to weave a rag rug later.

Just in case you’re wondering why I’m using a thick string for the warp – I inherited a large cone of it and I haven’t been able to find ways to use it. Warp takes a fair amount of yardage. I’m sure I’ll have some left even if I go on to use it for a rag rug. I’m looking at the possibility of trying some kind of netting – like a net bag or something of that kind.

I really want to do more weaving and learn how to weave twills and such. I need a few more pieces of equipment – reeds, a stand, and other similar things, before I can do some of them. I’ll probably be sticking with plain weave or pick-up for awhile longer. I need to pay down bills and save a bit before buying new things!

Posted by Jenn in Modern, Rigid Heddle Weaving | Leave a Comment
08 Aug 2019

Revisiting the Shadows

Sometimes you just have to travel back to someplace you’ve already been. That’s true when it comes to places, projects, stories, and many other things.

At the moment, I’m traveling in the shadows I’ve already mapped, going back to things that are familiar and, in some cases, comforting. I need to start exploring again soon.

Work has been taking a lot of my mental energies, so I’ve been reading old favorites. They’re fun and easy since I’ve already read them at least once. That leaves my brain cycles available for other things.

What are those other things? Revising the second and third Double Helix books into to drafts I can give to an editor is part of it. I’ve also been doing some editing on Secrets and Shadows before I release it wide and in print. And I’ve been working on the short stories my mailing list gets for free. And then there’s the zero draft of the fourth Double Helix book. That’s most of the writing related stuff that’s not new.

I’m re-exploring the fiber arts as well. I need a new lanyard for work, so I warped up my inkle loom. I got a couple of inches dones then set it aside. I need to finish it because there are other weaving projects – new techniques – I want to try. Of course, I need to finish balling the yarn for some of those projects too!

I’ve been jotting down ideas and steps for completing some older SCA projects too. I need to practice specific calligraphy and illumination styles and figure out some fairly extensive blocking. I need to make a test batch of gesso, test some gilding options, and do some more research and practice on book binding.

I’m considering pulling an old project here out of the shadows. There’s a lot of negativity in the world and on social media right now. And there are a lot of people doing their parts to make things a little better, a little easier, a little nicer. They need to be seen though, and all too often they aren’t. So I think I may bring the spotlight back. There’s light in the shadows, though we usually only see the dark.

Hmm….

It looks like I’m not quite ready to start mapping new paths in the shadows yet. But I’ll get there.

Are you revisiting old maps or exploring new ones?

Posted by Jenn in Bookbinding, Calligraphy & Illumination, General Wandering, Inkle Weaving, Modern, SCA, Spotlight, Writing | Leave a Comment
14 Feb 2018

Prepping for Faire

Every year, as winter changes to spring, Sherwood Forest Faire begins. I love the Faire. The first year I went, I found an SCA friend running a booth – Tobar Tinker’s Pawn Shop. He was in need of some extra help – and he was willing to get me an employee pass if I would help out for the rest of the season. I jumped at the offer.

And I found I love working at the Faire. I’m not a sales person, but I have skills that make a difference for the shop. And I’ve made friends I look forward to seeing each year. I always plan to do more preparation before Faire – but I rarely actually get it done.

This year is different.  I’ve been meaning for a couple of years now to make a dual layer capelet – I have a lovely, heavy cloak, but as cashier, I can’t keep the front of the cloak closed when I’m working. A capelet, with arm slits, is a much better choice.  Finally, earlier this month, I cut the capelet out and sewed it together. Now I’m just decorating it.

Another project – a more period style account ledger. Because of the kind of business we do, its hard to automate. We’re trying, but we keep a paper record of sales and purchases. In the past we’ve used a regular notebook and pen. Over the past couple of years, I’ve started using a dip pen and ink, but the notebook was still distracting. This year, I think I may have figured out how to create a medieval looking ledger book that will adapt to the volume of business that we do from weekend to weekend.

One last bit of prepping I have to do this yeart won’t happen until next week after I’ve talked to my boss. I’ll need to update the Terms of Service and “How the Shop Works” and inventory sheets for this year.  That’s all on the computer, so it’s pretty quick and easy.

It’s nice to be ahead of the game this year and actually have done some of the things I’ve been saying I wanted to do for a couple of seasons.

Posted by Jenn in Bookbinding, Calligraphy & Illumination, Faire, Modern, Paper Arts, Sewing and tagged , , | Leave a Comment
07 Feb 2018

100 Days of Art and Science – Check In #1

I haven’t been doing SCA events for quite awhile. Part of the reason is because I had let all my SCA projects and interests fall by the wayside. I decided I wanted to get those interests moving again. To do that I decided to participate in the 100 Days of Arts & Sciences Lite challenge.

If you’d like to see my day to day progess, you can look for #100DaysofASLite on Facebook and Twitter. This is just going to be an overall update of how I’m doing so far.

Days 1-12

  • Gathering supplies
  • Research
  • Choosing methods
  • Refreshing my skill at making Lucet cords

Due to general life circumstances, I didn’t do any A&S work during the second half of January.  Since I’m doing the Lite version of this challenge, I’m not starting over. I just pickws up with Day 13.

Days 13-16

  • Cut and machine sewing a double layered cape for Faire this year
  • Choosing pattern and thread for embroidered decoration of the cape
  • Weaving on my rigid heddle loom
Posted by Jenn in Calligraphy & Illumination, Cord Making, Fiber Arts, Paper Arts, SCA | Leave a Comment
10 Jan 2018

Practice Practice Practice

What do you do when you have some projects in mind that are above your current skill level? Either you choose to let those projects go, or you start practicing!  So I’ll be doing a lot of practicing over the next couple of months. If I do enough, maybe I’ll even feel confident when I start working on the actual projects.

I already do a lot of practice writing and I can see the improvement in my storytelling and style. Whether I’m writing for myself or a wider audience, every time I put words on the page (or on a blog) I’m practicing. Am I always comfortable with sharing what comes of the practice? No. But feedback, constructive criticism is how I learn and improve. I’m comfortable with that idea when it comes to my writing.

I still need to get to that point with my other projects – whether it’s weaving and other fiber arts or calligraphy, illumination, and bookbinding. But I have to remind myself that I have much less experience in those areas than I do in writing. So of course my current efforts, practice or otherwise, have a lot of room for improvement.

So, more practice it is…. I’ll find my way through the shadows of doubt and self-criticism as I see improvement in my efforts. I don’t know that practice makes perfect, but conscientious practice does make one better at the thing you are practicing.

What skill are you going to practice until it shines from the shadows?

Posted by Jenn in Fiber Arts, Paper Arts, SCA, Writing | Leave a Comment
03 Jan 2018

The Wandering Plan for 2018

I started and ended 2017 pretty well here…. the middle was a bit of a mess. I don’t want that to happen again. So here’s the plan and how I intend to stick to it.

  • I’m committing to one post a week here.  I may, at times, post more often, but the commitment is once a week.
  • I’m scheduling craft, reading, and posting time every week. So I’ll have projects and books to post about.
  • I’m setting up drafts for posts 3 months at a time. In most cases they’re just titles and a few notes bit they are ready and waiting.

And what will I be posting about?

  • I’m bringing back the Spotlights
  • I’ll be sharing my favorite authors and books
  • I’ve set myself a goal to work on a crafting project every day and I’ll be posting  updates on my progress
  • The actual projects themselves… some calligraphy, iconography, weaving, sewing, costuming, needlework, bookbinding, crochet and other fiber arts… And who knows what else.

I’m planning on exploring a lot of the shadows in 2018 and recording what I discover. Come wander with me.

Posted by Jenn in Book Reviews, Cooking, Fiber Arts, General Wandering, Modern, Paper Arts, SCA, Spotlight and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
13 Dec 2017

Weaving

A scarf - my first weaving project

First weaving project

Starting my first project

The beginning of the scarf on the loom

Weaving a plaid

Weaving a plaid

My latest craft projects have been testing out my rigid heddle loom. I’m pretty happy with my two projects so far. 

The hardest part of Weaving, for me at least, is warping the loom by myself. Warping is doing the initial set up. The second picture is the loom warped for the scarf.

I have some projects in mind, including weaving some fabric to use in costumes. I need some more heddles and a stand for the loom to speed things up but I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do.

Posted by Jenn in Fiber Arts, Modern | Leave a Comment
02 Sep 2016

Keeping Warm While Wandering

In my last post I mentioned that I had crocheted three shawls.  I’m one of those people who gets cold easily, so shawls come in handy when I’m at work or traveling.  I only have pictures of two of them completed. The third picture is just the first couple of repeats of the shawl.

The first picture is of a shawl that was supposed to be mine, but when it was finished I wasn’t really happy with the colors. My sister, on the other hand, adored it. So I gave it to her!

Kelli's Shawl

Butterfly Stitch Shawl in Desert colors

The second picture is a completely different pattern. This one was intended from the beginning to be kept at work, so I picked a really boring neutral color for it.  I love the pattern though and expect I’ll be making a few more in different colors and different weight yarns.

Crochet capelet

Victorian/Steampunk style shawl

The third picture is actually the first shawl I did. It’s the same butterfly stitch as the first shawl, but a different weight and color of yarn.

Butterfly stitch beginning

Beginning repeats of the butterfly stitch shawl

Posted by Jenn in Crochet & Knitting, Fiber Arts, Modern | Leave a Comment
30 Aug 2016

A Brief Foray into the Light

It’s really easy to get lost, even at the edge of the shadows!  I’ve been busy – even done some projects, but somehow never came back far enough in the light to document them!  I’m going to try to do better because I really do want to track things I’m working on.

In the meantime, I’ve crocheted three shawls – one of which now belongs to my sister. I’ve submitted a short story to an anthology which will come out in October. And I did a letter of intent for a friend in the SCA.

In progress projects include a knitted shawl, a practice inkle weave piece, some kumihimo braids, final revisions on one novel and several other novels, novellas, and stories in progress. I have two major projects in the works – a book of hours and a reliquary for friends.

And of course, there’s always the intent and attempt to post more often here and on my other sites! Time to make that a habit, rather than the occasional “Oh yeah – I need to update that!”

For now, it’s time to wander back into the shadows though.  How is journey going?

Posted by Jenn in Calligraphy & Illumination, Cord Making, Crochet & Knitting, Fiber Arts, General Wandering, Inkle Weaving, Paper Arts | Leave a Comment

Post Navigation

← Older Entries