Working on a small tapestry

 Thank goodness for groups that set themes and have due dates!!

I'm working on a small tapestry (no bigger than 20cm square) and I have set myself the task of doing at least half an hour every day. It usually goes to an hour but my body doesn't like it much - ahh the joys of getting older. 

Admittedly, I could do half an hour, do something else and then do another half, or even an  hour! But the impetus seems to leave me after about an hour. 

However, I am getting there. 

The theme is From Above. I had all sorts of ideas, many to do with messages from 'above' (love thy neighbour, thou shalt not kill, etc) but I found I was getting too depressed about the state of the world. So ... I have taken a photo of a small waterfall in the Fitzroy Gardens. I rarely go there but had the time to walk through recently. The gardens are wonderful - peaceful and restorative. 

Water is coming down from above!

I have taken a few photos of the tapestry as I have gone along - mainly to prove to myself that I am actually achieving something, 

I can't believe how many bobbins I use for such a small piece!!

Today I was across the room and saw it from a different viewpoint and am actually quite happy with it. There are some things that I would change if I had the time and energy but they won't matter much. I have done what seems to be my usual thing lately, make it up as I go! I am putting some marks on the warp from my images but I am not doing it prior, I am doing it as I go - it is rather an interpretation rather than an exact copy of the photo. 

Compelling date: 25/5/25

 As the header says, today's date is pushing me to do a post. Not that I  have much to post about! I am still struggling with my tapestry! I am trying to do a bit of weaving every few days - can't seem to get it done every day.

I am working on an incomplete cartoon - mostly because I have made some mistakes and have not bothered to be too fraught about them. Also, I didn't do a coloured background in the cartoon so am making it up as I go. 

The theme seems to be that the longer we go through life, the dryer the surrounds become - a bit negative but that is how it is feeling! We are in drought here despite it not being officially acknowledged- we have had very little rain recently!!

Anyway, I am beavering away at it - sometimes. 

I usually do small tapestries, this one is not big but is bigger than I usually do. So I am finding that the seat and table I use are not that comfortable. I have lowered the table as far as it will go, have lowered the chair as far as it will go. I am trying to keep my arms at the level that is recommended for using a computer, having your elbows at a right angle. At this stage I am managing that but have to spread my legs more than I am used to as they no longer fit under the table. 

Ah, the sufferings we have to put up with. 

Anyway, it is going along and I hope to get it finished in time for the Bendigo Wool Show (also known as the Australian Sheep and Wool Show). I should have time, as long as I can stop myself from pulling out lots of it. 

On another note: there was an article about the textile course I did at RMIT. Not specifically about the course I did but relevant. Here is a link to the article.: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/25/a-new-room-for-a-doomed-loom-and-the-battle-to-save-australias-slowly-dying-crafts

The interesting thing is that it reminded me about the course I did, the changes that happened in the few years I studied and the fact that the Lost Trades Centre in Ballarat is going to take the old loom. 

Not much progress!

 I'm still working on the small tapestry. It is not helped by the fact that I have changed the cartoon while work is in progress. As I said in my last post, I have reduced the number of traffic signs. But I may not have made the larger roundabout sign big enough. 

I have woven, unpicked, woven, unpicked, etc. I think I have done it 4 times! I have decided to just do it, life is imperfect, so will the tapestry be.

On a brighter note: the weather is warm and pleasant at the moment. It's probably not good really, still drought and unusually warm. But it does entice me out. 

On my perambulations (what we call a walk when we don't want to use that w word! - we have a dog.) I saw some interesting faces in places - things that look like faces, or aliens, or animals . 

Here are some random pictures.

I am doing a post because I was reminded of the date (thanks Sue). It is 5/5/25. 

It keeps me entertained!

January 2025

 Well, I meant to do a post yesterday, it being 24/1/25 but I didn't. So now I am doing one on 25/1/25. 

I have been working on a small tapestry for a while now. Didn't do any for 5 days last week!! 

Have done a bit more today - now I have an iffy back - I will try to exercise a bit more tomorrow. 

I thought I would be ok with this part of the tapestry but, somehow, I have managed to make this section a bit more complicated than I had anticipated. Not to worry, I will keep working on it. My image allows for some 'creative interpretation' and I am taking advantage of it. 

It is forecast to be 42 degrees on Monday so I anticipate a day at home! Here's hoping I have the energy to do some more weaving. 

2025 already!!

 It's already a week into the new year!! 

We have been having some very hot days plus cooler but still quite warm days - perfect for staying indoors and trying to be creative - which can be very trying!

I am currently working on a small tapestry for the theme The Secret Garden. I have an image that I am using as my inspiration. 

I have cropped it to the 20cm x 20cm size. Then I traced it to be the cartoon. 

This wasn't a great help, especially as I decided to us some green warp that I had the not-so-bright idea of using. It is extremely hard to see the markings. 

I got quite lost in some spots, especially when trying to put in the gate. So now I have yet another cartoon with some colouring-in. 

Also, I am doing is sideways as I thought it would be easier to do the fenceposts straight. It is certainly occupying my mind! No other thoughts come in while I am working on this. 

As I currently have a bit of a sore back, sitting for too long causes delayed discomfort, so I am trying to do little bursts of weaving. 

I am also trying to use stuff that I already have - no buying more yarn at the moment. And ... I am using up a little bit of the novelty yarns I have. I know a couple of people who will hate that I am using it but I like it - it is giving me texture and hiding mistakes! But differentiating between all the different parts of the wisteria is a bit of a challenge. 

Who needs doodling/Zentangle??

Joy Smith's exhibition in Ballarat

 I went with a few friends to see Joy Smith's exhibition today. Here is a link.

It was, as usual for Joy, a wonderful display. She had pieces from her collection plus some new ones based on her new location. She has recently moved to Ballarat. 

I forgot to take photos of most of the pieces so can't post - you'll have to go to the link to see them. I especially loved the swans on Lake Wendoree. It reminded me of my walks around the lake when I have had the time during my attendances at the Fibre Arts workshops at Ballarat Grammar (alas, there are not going to be any more there). 

Joy had one piece on the loom and I was fascinated to see that she was using linen and cotton threads as well as other yarns.  She had her inspiration drawing, a cartoon on cardboard and it looked so easy - wish I could find it so easy, especially at the very fine warp and weft she is using!!

Her drawing and notes. 

The drawing turned in the direction of the weaving. 

The actual piece - not so easy to see with the bright background, sorry. 

The back: much easier to see. You can also see the shaped edge - the cream coloured part is waste weaving and will be pulled out. 

Almost done!!

 I have 'sort of' finished my tapestry!! It is sitting on the loom, the tension released, I will cut it off tomorrow. Then the finishing off to do - cutting off the loose ends, etc. I might actually block it - not something that I usually do - as it might not be quite straight down the sides. I'll look at it more carefully tomorrow. 

It is done for the theme Fire and Ice - not an easy topic!! I was influenced by the volcanic explosion in Iceland. I didn't find any images that I could copy so I have 'interpreted' my ideas. 

I have found recently that I have an idea, draw up a cartoon and then tend to use it in a rather loose way - making it up as I go - but not quite that loose, I do use the images I have made and then interpret them - just don't follow my cartoon closely. It is part of the contemplative, meditative thing that I am finding tapestry weaving is offering me. 

I am hoping to enter it into the Bendigo Wool Show later in the year, It has been hugely important to me lately just as something creative to be doing - almost meditative. Life has been 'interesting' lately and my weaving gives me a time away from all the stressors. 

It's interesting to see the difference daylight and artificial light make to the piece, 

Now to find a new project!! I really need the creative challenges to take me into that meditative state, deciding whether the colours are right, the proportions, the texture, etc. No other thoughts intrude - usually. So the creative process is really important - not for the product, more for the process and the way it takes me into a different state. 

I am hoping to get my sewing machine back soon, then I will be able to try some ideas from the workshop I did with Dionne Swift. Hopefully!! 

Hot weather and trying to develop ideas

 We haven't had a very hot summer, unlike most of Australia. But last weekend was very hot - and spoilt many festivals. 

I went away for the weekend, probably shouldn't have, given the extreme fire danger rating - but the rating was for the whole state, so why not??

I took my current tapestry with me. It is a work in progress. As I didn't want to venture out into the heat, I had the chance to actually get in a few hours of weaving. There was nothing else to do, even the television was not working. 

The theme is Fire and Ice - I had a lot of thought go into this theme and have ended up being inspired by the volcano eruption in Iceland. Not that you will know that from the finished piece (not that it is finished yet). 

I found some interesting images but most of them had only land and volcanic eruption. I had been thinking of a volcano over an ice field but there weren't any great images that I loved.

So ... I got out my Inktense pencils and drew up a rough image. Initially, I had thought to do it 30cm x 35 but that didn't really sit well with the loom I have. So I have resorted to an A4 size, sort of. It is going to be A4 wide (about 29 cm) but I have no idea how high it is going to be. 

I have drawn a rough image using the watercolour pencils but then, as I mentioned, changed my mind about the dimensions. So ... (again) I am making it up as I go. I have used the initial drawing as my inspiration but it isn't in the correct dimension. I am also making up the colours as I go!

I was gifted some money for a significant birthday a year ago (more, actually) and finally got to the ATW to buy some wools. I don't usually use cool colours so had fun buying some.  Now I am trying to use them as the cool ice colours (and water). I also found some white silk that I have no idea where I got it from! It is now being used in the piece. It was extremely difficult to unwind and so I have ended up cutting it into smaller pieces - they determine the length of the colours I am using. The thread is controlling me, rather than the other way around.

As you can guess, my tapestry has an overall idea but I am not being too bothered by the cartoon (not sure I actually have one, having changed the dimensions that I feel that I can actually weave). It is a work in progress. But I am enjoying the process! Process is as important, if not more so, than the actual product for me. But I will enter it into the exhibition that had the theme, if I get it done in time. (Australian Sheep and Wool Show, in Bendigo.)

Almost there.

 I have worked, sporadically, on my small tapestry. I have had to pull out sections to get the different parts to line up. Who would have thought that such a, seemingly, simple design would give me grief? (Ha, I never seem to not have problems!)

Anyway, I have worked on it today and am approaching the finish. I think I will title it This is Not a Fish - except that the call for entries is Between the Lines and I have decided to enter it as Colour Between the Lines. Hmm.

Not to worry, it doesn't really matter what I call it, I have enjoyed doing it - the main point of the exercise. I will add a little thing to the back, explaining where I got the idea, that is the personal part for me.  

Once I have finished it, I will have to start looking for ideas for my next piece. I am thinking to try for the Bendigo Wool Show again - it isn't for several months yet. The theme is Fire and Ice, nothing is coming to me at this stage. No rush, and no actual need to enter the show!

A Small Tapestry

 It is time to be working on a small tapestry for our online group - it is really a challenge to make a small tapestry that can then be sent around the country for others to look at and enjoy. I realised recently that I have been participating in this challenge since about 2011!! 

Anyway, the theme for this year is 'Between the Lines'. I made a small tapestry about Walking Between the Lines - a finger labyrinth. 

But I have since decided to make another, This one is a bit more obscure - or less obvious. I found some graphs that my brother did many years ago. It uses some mathematical equation that I totally do not understand. (I have looked it up, it is a Gaussian function, whatever that means!). It gave a curving line in the graph - there were several graphs. I chose the one that gave me more room to do some weaving. It looks a bit like a fish, depending on the perspective that you view it.

I am weaving it in the orientation that does look like a fish because I think that suits the weaving better - I will hang it differently.  The line up the centre is a bit of a nuisance but it is one of the axes of the graph so I feel that I ought to include it. The other axis will be horizontal, I haven't got that far yet. 

I just made up the colours but did think of the fact that my brother is colour blind in the red-green perspective. I have tried to not use those colours - but there is definitely pink and purple. I hope it doesn't matter to him. 

This is my interpretation of the theme: Colour Between the Lines. It will not be obvious to viewers but I will  know what I meant. I hope my brother will know also. 

I am trying to be true to the graph, which means that I need to have the axes of the graph in line. I hope I can manage it. It looks like a fairly simple image but the fact that it is a graph makes it harder - for me, anyway. 

Second labyrinth tapestry is almost there!

 I have done a little bit more weaving over the last week, often only an hour here and there. Today I have done some more, still plenty of hours to go but it is approaching the end, very motivating. 

As I had no colour plan I am having to make up the outside as I go. I am trying to stay true to the yarns I used in the beginning but I am also being rather random. Quite relaxing. 

Getting closer

 I have done some intermittent work on my small tapestry and it is getting closer to being finished. 

Only one more round of the labyrinth. 

Then I'll, hopefully, finish the outside in the coming week. 

Only another hour or two to finish off the warp ends, etc! Hmm, that sounds like 4 of 5 more hours, at a minimum, given the speed at which I am currently working. Not a quick process. But I will have completed it and that is a plus!

Slow progress - but it does't matter.

 It has been a while since I have posted - quite a while!!

I have been going along, slowly, with my tapestry. It is turning out to be much harder than I had anticipated - to say the least. 

It is only going to be about 20cm square but I have 14 bobbins on it at times. The design looks flowing but turns out to be very fiddly. Each bit of the lines of the labyrinth need to be done separately, sometimes only for short distances. Curved lines that look like they could be done with one bobbin can't! The curves depend on the nearby areas being done at the same time, it not being possible to weave over thin air. 

However, it is going along. I went away for a couple of nights and took the loom with me. I forgot to take the yarns!! But there was enough on the bobbins for me to put in several hours' worth of work, due to the fiddly nature of the weaving. Luckily, I have until February for it to be finished. 

The theme is Between the Lines - my idea is that you walk between the lines to meditate on the labyrinth. And don't take any notice of the bumps, irregularities and textures around you, just go with the flow. 

September 23

 I have just been told that I should have blogged today, it being 23/09/23! So here here it is.

I went to the opening of the Annual Members' Exhibition at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria (Australia) last night. It was a very  interesting evening. 

I am on the exhibition committee, so will have have a vested interest in it, of course. 

But it was a lovely evening with interesting speeches. And an amazing array of works. In fact, I have commented that the exhibition is becoming a bit too good for its own good, in my not so humble opinion  - not an opinion shared by all. I feel that the quality of work is so high that some people might be put off joining the guild as they might not feel as if they could keep up to the standard. 

However, there were a few works that might encourage people to take on membership because they could live up to the standard - mainly my two works. Not being modest here, I wanted to participate and did a couple of pieces that pleased me (one here) - no thought about how they would stand up to comparison with other members. 

I did my blackwork labyrinth piece - I feel as if I should have put in a statement about ignoring the lumps and bumps, the imperfections, just walk the Labyrinth (finger walk). I didn't - but it is how I feel about my imperfect work. I don't care that it has imperfections, it was an enjoyable and meditative time making it. No precise plan, as seems to be my thing at the moment. I just did pieces at different times, as they spoke to me. (The theme is Reflection - I think that walking a labyrinth is a time for that.)

I am currently working on a small tapestry (20cm square) and it is another piece that had a plan that I am not really following all that closely. (It is also based on a labyrinth theme. The outside of is going to be textured, the inside (hopefully) will be smoother.)

  I have found a whole lot of yarns that I bought to play around with, in my more experimental days, and I am trying to incorporate them (it is quite possible that I am returning to those experimental, not very precise, days). My weaving is not getting much attention at the moment as I have been involved in setting up the exhibition at the EGV but it is slowly growing. 

Not sure what I am doing!

 I have an idea for a small tapestry. 

There has been a call for entries for a theme: Between the Lines. 

I thought about it for a while, even started a mind map. Then I returned to my ideas of a labyrinth - walking between the lines. 

The size called for is quite small, 20cm square, at most. So I knew that my previous labryinth pieces (here) were too complicated for that design. I am now going to go for one base on a tree shape. I have drawn up a couple of cartoons (the term used for tapestry plans). I coloured them, thinking that I might go through the colour wheel, as I really love playing with colour blending. They are not as complicated as one I tried earlier!

Then I got out one of my tubs of yarns - the yellows and browns. So the colour plan is totally changed!! I am also influenced by the idea of the outside of the path being a bit rough/textured. 

This is what I have found. It has totally changed my plan. I think I will do what I have been finding helpful recently - go with the flow: have a basic idea and let it grow. So I am going to warp up the loom and start, then see what develops. Use the basic idea but don't worry about the colour plan. What could go wrong?

Oh, I have also decided to continue using the yellow warp - that really influences my designs as the moment. 

Another month gone by!

 It being the 23rd day of the month, in the 23rd year of the century, I thought I should post.

I have done some sewing for the Reflections theme - just have to cut it evenly and decide how to finish it off and, possibly, mount it.

The image in silhouette is from 123RF, a site where you can purchase some images to use. Copyright here.

Then I decided that I really need to be doing some other creative thing: I have put in an entry form for 3 small tapestries for the Bendigo Wool Show. I have done two of them so far (here and here). I thought that I might inspire myself to actually do something if I said I'd do three. 

I have warped up the loom - didn't tangle any of the warps, for a change. When I had put in the floor and the waste yarn, I realised that I had not made it 20cm wide (which is the size of the other two). It is only 16cm wide. I am NOT going to undo the warp!!!

I have changed the design a bit, so it fits the new size. It is a very basic design that I can work on as I weave. I did this with the last two pieces. I have started by using leftover wool from the previous piece. I am going to try to use leftovers from both tapestries. 

My vague idea is to, once again, use yellow as my starting point. This time I am thinking to look at yellow as a cool and a warm colour, influenced by the colours around it. Here's hoping the idea works - and I get some lovely meditative time weaving. 

I have looked at some of the leaves in the garden, changing colour because it is autumn, and feel a bit inspired by the warm and cool variations. 

How could I ignore the date?

 It is 23/3/23 - and very close to the equinox! 

I haven't done anything much lately, just working on my tapestry at odd times. I have some silk yarn that I have been including in the work. Not so much because it is perfect for the piece but because I have it!! I have been trying to use up yarns I have. I have no idea where I got them but they are beautiful. 

I have done about half the piece, I think. It is based on the same design as the previous one - maybe I am working on a series!! The idea for this one is that blue and yellow mixed will give us green. But that is about as far as the planning goes. I am just doing what seems interesting to me as I go. Hope it works out. 

I have also used sock yarn again. I am very unlikely to knit some socks. 

Hopefully you can see progress from the last post.