CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

something new to cut on

 

 

We all have had these days, when you look at your coat/car/fridge/wallet/shoes and come to find out they are old. This happened with my cutting boards this morning. Not only old, but also nasty. I don't enjoy shopping, especially on a Saturday, a day focused on staying in my pjs for as many daylight hours as possible, but it seemed unavoidable. Until I remembered the walnut plank we had bought for that purpose years ago. 

 

 

It took a little bit of motivating the troops, but Thomas finally went to retrieve the plank and we cut and sanded like a couple of newlyweds. I also found a bar of natural beeswax to melt and stir with mineral oil, spoon oil style, in a guesstimated ratio.

 

 

My love for walnut wood is well documented and these boards don't dissapoint. It's always fun getting a bit of time for the three of us to tinker. All my favorite things are well acquainted with our hand sander, it's a family tradition...

 

One must have a mind of winter

 

 Snow Man by Wallace Stevens

 

One must have a mind of winter 

To regard the frost and the boughs 

Of the pine-trees crusted with snow; 

 

 

And have been cold a long time 

To behold the junipers shagged with ice, 

The spruces rough in the distant glitter

 

 

Of the January sun; and not to think 

Of any misery in the sound of the wind, 

In the sound of a few leaves,

 

 

Which is the sound of the land 

Full of the same wind 

That is blowing in the same bare place

 

 

 

 

 

For the listener, who listens in the snow, 

And, nothing himself, beholds 

Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

 

1954

 

Photographs taken on January 28th 2015 at the Red Butte Botanical Garden by myself.

 This post is for Laurie whose amazing creation made me very happy yesterday.

 

 

{a pale blue band}

 

Life can be funny when you change your course, and lately it's been funny busy. I decided to slow down this morning, write a few letters, take a few pictures and surprise, there is almost enough time left over to work on this little space. Thank you Kathy and Gwen for your comments on the last post, they were very heartwarming.

 

 

 

Today I am sharing the band I finished last night. Weaving those on the inkle loom has been fantastic. Most days I would have no time for anything handmade, but I can simply sit on my bed in the evening and weave a few inches or a lot. The key is to warp the loom on the weekend. I think I could probably make one a week that way. Not industrial production, but enough to learn a few new tricks.

 

This band is woven out of 16/2 linen as the others, but I varied the pattern threads this time to see what would happen if I simply used what I have on hand such as Rowan cotton wool (single), Nature Spun Sport (single) and a lace weight Shibiu (doubled). Well don't fret, it works perfectly well which is good news for all of us with bins of leftovers.

 

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Baltic Band Weaving

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Baltic Band Weaving

 

This is a bit of a funny post to write... you see I am not sure how long this tiny corner of the internet I made for myself about 7 years ago is meant to be around.

Let me explain: I have made drastic life changes such as... getting a job outside our house, taking a break from my sponsor (BERNINA) to make time to go back to school, registered to go back to school... you see where this is going!

To make a long story short, I am attempting to become a French elementary school teacher. Right now I simply substitute at Finn's school several day a week and prepare for the French exams. This means that I am not sure how much of us should be out there and find everything feels better close to the chest. But naturally, habits die hard and if you made it through all this should searching there should be some kind of reward. How about a look at some Baltic band weaving:

 

 

 These bands, woven in linen and wool are a traditional weave of the countries around the Baltic sea. They are used to decorate clothing, tie the top of boots to prevent the snow from coming in and close aprons over dress. They are traditionally woven using the backstrap method but an inkle loom will do.

   

 

Notice how the two sides of the bands are completely different? I can't get enough of staring at them side by side. I just finished the first band and cannot wait to warp the loom once more. There is these little borders from West Telemark that are calling my name...

 

 

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A naked loom rarely stays that way, it gets dressed and then you either weave and weave or let it languish for months or years.

This has happened to me and mine before, and I speak from limited experience. I have also seen looms for sale with ratty old warps that might have been something more.

I am enjoying my 4-shaft table loom lately, I always considered it inferior probably because I rescued it in a very sad state and it was very cheap, but as it turns out it is actually "a good little loom". It is easy to dress, easy to treadle and quite sturdy. What I like most though is that I can weave standing up. I am prone to sitting you see... a global problem.

 

 

After the monk's belt project came off last week I wanted to weave a table runner, but the light grey wool is out of stock, so a scarf it is instead and I am so glad. 

The first time with Jaggerspun Zephyr can be a bit tricky/sticky but I am getting the hang of it I hope. The beat imperfections will somehow disappear during the final soak, won't they? I can't seem to mind when I am looking at that mustard* stripe on the blue.

 

* Shibui Cima Brass, fingering weight.

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