Deadlines. I have always had a shaky relationship with them. Throughout my schooling, I would procrastinate until the night before, then try to pull everything off in a matter of hours, with no regard for sleep. As I've gotten older, I've pushed myself to start earlier and earlier, but somehow I am continually guilty of procrastination. I am also guilty of overachieving. "As I've brainstormed and sketched for quite some time now, using up a bit of time that I should have been working, should I tone down my idea, make it smaller? How about postcard size? No, that would be too easy. Let's go for a hearty 17x24" (43x61cm) needle woven piece. Only have two weeks? No problem! I can do that!" Sadly, usually time will win. Part of the project was to do as much as we can, or to go as far as we wanted to. If I weren't so guilty of procrastination in my day to day life, I think I could have gotten away with it. But I have to come clean. I would have loved to finish. But the deadline has passed! Must move forward, post what I have to show for myself!
After sketching ideas for each image sent, I decided to use this one as a starting point. I didn't want to just copy it in weaving form, but I loved the diagonal lines. I thought of tapestry, huge chunky twills, then of kente cloth. If I wove strips of cloth, only to sew it into a sort of twill? Then I dreamed of ikat details, to mimic the light in this photo. An ikat kente cloth of greys. As I worked to get my tea towels off my loom, I realized I would not have enough time to get another warp on the loom. A change of plan. I could make a frame out of wire and weave onto it. A sort of needle weaving. This would also be a great way to test out this idea, as I have a neckpiece in the wings needing finishing, and I have been thinking of weaving onto it. I did my work to a marathon of Murder She Wrote and at lunch during work, carrying it on the subway. Another lesson in space- the smaller the better on the subway. So here it is, in all its unfinished glory.
Using wire as a shaft
