I have been writing about design for quite some time now. Good design is still important. The elements and principles of design will help you in your weaving. However, every now and again, you may hit a creative slump. The elements and principles seem more like obstacles than aids. Nothing excites you, nothing is coming together, your work, and perhaps your life, feels like it needs a jump start? What do you do? No, seriously, what do you do? I know the things that will

It’s that time of the year. Time when we reflect on the past year, plan for the new year, and make resolutions. Many of us resolve to live a simpler life, to cut out bad habits and install a few good ones. This is much like the process of editing needed in design. How does this apply to designing and editing for weaving? I see several correlations. First: You can’t do everything. Those who make resolutions usually only make one or two each year. They don’t have a list of

I have been thinking, one thing that may help you all in the design process is to follow my thoughts and processes from start to finish. I have been thinking of designing a scarf, because that is what may people weave. It gives you a lot of freedom and choices in the design process yet it is not overwhelmingly large. The first step is to set my limitations. I decided I would design with the elements of line and texture being dominant. That can go in many directions. At fi

As part of my BFA in studio art, I took a ceramics class. On the first day the professor asked us to make a cup/vase/container. We all did and some of us were quite happy with the results. Then he told us to throw them in the scrap bucket. We all hesitated. His reply is that you have to get over the thought that everything you make is “precious.” Precious here meaning valuable, a great object worth keeping. That applies if you have spent a little time and money in making

One of the scarves from Fort Wayne Weavers Guild, Guild Challenge 2018 on color and weave. Recently I had a chance to visit the Weavers Guild of the North Shore, who meet in Evanston, Illinois. The evening before I was with my weaver’s guild in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This posting was prompted by a comment made at my guild meeting and then reinforced on my visit to the Illinois guild. The comment that was made was something to the effect of “Weavers are so great. They willingl

The last in a series of double weave pick-up images, in progress. I remember as a child, summer lasted forever, or at least it seemed to. I also remember being bored. I think, wistfully of those days now as I don’t remember the last time I was bored. My time now is more than filled up. My “to do” and “want to do” lists are long. Days fly by. The clock keeps ticking. Most of the time I am glad my days are full. Most of the time I enjoy what it is I’m doing. Most of the t

I am taking a brief break from my designing weaver interviews. There will be more coming, they are just waiting for responses from various weavers, and because, hey, designing weavers are busy...designing and weaving! During this interval I am taking a short sidetrack to talk about bravery. You hear it said that you can’t be creative unless you aren’t afraid to fail. That failure can take many forms, from a failed project to rejection from a gallery or buyer. But, you als