Subconscious Thinking
This morning I awoke from a dream where I was being greeted by Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada at a World Shibori Network gathering, and lay there for a minute a little bemused by my dream. Whilst I was processing it, sudden ideas flashed into my mind about how I could approach...
Numbers to inspire?
I can't believe it - a record 777 spam comments on my blog this week!! So if you sent me a genuine message, and it hasn't appeared as a comment, please forgive my heavy-handed delete! Certain number combinations attract our attention - which is one reason I noted the...
Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Jaume Plensa
Yesterday I visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for the first time. This landscaped park, with its sculptures by such luminaries as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, David Nash and Andy Goldsworthy, amongst many others, also boasts several gallery spaces, a good shop...
Gunpowder, treason and plot
It's curious the things we choose to commemorate, isn't it? This week is the 'celebration' of Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes night) in England, which is historical and political but not relevant to today, other than if the terrorist plot had not been discovered, UK...
The ‘Polyanna’ approach
This week I was called a Polyanna. It was meant as an insult, but I took it as a compliment and thanked the giver warmly. A few years ago, when I first heard the term, I had to ask for clarification - I think it's a US expression more than a UK one - but it...
Mother’s Pride
I am so proud of my son!! In July he took the brave step of joining the armed forces and has just undergone basic training, where the young men are turned from greenhorns into soldiers - not an easy job, I'm sure!! I know it has been gruelling for them all, and each...
Deep Thinking
Weavers who go beyond recipe weaving tend to be quite deep thinkers, I've noticed. They are not content with following what someone else has done, but they want to tweak the threading here, and alter the treadling there, or completely revamp the tie-up. And from...
The Secret Language of Weaving Drafts
Language is such an integral part of our lives that it's not often that we stop to think about it. It's been in my mind recently whilst I've been doing some background reading for my masters degree. One book I was reading (Representation: Cultural Representations...
The Weavers Website
This week I am writing a bit about a new website which is currently being set up to be a one-stop shop for people wishing to find information on weaving in the UK. With funding from the Worshipful Company of Weavers, Philippa Brock, course leader at Central St...