Dreaming of Cardweaving

I spent last weekend at the Conference of Northern California Handweavers (CNCH)at Asilomar, yes, on the beach at Pacific Grove. It was a tough assignment.

I took a cardweaving class from Gudrun Polack. I hoped to come away with a better understanding of the structure of cardweaving, and insight into how she weaves her beautiful interlocked patterns.

The first day we wove a sampler of shadow weave. I started weaving where the threads are bunched in a loop, with some easier patterning, then tried some more challenging return and spiral designs towards the end of the band.



We were given drafting homework that evening. I opted for a gin and tonic (perhaps the first mistake).

The next morning the plan was simple: we'd each choose a more complex draft, warp it up, weave a sample, then try a sample of other structures warped by other class members. We would each end up with about a bookmark-length sample of a variety of patterns. I chose a braided pattern, also chosen by at least two other people in the class.

Day two did not go swimmingly. In the photo below, I started weaving at the loop end. Each of those little threads sticking out indicates where I started over. And over. And over. At the very beginning, Gudrun wove a tiny bit to make sure the cards were threaded correctly. They were. The rest is me, going slowly nuts.



I left for the day not having succeeded. I left the warp set up, and once again, Gudrun wove a sample and it worked just fine (it was me, not the cards). I, however, had returned to the gin and tonic.

Day three. I arrived full of new enthusiasm. I repeated my less than stellar attempts for a few tries. Then I took a deep breath, pulled myself together and wove a few inches correctly, sigh, finally (see the very end of the sample above).

After a few days R & R in Carmel and Monterey, I came home Wednesday with a goal of weaving my bookmark. Yikes, thwarted again. Here are my repeated attempts:



Close, very close, but no cigar. I stopped, went on with my day, and went to bed contemplating The Pattern. I dreamed of the cards. I woke up with the pattern going back and forth in my mind. I tried again. This time, I turned the cards without referring to the diagram. That was the key: I was familiar enough with the pattern to keep going, not be distracted, and I managed to weave a passable sample:



I have not yet mastered this pattern. I can weave a bit without mistakes, but mastery, to me, involves knowing enough to correct mistakes when they occur. I will weave it over again, perhaps many times, until I understand it, and where the threads should be at any given turn. Then, when I can correct mistakes (which are inevitable), I will have a greater understanding, or mastery. And with mastery comes the ability to innovate, and vary. That's when the real fun will begin!