Saturday, January 01, 2011

Not Surprising

Given that these last few years have been full of travel, away from the studio, one of my first coherent thoughts this New Year morning was not surprising: finish things.

There are projects left unfinished that cause me a certain anxiety and need to be wrapped up. There is also need of clearing out: some things that need to move on to another home, another studio, tools and materials that may find new homes.

What is causing this consternation? First up, I want to finish this, handspun wool rug warp:
loom warped

This actually has some weaving done, but it was put on hold at the time of the book project almost 3 years ago now. There are yarns spun and dyed, ready for knots:
pile yarns June2007

There is also this:
celtic spindle bag

A spindle bag, with all the yarn also ready, waiting.

The purse I carry everyday is having issues with the strap (falling apart issues) but I have been reluctant to weave another band (it would be its third in 7 years of use) because I have been slowly working on a replacement bag:
IMG_1596

The weaving is further along than this photo would indicate, but not, alas, done. Yet.

Other projects call too: Deb and I are dyeing again for Sample Book #1, version 2.0, which we will start mounting this month. All of version 1.0 is sold, so there is some pressure.

Which may be the problem with each of the projects above left undone: they have no external deadline. I have dropped them to get something done that was required by some certain time. There was this bag, for Schacht's 40th Anniversary Celebration:
sara lamb circuit bag front bright
(photo by Avedan Raggio)

There was a silk shawl for Deb to wear at her daughter's wedding:
Debsshawl
which may be a different color by now, as Deb was planning to over-dye it after the wedding, to some color more suitable to her everyday wardrobe.

There was this handspun silk fabric, not yet made into the vest it will come to be:
handspun silk fabric, fire
Some of the silk was wheel-spun, and some was spindle spun.

There was this handspun cashmere, silk, yak and wool fabric:
cashmere-wool before washing

Then there were these:
pink hat and booties

bunting and onsies w blanket

ps sweaterr  back

baby hat and booties

baby sweater five hour

silk baby hat

All this and more for the Marin Surprise:
marin surprise (2)

Lots got done. There are just these few projects not-yet-done that haunt me. They are not very portable, they need to be done at home, in the studio. Travel is not conducive to this slow technique, but since nomadic weavers all over Central Asia get things done, I can too ((and will!).

Organizing these projects here gives me a certain peace of mind, a focus to the next few months; a promising outlook for the start of a New Year.

5 Comments:

Blogger Lynn said...

It looks as though you got lots of baby knitting done! And actually, it makes ME feel better to see your unfinished projects - why, you really ARE human after all! Plus, your unfinished projects are not exactly simple quick ones, so no wonder they're not done yet.

Happy New Year!

12:10 PM  
Anonymous Sarah said...

Your use of colour is unfailingly inspirational, Sara.

3:48 AM  
Blogger Deanna said...

I think there's a lot of peace in having some projects to return to - a sort of security and structure. And what an amazing collection of things that you accomplished. As always, I'm in awe (and delight.) :-)

7:51 AM  
Blogger Charleen said...

Happy New Year, Sara! I agree with Deanna that it's nice to come back to unfinished projects with a new energy. Beautiful photo of Marin too - her expression is precious!

11:03 AM  
Blogger Birdsong said...

In spite of all we do, there's always more, more, more. I hope you truly savored these many accomplishments as you put this post together. Not least of which is a precious grandbaby... what an amazing thing to live to see! Happy New Year!

3:25 PM  

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