One pick at a time. That is how a textile is built.
Some textiles are quicker. Some take more time. But each one takes it’s *own* time. And a weaver should recognize that time, respect it, and get on with it. Just like Life?
When I set out to become a weaver, many people would tell me how patient I must be. Um, no. Actually I’m not at all ‘patient’. But I am willing to do what is necessary to get the results I desire. However, bearing in mind that my primary goal was – at the end of the year – make some money, I got really good at the primary skills of weaving, quickly recognized which weave structures were going – by their very nature – require more time than I would be able to make by using those, and work on something else instead. Something that I felt people would be willing to pay me to make.
Over the years I paid attention to which colours the majority of people were interested in buying. I had my own personal preferences, but I was my market. So I paid attention. And I gradually learned how to work with colours that were not attractive to me, and do a credible job (I hope) of making textiles that would appeal to people who liked those colours.
Eventually I accomplished what I set out to do: be self-employed, setting my own goals and work schedule, using my creativity, and, eventually, my skills improved enough that I could, actually, make some money.
But it was never easy. I had to think about everything I did. If I bought a new piece of equipment, would it pay for itself? Could I increase my income if I bought it? Enough to make it worthwhile? Every year I needed to come up with a new set of designs. Every year I made more than would sell, but that gave me a step up on my inventory for the coming year. Enough I could breathe a little, work on ‘personal’ projects, book teaching trips, etc.
It took years to begin to see ‘profit’. And it was never much, but enough.
What nearly ‘broke’ me (in more ways than one) was publishing Magic in the Water. I carried the debt on that for years. The thing with a credit card is that it is a very expensive way to borrow money. But I kept plugging away at doing what I could do, trying to sell the full production run, until I was spending more in advertising than would be generated by book sales.
In the end, it was the death of my (baby) brother that allowed me to pay off the debt.
Once that was paid off, I never attempted to create such a Big Project. But I did it. And even though it has been 24 years since I first launched the book, the PDF booklet is still selling, and I have heard from multiple people that the original Magic is a prized find – usually at estate sales or older weavers downsizing.
I consider myself a pretty ‘typical’ Canadian. I know how to work. Am willing to work hard. Not willing to have others dictate to me what I should be doing. Which is partly why I have been trying to reduce my reliance on certain things. Google is being particularly annoying. It has locked me out of my Blogspot account and I am not willing to try to get back into it. However, before all access was denied, my web master ‘saved’ the blog posts from Blogspot, and they archived on my own website.
There are still a few details to get sorted out, and it may not be possible. In the meantime, I am going to head to the loom and finish off the last couple inches of the green linen, then begin the red tow linen. I have two humidors of bobbins wound, steeping for the past couple of weeks, so hopefully they will be nice co-operative.
I have pitched an idea to WEFT for another issue. Not sure they will want what I suggested. If they do, I’ll be buying more yarn and weaving samples. 🙂
In the meantime, I have to send samples for the ‘next’ article. I need to find one more sample (a commercial example to compare with my handwoven ones) and then put the box into the hands of a courier.
Little by little. Just like building a cloth in the loom.
Tapestry for the final level of the Guild of Canadian Weavers master weaver certificate.