Today's guest is Robyn Spady, here to help us ring in the New Year. Robyn is an outstanding weaver and teacher, a frequent contributor to Handwoven, and this year she will be joining the Handwoven tech editing team. Welcome 2012, and welcome, Robyn!
–– Anita
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Robyn weaving away in her
soon-to-be organized studio |
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Happy New Year! I love New Year’s! In fact, it’s my favorite holiday—not New Year’s Eve, but New Year’s Day. It’s the dawn of a new year full of opportunities and possibilities. If the previous year was good, then one can revel in it. If it wasn’t a good year, it’s now in the history book, and it’s time to write a new chapter.
I usually establish some goals for the year, which I suppose some would call resolutions. Below are some of the goals I have repeatedly set for myself that have been pivotal for me as a weaver.
Go somewhere new every week and seek inspiration – This is something I started many years ago. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve been inspired by the most unexpected places - from an Ace Hardware store in a small town, to an antiques shop on the side of the highway or an Asian store I was passing by. All it took was for me to say to myself “I’ve never been there” and I would head on in. Head in to the odd little shop or gallery you frequently pass by . . . it may be a goldmine of inspiration!
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Is mastering doubleweave on
your weaving resolutions list? |
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Select a specific weaving topic and learn more about it – This has been an ongoing goal for me for a very long time and has been critical to my evolution as a weaver. In fact, it was imperative to me while I was working on HGA’s Certificate of Excellence in Weaving. There’s so much to know about weaving, so there’s always opportunity to learn more. Selecting a specific topic helps me focus, and this year I’ve decided to learn more about crackle now that Susan Wilson’s book Weave Classic Crackle and More recently arrived at my local weaving store. With so many wonderful books and eBooks out there, it’s easy to tackle your own weaving resolutions from mastering doubleweave to designing and sewing handwoven garments.
Gather with other weavers and attend Convergence – I did this for the first time in 2000, when Convergence was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I’ve been going ever since. Convergence 2012 will be held in Long Beach, California, and I’m looking forward to it more than ever. There’s nothing like being around other weavers to invigorate and stir up your passion for weaving! If Convergence isn’t possible, consider alternatives that may be closer like Complex Weavers Seminar 2012 in Washington D.C., Conference of Northern California Handweavers (CNCH) 2012 in Oakland, California, or any of the conferences listed on Weaving Today's calendar.
Face a fear, try something new, and create something that doesn’t resemble a previous project – I occasionally get into weaving ruts, mostly because I enjoy a topic so much that I just want to do it over and over again. In the past, I tackled tapestry and discovered ways to apply tapestry-related techniques to my weaving. There are colors I have steered away from in the past that became a theme for a project. And there are always fibers to explore, like the hemp 3 carried by Lunatic Fringe. Pick something you normally avoid and give it a shot. You may learn to love it!
Identify one thing I need to do better and figure out how to improve on it – This often is a reality check for me because I know there’s always room for improvement. In the past I’ve worked on improving the consistency of my beat . . . and selvedges can always use attention to detail. What do I want to work on in 2012? I want to see the floor of my studio on a day-to-day basis. I’m sometimes bewildered how it disappears under cones of yarn and other items. I hope to make great strides in keeping my studio and office tidy . . . only time will tell.
Welcome to 2012! My wish for weavers everywhere is to have the best year ever! Perhaps some readers of Weaving Today would like to join me and share throughout 2012.
—Robyn Spady