I often think about living my life with panache, and about how important it is to stretch ourselves and to try new things.
We have to give ourselves permission to be brave and to find delight in all kinds of ways.
So, when you knit yourself the Permission doll, remember to live your life with panache!
And, every time you look at her, I hope that she will make you smile and spark a little extra bravery, whimsy and delight in your life.
She has been a force for healing in my life, and I hope that she will be in yours, too. 🙂
When I became a grandmother, I saw the world in a whole new way…. through the eyes of the butterfly…..
Seeing my grandson emerge, and witnessing him ‘spread his wings’ makes it so heartrendingly clear just how magical and fragile our precious world is.
In response, I wove this tapestry, which is a love song to my daughter and her son.
Becoming a grandmother means that I now sing a love song to all the tender new lives that we must nurture.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
Tapestry: Woven Women-The Eyes of the Butterfly
by Noreen Crone-Findlay 2012-2013
approximately 14 inches wide by 36 inches tall
The yarn used in the tapestry is special to me for 2 reasons…. one is that most of it came from my mother’s collection of yarns, and the rest of it was spun by my beautiful daughter in love, Alliston Findlay.
I dreamt that I was invited to visit the workroom of a friend who passed on awhile ago.
She and I had written back and forth for several years before her death.
I still hold her dear in my heart, even though we never got to meet, face to face, in this world.
Anyhow, in the dream, I was invited into 2 gorgeous little rooms that were full, floor to ceiling, with antique drawers and shelves, full of exquisite handmade lace and yarn, and thread and weaving and embroidery.
It gave me a whole new view of heaven! 😀
I was particularly moved by the colors of one jacket and 2 bags that were woven with a range of reds and blues and then embroidered with yellow silk thread.
For the rest of this week, I have been glued to my loom, and then my sewing machine, weaving a vest that was inspired by the dream.
It has been such an interesting voyage of discovery, as it took me places that I didn’t expect to go, and it had it’s own rules and requirements.
Here it is:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I wove it on my Saori loom, blending the yarns on the bobbin, and adding and picking up strands of weft as I wove.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I knew that I was going to be shaping the vest by pulling on warp strands to add the curves that would build the vest, so I worked at making the shapes of the clasped weft be conducive to the warp pulling process.
I had thought that I would use the narrow band to add another ruffle to the outside edge, but I decided instead, to use it to weave the back of the vest.
This is one of the things I love about Saori weaving- being able to do freeform work that takes off in a different direction than I had originally planned!
I like to shape the garment after I have woven it, so I do my warp pulling after the weaving is off the loom, and don’t do any shaping on the loom.
The butterfly was woven while it was still on the loom.
I had thought that I would embroider lots of dragonflies onto the vest.
I didn’t embroider the dragonflies while it was on the loom, as I wasn’t sure where I would be placing the pulled warp sections, and didn’t want the embroidery to be distorted or to interfere with the pulling process.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I had woven the butterfly a couple of weeks ago, and set it aside, as the piece that it had originally been part of felt like it was a ‘fail’.
How wrong I was! The butterfly and another section of the ‘fail’, fitted into the back of the vest just perfectly.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I thought that I would tat some dragonflies and stitch them on, but they just didn’t work.
It’s a wonderfully comfortable vest, and every time I wear it, I will think of a dear friend, and how she still inspires me!
So, my friends, here’s to life, to color, to love, and to the creative process!
May you weave sweet, colorful dreams! 😀
And, here is a video on how to shape fabric by pulling warp strands:
A couple of weeks ago, I designed a tiny pinboard loom to weave little hearts- Here’s the link to that post HEARTS
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I just loved the little hearts that I wove on the pinboard loom, but didn’t really like holding the foam in my hands while I wove.
I asked Donna and Gary at Dewberry Ridge Looms if they would make some heart looms, using my design, so other people could weave wee perfect hearts, too. (Gary’s work is FABULOUS! I love their looms) 🙂
They said sure, so Gary set to work and they now have lovely little heart looms!
I am just enchanted with the little heart loom- it’s beautifully made and is a treat to hold in my hand, and a pleasure to weave on.
I am thinking of all the wonderful ways of using the woven hearts… ooooooooh yes!!!!
I won’t be selling them, so you’ll have to go to their website to buy one. Here’s their link:Â HEART LOOM
I have some fun projects in mind, and will post pics as soon as I get them done.
I think that I will probably make a video tutorial specifically about weaving with this little loom. (One more thing for the ‘to-do’ list!)
