I’m starting to think that my idea of retirement is very different from that of others.  This year is shaping up to be a very intense year of learning and teaching with an almost vertical learning curve and I am super excited about it.  When I retired from my full-time job three years ago, my goals were to travel more and to spend more time pursuing my passion for weaving and all things fibre arts.  The first year of retirement was spent doing some contract work for my previous employer, and designing and building a new house that would fit our entire family and a new studio for me.  The second year was spent travelling to China and Australia, and was a wonderful year of adventure.  This, the third year, I am devoting to my chosen “Retirement Career” of weaving and spinning.  Previously, I worked full-time and fit weaving into the sides and corners of my life.  Now I can follow my passion full-time, and fit the other parts of my life into the sides.

It looks like this year I will be quite involved in learning new ways of weaving and spinning, and passing on the experience of 30 plus years to others.  My learning will include both individual and group self-study, short workshops taught by others, and being involved in contests and challenges.  My teaching will include presenting both formal and informal talks, short workshops, and if possible, longer workshops and classes, starting locally this year, and moving further afield as I gain more confidence and experience.

I have joined an intensive study group with some weaving friends and guild members, and we will be focused on “Summer and Winter” weave.  I have completed the first sample for “4-shaft Summer and Winter”, learning the basics of “single/brick”

Brick Style, Winter Side  

Brick style, Summer Side  

Brick Style, Close up

You can see the distinct summer side, and winter side of the cloth.  Notice in the close up how the blocks are distinctly rectangular and just touch each other at the corners.

“pairs in X”

Pairs in X, Winter side

Pairs in X, close up

Notice how the blocks seem to be holding hands with each other, and form a distinct X shape where the blocks change.

and “pairs in O”.

Pairs in O, Winter side

Pairs in Os, Close up

In the “O” style, the blocks stand as independent individuals, and form little circle shapes like small flowers.  The blocks don’t touch each other at the corners.

I then completed a runner in “2 Block Polychrome Summer and Winter”, The colours are very close in value in this runner.  I wove it in “O” style pairs, and the colours make me think of spring flowers.  The sun this week has encouraged the bulbs to start sprouting, but I am sure they will be devastated by the predicted low temperatures that are still to come.

A table runner for Spring

and another runner in “2 Block, 2 Colour Dukagang.

Runner in Dukagang style

This style creates distinct columns of colour that interact well with the background.