Tuesday, September 2, 2008

A private affair...


I usually have friends, students, and other guests to my tapestry Cutting Off events. Today, I cut a piece off all alone, except for my cat, who truly wanted to help. (He is sitting on my lap, helping post this, as a matter of fact.)

This tapestry is not a big one. I haven't measured, but I think it's about 16x18" or thereabout. The colors do not show well in these photos, as it is evening, so I had to use a flash, which seems to have robbed it of what little color there is in it. I will share a better photo after I have sewn slits, blocked, and finished it. (You can see more about my finishing process here, if curious.) The photo above shows the tapestry still on the loom, with half of the warp threads already cut and tied off. The photo below shows it 'resting' on the floor. I will move it to the dining room table, where I do the finishing work. Tonight, I will let it (and me) rest overnight, and then I'll tackle the slits, etc. tomorrow. I would like to have it done to show in an exhibit I'm having with my students, which will be hung this Friday. Guess I'd better hustle!!

6 comments:

Jane said...

I can imagine how helpful the cat was. I do like this, reminds me of the summer we never had

Anonymous said...

Wednesday 9/3/08 7:48am
This tapestry is interesting in its viewpoint...the viewer feels like the scene is taking place way up in the treetops...the colors are cool and icy and pleasant....my neck is getting exercised turning and speculating about the way it was woven sideways...I am wondering about how you cut only half of the warp threads off and tied them...why is this done??...then do you cut the other half and tie them with these or alone?...from Curious on the the East Coast(Janet K)

K Spoering said...

Janet, when before I cut a piece off (even when guests come for the cutting off, I do this ahead of time) I loosen the tension on the loom, and then cut and tie together every other pair of warp threads across the tapestry. ie. I start on the left side and cut the 3rd and 4th warps, and over-hand knot them together close to the top of the weft edge, then the 7th and 8th warps, etc, all the way across. Then, when the tapestry is cut from the loom, the top edge will not start unweaving itself, and I can just tie off all the rest of the warp threads.

L.C. Spoering said...

opossum is ALWAYS helpful. cats tend to be. right now, zan-zann is helping me write this.
btw, your granddaughter continues to be a genius. ;)

Margaret said...

I liked the link to the finishing process--I must have read it before, but it was nice to see! Maybe if I ever finish my needlepoint project, I'll get a chance to do that! I'm always amazed at how productive you are!

Tommye McClure Scanlin said...

Hi Kathy,
Congratulations! I love the wintery feeling to the trees and the brief resting time for the bird.
Tommye

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