Today was a Studio Tuesday. I have begun to see some problems with this one-day-a-week intensive work-day schedule. I came up with the idea of having a dedicated studio work day, because I was beginning to feel the need to make sure that I would get ANY work done, at all. My life and schedule has changed a lot lately. I used to have full days, even full weeks, of work time. I could get up every day and work as long as I wanted or needed to, with the exception of my husband's off days. And I usually worked at least some every week day; often working a great deal. Because my husband worked long days and weeks, I made a point of only working when he was home if I had a deadline creeping up on me.
But now my husband is retired and home all the time, and my parents have moved here, which is also new, so I need to change my way of scheduling work and family time. Thus 'Studio Tuesday' was born, and everyone has been very supportive of that being my work day.
But here is the problem. One day a week just is not enough. Tapestries grow very slowly. And stopping for a full week between work sessions is problematic. I posted about the struggle with 'beginnings' in the past (here.) If I haven't worked for a full week, it takes me a good 45 minutes to figure out where I had left off, and where I am going next, each work session. That is not the case when I leave the studio at the end of one day, then re-enter the work the next morning, as I did in the past.
Also, I am only weaving about an inch each workday, so this tapestry will take me about 3 more months to complete! That is too long. I will have lost my passion for it by then. In fact, working so sporadically, I have just barely found my passion for the piece! In fact, it was just today that I could see that this will be an image worth weaving; a tapestry I can love.
So... my new work plan is to get up early and go to the studio and work a few hours each morning that I am able. I have to confess that this 'new plan' does not excite me. I am not a morning person. I like to sit in my sitting room with a cup of coffee (or two) and my journal for a bit in the mornings. I am actually a morning grump. But I need to weave: not weaving also makes me a grump. So it is definitely worth the attempt. I need to get used to seeing the sunrise through my studio window.
3 comments:
I have admired your Studio Tuesdays. It would not work with my schedule that much, but interesting to hear that your approach has changed. I have two children at home and a husband up until this month has worked very long hours. He has had some time off for helping us move, but I imagine he will be back at the long hours soon.
I find that I finish very few tapestries. Sometimes only one per year which can be frustrating to me. However, I am learning that I just do what I can and try not to stress. However, we just moved. I spend the last 3 months working to get here, and now that we are here, I am spending my time getting kids to school, nursing sick kids with the flu, unpacking boxes and painting. I long for time on my loom, but....soon I hope.
Thanks for your thoughts. Love the calendar tapestries.
Susan, thanks for your visit and comment. It is so interesting it me how our life stages affect our work, not only in work time, but especially in content and style. So far, the most productive time for me was the time when my two sons were home, in school. With my husband at work and the kids in school, I seemed to get an amazing amount of work done! Now, it seems that I should have more work time - no PTA, kid activities, etc, - but I seem to have much less time than ever before. But what needs doing, seems to get done. Moving is a big change! Hopefully both of our lives will open up some more loom time soon!
It's been ages since I visited your blog and as always, lovely writing, weaving and art. We must be on the same bandwidth with the folks. I moved mine out from MA to OR this past fall and am trying to find workable schedules myself. Weaving, sewing, horses, dogs and parents all vying for those precious and limited hours in each day.
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