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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Weaving with thrums


Thrums are the little bits of yarn that are left over when you when you cut your weaving off the loom. Weavers tend to gather them in bowls or baskets. Some of them get used, others just sit around. Today, I decided to tie some thrums together and use them to weave - something. Who knows what it will become.

Magpie's Nest Community Art Space


A few years ago I started going to community art events organized by Magpie's Nest Community Art Space. They held lots of fun pop-up workshops in different locations. Sometimes it was a bit like a scavenger hunt trying to find them, but that just added to the fun of the event.

Recently, I came across some images from the early Magpie's events posted on Shelley Klammer's Expressive Art Workshop. Shelley was one of the founding Magpies. It was fun to pick out pictures of me and the art that I made at some of those events.

I've become more involved with Magpie's Nest over the years. I've hosted some workshops and events and was on their board for a while. This autumn, one of the other Magpies and I will be organizing a series of art journalling drop-ins. We are still hatching our plans, but more details will be coming as we choose some dates and locations.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Weaving at Vancouver Mini Maker Faire

Many people added to this very long banner woven over two days at the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire. We talked a lot about how the weaving is a metaphor for community with each person making their own unique and personal contribution to something that becomes much bigger than any one of us.



Lots of people asked us about Jacquard looms as there is a connection between the punch cards system used with that type of loom and the early punch card controlled computers. While my very low tech rigid heddle loom does use a binary system, like our current computers, it is definitely not a Jacquard loom.


In addition to the community weaving over the weekend, I also offered a one hour workshop for people who wanted to spend more time weaving something to take home.


These are some of the very lovely pieces of cloth that they wove - each one is a unique reflection of the person who made it.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Art(ist trading card) dolls


The Vancouver Artist Trading Card group is exchanging art dolls made from old, untraded cards. I hardly ever trade ATCs any more and I thought this would be a good way to use up some of them.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Vancouver Mini Maker Faire this weekend


I'll be at the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire this weekend in the Textile Village. Stop by and add to our community weaving. I'm also doing a 1 hour workshop on Sunday afternoon, if you would like to take your weaving home with you.

Get tickets here: http://makerfaire.ca/tickets/

Register for workshops here: http://makerfaire.ca/workshop-series/

Saturday, June 4, 2016

100in1day a global festival of civic engagement and urban interventions


I spent some time at the Vancouver Public Library (Hastings Branch) this morning doing a community weaving with the staff and patrons. Our little event was part of a global festival with activities taking place today all over Canada, and in the rest of the world.

We considered the question "what does the (library) branch mean to you?"


People recorded their observations in a beautiful book that the library provided. I have to confess, that I got so wrapped up in the weaving, that I forgot to see what sort of comments people left.

Along with the typical yarn that I brought along, some less typical materials found their way into the weaving.


We thought the finished piece might look good wrapped around one of the pillars in the library.