Fence Weaving: Concluding Remarks

The adventure in fence weaving is officially complete.  The weather forced me to get serious and finish it up.  As with most things, the last little bit felt like it took forever, but I forged on thanks to some encouragement from a neighbor, who while driving down the alley gave me a double thumbs up! 

The final result yesterday...

It snowed today.

Fence Weaving

Fence weaving - the act of weaving fabric strips into chain link fence.  Related to the concept of "yarn bombing" however it is less in yo face and more elementary school tangram-ish.

I like to have a plan.  This semester I took a class where there were no plans.  I rolled with it as best I could, and while I wouldn't necessarily like to repeat the experience, it has turned out pretty swell.  Prompted to dream up whatever we wanted, I chose log cabin blocks.  We were supposed to explore our idea using two non-loom techniques and weaving (okay, so maybe there was a little bit of a plan).  I did some knitting and some weaving, and somehow managed to avoid crocheting (I want to like crocheting, but I just hate it).

After the trip to Houston, I needed to present a proposal as to what I was going to make for my final project.  Running on limited sleep, patience, and time, I was lost.  I was in the backyard with the dogs, watching them like a helicopter mom because the fence is wimpy, the bunnies are so slow the dogs can catch them, and the squirrels are everywhere.  To top it off, on the other side of the fence is a playground, so between rodents and children, there are too many distractions for the dogs.  BINGO.  Weave the fence.  Create a visual barrier so the dogs won't kill any other living creature.

My proposal was less than convincing.  I hadn't even really convinced myself.  After a few weeks avoiding the project for fear that it would be a complete disaster, I finally gathered my materials and got down to it.  WOW.  I want more chain link fence.

The beginning.  Word to the wise, fence weaving is better suited to the warmer months.

One block done...

It glows!

More blocks done...must keep going.

Also yawned on Maybe's face and it was scary.

Weaving

My weaving odyssey continues.  The last lovely image of my shadow weaves I posted was deceptive in that it was a tiny sample.  Now I am making it bigger.  I also incorporated a log cabin block at the bottom edge of this soon to be scarf.  Must incorporate quilting into every aspect of my life...

Only like 50 more inches to weave...

Weaving

Some people go to the gym, I go to the weaving studio.  I am sort of in awe of the loom.  I am working on a four harness floor loom, and the possibilities are endless.  So, the possibilities must be infinite on an eight harness loom.

A lot of crafty activities require a big initial investment.  Quilting = sewing machine.  Knitting = bamboo needles and alpaca (its the only way to go). Scrap booking = all that shit that is always on sale at Joann's (I don't really look at scrap booking as a true craft, but it is certainly commercialized). But weaving might take the cake.  Looms are EXPENSIVE.  However, I am fortunate in that my dad went through a short lived weaving phase.  It was long enough to buy a loom, which has sat stationary for as long as I can remember.  So, someday, I can nab it.  Sadly it is in Vermont, I am in Nebraska, and who knows where I'll end up...

Shadow weave...I am using the log cabin block as my inspiration for our final project, so I am exploring optical illusions in weaving...there are lots! 

It looks really impressive above, but sadly it is small.  And just a sample.  The real deal needs to be a lot bigger. 

Natural Dyes

I am in a wovens and non-wovens class right now.  So yes, I am knitting, crocheting, and weaving for class.  It is very refreshing.  We spent the first couple weeks dyeing yarn for future projects.  We used plants growing locally including marigolds, hydrangea, black eyed susans, some sort of false indigo, black walnuts, madder, and probably some other ones I am forgetting.  It was surprisingly easy to get a nice array of colors.  Maybe I do need a dye kitchen someday...