Frame Making!

Last week, with the help of Dad, we made the frame for my weaving! Here's how it was done...

Ingredients
3 x pieces of wood/skirting board
4 x L-bracket
Very thin screws
Chisel
Hammer
Ruler
A good biro

Step 1: Prepare the wood. I kept two planks the same size and cut the other one in half. That makes four. I think. Remember to use masking tape where you saw! It prevents splitting and other nasty defects. File and sand the edges too!

Step 2: There was much discussion about how to attach the L's and how to layer the wood. I needed space to weave but didn't want too much metal showing. This is the compromise below. We found the wood was prone to splitting so we couldn't drill the holes. Instead we developed a very scientific technique of hammering the screw in a little bit then screwing it in by hand (like the olden days) with a screw driver.

Step 3: I started weaving without grooves but it was so difficult! The warp was slipping all over the place and I couldn't keep control of it. So I marked out some lines for where I wanted grooves. As a haemophiliac, chisels are a bad idea so Dad helped out again with this one.

This is the finished result:

Swanky.

Weaving + Workers

My chosen workers for this project are cleaners and hairdressers/barbers. I feel they're both kind of secretive. Cleaners often go unnoticed, they silently take in all the rubbish in the office and safely remove it. Hairdressers are stereotyped as gossipy therapists, listening to the woes of their clients and chopping away the split ends. You rarely hear about what they're thinking.

I feel weaving connects nicely with cleaners because of the way it organises shapes and colours, the act of weaving is very much like the act of cleaning. I thought about this whilst at the William Morris gallery.

For this project I think the tools of the workers will be most important. I should also get to know two workers personally, I think this will be something I can do tomorrow. 

Weaving

Two Women Weaving Linen at a Horizontal Loom

Weaving has existed as a craft since before 7000 BCE. Traditionally it is a task undertaken by groups of women as a method of recording stories or episodes of history. It is associated with mythological figures such as Persephone, who's endeavours with the loom were recorded in Homer's Odyssey.

Persephone weaving the Funeral Shroud

Although an ancient craft, it has become popular recently. Below are some examples of modern wall hangings meant for decoration. They are very beautiful but lack the story telling element of traditional woven art. 

Weavings by SonadoraInLove

Wall hanging by PinballFairy

I would like to combine the two and create a piece that depicts the narrative of Kathy's sketchbook as well as mimics it aesthetically. I lack a loom but have discovered a simple weaving technique I believe I can have some success with.