Honestly, I did not set out to create an optical illusion with this small tapestry diary. Reds, pinks, and whites seem like stylish colors for the month of Valentine love. My primary intention with this piece was simply to work on varying angles and shading.
I thought simple colors and shapes were just that–colors and shapes; however, two interesting themes have emerged, quite by “accident.” One is the hint of a cupid’s arrow. Do you see the arrow feathers? The other is the optical illusion of creased folds across the cloth. (If you squint a certain way and tilt your head, see if you can make the inner and outer “folds” reverse.)
Your style shows how you want others to see you. But your heart tells the inside story of who you are. I may be focusing on what clothing and accessories to wear, thinking of colors and shapes; meanwhile, my heart is putting hidden things on display. The hidden person of the heart is who you really are. Let people remember you by your internal person more than by your external appearance. Then your chosen colors will simply enhance the true picture of you.
May you fascinate others with your inner beauty.
Check out my Etsy shop for some new items. You’ve seen the pot holders and rag weave table runner here: Textured Textiles for Christmas.
(You can now find me on Instagram as celloweaver. Follow to see more pics of woven items in my home and daily weaving progress.)
Day by day,
Karen
Lovely weaving and what a nice little loom!
I’m a bit NW of you but still in TX… I’m enjoying reading your blog.
Hi Kathyo, it’s nice to have a fellow Texan stop in and say hi!
Karen
Such a nice little loom. What make is it?
Colleen, this is the Freja Tapestry Frame, lap size, made by Glimakra. It’s very sturdy and well made. I got mine directly from Joanne Hall at http://www.glimakrausa.com, but there may be other places that carry it, as well. I’ve been thinking about getting the larger size Freja frame, also, to add to my “collection”…
Thanks, the sturdiness is what took my eye. On a whim I bought Tapestry Weaving by Glasbrook, but I don’t have a loom! 🙂 Do you like the tensioning device on the Freja?
I have been reading Not Like the Lilies which is an ethnographic type description of the Doukhobors, their journey to Canada, and their textile traditions in Canada. According to the book, they commonly wove edgings on a floor loom in tapestry style. The book is informative if you like the history of textiles or reading about the practices of different cultures.
I can see why you want a loom to go with that book. Haha. Glasbrook does an excellent job of explaining basic techniques. I really like her book! Great pictures, too.
Yes, I do like the tensioning device on the Freja. It makes it very easy to tighten the warp–a little, or a lot. I haven’t had any problems with it.
Not Like the Lilies sounds like a very interesting read. Thanks, I’ll look it up. I’m always interested in learning about practices of different cultures. That’s fascinating to me.
Heads up for Friday’s post (2/27/15). It’s more about the tapestry diary on the tapestry frame.
The author of the book is Dorothy K. Burnham. I have two other of her books, but just happened to read the one I mentioned first. Another of hers that I have is Cut My Cote, which as a weaver , may be of interest to you. She gives diagrams for how different groups in Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and the Far East made very efficient use of their cloth, yet their cloths are more than just a sack (think kimono). I bought the books hopping to be able to adapt some of the ideas for my use.
Thanks for your feedback.