Dear Members, 

 

A constant for many of us is the creative process. What does this mean for you, as a member of the Weavers’ Guild of Boston? How does our community support your creative process? 

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An initial idea for a textile is further developed with thoughts, plans, and application of your personal techniques. This creative process is applied by individuals with varying degrees of background, knowledge and experience. Each creator is unique, and qualified to achieve their goals. Show and Tell!  Every textile wants its unique story to be told by its creator. Just bring your creation to our next Guild meeting, and share its story with your guild mates, inspiring them to stretch their capacity to explore their own ideas. 

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What happens next can be described as a journey. To have the outcome we hope for, we may begin with research related to our idea. As a WGB member, there are resources to explore. There are weavers to consult. Our library is rich with opportunities to advance one’s concepts, and support new directions. Look online to research our materials. Start on our website, Education tab, Library button. Attend our meetings, seeking out a member who has knowledge and experience with the concepts you are researching. 

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For me, color is a strong component, as I develop my idea. I take my inspiration from elements in the natural world. An example is the idea I had to weave a silk cowl, representing the color of glaciers, inspired by my daughter’s invitation to travel with her to Alaska. What color are glaciers? My research led me to find that I needed to dye my own yarn to represent gradations of turquoise. 

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I go back to the beginning, to the idea. I shared lunch with some members at a Guild meeting, and admired the cowls that two of them wore. The guildmates forwarded the citation Alderman, S., 1999. “Silk Scarf in Double-Faced Twill”; Handwoven Mar/Apr 1999, pgs 60 & 77. Before I knew it, I was reading the “weave structure bible” by Irene Emery, and headed down the rabbit hole deeper. This inspired my draft with the colorway I had in mind. 

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I calculated my yarn needs, using some tools that I keep in a “planning” binder. I gathered supplies, dyed the yarn, wound the warp, and dressed the loom, and was learning at every step. I needed my weaving resources, including my guild library, and guild community to tackle this idea. The resulting textile represents a creative process that I revisit, with each new idea I have. 

When you have an idea, and begin to follow the creative process that is unique to you as a weaver, consider how your WGB membership supports your journey. 

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Sincerely, Eileen