jesamie handwovens

may's show dance begins

2011-05-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

long day in the studio
four shows in six weeks
orders are being filled
and inventory built

after a day of
cutting
bill paying
paperwork
shipping orders

a break in the pace
i was alone in the studio
at day's end
late afternoon light
narada album playing
and the red warp needed
to be
"woven out"
not enough yardage to make a garment
so
i had a number of odd brightly colored bobbins
and the freedom to simply play
with color, weave patterns and texture.

the outside world disappeared
simply disappeared
joy, simple joy!

february ninth and playtime

2011-02-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

yesterday happened
and
happened in a fun way

my cutting table space has been reduced to
one eight foot length....
that's a good thing.
simply because the longer length of two tables
meant the second table collected "stuff"
scraps, odds and ends
stuff, simply stuff!

so
yesterday
i looked at the working space
had some piles of stuff there
[it didn't know where to go, since the other flat space was gone]
and decided it was time to finish making the polar fleece scarves with pockets
i delved into
my newly sorted piles of scraps
picking and deciding what scrap would go with what scarf

at day's end
i looked at the leftover polar fleece scraps
decided it was time to play with idea that has been
bumping around in my head for awhile

scraps are challenging
waste is money down the drain
what can one do with smaller pieces
of the whole?

well, a small jacket was cut
pieced together
then
i found my grandnephew dylan
a robust almost two!

camera and jacket inhand
he was asked to model for his "auntie pam"
first response was a very defined "no"!
he was in the middle of a snack
how dare i disturb him

a few more words
cajoling him
jacket slipped on
several pics taken
shared with him

the idea has potential.....

january 11 2011

2011-01-12T06:35:00.000-08:00

each day
small steps taken
to change
to change
what was the past
into the present
that big blue table
constructed to stand forever
only accumulated "stuff"
with more "stuff" underneath

with this studio, i have been fortunate
never having to be tight on space.
that changed this december
with the roof rip and tear.

and with that change
came the impetus
for shifting
moving editing tossing

hard to do
so very hard to do
and, i must say,
the shifting editing tossing
is not just happening
in a physical way
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
it is also
occurring
in my head.......

challenges

2011-01-07T07:05:00.001-08:00

thirty years in a building
thirty years in a space
stuff happens
stuff accumulates
especially when one's JOB
is to MAKE stuff!

and while one is making,
if one stops to
sort
keep
toss
well,
money isn't being generated
so......
one keeps making
one keeps piling and
finally, finally
a tipping point happens
something snaps
crashes in the brain
says
ENOUGH
take a break
sort
keep
and most importantly
TOSS
share with others
neaten
and
while you are doing this
sort through the memories
the fragments
lingering in the corners of
your mind.....

changes

2011-01-03T05:20:00.000-08:00

thirty years sounds,
when one is younger,
forever
thirty years can happen,
when one is not looking
in an instant.
thirty years ago,
we moved to chambersburg
into a building
being rebuilt
dreams were there
hopes were there
work was there.....

the building was, well, rebuilt with good intentions and not so good construction.
somehow the front roof had held up
this year was the tipping point
the roof needed to be "gone"
replaced
the process was painful
as memories of the past
slid though my head....

2010-05-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

color sitting
color waiting
bobbins wound
bobbins waiting
the beginning of the cloth

tuesday as april happens

2010-04-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

april happened
   and is happening
three shows
three weekends
three different states
north carolina
pennsylvania
and now
michigan......
road runner.....gypsy
always wondering "what happens if i...'

tomorrow, the michigan trip
   with a special treat- a stop and overnight visit with jason and kelly
   in pittsburgh-on the way.
   will be bringing the baby stuff purchased over the last few months
                 and the sweaters knit, stich by stich, as i sat in different states.
the day waits
the fabric waits to be cut and constructed
   another day
   another day

midweek and....

2010-04-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

midweek

one of three shows done
production happens and
looms, once filled/warped with 40 yards of yarn, stand empty, waiting to be rewarped.

seven looms
kept warped with seven different colorplays
a challenge

white warp done
now
we prep, wind cones to then wind on
the back warp beam.

and at the same time, another loom is worked
electric blue sea tones
naming colorways is a challenge and is fun

plain weave, also known as tabby weave
all the odd threads up
then all the even threads up
moves into twill weave
first one direction and then
reversed
simple and yet complex

april and shows and shows and shows

2010-04-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

april's here
along with three shows in three weekends in three different states!
i leave thursday for the Carolina Craftmen Classic in Greensboro, North Carolina.
AND
their PR person called yesterday, asked if i would like to be on the local news friday morning live tv spot at 6:45 in my booth to help promote the show!
happy dance time!
Caroliina Craftsmen Arts and Crafts Festival

off to dance this day

quiet morning, full week

2010-04-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

i woke this morning
had to stop to think of what day of the week it was
this week has been a blur!

home sunday night after the carolina craftsmen show in chantilly, va.
processed show paperwork, updated production files on the computer
basic data housekeeping tasks
takes time
simply takes time

capelets were a hot item this past weekend
such a simple idea, and yet so flattering!
cindy wove, i cut
mad dash to replenish inventory
before the april "month of shows"

three shows in three weeks
greensboro, nc
lancaster pa
and
novi mi
not quite sure what i was thinking when i set this up....
the "gambler" in me must have taken over
the risk taker that is up for marketing challenges...
so, today, with the back garden's grass looking so ragged high wild, i will be in the studio
cutting, weaving
creating

off to dance the day

midweek as march happens

2010-03-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

another morning
computer tasks
applied to mt. gretna through zapp
applied to eagles mere the old fashioned way-slides and snail mail
paid the great lakes michigan booth fee
and
signed up for the pa. guild's worksop on blogging

as i sit here, in the dining room, looking out on the back garden, my head is torn between "work" and garden time
that smell of damp earth, waiting to be worked,
the visual of the garden at the edge of spring
image similar to a bad hair day...
it needs to be raked, trimmed and picked up...

and for some reason, as i bought pansies at plasterers yesterday, i also bought onion sets- ahalf a pound of red and yellow....each!
what wa i thinking? the veggie garden isn't that big....

will see if i can find homes for some of them
the dy waits to be danced

the day is?

2010-03-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

when is monday a saturday at the same time?
when one arrives home from a show at 11 pm on sunday night....
moving with the speed of molasses in january.
the mind is moving faster, by a hair, than the body.
"have to do's, should do's and must do's" bounce around in the brain.
and, after all the rain we've had, i don't think i have ever seen my snowdrops as tall as they are now.

richmond's saturday

2010-03-13T05:52:00.000-08:00

quiet morning in the room
overcast
another weekend
another city
another show.

yesterday morning
early at the show-8 a.m.
needed to finish setting up the booth
i had pooped out at 7:30 on thursday night
still had to do the lights and arrange

realized when i arrived at the show that my clipboards and invoice forms were not with me!
i had taken them out to use on the cruise
i found one invoice form and ledft the show at 9:15 or so to go to an ofice max,make copies and buy two more clipboards
was back at the show by 10:10

sales were adequate
capelets,bomber jackets and the two new peacock/orange pieces gone

time to dance the day

thursday and...

2010-03-11T04:30:00.000-08:00

furnace rumbles
dryer was on all night-not good
mind runs through the show checklist...
have to work on the new mirror for the booth
drill and bits are at the studio, waiting

it has been a productive week.
inventory looks good-31 capelets, 17 or so jackets, new fleece vests.
some holes to fill...hope to cut several pieces this a.m.
sunshine, with rain forecast for the weekend.

could be a good thing!

van sits loaded. all that is needed are my bags.
with rain forecast for today, i did not want to load it in the rain.
off to see what the universe will provide

mid week as march happens

2010-03-10T05:22:00.000-08:00

mid week, again.
with rain forecast for tomorrow, van will be loaded today.
do not want to be loading in the rain....

inventory is at a good level, and as usual, my head goes to the "what will sell" mindset.

we have good stock in the capelets and bomber jackets.
will look at the work when it is together in the booth, and play with ideas of "what next"

off to dance this day

monday's almost all

2010-03-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

day's done
a new week begins
to do list is long
with the third show of 2010 setting in richmond on thursday
smaller booth space means using the "bitch" booth structure
always a challenge to haul and set.
i only have to use it twice a year, for this richmond show. i guess i should't complain...still....
have to switch out the usual booth, triple check components to make sure i have all the right pieces. too many memories of jury-rigging the booth together.

seven orders sit in the van. the usps services automatic kisok's printer malfunctioned as i tried to use it. will have to ship in the a.m.
a good feeling knowing these orders are completed.
asked cindy why sometimes it is easier to cut the special orders than others? makes no sense...

sunday at home

2010-03-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

home, with head running through a list of have to's and must do's before leaving for the show on thursday in richmond.
smaller booth[8'x10'], means i use the "bitch" booth.
always a challenge to set it up.
it's heavier and more awkward than my regular booth.
and, i need to triple check to make sure i have the right components.

last week was productive, on a low key level. a number of orders completed and ready to ship...good feeling there

challenge this year wil lbe to keep up with the orders and the production for the shows.....

off to dance this day
some sutiod time,
some garden time....

thursday, again

2010-03-04T05:32:00.000-08:00

last week, on edge of being sick, i did go to the studio, ran at about one quarter of my normal speed. was determined to be "productive".
a week later, after "resting" on friday, saturday and sunday, irritable at the way the body was demanding attention, like a cranky two year old, my energy level is on the rise.
the head is rattling with the "shoulds, have to's and must do's".
thursday a week from now, back on the road-richmond show.
time is, just is
something that can and can't be "managed"

off to spin and dry the latest yardage.
more to cut and construct

mid week, before the shows begin

2010-03-03T06:39:00.000-08:00

mid week, again
march already
the "shoulds, have to's and must do's" rattle around in my head
tasks begin with printing hang tags at home
then, to the studio, to cut several screaming orders

and while i handle the fabric, think about new colors and styles

tuesday night

2010-03-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

new blog begun!
learning curve continues.
plans are to use this blog to focus on the woven work, new ideas, new images
fun playtime