I love etymology almost more than fiber and friends glaze over when I get all excited about the Greek words inside the English ones, and tend to run when I offer to write them.. My son now in his fifties, early developed a shutoff mechanism , yeah, mom, two Greek words, yeah..and Arabic, yeah..Latin in there, too..
Anyway you just illuminated, along with a marvelous demo about string heddles and why, the origin of WATERSHED!! Of course, of course. Also thank you.
Speaking of new lines of thought -- yes of course it is like weaving! Anglo-Saxon/Scandinavian warp with a Latin weft, both word and meaning shifting with a single thread of Arabic. It's one of the things I really like about The Dictionary Of Obscure Sorrows-- he mixes and matches, writes a definition, and then mentions his sources!
I'd also like to try to weave in more Native words into daily life as Chris LaTray talks about in his Substack post this week:
"Learn a few words in the languages of the people whose stolen lands you are living on, and then use them too. That is a wonderful first step to truly honoring people, to truly making an effort to connect yourself to the land. Language is critical to that effort."
It was a great post, but then his always are! I was thinking as I read it that a friend of mine in Canada said that their local paper incorporates words from the local First Nations peoples, and everyone reading is just expected to know them or look them up if they don't. That seems like a great way to go! I would love it if my local paper started doing that. And considering I live exactly in the place that Chris was visiting and finding disheartening (with good reason), it would be both subversive and necessary.
That is such a splendid way to incorporate First Nations words into a town's collective reading (and ideally living), vocabulary. Must think more about that.
Watershed -- Oh my goodness. Of course. Thank you for that! What fun to toss these words back and forth and open up to new lines of thought and things to notice. What a blast. And I'm totally with you on this though my learning of origins is slow slow slow -- a word at a time, really (many of them, surprise surprise, with four letters).
Lovely, as always. I spent many years struggling with less-that-satisfactory looms of all size. Then just before lock down, I was able to buy a Glimakra Standard for 500$. It came with all kinds of goodies, and fills our whole living room. I don't intend to have it for too many years, it need to go to someone young and energetic, but for now, it gives me a lot of joy. I am still weaving on all kinds of tiny looms and with little hand carved wooden heddles, too.
Wow, that Glimakra Standard was a find! Well done you. And yes to filling the living room and enjoying it for all you're worth while you have it. What a friend.
The whole story is that this old girl has been circulating in the Dallas Fiber scene since 1980. She came with all her paper work. I intend to add my notes when I pass her on.
I always go after the tool that seems as if it will save labor and encourage creativity in doing what I most love to do. But I inevitably discover I am happier with simpler devices that expect my full participation while offering unlimited options for flexibility and creativity
Isn't it just so interesting how that happens? The versatility of elemental tools. I find that this occurs in the kitchen as well as the studio --with the one caveat that I have to decide that slightly stringy baba ganoush is just what I want, as my fork can't get the eggplant quite as creamy as a blender of some sort (or so I've been told). One way or another though, the fork is easier to store and doesn't need electricity!
Always happy to follow your etymological forays...I had no idea there were other kinds of sheds than those where we store the wood or create a magical studio.
Well I didn't know it before either, so here's to the rediscovered joy of looking things up (a thing we long ago learned to do at many a dinner table, eh?-- tee heee)
Dear Sarah - Wow! This one is so rich, that I need to curl up with a cup of tea. On behalf of Beryl and her herding heritage, I think important to include another definition of shed which is a herding term and here's a video for you and Beryl :)
Great video! And if that isn't a perfect example of "to split, divide or separate" I don't know what is. Like watershed, it takes the root word and applies it very specifically to dogs and sheep. OH the bliss of words. And of herding dogs. Golly what fun to watch!
Art/English teacher...etymology was so important to build a wonder and love of words. Lots of ESL kids were always amazed at how much they already knew, because of their Latin (Spanish) mother tongue. What an ego boost for students who were having a bit of trouble with their English. Love what you do, Sarah. I love to search out how things work, what works successfully and over a long duration, and the evolution of how we got from where we were to today. THANK YOU!
Gosh, I hadn't thought about that -- the helpfulness of breaking things down , not into meaningless new sounds, but rather into familiar components that can give a person a clue! So cool. And as you say, a total ego boost. Makes me so happy to think about this.
Obviously the spirits of many benevolent dogs pointed you towards using leashes in weaving again instead of on any bold canine companions living with you in the present time.
Oh my goodness yes -- the spirits of those benevolent dogs influence so much. I actually just looked up the etymology of 'leash' too, and it turns out that that behind the Old French meaning of "laisse" meaning "hounds leash" is the Latin "laxus" , who's meaning seems to be of a string loosely held. How not to love a word where all the meanings apply?
Really enjoyed this post, technicals and all. Especially enjoyed the nitty gritties of the loops and sheds. I've never used them or formal looms, just two broom sticks hung from the back of a door.
Well it's hard to get more satisfying than two broom sticks hung from the back of a door. As Elizabeth P said above: " I am happier with simpler devices that expect my full participation while offering unlimited options for flexibility and creativity." And oh my goodness, the possibilities of your system are vast. Thanks for reminding me.
I thought of you immediately today, when I was perusing the BBC news online. There was a story about an annual competition in Kasterlee, near the Belgian city of Antwerp. They grow gigantic pumpkins there and carve them into boats for racing! I know you have a love of coracles and hope you get a kick out of this.
So very serendipitous that this post has you weaving a similar scene!
OH my goodness. I had to stop and send this to everyone I know -- especially to my son the boatbuilder (and my coracle companion). Utter bliss!!!!! I can't thank you enough for this bit of round boat delight.
Just amazing, Sarah... and I know I will never be able at age 75 to manage all you do - not even a small share, but today I have picked up some really terrific tips for going back on my handmade copper loom standing here awaiting my "start again, Bethany" tapestry weaving... I gave up a few years ago and want badly to start again. You inspire and delight!! I might even get to my Mirrix!
I'm so glad this was helpful -- or at least provided a nudge toward a thing you already want to be doing. Isn't it amazing how things can sit quietly for a long time, and then suddenly send a signal that they're ready to try again -- maybe in a slightly new way? Endless surprises...
Gosh Carly, thanks for looking and reading and enjoying even when so much made no sense at all...Pictures though -- they do bring back memories. And I guess tell stories all their own. How fortunate is that?
Allemande... I had to look up that word and what a treat it was to do so.
And watching you work, the elegance and efficiency of your movements... it is beautiful and inspiring to behold as my own fingers are still happily clumsy but getting more intuitive all the time.
Hands are so dang smart! And the pleasure of watching them take on lives and skills of their own is unparalleled, eh? I feel like that every time I found I've learned a new tune after stumbling and practicing and pausing and trying again until, suddenly -- there it is and my hands know it better than my brain.
I loved reading this, and especially having the surprise meditation-face lick laugh at the end. And etymology! In my other identity as a copy editor of K-12 textbooks, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we learn to understand and embody the meanings of words. My favorite client--almost the only one I'll work for anymore because textbooks are such a depressing mess--designs vocabulary lessons for younger kids that are centered around their embodied understanding of words. They learn roots, prefixes, spelling, etc., but they also talk about the meaning of the word and are then asked to think about how that word relates to something in their own life. And then they act it out and use it in their own sentences and so on. I LOVE that. Words are full of both shared and individual meanings, which we weave together throughout our lives to make sense of the world.
Embodied understanding of words --what a truly spectacular concept. Lynda Bass above said something to that effect about her ESL students relating the roots of English words to those in their own language, which in turn brings them back to the English with what I imagine would be a more embodied concept. And for kids to relate word, or word roots or pre-fixes etc to their own lives -- and literally act them out. OMG -- I'm swooning here. As elemental as thinking about "watershed" (a word I thought I know but now understand better), or watching herding dogs separate sheep in the "international shed" video that Sue Clement included above. And suddenly I'm thinking about words I have a hard time with, or want to learn but don't --Thank you so much for this.
Ooh, technical stuff - and at some point my life will give me space to become a proper weaver. In the meantime, I'm spindling this week to get my speed up for a workshop on Sunday (helping out someone doing a PhD on how the ancient Greeks spun and wove their fabric, so specific spindles and spinning-style too), and then I have a sweater's worth of handdyed leaf-coloured gradient for me. FOR ME. Glad to see a little Beryl in the corner - please pass on a cuddle and a lick for me.
Gosh Freyalyn, today is Sunday so I hope your workshop is going wonderfully. Terrific to help someone get their PhD with practical skills. Experimental Archaeology on the hoof (as it were). And yes -- many cuddles for Beryl (and face and neck and ankle licks too -- she's crazy for my lotion, basic though it is...)
Finger picking! Wow, what a labor of ❤️ love. Beautiful.
I love etymology almost more than fiber and friends glaze over when I get all excited about the Greek words inside the English ones, and tend to run when I offer to write them.. My son now in his fifties, early developed a shutoff mechanism , yeah, mom, two Greek words, yeah..and Arabic, yeah..Latin in there, too..
Anyway you just illuminated, along with a marvelous demo about string heddles and why, the origin of WATERSHED!! Of course, of course. Also thank you.
I was going to comment that etymology is a form of weaving, isn't it? Stories are woven, too. 💞💞💞
Speaking of new lines of thought -- yes of course it is like weaving! Anglo-Saxon/Scandinavian warp with a Latin weft, both word and meaning shifting with a single thread of Arabic. It's one of the things I really like about The Dictionary Of Obscure Sorrows-- he mixes and matches, writes a definition, and then mentions his sources!
I'd also like to try to weave in more Native words into daily life as Chris LaTray talks about in his Substack post this week:
"Learn a few words in the languages of the people whose stolen lands you are living on, and then use them too. That is a wonderful first step to truly honoring people, to truly making an effort to connect yourself to the land. Language is critical to that effort."
It was a great post, but then his always are! I was thinking as I read it that a friend of mine in Canada said that their local paper incorporates words from the local First Nations peoples, and everyone reading is just expected to know them or look them up if they don't. That seems like a great way to go! I would love it if my local paper started doing that. And considering I live exactly in the place that Chris was visiting and finding disheartening (with good reason), it would be both subversive and necessary.
That is such a splendid way to incorporate First Nations words into a town's collective reading (and ideally living), vocabulary. Must think more about that.
Watershed -- Oh my goodness. Of course. Thank you for that! What fun to toss these words back and forth and open up to new lines of thought and things to notice. What a blast. And I'm totally with you on this though my learning of origins is slow slow slow -- a word at a time, really (many of them, surprise surprise, with four letters).
Lovely, as always. I spent many years struggling with less-that-satisfactory looms of all size. Then just before lock down, I was able to buy a Glimakra Standard for 500$. It came with all kinds of goodies, and fills our whole living room. I don't intend to have it for too many years, it need to go to someone young and energetic, but for now, it gives me a lot of joy. I am still weaving on all kinds of tiny looms and with little hand carved wooden heddles, too.
Wow, that Glimakra Standard was a find! Well done you. And yes to filling the living room and enjoying it for all you're worth while you have it. What a friend.
The whole story is that this old girl has been circulating in the Dallas Fiber scene since 1980. She came with all her paper work. I intend to add my notes when I pass her on.
I always go after the tool that seems as if it will save labor and encourage creativity in doing what I most love to do. But I inevitably discover I am happier with simpler devices that expect my full participation while offering unlimited options for flexibility and creativity
Isn't it just so interesting how that happens? The versatility of elemental tools. I find that this occurs in the kitchen as well as the studio --with the one caveat that I have to decide that slightly stringy baba ganoush is just what I want, as my fork can't get the eggplant quite as creamy as a blender of some sort (or so I've been told). One way or another though, the fork is easier to store and doesn't need electricity!
Always happy to follow your etymological forays...I had no idea there were other kinds of sheds than those where we store the wood or create a magical studio.
Well I didn't know it before either, so here's to the rediscovered joy of looking things up (a thing we long ago learned to do at many a dinner table, eh?-- tee heee)
Dear Sarah - Wow! This one is so rich, that I need to curl up with a cup of tea. On behalf of Beryl and her herding heritage, I think important to include another definition of shed which is a herding term and here's a video for you and Beryl :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzLmJIFdb0U
Great video! And if that isn't a perfect example of "to split, divide or separate" I don't know what is. Like watershed, it takes the root word and applies it very specifically to dogs and sheep. OH the bliss of words. And of herding dogs. Golly what fun to watch!
Art/English teacher...etymology was so important to build a wonder and love of words. Lots of ESL kids were always amazed at how much they already knew, because of their Latin (Spanish) mother tongue. What an ego boost for students who were having a bit of trouble with their English. Love what you do, Sarah. I love to search out how things work, what works successfully and over a long duration, and the evolution of how we got from where we were to today. THANK YOU!
Gosh, I hadn't thought about that -- the helpfulness of breaking things down , not into meaningless new sounds, but rather into familiar components that can give a person a clue! So cool. And as you say, a total ego boost. Makes me so happy to think about this.
Obviously the spirits of many benevolent dogs pointed you towards using leashes in weaving again instead of on any bold canine companions living with you in the present time.
Oh my goodness yes -- the spirits of those benevolent dogs influence so much. I actually just looked up the etymology of 'leash' too, and it turns out that that behind the Old French meaning of "laisse" meaning "hounds leash" is the Latin "laxus" , who's meaning seems to be of a string loosely held. How not to love a word where all the meanings apply?
Really enjoyed this post, technicals and all. Especially enjoyed the nitty gritties of the loops and sheds. I've never used them or formal looms, just two broom sticks hung from the back of a door.
Well it's hard to get more satisfying than two broom sticks hung from the back of a door. As Elizabeth P said above: " I am happier with simpler devices that expect my full participation while offering unlimited options for flexibility and creativity." And oh my goodness, the possibilities of your system are vast. Thanks for reminding me.
I thought of you immediately today, when I was perusing the BBC news online. There was a story about an annual competition in Kasterlee, near the Belgian city of Antwerp. They grow gigantic pumpkins there and carve them into boats for racing! I know you have a love of coracles and hope you get a kick out of this.
So very serendipitous that this post has you weaving a similar scene!
Here's a youtube link: https://youtu.be/wf5mF1_l0IQ?si=ats0D_MTovKstmzi
OH my goodness. I had to stop and send this to everyone I know -- especially to my son the boatbuilder (and my coracle companion). Utter bliss!!!!! I can't thank you enough for this bit of round boat delight.
Just amazing, Sarah... and I know I will never be able at age 75 to manage all you do - not even a small share, but today I have picked up some really terrific tips for going back on my handmade copper loom standing here awaiting my "start again, Bethany" tapestry weaving... I gave up a few years ago and want badly to start again. You inspire and delight!! I might even get to my Mirrix!
I'm so glad this was helpful -- or at least provided a nudge toward a thing you already want to be doing. Isn't it amazing how things can sit quietly for a long time, and then suddenly send a signal that they're ready to try again -- maybe in a slightly new way? Endless surprises...
I love the old pictures if you weaving Sarah...technically you’re speaking a foreign language, but from a point of love for an art firm, I get it 🥰
Gosh Carly, thanks for looking and reading and enjoying even when so much made no sense at all...Pictures though -- they do bring back memories. And I guess tell stories all their own. How fortunate is that?
Allemande... I had to look up that word and what a treat it was to do so.
And watching you work, the elegance and efficiency of your movements... it is beautiful and inspiring to behold as my own fingers are still happily clumsy but getting more intuitive all the time.
Hands are so dang smart! And the pleasure of watching them take on lives and skills of their own is unparalleled, eh? I feel like that every time I found I've learned a new tune after stumbling and practicing and pausing and trying again until, suddenly -- there it is and my hands know it better than my brain.
Delightfully gobsmacked!
I loved reading this, and especially having the surprise meditation-face lick laugh at the end. And etymology! In my other identity as a copy editor of K-12 textbooks, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we learn to understand and embody the meanings of words. My favorite client--almost the only one I'll work for anymore because textbooks are such a depressing mess--designs vocabulary lessons for younger kids that are centered around their embodied understanding of words. They learn roots, prefixes, spelling, etc., but they also talk about the meaning of the word and are then asked to think about how that word relates to something in their own life. And then they act it out and use it in their own sentences and so on. I LOVE that. Words are full of both shared and individual meanings, which we weave together throughout our lives to make sense of the world.
Embodied understanding of words --what a truly spectacular concept. Lynda Bass above said something to that effect about her ESL students relating the roots of English words to those in their own language, which in turn brings them back to the English with what I imagine would be a more embodied concept. And for kids to relate word, or word roots or pre-fixes etc to their own lives -- and literally act them out. OMG -- I'm swooning here. As elemental as thinking about "watershed" (a word I thought I know but now understand better), or watching herding dogs separate sheep in the "international shed" video that Sue Clement included above. And suddenly I'm thinking about words I have a hard time with, or want to learn but don't --Thank you so much for this.
I love all of this! Words are magic, and maybe it's time we found our way back into them, in many languages. 🥰
Ooh, technical stuff - and at some point my life will give me space to become a proper weaver. In the meantime, I'm spindling this week to get my speed up for a workshop on Sunday (helping out someone doing a PhD on how the ancient Greeks spun and wove their fabric, so specific spindles and spinning-style too), and then I have a sweater's worth of handdyed leaf-coloured gradient for me. FOR ME. Glad to see a little Beryl in the corner - please pass on a cuddle and a lick for me.
Gosh Freyalyn, today is Sunday so I hope your workshop is going wonderfully. Terrific to help someone get their PhD with practical skills. Experimental Archaeology on the hoof (as it were). And yes -- many cuddles for Beryl (and face and neck and ankle licks too -- she's crazy for my lotion, basic though it is...)