It’s not exactly a miracle— —but I’m still amazed and delighted that this flappy object— —actually did— —fold up into a box. And a mighty fine box it is: square corners, straight-ish sides. Just what a person wants in a rectangular cuboid object—an open-topped hexahedron if you will.
Now that is a marvelous thing to think about-,and now that you point it it it is so true. New England, where some of my family live, is full of old mill buildings-- and they do have that look with the windows all lined up. And I loved Shirley too. Amazing story.
Reading this when I'm way too tired to follow this big meandering. I love that Beryl needed a breath and a think before making that leap - know exactly how she feels. I need to revisit fresh tomorrow when my car has passed its annual road test (please let it be!) and I have written 40-odd address labels to send out our Guild annual magazine and...and...and before connecting with creative self. But I know you and your wonderful newsletter are there waiting for me.
Oh linda, I hope your car passed its test. And that the guild magazine got out on time. I'm so impressed that you have a guild magazine--a paper one no less. Lucky guild. And yay you
if you can find my email address from my subscription do send your mailing address and a copy can wing it's way over the pond and land with you with our very best compliments!
The change to the being busy with light and air, the sudden change to slowing down to the appreciation of the boxes point of view, feeling that energy of calm vibrating out from the completed box, just magical
Vessels for light and air. I love that. Most of my baskets hold light and air until I choose to fill it with what is calling to held by it. And always making things with our hands is such good medicine and meditation. Thanks for the meander!!
Well, that was rather amazing. What an interesting box. It would also look wonderful in the dark, containing a (carefully contained) candle or a balled string of fairy lights.
Your conversations with your earlier selves is interesting. I don't think mine are separate enough, or clear enough. Yet?
Scritch to Beryl, please. She is, of course, the sensible one of the lot of you.
oooh -- fabulous idea. little tea candle (oh so careful placed would be amazing. And I actually have a string of fairy lights that puddles in series through several of the knitted bowls. I have the whole thing on a wall so there is kind of a line of light and little bursts where the bowls are. Now I totally want to do that with the box, which would give such a different feel with the neatly lined up holes. thank you for that!
The younger selves --I was surprised when they have shown up and it's been an interesting thing, getting to know them and hearing what they have to say. The youngest one showed up when I was still the "middle one". Keep meaning to write a story about that, but haven't gotten "round to it" yet.
All so lovely… The photo of the sunlight softly glowing through the bone (me thinks a keel bone?) will stay in my minds eye and be a relaxing place to come back to. Thanks Sarah for these lovely captured images…
You are so welcome. And thank you for your words. I think the bone is the breast bone of a bird. I found it in the woods and somehow it wanted to come home with me. And I do love how it looks glowing in the sun. So delicate and also so strong.
I think the not knowing when creating art can be one of the most alluring things about making. If it's allowed by the maker, anyway. As I type, I think I'm having something of an epiphany... this need to know robs us of being wholly involved in the present. And it seems to me that if one is fully involved in the moment, then the surprises, delightful and otherwise, will be simpler to navigate. If navigation is needed at all. Sometimes we get to just be and watch and take it all in. Anyway, what I actually came here to say is that your woven box is the loveliest box I've ever seen. I love the way the light plays with it.
That's it exactly Ellen --at least for me, that the need to know takes away from being present and noticing whatever pleasures are to be found with whatever is going on in the moment. Super hard to do though, and a rare treat to truly be in it. That flow thing.
And thank you for your lovely lovely words about the box!
Actually one jig with four parallel bars. Middle two bars warped for the side pieces and top and bottom bar for the middle. I think there is a photo of it in the linked post from five years ago
I love your basket...very handsome and I'm sure will find a special purpose. I also want to comment on the small basket you shared from the past, one with grid on the bottom.... seems like it would make a great berry washing vessel. b
Love your collection of quite functional (each in their own special way) “airy objects” made of “found” materials!!!! I love making ~ of functional, useful (at least somewhat) items ~ & all the better from found/scrounged materials. An ongoing “mania” of mine, as I do yardwork at Mom’s, is to wind vines (grape or virginia creeper) into small wreaths, which await further ornamentation & likely given as gifts. (in a previous life, also made some lovely ones from shed weeping birch branches). Need to get back to some rustic basketry & even knit spun paper “vessels”. THANKS for all of your inspirations!
Oh! …. & watching Beryl makes me think I could/should consider her breed, or similar (vs the lower to ground that I’ve been focusing on)
Well, I can highly recommend these Australian Cattle Dogs. Beryl is my third. Some of them can be kind of intense, but luckily Beryl is deliciously mellow. I really lucked out.
And YES to the bliss of making things with found materials. Weeping birch branches! Virginia Creeper! Lovely lovely ideas. Thanks.
So much joy always in reading your posts; this one was particularly apposite. Xx
Oh gosh, thank you Janie!
Love this meander!
"I just thought you might want to remember that you put them there. Also to realize you’re no longer in charge. Avoids disappointment later." LOL! ❤️
Two random thoughts
-if that lovely box was a little bigger my cat would jump in an look out of the tiny windows
-it’s form is that of an old mill building, having just read Jane Austen’s book Shirley
Now that is a marvelous thing to think about-,and now that you point it it it is so true. New England, where some of my family live, is full of old mill buildings-- and they do have that look with the windows all lined up. And I loved Shirley too. Amazing story.
Reading this when I'm way too tired to follow this big meandering. I love that Beryl needed a breath and a think before making that leap - know exactly how she feels. I need to revisit fresh tomorrow when my car has passed its annual road test (please let it be!) and I have written 40-odd address labels to send out our Guild annual magazine and...and...and before connecting with creative self. But I know you and your wonderful newsletter are there waiting for me.
Oh linda, I hope your car passed its test. And that the guild magazine got out on time. I'm so impressed that you have a guild magazine--a paper one no less. Lucky guild. And yay you
if you can find my email address from my subscription do send your mailing address and a copy can wing it's way over the pond and land with you with our very best compliments!
The change to the being busy with light and air, the sudden change to slowing down to the appreciation of the boxes point of view, feeling that energy of calm vibrating out from the completed box, just magical
Thank you Jane. It was kind of wild to really notice that slowing down as it was happening. And I'm so glad you felt it too.
Vessels for light and air. I love that. Most of my baskets hold light and air until I choose to fill it with what is calling to held by it. And always making things with our hands is such good medicine and meditation. Thanks for the meander!!
Yes indeed, Eileen. So true about making things with our hands. And the bliss of enjoying our "containers" whatever they contain.
I love the way your use of the word relish. That whole sentence is delightful. Thank you.
ha! Gosh. Thank you for that.
Well, that was rather amazing. What an interesting box. It would also look wonderful in the dark, containing a (carefully contained) candle or a balled string of fairy lights.
Your conversations with your earlier selves is interesting. I don't think mine are separate enough, or clear enough. Yet?
Scritch to Beryl, please. She is, of course, the sensible one of the lot of you.
oooh -- fabulous idea. little tea candle (oh so careful placed would be amazing. And I actually have a string of fairy lights that puddles in series through several of the knitted bowls. I have the whole thing on a wall so there is kind of a line of light and little bursts where the bowls are. Now I totally want to do that with the box, which would give such a different feel with the neatly lined up holes. thank you for that!
The younger selves --I was surprised when they have shown up and it's been an interesting thing, getting to know them and hearing what they have to say. The youngest one showed up when I was still the "middle one". Keep meaning to write a story about that, but haven't gotten "round to it" yet.
None of us wants to go "peacefully to rest in the compost" when we can make things!
Isn't that the truth!
All so lovely… The photo of the sunlight softly glowing through the bone (me thinks a keel bone?) will stay in my minds eye and be a relaxing place to come back to. Thanks Sarah for these lovely captured images…
You are so welcome. And thank you for your words. I think the bone is the breast bone of a bird. I found it in the woods and somehow it wanted to come home with me. And I do love how it looks glowing in the sun. So delicate and also so strong.
Yes-I love the word “Keel” - example: Things like weaving, nature and contents of The Gusset help me keep an even keel in life! Thanks Sarah!
1. Keel-a ridge along the breastbone of many birds to which the flight muscles are attached.
2. Keel-along the base of a ship, supporting the framework of the whole, in some vessels extended downwards as a ridge to increase stability.
Wow— boat centric that I am delighted to know that about keel also being the name of the breast bone of a bird. Thank you so very much!
I think the not knowing when creating art can be one of the most alluring things about making. If it's allowed by the maker, anyway. As I type, I think I'm having something of an epiphany... this need to know robs us of being wholly involved in the present. And it seems to me that if one is fully involved in the moment, then the surprises, delightful and otherwise, will be simpler to navigate. If navigation is needed at all. Sometimes we get to just be and watch and take it all in. Anyway, what I actually came here to say is that your woven box is the loveliest box I've ever seen. I love the way the light plays with it.
That's it exactly Ellen --at least for me, that the need to know takes away from being present and noticing whatever pleasures are to be found with whatever is going on in the moment. Super hard to do though, and a rare treat to truly be in it. That flow thing.
And thank you for your lovely lovely words about the box!
How did you weave the sides without fringe? I can weave this shape, but I have fringe to deal with.
It's a technique called four selvedge warping.
I wrote a blog post about it here:https://www.afieldguidetoneedlework.com/blog-2014-2021/four-selvedge-warping-instructions
And Rebecca Mezoff and I have an online class called Fringeless, all about how to do it:
https://rebeccamezoff.com/fringeless
Hope this clears it up! It's a wonderful technique.Super satisfying.
So you are warping 3 jigs. Center and 2 side jigs?
Actually one jig with four parallel bars. Middle two bars warped for the side pieces and top and bottom bar for the middle. I think there is a photo of it in the linked post from five years ago
I love your basket...very handsome and I'm sure will find a special purpose. I also want to comment on the small basket you shared from the past, one with grid on the bottom.... seems like it would make a great berry washing vessel. b
Berry washing basket! Brilliant! Thank you Barbara for that glorious idea.
Love your collection of quite functional (each in their own special way) “airy objects” made of “found” materials!!!! I love making ~ of functional, useful (at least somewhat) items ~ & all the better from found/scrounged materials. An ongoing “mania” of mine, as I do yardwork at Mom’s, is to wind vines (grape or virginia creeper) into small wreaths, which await further ornamentation & likely given as gifts. (in a previous life, also made some lovely ones from shed weeping birch branches). Need to get back to some rustic basketry & even knit spun paper “vessels”. THANKS for all of your inspirations!
Oh! …. & watching Beryl makes me think I could/should consider her breed, or similar (vs the lower to ground that I’ve been focusing on)
Hugs to you both!
Well, I can highly recommend these Australian Cattle Dogs. Beryl is my third. Some of them can be kind of intense, but luckily Beryl is deliciously mellow. I really lucked out.
And YES to the bliss of making things with found materials. Weeping birch branches! Virginia Creeper! Lovely lovely ideas. Thanks.
I almost imagined you weaving the ramen…
I also imagined your box filled with colour wrapped toffees, each window with different colourful curtains!
Oh yes--I can imagine the little colored papers shining through the windows. What a lovely idea.