Fiber Monday - Remembering to find joy

Here is the current state of my studio table:


It's a well-known fact around here that my desks are a pretty accurate reflection. While my working desk is fairly organized, my studio table, as you see, is not. This is the combination of planning for my Sheep and Fiber classes which begin tomorrow and a whole lot of flitting from project to project. It is starting to bother me, but it was also the result of not being able to settle. Figuring out why is the key to me being able to tackle the chaos and move forward with straightening things up. 

Step one was needing to do some dyeing to get ready for the classes. It's no fun to learn to spin plain white fiber, so I always try to give students dyed fiber. I have 21 students coming through, so that meant I needed quite a bit of fiber. I had forgotten a bit how much I enjoy dyeing fiber. Over the weekend I dyed 300 grams of corriedale roving. I always find it very interesting to see the differences between what the dye pot looks like and how the fiber turns out. I took some pictures for you. 

#1



#2



#3



And here they all are together. 


Step 2 was to think about how much I enjoy weaving and realize that I've been putting off sitting at the loom for over a month. The sample which I was going to make into a useful scarf, but that I really wasn't enjoying weaving was the sticking point. I decided the whole thing just needed to be cut off. I had enough to wash the sample to check that the fabric was what I wanted and trying to finish the scarf wasn't worth it.

I don't hate what it looks like, I just don't like weaving it. (It's that dark brown yarn that is the culprit.)


So I cut it off, even though there was still at least a yard left in the loom. 


There were a couple of moments of taking a deep breath, but I got it off and then washed the sample. The fabric is going to be perfect for the blanket I was sampling for, but I would have hated it as a scarf. It was the right decision. I'm fact, just a few minutes after getting it off the loom, I was planning on when I would get the warp for the blanket I'm and what project I'll have waiting in the wings.

I will probably also get my studio table cleaned up. Not every project is worth finishing and that's okay. My family is not dependent on any of them to keep them clothed and warm. 

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