Confessions of a [very] wonky weaver....

Do you disappear down creative rabbit holes on a regular basis? That is definitely one of my habits (I nearly called it a bad habit, but I don't think it is....) Currently I am enjoying exploring the world of weaving. I'm not entirely sure how I got here but it is probably a combination of my longstanding enjoyment of paper weaving and my more recent interest in slow stitching and textiles. It is an activity that supports the mindful benefits of repetition with all of the creative potential that different yarns, materials and colours offer AND it has a fairly accessible entry level as most of us have done some form of basic weaving and don't need lots of fancy equipment to get pleasing results.

Here is an example of weaving in one of my junk journals - I simply used some honeycomb packaging to weave scraps of paper through and stuck it to the page.

Now I have started to explore weaving in to a frame (circular weaving is next on my list) and am loving the learning process. I went to a beginners weaving workshop with my Mum last month and have slowly started to amass yarns and more weaving paraphenalia (much to Mr G's dismay).

While I was doing a little bit of weaving today I started thinking about why I was enjoying it so much and a number of thoughts came to mind. I wonder if any of these ring true for you?

1. It is so refreshing to be in the learner space where you are discovering everything for the first time and, most importantly, you are kinder to yourself - your expectations about what you are going to create aren't as high as they might be with something that you have been doing for a while.

2. Learning requires your full concentration - you are fully present and that can be a great way to mentally park all of the other items on your to do list!

3. Small steps forward - learning a new technique, discovering a new material, learning about new ideas - feel significant in the early days of a new skill and fuel your enthusiasm.

4. Learning something sparks creative ideas about other projects - for example, I immediately start to think about how I could combine some of the weaving concepts in to journaling, slow stitching and my current creative process.

5. You don't know that you are doing things 'wrong' - the learner space is one of experimenting and play. You bring a fresh perspective that is not inhibited by the received wisdom of 'do's and don'ts'!

Another paper weaving with a bit of watercolour and stitching added.

There are lots of textures here, especially the crackle paste over the top of the woven background

Below is a little weaving that I have been working on this week - I have put these mdf frames in the shop if you want to have a go - you can add your thread through the holes and weave in the frame to get an instant piece to display (without the challenge of taking your weaving off the loom).

I have just done a very simple plain weaving here (the standard under and over) but adding some sari ribbon, paper ribbon and different thickness of wools creates visual interest - particularly against the black warp thread.

This little weaving is full of mistakes and wonkiness but I like it anyway! As you can see, I have started to combine it with other more familiar techniques like the stamping with bubblewrap on the frame, stamping and heat embossing on the mdf embelllishments etc. AND, added bonus, I will add it to the inspiration gallery for our April Take 3 Challenge where the prompts are: anything goes (colour), frame (technique), dream (theme).

If you want to explore some wonky weaving with me, this will also be the focus of my session on our Craft Collective April Weekender. We will be weaving scraps of paper, ribbon, fabric etc to make our own hanging weavings combined with embellishments. You can buy a ticket for our April Weekender (25 and 26 April) with a 10% discount this weekend when you use the code EASTER10.

However, whether or not weaving appeals to you, the real purpose of my post today is to encourage you to follow your creative curiosity and explore some new rabbit holes. Learning anything for the first time forces you to slow down and pay attention and you may just be delighted with the results....even if they are as wonky as my weaving!

I would love to know what new techniques, hobbies or themes you are currently exploring....I may well come and join you down that rabbit hole too :)

Thanks as always,