Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Lace Weave Workshop



One of the things about procrastination...it makes critical deadlines happen.

I needed to have at least one draft ready by the guild meeting tonight so I started out by selecting the warps for the workshop, then wound the silk warp for one of the two people registered.  The benefit of teaching locally is 1) the guild looms can be used and 2) I get to decide how many - or few - people I'm willing to teach.

I had hoped for more than two, but on the other hand, guild members who weave haven't had much in the way of programs or workshops lately, so I decided that I would run it with just two people.  If nothing else, those two will learn more about lace weaves.

During the times they are weaving and don't need my assistance, I can be knotting fringes on the shawls I've gotten woven.

Not to mention that I am very likely 'retired' from teaching outside of my home town - or at least western Canada, so...

It was a tough decision but I think I'm pretty comfortable with it now.  I've applied for both (tiny) pensions I'm entitled to which will give me a monthly income - something I've not had in pretty close to 40 years and I made the decision to become a full time weaver.

It's been an education, being self-employed.  One of the first things I learned was that I was not going to have a 'regular' income.  The cyclical nature of the feast/famine economy of a self-employed artisan has been challenging, to say the least.  I won't miss the struggle to find income to cover the bills.

I will miss teaching, the personal interaction with new enthusiastic weavers.  But I can still take private students and from time to time, run a local workshop.

Anyone want to come to PG in April?  Spring has finally arrived!

Currently reading Winter Moon - a collection of three novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee and someone else whose name escapes me at the minutes (and I'm too lazy to walk all the way to the other end of the house to check...)


2 comments:

wendyk said...

Thrilled you're still willing to teach the course with only 2 of us!

Anonymous said...

I think being self-employed as an artist would be both thrilling and terrifying--I give you a lot of credit for the courage it must've taken!