Calm Under Tension by Gwen Gyldenege
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Independence = Tying Up Loose Ends

7/7/2011

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One of my goals this year is free my home of loose ends.  I want to switch from collecting into creating.  I want to be a crafter & artist who buys items then creates with them very shortly after.  I no longer wish to hoard a large stash.  And in order to burn down my stash, I’ve given myself a challenge of not throwing away the bits until I’ve given them several tries at being functional items or projects.  This is hard. It means I have either a box of stuff sitting around with “po” (that’s potential for those who don’t know Kathy Dannerbeck).  I like having lots of things with “po”, but it’s time my “po” became useful objects or moved along for others to create with them.  Know what I mean?

One of my “bits” is a bag full of 12-18″ lengths of yarn.  I used to make dreadsand sell them for bellydance costumes.  Still have mine, will still make a custom pair if requested, but have mainly retired from the dreaddy business mainly because I want to create other things.  When making dreads, I would cut up gorgeous handspun yarn into many lengths to create natural looking dread-ish hair.  The reason I couldn’t get rid of these scraps?  This was Expensive (with a capital E) yarn. 

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I knew there had to be something that could be made with these odds and ends.  First I tried tying them together to reform yarn.  But, hell, that took to damn long.  Next!  So, then I thought, “Well fringe, yes, fringe would be lovely!  Yeah, then I’d have to buy matching yarn. mmmm… ok, yeah that’d work, but I really just want to use the scraps.  Hmm, maybe I can weave them…” (note: I have only woven on old styrofoam meat trays, clean of course, in elementary school)  “Well, it can’t be that hard.  But, I don’t want to invest in a loom yet.  Need to start small and see how I like weaving.”  Oh lord, did I just ask for another fiber hobby with expensive tools?!?!

Kathy to the rescue.  Not only did she find me a wheel (God bless that woman) to buy, but she also found me weaving tools and … wait for it… a potholder weaving grid.  Yep, the kind you make those goofy little nylon tube potholders out of.  And I LOVE it. 
So, what did I do to celebrate this year’s independance day?  I did just like any other great American woman (think about the women who sewed up the American flag now), I made things that have purpose.  One could say I made potholders. but I think I’m going to use the purple fringed one for either a scarf or a neato mat for a hot dish or for a placemat.  The orange/blue (which is Spincycle yarn mind you) will likely be a “coaster” for the teapot.  But, that one I’m going to put padding under and sew a trim/bias edge around it.     

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    Gwen Gyldenege

    Author: 
    Gwen Gyldenege

    I'm a one woman circus.  
    I'm curvy and athletic.
    ​I am a dancer.
    My last name translates 
    to "Golden Oak". 

    I'm an artist, intuitive, engineer, seamstress 
    and performer.

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Except for sources otherwise stated beneath images or bottom of the page (Creative Commons), all images and works are copyright Gwen Gyldenege, all rights reserved.  Contact Gwen to request permission.
Photos used under Creative Commons from I Robertson, DoNotLick, Gustty, Jayson Emery, Nbepko, Gamma Man, I Robertson, Lars Plougmann, RowdyKittens, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, The Wandering Angel, VasenkaPhotography, quinn.anya, Léa Chvrl, Lost Albatross, Guttorm Flatabø, BEST PHOTO, RowdyKittens, allistair, BozDoz, tanakawho, Navicore, Bilal Kamoon, D-Stanley, Kris Krug, glasseyes view, essers, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Alex Pepperhill, Found Animals, adactio, Office Now