Her end-of-experience survey is here:
How would you rate your overall Mirrix experience?
It was an extremely positive and enlightening experience. Because it's been a number of years since I've done any tapestry weaving, the campaign was a good reminder of what I liked about the process, as well as what I found challenging in tapestry weaving. I had hoped to finish more work but sometimes life just gets in the way.
What did you like best about it?
It was a great opportunity to meet new people and learn from them as they're beginning their journey into tapestry weaving.
What (if any) faults did you find in it?
There were no faults, only challenges to overcome. And I created those myself. If I had it to do over again I would just work in my usual chaotic style and not worry about trying to "teach". As I've mentioned before, when creating a new piece, I usually have the finished product in mind and I don't mind breaking the rules of process and technique to get there. As you can imagine, this attitude made me incredibly popular in printmaking classes where there's a huge focus on rules and process. I'm not a big planner when it comes to projects and I love experimentation which means a lot of things end up in the trash, or in a pile in the corner to be incorporated into another project later. This isn't really a working style that lends itself to teaching or having someone follow my process. Some of my best work has come when I've just wandered off on a tangent in the studio.
What would you change about "Social Market for a Mirrix" for next time?
I wouldn't change anything. Everyone's style of working in different so I don't think you can come up with a framework that's going to fit everyone 100% of the time.
Did you find the criteria for "Social Market for a Mirrix" to be too stringent?
Weaving can be an incredibly slow process sometimes so some weeks it was challenging to come up with content for the blog posts. Fortunately I had questions from readers that I could answer on the blog. But this was just my experience. Another weaver who had more hours to devote to weaving each week may not find it as challenging.
What was your favorite project on the Mirrix?
The mask collage, Ariel, is my favorite piece. One of the reason is because I really liked the weaving that was incorporated into the collage. I love that black yarn and there are some really incredible handspun yarns available now that are perfect for fiber collages. Oddly enough, the LandSat weaving of Dragon Lake Siberia that sold off the loom was my least favorite.
What is your favorite thing about the Mirrix?
I love the warping process and the ability to to adjust the tension on the warp threads so easily. I also think the coils on both the top and bottom make warping much easier.
What is your least favorite thing about the Mirrix?
Because I'm used to working on a large tapestry loom with a shedding device that uses a foot treadle, I found the shedding device on the Mirrix challenging. I could just never seem to get the rhythm quite right. Fortunately, for most of my pieces, I don't really need to use a shedding device.
What plans do you have for weaving on your Mirrix in the future?
I'm thinking about some funky, really organic looking fiber collages incorporating beads and found objects. Those were the pieces that I really wanted to work on during the campaign but I got sidetracked somewhere along the way. Maybe because I felt those types of pieces would have been less interesting to the readers.
4 comments:
Interesting that you chose not to work on some things that were interesting to you because you worried about what some of the readers might be interested in. I've a feeling that there would have been plenty who would have been just as interested in what you *wanted* to work on as in what you actually did.
I hope you blog about those things at a later date. I, for one, am quite curious to see where your weaving ventures take you.
Hi FibreJunky... I think I ended up going down the path I did because there were several people who were new to tapestry weaving trying to weave along with me during the course of the campaign.
Bonnie, I for one really enjoyed following you through out. I have never loomed using textiles, but you have offered me many desires to give it a try. I own the same Mirrix Loom as you have now and I'll never look at it in the same way again! Thank you so much!
Hi Bonnie,
The reason I bought the mirrix looms were... you are one of the few bloggers that were honest enough to show your work warts and all and stopped what you were weaving when you didn't enjoy it. That gave me the courage to try tapestry knowing the weaving rules did not have to be followed to do beautiful work. Being allowed to weave what I feel, instead of what I am told is very freeing and relaxing for the mind and soul. The reward is my friends like my pieces. Although I am a beginner, the weavings are my style. I do appreciate you sharing your reed sett so I could find my own way with what worked. Thank you again for inspiring a new and fulfilling craft with me.
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