After 7 weeks of classes with Mary Walker, I am smitten. I am enjoying the Navajo style weaving process and see it as my quiet, thinking time. The various techniques require focus, thought and attention. Designs like the diagonal turned join are not simple to achieve, believe me I'm still working on figuring it out.
This is one example of Slow Cloth, an idea that is growing in the weaving community. I read Elaine Lipson's article and feel certain that any weaving can be viewed as Slow Cloth but Navajo and tapestry techniques are the personification of this method. Elaine's definition is "Slow Cloth is not a project or a technique; it’s a relationship to your work and life with textiles and fiber". While sitting on a pillow, on the floor in front of my Navajo style loom my position alone forces me to relate differently to this project than the ones I have on any other style loom. While it may not be necessary to be on the floor, it puts me at eye level with my work and gives me a small sense of how Navajo weavers approach their work.
The other advantage to being on the floor (pillow required at my age) in front of the loom is that I develop a close relationship with that project, that loom, that yarn, that diagonal turned join I am working to learn. The physical relationship encourages the visual, tactile, emotional connection to this weaving project which is very different from all others.
Thanks Mary Walker for helping me learn a new way of "seeing " my weaving. And to Elaine Lipson, thanks for putting it into words.
Claudia