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| Ripples in the sand |
Now and then,we all need some down time. We need a period when there are no deadlines or goals to meet, no people to please and no pandemics to worry about. We need time to just sit on the beach and count the ripples in the sand.
Even if you love your craft it can sometimes become a source of stress. You might be doing commission work with deadlines. You might have a study group challenge to work out. You might even have a self imposed goal to perfect a design or learn a new technique. All that stress can lead to a creativity block. When you can't find the inspiration to keep going don't just quit instead take a step back and try something simple that you can do with a minimum of effort.
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| Mindless knitted scarf |
You could try some mindless knitting like this scarf that Sylvia says was pretty much mindless knitting. What makes it interesting is how Sylvia salvaged some ugly pink wool by over dyeing it to create a variegated yarn. A larger shawl is shown in the picture below. It may look complex but it is simple repetitive knitting.
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| shawl from over dyed yarns |
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| Corrie's plain weave with warp stripes |
If you have a loom you could try some "meditative weaving". Pick a simple design or plain weave and just throw the shuttle with no goal other than enjoying the rhythm of the process.
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| plain weave scarf |
Try making something familiar such as tea towels. Wind a narrow warp for dishcloths or mug rugs. Weave something for yourself.
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| Marilynn's tea towels |
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| wool singles |
The ultimate past-time for meditation has got to be spinning with its rhythmic motion and the soft swishing of the wheel. Just feeling the fibre slipping through your hands has got to be soothing. So make yourself some yarn for that mindless knitting project.
Hopefully after a short period of down time you will be recharged and ready to explore new horizons.
With that in mind take a look at Rita's towels in deflected double weave. It is an unusual choice for tea towels but in 2/8 cotton it makes a thick and thirsty cloth. Some of the towel patterns are reminiscent of those ripples in the sand.
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Rita's deflected double weave towels
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