Today we had a lovely Salt Spring Island Sunday afternoon. We went for a walk along Duck Creek …
A beautiful little creek and big moss covered trees. There’s me with my Saori scarf…..
Then into town for a coffee and back at home getting ready for my “Weaving for Christmas” workshops coming up next weekend.
(click on images)
Here’s the Saori cross holder and my yarns ready to go. I love that I can do this part of the warping anywhere – just take the reed and cross holder and I’m ready to go.
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“The SAORI way is to weave friendships as we weave fabric.” – SAORI Worcester
My dear friend Noreen was out to visit us recently and we had a chance to weave together in my studio. Noreen has a wonderful blog called Hankering for Yarn and you can see the post here.
I have been wanting to go to South America for many years. Then about 5 years ago a friend of mine gave me a calendar from Argentina with a picture of Guanacos on it…..they were looking at me and I imagined them saying ‘When are you coming??’
So, when we did go to Patagonia, I really wanted to see the Guanacos. We drove for miles through country where they live on our way to the coast but we didn’t see any along the way. When we got to the Estancia – there they were. And such a beautiful site – I felt like I had arrived!
This picture was taken by our friend, Tamara Eder, while we were there.
SAORI weaving is all about endless possibilities, peace and self expression. A while ago, someone told me about a place in the U.S. that is called “Endless Possibilities”. Here, they take donated clothing that cannot be sold at their Thrift store and turn it into strips of cloth for weaving….endless possibilities.
They sell these items to then help raise more money to run their crisis line (Hotline is the a 24 hours a day crisis center for domestic violence, sexual assault and HIV/AIDs management). But not only that – it has become a place for people to drop-in, learn to weave and a community centre of possibilities….
The other day we woke up to some ‘masked bandits’ on our pergola
Click image to enlarge
They were busy eating our kiwis…
Click image to enlarge
When I went out to see them, there were actually 5 of them – 3 were in the tree, but by the time I ran back in to get my camera, there were only 2. Cute – but very mischievous!
Ahhhh…..it is so wonderful to see what others are doing in their work for peace. I just came across World Hearth for Peace and Friendship – “with the intention to support “homes, hearths, and sanctuaries” in daily life for mothers, fathers, children and individuals around the world.”
They are doing cultural exchanges, work with arts and handcrafts and many other wonderful things in Peace Building. I think it’s worth a look…..
Winter on Salt Spring – usually means some rain and occassionally a day or two of snow that melts right away…..well this year we had an early storm with a LOT of snow…..most unusual and part of the extreme weather events that are happening around the world…
There was much beauty to be found …..
Here are some arbutus pieces that were piled with snow….
The birdfeeder was covered in snow and the birds were very hungry for a few days with much of their regular food covered in snow – so we did lots of feeding at our bird feeder. The chickadees and nuthatches will come and take peanuts from our hands – which is always so wonderful.
We also have an angel hanging by our door (made by my dear friend Noreen). We put nuts and seeds in the bowl that the angel holds out and the birds come for a visit (this is a Nuthatch).
I’m happy to say that it is warm and the snow is melting and everything is looking fresh and green!
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This past weekend I was at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre doing a Weaving Program with the women there. They have started an Arts program for women called ‘WEAVE’ which stands for Women Engaged in the Arts, Vision and Empowerment.
The Centre is where the Peace Banner is currently being displayed. When I talked to them about the Peace Banner, they told me about the WEAVE project. When I found out that there wasn’t any weaving with the WEAVE project, I put in my proposal.
So, 2 days at the centre. In the morning, they had people in who had registered for the program – people who were particularly interested in weaving. In the afternoon, the drop-in centre was open, so anyone who came in was welcome to weave. We did this for 2 days and we created 2 banners for the centre. These banners will also be on display at one of the downtown Vancouver businesses in February 2007 as part of a collaborative art display done by the women of the Downtown Eastside (many homeless women and women who live below the poverty level).
In the midst of all of this – the whole city of Vancouver is dealing with water problems and are under a boil water advisory because of storms which is particularly difficult for the people in the downtown eastside – no water, no way to boil it and no money to buy it. (you can read more about this on my previous post).
In spite of all of that – the weaving was Fabulous!! The women were so excited to be able to try out weaving on the SAORI loom. There was always someone waiting to weave and a couple of women who would weave every chance they had. I heard wonderful comments like “I could do this all day” “I think we should have a loom here at the centre so we can keep weaving and put banners up all around the centre” “I just realized I haven’t been thinking about my work problems at all!” and so on. Each banner ended up being about 8 – 9 feet long.
I also provided little looms made of foamcore for the women to sit and weave to make things for themselves. They were so creative and many of them made things for gifts for others. They made bracelets, arm bands, chokers, keychains, watch bands and had many ideas for more. Anyone who wanted to could keep one of the looms (one piece of foamcore made about 10-12 looms and cost only $2…..I also provided a tapestry needle and the yarns). I wanted to have something that they could continue weaving with after I left.
They asked when I was coming back. I was very moved by the whole experience!
I couldn’t take pictures in the centre to keep the confidentiality of the women there, but I sure have some wonderful memories that I took with me!
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I am really aware of the water problems after being in Vancouver over the weekend at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre doing a weaving project (more on that in the next post). It is really difficult for the homeless or those living in poverty at the best of times. Now with no clean water and no place to boil water….even more difficult. Luckily on Sunday, the Salvation Army (along with other places) were giving out water to people who needed it. And places like the Women’s Centre are able to provide lunches, etc.
The women are currently occupying the Centre in protest of the lack of funding for affordable housing and for safe shelters for women. (see the CBC News Item). After meeting and talking with many of the women, I realize how difficult it really is for them. At 5:00 pm when the Centre closes, many of them have nowhere to go.
We need solutions! The estimates are for about $500,000 a year to operate the shelter 24 hours a day. This is only a temporary solution, but it would at least give the women a safe place to stay at night. Victoria is providing over $8 million to upgrade their parkades, partly because of homeless people sleeping there (see Victoria Times Colonist item) – how about spending some of that to give them a safe place to sleep??
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