Friday, November 8, 2013

Starting a Big Project: Warp-Weighted Loom Weaving

I normally shy away from large-scale projects because I lose sight of the end as life and other stuff piles up. Scarves, mittens, socks, etc., these are my kind of projects. And nothing overly complicated either. I would love to make a sweater that fits me. Or a lovely lace shawl. But then reality hits me and I know that I don’t have the time or brain capacity to begin a project like this.

However, that shouldn't be a good excuse. If I blamed a busy life on why I can’t do X or Y, I wouldn't get to enjoy all of the cool things in life. To keep me on track and not straying from my goal, I've decided to post my progress regularly here. It might not be a weekly update, but I’ll try to do it once a month at the very least. In this endeavor, I’m a beginner, as I know next to nothing about weaving or loom building.

Okay, so why did I pick _this_ type of loom? I have archaeological training, and I’m planning to head back to school for an MA/PhD in archaeology soon (I've been accepted to the school, I’m just scrounging up spare change to pay for it). For a long time, I have believed that you need to have a job which you love doing, and if your hobbies can transcend that line, your job can be all the better for it. I love seeing how things are connected together, and I have quite a few personal interests. I’m planning to get a PhD in landscape archaeology, and I’d like to add the skills an experimental archaeologist might have. As an ultimate goal, I want to see how textiles might have played into choosing various landscapes in the prehistoric past, or if textile production helped shape the land somehow.

I’m looking to specialize in the landscapes of Iron Age Britain. Most archaeologists have secondary or tertiary skills which aid their research and interpretation, and I would like to call upon my training in museum studies and experimental textile production. I’m not reinventing the wheel here, but with my unique background, I’m hoping to cross boundaries that are rarely crossed. And I’m bringing you all with me. Doesn't that sound like fun? :) More updates to come!

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