Saturday, December 19, 2020

How near, how far

Twelve days until a new year. My calendar has two events; my youngest grandson's birthday, on Christmas Eve, and Christmas itself, the following day. I doubt I will be invited to any celebrations, even with Laura. She has relationships with her siblings, and that is good. They will be here far longer than I will.

This is close to the traditional time of surveying the year past, giving it a review. I generally feel no need to do that. This is not a general year, and it's taught me much.

I've quit whining. I've learned at long last, if something does not happen, don't attempt to engineer its occurrence, and especially do not complain, except possibly to your best friend.

Be content. 

And that is the end of my pontificating.

I did have an epiphany this week. Children grow up far sooner than they grow old. They are marvelous adults for a very long time before they undertake the job we old folks are engaged with, growing old.

Here's a truism. Every weaver knows this! At its end, a warp stretches. No matter how often one thinks "I'm done!", the truth is, there is another turn on the beam.


I'm weaving cream, to fill in that depleted pile of towels. I've decided that on the next warp I will dedicate the last set to cream, instead of tucking in a few at the end.

When I began weaving towels for sale, I changed the name of this color from "natural" to "cream". It simply felt better. I suppose someone said it to me and my brain decided that's how "the public" perceives the color.

We always called it "natural" because that is the natural color of almost all the cotton in the world. Cotton has been bred down to this cream color for so long, most of us have no concept that it comes naturally in brown, tan, green, yellow, red, blue...almost ad infinitum. 

Sadly, there is not much market, except to handspinners.




34 comments:

  1. Oh, Joanne, I've woven some nice things with the American Maid colored cottons from Lunatic Fringe. True, they have only a few shades, but it's so rewarding to watch the color change after washing.

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  2. I remember getting coloured cottons to spin...back in the dark ages in the seventies...

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  3. and still after all these years. do they never get over it and move on or even just put it aside for a day? oh well. probably for the best.

    I doubt I will review the year. it started out shitty and got worse from there. why go over it again.

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  4. Well, there you go. I thought all cotton was white. -Jenn

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  5. "another turn on the beam" I do like that idea! I love this post, all of it.It's cream! As for "review" no thank you , this year has been ....well, you know.

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  6. It mostly hasn't been a great year, although there were a few highlights. I try not to whine, but sometimes I need to vent. Venting sounds much more therapeutic than whining! I didn't know that about cotton!

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  7. I also thought all cotton was white. Always better to let go and move on. Aging requires some stamina and a good sense of humor. A friend of mine once said,"Ageing is not for sissies."

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  8. Hari OM
    It's year that will not be forgotten, that's for certain. Back in the Hutch from this evening and it's going to take the rest of the year for me to adjust to the truth that it is not just a temporary visit... YAM xx

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  9. A though way back, Yam, but I'm so happy you are home.

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  10. I don't want to think back on the year. It's too difficult. I have spent some Christmases alone, and it was much better than spending them with X. This year, I suppose Favorite Young Man will be here because I'm going to fix a turkey. Yes, he's in it for the turkey and stuffing.

    Love,
    Janie

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  11. Your allegory of weaving and time is beautiful, Joanne. I’m seeing my grandchildren growing just this past year that I haven’t been able to visit them. Children do grow too quickly.

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  12. Life is like a box of chocolates... actually. no it isn't...

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  13. This year has taught me to appreciate simple things more. I do look forward to 2021. I know we will still have the pandemic but with the vaccine we can see the end. We can also see the coming change in Washington. That's worth celebrating!

    Joanne, I love what you said: "No matter how often one thinks "I'm done!", the truth is, there is another turn on the beam."


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  14. I did not know that cotton came in natural colours other than white. This year has taught me that wearing a mask when going out greatly reduces my hayfever and asthma symptoms.

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  15. All the cotton I have seen growing in the fields has been white... so hearing that it comes naturally in other colors has been eye opening... this year has "sucked" but will try to whine less. Hearing that my kids and grandkids are weathering this year has been the best thing!

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  16. Add me to those who didn't realise that cotton came in different colours. How lovely to learn that.
    And yes, I am trying (hard) to complain less. Much less.

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  17. You learn something every day. Wool of course comes in different shades of brown, grey and black and of course cream. No use complaining, the world is suffering alongside us!

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  18. "Cream" is so much better than "natural" - soft cream, mellow, cozy... And I love your weaver's insight - and see that we had the same idea (about whining) at the same time. I wish you a happy 4th advent, Joanne!

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  19. It is astonishing how many weavers there seem to be in the \us joanne - I wonder why.

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  20. I like "natural". Natural always seems, well, natural, and that is always good in my book. Enjoy the holidays, Joanne. Make sure that COVID doesn't sneak in the back door.

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  21. I am trying to compose a Christmas letter (I'd better hurry). It's hard to say it all but not be too long winded. I will probably fail in both regards.

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  22. What lovely truths you shared. I am glad there is another turn on the beam. I didn't know that cotton came naturally in other colors. Always learning.

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  23. It reminds me of changing the name of crayons or stockings. How we grew up with "nude" or "flesh" as a color when actually there are many, many different colors of nude or flesh! Thanks for the words of wisdom, Joanne!

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  24. I buy some "natural" cotton for the dishcloths I make but I agree colours have been sanitized to make them more appealing. I remember rose madder and ocher and nude and all sorts of colour dropped now.

    XO
    WWW

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  25. I too only remember seeing white in the cotton fields in Louisiana... didn't know about the other colors. Will have to read more about this. Goes to show that there's always something new to learn. Thanks, Joanne.

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  26. I agree about being content. I suppose that is why this time of isolation has not affected me as much as some others. I an as happy at home as I would be out and about.

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  27. Look how you have everyone inspired. Yes, I think at almost 80, I am content. I wish I could get all of my grand kids together, but theological differences have gotten in the way. Now all but one is grown.
    I have a great deal of Natural. A tatted giant table cloth is usually out this time of year. I have drawers of stuff in Natural that I don't use of that era.

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  28. Even if I was invited to go somewhere on Christmas I wouldn't.

    It will be good to see another cream towel as the 'topper' to your pinwheel of for sale merchandise.

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  29. Several years ago, someone in Arizona tried to make a go of growing the other colors of cotton and making tee shirts. It did not last long, too expensive, too niche of a product. I just want this year to be done, no reviewing is required.

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  30. Old age is not for the faint of heart.

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  31. Interesting to learn of the natural colors of cotton.

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  32. I think I'm at a point right now where I'm frustrated with the current situation.

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