And just like that, the weaving is finished and on its way to my home! I read through my blog posts this morning to remind myself of the purpose, and trajectory, of this project. My matriline, my ancestry of agriculture, choices, people and so much more - I wanted my entire story reflected in the … Continue reading This is my story
This week, Haima (left), a weaver from Tighedouine, arrived at The Anou headquarters in Fez to begin weaving my tapestry. The wool will be dyed and tested on a small trial loom before work begins on the full sized piece. I'm excited that we've reached this point! I find myself checking my expectations. Not because … Continue reading Expectations
I have a final design! The Anou Cooperative has approved it and the weavers in Tighdouine will soon begin work. I've decided to loosely base the design on Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken. Like the poem, the design is not meant to depict big, life-changing decisions. Instead, it represents the small, everyday thoughts … Continue reading The Road
Slowly, thoughtfully, I'm getting there. I submitted another design for my tapestry this week and received more valuable feedback. I pulled way back on the details for this version and chose images depicting the growth of a small child - small in stature, energy, spirit - into a flourishing woman who embraces life. I added … Continue reading The Fullness of Life
I first heard the word iterative when I was on a project at work more than a few years ago. If you work in a corporate culture, you're likely well familiar with the term. It 's part of the process - figure out what works and what doesn't during the various project cycles and adjust … Continue reading Subject to change
It's taken a couple of days to process my visit to the women weavers in Tighedouine. I went in with a few elements of my carpet in mind - the design was far from finished but I was already feeling a bit dissatisfied. I couldn't envision how to lay all the elements out onto one … Continue reading A visit to Tighedouine
I was a fearful child who grew into an anxious adult. I was anxious about outcomes and about what others would think of me. I was afraid of missteps and doing the wrong thing. Many of my decisions were based on the needs and desires of others, societal pressures, a desire to adhere to church … Continue reading Courage
I descend from a strong agricultural background. On my mom’s side of the family, my generation is the first to grow up off the farm. You have to go back a few generations on my dad's side to find it, but it’s there, too. We moved into the city when I was a child, I … Continue reading Heritage of Agriculture
As I began to think about the elements I want reflected in my carpet, the first thing that came to mind was ancestry, particularly the women. I feel a strong connection to my matriline even though I have little in common with them. With the exception of my mother, all generations before me raised children … Continue reading The Matriline
Photo by SafakOguz, istockphoto.com I see my life clearly as it threads across a loom. Chapters, experiences, people - so many people! A rich sense of ancestry and hope for the future. Both bright and dark threads. The imagery makes sense to me, the language is tattooed on my arm and it shows up in … Continue reading Threading across the loom