Peggy Osterkamp's Weaving Blog
"Weaving should be fun!"
My new art book, Woven Work: Retrospective of a Weaver, is in the final production stages. I’m thinking of doing a limited edition—perhaps including an original weaving that could be framed. Let me know what you think of the idea. I hope you’ll think it is as beautiful as I do. I’ve included pictures of almost everything I ever wove. There are over 60 pages of beautiful photographs. Click photo above for a closer look.
I’ve mentioned my fiber optics weaving project and the work on the blog and web site. These are just two things on my mind besides trying to weave the sewing thread warp and the wavy wefts warp. Another major item is making ebooks. Yet another is making an art book or a portfolio in book form. The keynote speech and seminars in Collapse Weaving and Supplementary Warp for our conference (CNCH) in May are also on my mind. I feel pregnant with at least 9 babies!
I’ve had my work photographed recently and over the years and am working now on a book like a portfolio–sort of like a retrospective. Organizing the photos was the job for today–a big one. It will be hard to cull them because they are all my “babies”. The photographs look wonderful and I’d love to be able to include them all. The next job: titles. My thinking is to make a few copies that I will sell at cost. It’s really a way to see what I’ve done over time.
Three new things:I began weaving again on the sewing thread warp. After being away from the loom awhile, it really feels good to be throwing the shuttle–even to weave samples. The blog is being redesigned and I’m thrilled with the new images. Better yet, the button to order my books is working. So, with a click you can now add to cart! Go to the Book and DVD section on the home page.
Here’s another comment on my poll whether to publish my books as eBooks. See more comments. I appreciate any thoughts and comments.
Peggy
Yes! I would love to have both 🙂 Then I could print chapters that I reference a lot or need when I travel with my little loom, but don’t want to lug all my books...
Do you think it would be a good idea for me to have my weaving books made as E-books?
“Peggy Osterkamp has done more for getting threads on looms than any other person on the planet.”
At Convergence in Albuquerque last summer, Linda Ligon from Interweave Press stopped by my booth and left this message. I was overwhelmed. She said I could pass it along.
What an honor. My book, Weaving for Beginners, had just come out. The previous three books have more reference material–beyond what the beginner needs to know. These are the ones Linda was familiar with.
I got my issue of Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot today. It has a nice review of Weaving for Beginners which came out just about a year ago. Here are two quotes. I hope the post the entire review soon. It starts on page 11 in the magazine.
“The illustrations are helpful and align well with the text. This is important for a reference because there are few things more frustrating when learning something new than trying to understand a technique an author is explaining when the associated illustration or image is on a different page.”
“…this is a serious book for people serious about learning to weave.”
I’m proud of the seriousness. It’s interesting that my working title at the very beginning in 1992 was “The Serious Weaver.”
From a satisfied reader, Laurie Mrvos: “… I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing as a new weaver pretty much in a vacuum, and I have read your books, including this one, (Weaving for Beginners), carefully and multiple times. I keep saying, “thank God for Peggy Osterkamp”, because I couldn’t have figured out what I was doing without your books, and the other beginning weaving books I have are not as thorough and well written. Thank you, Peggy. I’m so grateful for the enormous effort and care you have obviously put into your books. I’m a happy beneficiary of your labors.”
Emails like that really make my day. I appreciate them so much.
I use Ashenhurst’s rule to take the mystery out of sett (warp or weft-wise). Check this out in my Book #1, Winding a Warp & Using a Paddle” and also in my new book, “Weaving for Beginners“. In both books I’ve devoted a chapter to determining the ends per inch (epi) or sett. Book #1 has more details. In upcoming posts I hope to explain it and say why it’s so very, very useful. If you can read the book(s), you’ll be ahead of the game. I’m swamped with getting my room in my studio emptied–more about sett next week or so.
Someone wrote to ask if I was giving up teaching weaving when I give up one room of my studio. I still teach privately in my weaving studio. There is still space for that. I love seeing people one-on-one. When I retired I decided a book for beginners was necessary for my good methods to get out to potential weavers. My new book, Weaving for Beginners, came out mid June and has been a huge success. I’m hoping that it along with my other three books will take the place of my teaching classes and workshops. Also, my DVD on setting up the loom is helpful. So, you see, you can not have me and have me, too. See descriptions of all my books and DVD here on the blog or order on my web site: http://www.weaving.cc. Let me know if these suit you. PS There are two wonderful reviews of my new book here on the blog. Use the Search button to find them.