About 8 years ago my parents traveled with my high school Spanish teachers and their students to Peru. My sister was pregnant with her 3rd child, and I had just found out that I was expecting Abraham. After a great trip they returned with gifts. Among them was an old crone doll and a scarf. The doll sits in my studio--her hair still in two braids and her hands perpetually rolling cigarettes to sell. My scarf is wound around my neck the majority of year. It is the perfect weight and warmth. It's never itchy and goes with just about everything I wear. If my house was ever on fire, it would be the one thing I'd rescue from the flames. My mom gave similar scarves to my sisters and my grandma. The latter would wear hers as faithfully around her shoulders just as my crone doll wears her shawl. The beautiful reds would show off her white hair.
Ever since, I've wanted to recreate this scarf, but my lack of knowledge and skills has hindered my efforts. I'm afraid this project may become my white whale, and if that is the case, please bury me in my failed attempts.
This piece that I wove on Martha's loom is one such failed attempt. It took me many, many moons to complete it considering I sort of abandoned it for other things after I began it. It was the first time I had worked with such fine gauge wool and the delicate quality of it caused many problems. I either need to take more classes and instruction or just make more pieces. Unfortunately its an expensive medium to experiment with. Perhaps one day, I can travel to Peru and learn from their long tradition of weaving. For the time being, I'll be returning to cotton and repurposed jersey tees.
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