Last year I stared a tapestry weaving project called Haiku. The project consists of a series of 12 tapestries for each season. Each tapestry is accompanied by a haiku poem. I completed the Winter Haiku series in January of 2022. It wasn't until the beginning of July 2022, I embarked on the second series of tapestries. I got part way through the first tapestry for the Spring Haiku series, got frustrated with how it was going, and stopped. I struggled to go back to weaving. I just wasn't into it. I didn't like the results. I wasn't enjoying the weaving. Frankly, it wasn't going well. It sat half finished until, this spring when I decided I had to stop avoiding the project and get back to weaving. I sat at the loom and stared. I couldn't do it. I couldn't wrap my mind around where I left it, or even where I wanted to go with it. I felt the same blockages I did months earlier. After much contemplation and a great conversation with a good and trusted weaving friend, I decided to take out what I had previously woven and start again. I was trying not to think of it as defeat, but as a new start. So, I decide to change the image I was working with. I wanted a fresh approach.
The printing company I use for my images was unable to enlarged and print the new photo for 2 weeks, which would have messed up my weaving schedule. My calendar had been carefully orchestrated around my work schedule. Back to the drawing board I went.I concluded I was stuck with the original images I had been so frustrated with.
I admit, It was tough to restart the whole process with the same images, but it was a great lesson on the power of re-framing thoughts and getting out of my own way. I learned that changing expectations, approach, trusting in the creative process, and the medium you choose to use for expression is the best way to move forward when you are stuck. I have one tapestry left to weave for the Spring tapestries series.
Going on to the 3rd part, Summer Haiku, is less daunting than restarting Spring Haiku, but I will be taking a break for the summer and dive in once the cooler weather starts calling me back inside.
