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Oct 30
in Books, Ecological Conservation, Tonga 0 comments

“Where Do They GO”…. Swimming with whales in Tonga – Book for Oceanographic Conservation

I’m so excited to announce an upcoming venture to support oceanographic conservation through the sale of the publication of my new book “Where Do They Go” in both e-book and hard cover print format. You can have a sneak peek of the online Flip book here Click to view my beautiful ONLINE Flipbook

I stood on the rocky beach on Fetoko Island in Tonga, as I looked south along an uninterrupted line to Antarctica. I reflected on my incredible experiences of swimming with the whales and I heard whalesong undulating within the salty breeze. I wondered, “Where do they go?”…, both in a migratory sense and my own personal enquiry into the numbers of each species.

 

I have learned that change and conservation comes through connection. I connected deeply with these incredibly beautiful mammals and wanted to share my experience with others, with the aim that my photographs will provide the opportunity for the viewer to connect with the beauty of the whales as well. ‘Where Do They Go?’ is a dual layered title; not only questioning the mysteries of migration, but also the inquiry about their disappearance from the oceans and the causes of their declining populations.

 

Although Australian whale populations have recovered from whaling, other populations worldwide for many species have not. This book is the beginning of my expression with these beautiful animals and my alignment with oceanic conservation in the hope to create awareness and action to respect and care for our environment through connection.

 

Subscribe so I can notify you when my beautiful books will be available to purchase and more about my conservation projects. Pop your name on the list to be notified of new book releases.

 

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About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

  • Second thing to try to assist you to create images which reflect your personal voice.
    Ok.. the First thing to try was to photograph WITHOUT a memory card. Read more
    in Inspirations, Photography Teachings 2 comments
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  • The cumulation of images…greater than the sum of the individual items – A body of work.
    Ok.... 2 weeks to go before we leave for our drive in Penny through India, Read more
    in About Me, Fine Art Photography, Greenland, Iceland 2015 0 comments
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  • “The glorious gift to age and greet another day”
    "The glorious gift to age and greet another day". What a beautiful sentence Read more
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@skeinydipping

@skeinydipping

🧐 Curious 🎨 Creative 💪🏻 Living Boldly! @idoamazingthings 😁 Content with wool in my hands Artisan weaver of blankets and wraps. Pop to my website
  • When I begin weaving, I have no idea what it will end up looking like 

I never have a plan because I weave intuitively from my memories 

Here I’m weaving my memories from the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India. 

As I weave, I roll it, then becomes hidden. It’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets when I unroll it from my loom. 

You could try this in your form of art as well. .

Try starting with a memory, and remember the colours of your experiences. 

You can save this idea for your next project; and for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio. 

Come follow along with me! 

#weaving #weavingloom #weavinglife #madebyhand #artisanmade
  • Weaving is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

When I begin weaving, I have no idea how it will turn out.

I always start with memories; and I never have a plan. 

In my latest Series, I’m weaving my memories from our vintage car roadtrip; and the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India. 

Colour is my thing. I don’t have a colour plan because I weave intuitively, and I don’t remember what colours I’ve used. 

As I weave, I roll the fabric onto the back beam, and it then becomes hidden. When I’ve finished the weaving and I unroll my  piece from the back beam - it’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets. 

Why don’t you try to weave without a plan? You could try this in any creative medium as well. 

Start with a memory, and remember the colours of that experience. Then just go for it, and play! 

You can save this tip for later; for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio; and for more creative ideas, come follow along. 

#handweaving #madebyhand #arttips #roadtripindia #weaver
  • Are you floundering with making a project meaningful? 

As an artist for most of my life, who has meandered and searched for meaning within my own work; I have a couple of tips for you. 

If you don’t know where to start, think of an experience that is meaningful to you. Recall the colours. 

Just start there! 
Tip 1. Remember the colours.
Tip 2. Use ONLY those colours.

A meaningful experience for me was our journey to Kolkata and the Mullik Ghat Flower Markets, and is the  inspiration for my handwoven blankets. 

You can save these tips for future reference for your next project. Let me know how you go!

For more, come Follow along. 

#artisanmade #handweaving #madebyhand #artisttips #visualstorytelling
  • Want one secret tip for visual storytelling? There is an art to visual storytelling. 

As an artist, there are some very important things which contribute to making a work meaningful and an expression of it’s intention. 

Here I'm using the memory of my journey to Kolkata Mullik Ghat markets as the source material for my handwoven blankets. 

One secret (not so secret hehehe) is to
	1. Remember the colours of an experience or scene which is the subject matter of your project; and use ONLY those colours. 

Perhaps save this for your future reference, and give it a go for your next project. 

For more, come Follow along.
  • Curious, Creative, Living Boldly - That was my tagline I put on the footer of my emails 30 years ago; well before Instagram came into being. 

It was not known to me then how important ‘curiosity’ was to be for me. 

Being curious, and creative; has helped me navigate my life’s challenges; to heal; and provided the pathway for me to experience the richness of living - despite these challenges. 

Curiosity is the intrinsic desire to learn, explore and understand.

I am an artist. My work has included conceptual photography & video; multimedia installations; and textiles. Working with my hands is important to me. I am a weaver. I weave my stories into blankets. 

I wanted to express my experiences of Kolkata, but didn’t know how to share with others the magic I felt in this city of extremes. Poverty and wealth. Colour and darkness. I didn’t know where to start. 

I was curious about how to express my stories of Kolkata. What I did was to just start. Experiment and play. I let my inner voice and memories  guide my colour choices. I had no idea whether my handwoven blankets would ‘turn out’... but I was curious and felt the most incredible gratitude and joy weaving these blankets which hold my memories and stories. 

Why don’t you try becoming friends with your curiosity? What a lifelong friendship that will be; and hopefully that friend will remind you every single day, despite everything; to keep holding on to, and never let go of being curious. 

For more on my journey, follow along. 

For those interested, I’m using a 48”/120cm @ashford_wheels_looms Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom. 

#curiousity #createeveryday #creativelife #weaving #selfdiscovery
  • Pro-tip for weavers. Most weaving using wool, benefits from a soak, as I’ve shown you here. 

Why? 

To let the fibres expand and settle into the weave. This is especially important for woollen handwoven items where warmth is one of the goals. 

Machines must not be used. The water must be the same ambient temperature as the weaving, so it is not ‘shocked’ by the temperature of the water. Then just a gentle hand press into the water without agitation for a short soak. 

I then drain and shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

If you don’t already soak your weaving; give them a soak to let the wool ‘bloom’. You will be so amazed by the difference a bubble bath makes! 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more of my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets, and pro-tips; save this for future reference and follow along.

#Protip #artisanmade #handweaving #weavingtechnique #madebyhand
  • Just off the loom and time for some bubbles! Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets. 

Why do they need a soak?

So the fibres expand and settle into the weave. 

Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. This is how to finish your hand weaving.

The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; my process; and to remind you to give the items you knit or weave a good soak; save this for future reference and come follow me.  

#handwoven #handmade #fibreart #artisanmade #weavingtechnique
  • Time for some bubbles… Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets just off the loom need a soak.  

Why? 

So the fibres expand and settle into the weave. 

This is how to finish your hand weaving. Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom.

The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more on my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; save this for future reference and come follow me.  

#handweaving #madebyhand #fibreartist #handwovenluxury #artisanmade
  • Split ends? Brittle sun-damaged tips? Do you have that problem? 🤣

I don’t. Hehehe But I can help solve your problem if you do!

For those of you who have the good fortune to feel beautiful raw fleeces in your hands, sometimes the fleece just needs a bit of extra preparation before it is spun.

If the fleece has matted, brittle or fragile tips, I need to remove that tender part of the staple.

There are many ways to do this, but I have my preferred way. 

It’s simply a snip. With the weak part of the fibre removed, my yarn will be smooth and strong, to use in some of my blankets. 

Losing a little of the staple length is ok, because I’m carding a rolag to spin a yarn using the long-draw technique. 

I’m going to show you how I do that in an upcoming post. 

You can save this pro-tip. To see more spinning and weaving tips; and the next steps in preparing fleece to spin; follow me!
 
 #handweaving #woolfleece #madebyhand #rawwool #handspinning
View on Instagram
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
When I begin weaving, I have no idea what it will end up looking like I never have a plan because I weave intuitively from my memories Here I’m weaving my memories from the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India.  As I weave, I roll it, then becomes hidden. It’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets when I unroll it from my loom. You could try this in your form of art as well. . Try starting with a memory, and remember the colours of your experiences. You can save this idea for your next project; and for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio. Come follow along with me! #weaving #weavingloom #weavinglife #madebyhand #artisanmade
21 hours ago
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1/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Weaving is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” When I begin weaving, I have no idea how it will turn out. I always start with memories; and I never have a plan.  In my latest Series, I’m weaving my memories from our vintage car roadtrip; and the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India.  Colour is my thing. I don’t have a colour plan because I weave intuitively, and I don’t remember what colours I’ve used. As I weave, I roll the fabric onto the back beam, and it then becomes hidden. When I’ve finished the weaving and I unroll my  piece from the back beam - it’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets.  Why don’t you try to weave without a plan? You could try this in any creative medium as well. Start with a memory, and remember the colours of that experience. Then just go for it, and play!  You can save this tip for later; for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio; and for more creative ideas, come follow along. #handweaving #madebyhand #arttips #roadtripindia #weaver
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Are you floundering with making a project meaningful?  As an artist for most of my life, who has meandered and searched for meaning within my own work; I have a couple of tips for you.  If you don’t know where to start, think of an experience that is meaningful to you. Recall the colours.  Just start there!  Tip 1. Remember the colours. Tip 2. Use ONLY those colours. A meaningful experience for me was our journey to Kolkata and the Mullik Ghat Flower Markets, and is the  inspiration for my handwoven blankets.  You can save these tips for future reference for your next project. Let me know how you go! For more, come Follow along.  #artisanmade #handweaving #madebyhand #artisttips #visualstorytelling
7 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Want one secret tip for visual storytelling? There is an art to visual storytelling.  As an artist, there are some very important things which contribute to making a work meaningful and an expression of it’s intention.  Here I'm using the memory of my journey to Kolkata Mullik Ghat markets as the source material for my handwoven blankets. One secret (not so secret hehehe) is to 1. Remember the colours of an experience or scene which is the subject matter of your project; and use ONLY those colours.  Perhaps save this for your future reference, and give it a go for your next project.  For more, come Follow along.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Curious, Creative, Living Boldly - That was my tagline I put on the footer of my emails 30 years ago; well before Instagram came into being.  It was not known to me then how important ‘curiosity’ was to be for me. Being curious, and creative; has helped me navigate my life’s challenges; to heal; and provided the pathway for me to experience the richness of living - despite these challenges.  Curiosity is the intrinsic desire to learn, explore and understand. I am an artist. My work has included conceptual photography & video; multimedia installations; and textiles. Working with my hands is important to me. I am a weaver. I weave my stories into blankets.  I wanted to express my experiences of Kolkata, but didn’t know how to share with others the magic I felt in this city of extremes. Poverty and wealth. Colour and darkness. I didn’t know where to start.  I was curious about how to express my stories of Kolkata. What I did was to just start. Experiment and play. I let my inner voice and memories  guide my colour choices. I had no idea whether my handwoven blankets would ‘turn out’... but I was curious and felt the most incredible gratitude and joy weaving these blankets which hold my memories and stories.  Why don’t you try becoming friends with your curiosity? What a lifelong friendship that will be; and hopefully that friend will remind you every single day, despite everything; to keep holding on to, and never let go of being curious. For more on my journey, follow along. For those interested, I’m using a 48”/120cm @ashford_wheels_looms Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom. #curiousity #createeveryday #creativelife #weaving #selfdiscovery
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Pro-tip for weavers. Most weaving using wool, benefits from a soak, as I’ve shown you here. Why?  To let the fibres expand and settle into the weave. This is especially important for woollen handwoven items where warmth is one of the goals.  Machines must not be used. The water must be the same ambient temperature as the weaving, so it is not ‘shocked’ by the temperature of the water. Then just a gentle hand press into the water without agitation for a short soak.  I then drain and shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  If you don’t already soak your weaving; give them a soak to let the wool ‘bloom’. You will be so amazed by the difference a bubble bath makes! There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more of my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets, and pro-tips; save this for future reference and follow along. #Protip #artisanmade #handweaving #weavingtechnique #madebyhand
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Just off the loom and time for some bubbles! Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets. Why do they need a soak? So the fibres expand and settle into the weave.  Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. This is how to finish your hand weaving. The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; my process; and to remind you to give the items you knit or weave a good soak; save this for future reference and come follow me.   #handwoven #handmade #fibreart #artisanmade #weavingtechnique
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Time for some bubbles… Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets just off the loom need a soak.   Why?  So the fibres expand and settle into the weave.  This is how to finish your hand weaving. Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more on my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; save this for future reference and come follow me.   #handweaving #madebyhand #fibreartist #handwovenluxury #artisanmade
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
@skeinydipping
@skeinydipping
•
Follow
Split ends? Brittle sun-damaged tips? Do you have that problem? 🤣 I don’t. Hehehe But I can help solve your problem if you do! For those of you who have the good fortune to feel beautiful raw fleeces in your hands, sometimes the fleece just needs a bit of extra preparation before it is spun. If the fleece has matted, brittle or fragile tips, I need to remove that tender part of the staple. There are many ways to do this, but I have my preferred way. It’s simply a snip. With the weak part of the fibre removed, my yarn will be smooth and strong, to use in some of my blankets.  Losing a little of the staple length is ok, because I’m carding a rolag to spin a yarn using the long-draw technique. I’m going to show you how I do that in an upcoming post. You can save this pro-tip. To see more spinning and weaving tips; and the next steps in preparing fleece to spin; follow me!   #handweaving #woolfleece #madebyhand #rawwool #handspinning
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

 

 

 

@skeinydipping

@skeinydipping

🧐 Curious 🎨 Creative 💪🏻 Living Boldly! @idoamazingthings 😁 Content with wool in my hands Artisan weaver of blankets and wraps. Pop to my website
  • When I begin weaving, I have no idea what it will end up looking like 

I never have a plan because I weave intuitively from my memories 

Here I’m weaving my memories from the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India. 

As I weave, I roll it, then becomes hidden. It’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets when I unroll it from my loom. 

You could try this in your form of art as well. .

Try starting with a memory, and remember the colours of your experiences. 

You can save this idea for your next project; and for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio. 

Come follow along with me! 

#weaving #weavingloom #weavinglife #madebyhand #artisanmade
  • Weaving is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

When I begin weaving, I have no idea how it will turn out.

I always start with memories; and I never have a plan. 

In my latest Series, I’m weaving my memories from our vintage car roadtrip; and the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India. 

Colour is my thing. I don’t have a colour plan because I weave intuitively, and I don’t remember what colours I’ve used. 

As I weave, I roll the fabric onto the back beam, and it then becomes hidden. When I’ve finished the weaving and I unroll my  piece from the back beam - it’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets. 

Why don’t you try to weave without a plan? You could try this in any creative medium as well. 

Start with a memory, and remember the colours of that experience. Then just go for it, and play! 

You can save this tip for later; for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio; and for more creative ideas, come follow along. 

#handweaving #madebyhand #arttips #roadtripindia #weaver
  • Are you floundering with making a project meaningful? 

As an artist for most of my life, who has meandered and searched for meaning within my own work; I have a couple of tips for you. 

If you don’t know where to start, think of an experience that is meaningful to you. Recall the colours. 

Just start there! 
Tip 1. Remember the colours.
Tip 2. Use ONLY those colours.

A meaningful experience for me was our journey to Kolkata and the Mullik Ghat Flower Markets, and is the  inspiration for my handwoven blankets. 

You can save these tips for future reference for your next project. Let me know how you go!

For more, come Follow along. 

#artisanmade #handweaving #madebyhand #artisttips #visualstorytelling
  • Want one secret tip for visual storytelling? There is an art to visual storytelling. 

As an artist, there are some very important things which contribute to making a work meaningful and an expression of it’s intention. 

Here I'm using the memory of my journey to Kolkata Mullik Ghat markets as the source material for my handwoven blankets. 

One secret (not so secret hehehe) is to
	1. Remember the colours of an experience or scene which is the subject matter of your project; and use ONLY those colours. 

Perhaps save this for your future reference, and give it a go for your next project. 

For more, come Follow along.
  • Curious, Creative, Living Boldly - That was my tagline I put on the footer of my emails 30 years ago; well before Instagram came into being. 

It was not known to me then how important ‘curiosity’ was to be for me. 

Being curious, and creative; has helped me navigate my life’s challenges; to heal; and provided the pathway for me to experience the richness of living - despite these challenges. 

Curiosity is the intrinsic desire to learn, explore and understand.

I am an artist. My work has included conceptual photography & video; multimedia installations; and textiles. Working with my hands is important to me. I am a weaver. I weave my stories into blankets. 

I wanted to express my experiences of Kolkata, but didn’t know how to share with others the magic I felt in this city of extremes. Poverty and wealth. Colour and darkness. I didn’t know where to start. 

I was curious about how to express my stories of Kolkata. What I did was to just start. Experiment and play. I let my inner voice and memories  guide my colour choices. I had no idea whether my handwoven blankets would ‘turn out’... but I was curious and felt the most incredible gratitude and joy weaving these blankets which hold my memories and stories. 

Why don’t you try becoming friends with your curiosity? What a lifelong friendship that will be; and hopefully that friend will remind you every single day, despite everything; to keep holding on to, and never let go of being curious. 

For more on my journey, follow along. 

For those interested, I’m using a 48”/120cm @ashford_wheels_looms Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom. 

#curiousity #createeveryday #creativelife #weaving #selfdiscovery
  • Pro-tip for weavers. Most weaving using wool, benefits from a soak, as I’ve shown you here. 

Why? 

To let the fibres expand and settle into the weave. This is especially important for woollen handwoven items where warmth is one of the goals. 

Machines must not be used. The water must be the same ambient temperature as the weaving, so it is not ‘shocked’ by the temperature of the water. Then just a gentle hand press into the water without agitation for a short soak. 

I then drain and shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

If you don’t already soak your weaving; give them a soak to let the wool ‘bloom’. You will be so amazed by the difference a bubble bath makes! 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more of my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets, and pro-tips; save this for future reference and follow along.

#Protip #artisanmade #handweaving #weavingtechnique #madebyhand
  • Just off the loom and time for some bubbles! Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets. 

Why do they need a soak?

So the fibres expand and settle into the weave. 

Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. This is how to finish your hand weaving.

The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; my process; and to remind you to give the items you knit or weave a good soak; save this for future reference and come follow me.  

#handwoven #handmade #fibreart #artisanmade #weavingtechnique
  • Time for some bubbles… Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets just off the loom need a soak.  

Why? 

So the fibres expand and settle into the weave. 

This is how to finish your hand weaving. Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom.

The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket. 

There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them. 

For more on my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; save this for future reference and come follow me.  

#handweaving #madebyhand #fibreartist #handwovenluxury #artisanmade
  • Split ends? Brittle sun-damaged tips? Do you have that problem? 🤣

I don’t. Hehehe But I can help solve your problem if you do!

For those of you who have the good fortune to feel beautiful raw fleeces in your hands, sometimes the fleece just needs a bit of extra preparation before it is spun.

If the fleece has matted, brittle or fragile tips, I need to remove that tender part of the staple.

There are many ways to do this, but I have my preferred way. 

It’s simply a snip. With the weak part of the fibre removed, my yarn will be smooth and strong, to use in some of my blankets. 

Losing a little of the staple length is ok, because I’m carding a rolag to spin a yarn using the long-draw technique. 

I’m going to show you how I do that in an upcoming post. 

You can save this pro-tip. To see more spinning and weaving tips; and the next steps in preparing fleece to spin; follow me!
 
 #handweaving #woolfleece #madebyhand #rawwool #handspinning
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When I begin weaving, I have no idea what it will end up looking like I never have a plan because I weave intuitively from my memories Here I’m weaving my memories from the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India.  As I weave, I roll it, then becomes hidden. It’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets when I unroll it from my loom. You could try this in your form of art as well. . Try starting with a memory, and remember the colours of your experiences. You can save this idea for your next project; and for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio. Come follow along with me! #weaving #weavingloom #weavinglife #madebyhand #artisanmade
21 hours ago
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Weaving is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” When I begin weaving, I have no idea how it will turn out. I always start with memories; and I never have a plan.  In my latest Series, I’m weaving my memories from our vintage car roadtrip; and the Mullik Ghat flower markets in Kolkata, India.  Colour is my thing. I don’t have a colour plan because I weave intuitively, and I don’t remember what colours I’ve used. As I weave, I roll the fabric onto the back beam, and it then becomes hidden. When I’ve finished the weaving and I unroll my  piece from the back beam - it’s always such a surprise to see my stories revealed in my blankets.  Why don’t you try to weave without a plan? You could try this in any creative medium as well. Start with a memory, and remember the colours of that experience. Then just go for it, and play!  You can save this tip for later; for my journal notes on inspiration for this series - Kolkata; pop to my link in Bio; and for more creative ideas, come follow along. #handweaving #madebyhand #arttips #roadtripindia #weaver
1 day ago
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2/9
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Are you floundering with making a project meaningful?  As an artist for most of my life, who has meandered and searched for meaning within my own work; I have a couple of tips for you.  If you don’t know where to start, think of an experience that is meaningful to you. Recall the colours.  Just start there!  Tip 1. Remember the colours. Tip 2. Use ONLY those colours. A meaningful experience for me was our journey to Kolkata and the Mullik Ghat Flower Markets, and is the  inspiration for my handwoven blankets.  You can save these tips for future reference for your next project. Let me know how you go! For more, come Follow along.  #artisanmade #handweaving #madebyhand #artisttips #visualstorytelling
7 days ago
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3/9
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Want one secret tip for visual storytelling? There is an art to visual storytelling.  As an artist, there are some very important things which contribute to making a work meaningful and an expression of it’s intention.  Here I'm using the memory of my journey to Kolkata Mullik Ghat markets as the source material for my handwoven blankets. One secret (not so secret hehehe) is to 1. Remember the colours of an experience or scene which is the subject matter of your project; and use ONLY those colours.  Perhaps save this for your future reference, and give it a go for your next project.  For more, come Follow along.
1 week ago
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4/9
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Curious, Creative, Living Boldly - That was my tagline I put on the footer of my emails 30 years ago; well before Instagram came into being.  It was not known to me then how important ‘curiosity’ was to be for me. Being curious, and creative; has helped me navigate my life’s challenges; to heal; and provided the pathway for me to experience the richness of living - despite these challenges.  Curiosity is the intrinsic desire to learn, explore and understand. I am an artist. My work has included conceptual photography & video; multimedia installations; and textiles. Working with my hands is important to me. I am a weaver. I weave my stories into blankets.  I wanted to express my experiences of Kolkata, but didn’t know how to share with others the magic I felt in this city of extremes. Poverty and wealth. Colour and darkness. I didn’t know where to start.  I was curious about how to express my stories of Kolkata. What I did was to just start. Experiment and play. I let my inner voice and memories  guide my colour choices. I had no idea whether my handwoven blankets would ‘turn out’... but I was curious and felt the most incredible gratitude and joy weaving these blankets which hold my memories and stories.  Why don’t you try becoming friends with your curiosity? What a lifelong friendship that will be; and hopefully that friend will remind you every single day, despite everything; to keep holding on to, and never let go of being curious. For more on my journey, follow along. For those interested, I’m using a 48”/120cm @ashford_wheels_looms Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom. #curiousity #createeveryday #creativelife #weaving #selfdiscovery
1 week ago
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5/9
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Pro-tip for weavers. Most weaving using wool, benefits from a soak, as I’ve shown you here. Why?  To let the fibres expand and settle into the weave. This is especially important for woollen handwoven items where warmth is one of the goals.  Machines must not be used. The water must be the same ambient temperature as the weaving, so it is not ‘shocked’ by the temperature of the water. Then just a gentle hand press into the water without agitation for a short soak.  I then drain and shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  If you don’t already soak your weaving; give them a soak to let the wool ‘bloom’. You will be so amazed by the difference a bubble bath makes! There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more of my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets, and pro-tips; save this for future reference and follow along. #Protip #artisanmade #handweaving #weavingtechnique #madebyhand
1 week ago
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6/9
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Just off the loom and time for some bubbles! Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets. Why do they need a soak? So the fibres expand and settle into the weave.  Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. This is how to finish your hand weaving. The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; my process; and to remind you to give the items you knit or weave a good soak; save this for future reference and come follow me.   #handwoven #handmade #fibreart #artisanmade #weavingtechnique
1 week ago
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7/9
@skeinydipping
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•
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Time for some bubbles… Not for me!....but my handwoven blankets just off the loom need a soak.   Why?  So the fibres expand and settle into the weave.  This is how to finish your hand weaving. Weaving a piece doesn’t just finish when you cut it from the loom. The blanket is wet and heavy, but I need to shake it in a gentle “fulling” process to interlock the fibres to make a sturdy and warm beautiful blanket.  There is so much which goes into the making of my handwoven blankets; from preparing some of the yarn I use from the raw fleece; “fulling” the blanket after soaking; to the final stitching and then sending on to new homes; where others stories are made with them.  For more on my process; and my journeys which inspired each series of my blankets; save this for future reference and come follow me.   #handweaving #madebyhand #fibreartist #handwovenluxury #artisanmade
1 week ago
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8/9
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Split ends? Brittle sun-damaged tips? Do you have that problem? 🤣 I don’t. Hehehe But I can help solve your problem if you do! For those of you who have the good fortune to feel beautiful raw fleeces in your hands, sometimes the fleece just needs a bit of extra preparation before it is spun. If the fleece has matted, brittle or fragile tips, I need to remove that tender part of the staple. There are many ways to do this, but I have my preferred way. It’s simply a snip. With the weak part of the fibre removed, my yarn will be smooth and strong, to use in some of my blankets.  Losing a little of the staple length is ok, because I’m carding a rolag to spin a yarn using the long-draw technique. I’m going to show you how I do that in an upcoming post. You can save this pro-tip. To see more spinning and weaving tips; and the next steps in preparing fleece to spin; follow me!   #handweaving #woolfleece #madebyhand #rawwool #handspinning
2 weeks ago
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9/9
2025 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.