Fear
He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Morning tea. Favourite cup. Irish pottery. Beautiful hues of brown, copper, sage with a surprising twist of indigo and purple.
No, I am not afraid of tea.
Rosie’s birthday. Number 40. Want to do something special.
No, I am not afraid of being 40…done it.
Handwoven scarf just for Rosie. A simple one. Possible even with busy days ahead. Have a couple of weeks.
No, I am not afraid of putting on a warp under deadline (anymore).
Autumnal shades. Warm browns with a surprising twist. Just like my tea cup. Ah, the perfect warp material comes to mind, bought last year in Birmingham.
Yes, I am afraid of rayon.
The iridescent colours are, without a doubt, perfect.
But the rebellious behaviour of the ultra-slick threads is a bit worrying. Why, just sitting there they have a mind of their own, refusing to stay in any semblance of order. What have I gotten myself into?
But now, because I cannot imagine any other scarf sitting on Rosie’s shoulder, I am destined to climb my mountain of fear.
Conquering a fear is an excellent reason to do something. It is the reason why I’m a musician and not a doctor! Every time I perform, I have a moment (or depending on the situation, a lot of moments) of pure, blinding, abject terror just before I go on. There is something very exhilarating about conquering fear. We are always afraid of not being able to do something and by being afraid, we limit ourselves. I go through many periods of self-doubt but in a way, they seem necessary because they give me the determination to overcome my limitations.
Go for it!
26 Mar 2007 at 7:14 pm
Oy. Rayon. I still have a large hank that collapsed into a pile of knots when I took the choke-chains off. I refuse to look at it, although it is the most charming shades of gray and blue. Maybe you’ll spur me on to get it out of the storage box.
26 Mar 2007 at 10:03 pm
Dearest Cheryl: It’s just string. You’re better and smarter than string. I have faith in you.
Also, those mugs are shiny, and that’s my favorite color.
Love,
Kristen
27 Mar 2007 at 1:23 am
Oh, my. The picture there, with the mug in it? I thought it was somebody’s hair! It looks sooo slick and thin. Can’t imagine.
27 Mar 2007 at 3:36 am
You can do it! Word of note: When you make your warp, make your choke ties TIGHT. Warp back to front (if you are able) and you can use masking tape to tape the loop to your back beam once it’s spread out) so you won’t experience too much shifting.
As Kristen said, It’s just string.
27 Mar 2007 at 10:40 am
Well, I’d have to say rayon is fine to work with so jump on in!! I can see why you can’t resist this skein; the colors are gorgeous.
28 Mar 2007 at 3:10 am
Might this help? :-
“Take courage. Mount the wave. Don’t mind the spray and the buffetings. You will be alright - and it will carry you to a better part of the shore.”
That’s from Vere Hodgson’s diary of life in wartime London, “Few eggs and no oranges” (Persephone Books).
Yes, she was talking about a different magnitude of fear, but the emotion’s the same, even if the degree is not.
Love your pictures, and Aileen’s absolutely right!
28 Mar 2007 at 7:22 pm
conquer your fear…you can do it! I am sure Rosie’s scarf will be stunning.
28 Mar 2007 at 8:45 pm