I used to call myself a dilettante, but that was never entirely true. The truth is that I just have a lot of interests. Mix that with the fact that I’m generally pretty capable and learn fast, and you end up with a person with a lot of hobbies. Between June and December of last year, I took classes in acrylic and encaustic painting, metalsmithing, and lampworking – and that doesn’t include all the stuff I pursued on my own.

This year, one of my big changes has been NO NEW HOBBIES. My idea was that I had plenty to do and a predilection for starting and exploring things without actually finishing them. If I just channeled my energy and time in a really specific way, I’d probably accomplish some amazing stuff. And I have so far – two issues of a comic this year, several shows and fests, a thriving affiliation with a local comics group, lots of new friends… it’s been a good and transformative year.

So when my friend Bonnie offered me a trade deal where, in return for some work for her, I’d get to weave a shawl based on her Color Horoscope Weaving method, using her beautiful bamboo yarns and her amazing, enormous loom, how could I say no? I may not be taking on any new hobbies, but I was glad to take on an amazing opportunity. You can see what she was up to that made this loom monopolizing make sense here.

I wove for a few hours here and there over two weeks. It was excellent timing, for several reasons, some of which I may address in comics… someday.

Cutting it off the loom - dramatic!

All ten-odd feet of it, unspooled from the loom's apron.

Untying the knots from the other end, and setting the shawl free!

The shawl, with tied fringe.

I still need to weave ends in and give it a fluffing-up wash, but it’s beautiful already. I’m looking forward to fall, when I can walk around swathed in my own bit of rainbow, looking very bright and dramatic.