I started a four-selvedge tapestry with the word Notice in it sometime long enough ago that I can’t place the circumstances… but fortunately I know I wove it on Change the Shed and I have a whole archive of them with thumbnails to help me find what I was weaving in any particular episode. If you want to find something interesting to watch, you can access those archives HERE.
The copper pipe loom has been hiding under my Harrisville rug loom for awhile now. Seeing the current state of my studio, you can understand why it has gone unnoticed for some time.
In the gallery below, click on the images to enlarge.
After some searching I found that I started this tapestry on July 31, 2024. Only a year ago! That was also the day that I did Change the Shed from my porch because a beeping smoke alarm 16 feet off the floor in my studio was not something I could get to in that moment to stop the chaos. (I do now own an extension ladder for future such emergencies.)
I think it is time to abandon this tapestry. I did consider finishing it after watching that Change the Shed episode linked above, but I believe it is time to move on. In part it is just about time and not believing in sunk costs. And also sometimes a project just doesn’t stick with you in a meaningful way. This was intended to be a sketch tapestry so there wasn’t a huge up-front investment. And I think the loom would be far better put to other uses. I only have two of this size copper pipe looms and I have an idea for another rock mini tapestry that I want to get going before the other loom is empty (Patreon members can find more about that coming up!)
When is it time to abandon a tapestry or other piece of art?
I suspect the answer is different for everyone. For me, if it is a sketch tapestry and the idea is no longer something I’m excited about, it is okay for me to move on. I have only twice abandoned a large format tapestry. Once I wish I had stuck it out and the second time it was a good decision. But life is full of these sorts of Learning Experiences, isn’t it?
Do you have any point at which you decide a piece isn’t going to get finished and you abandon it officially? I mean we can’t just keep buying or making looms forever and starting new pieces, can we? CAN WE?!!!
A languishing tapestry that is coming off the loom so I can use it for something else!
And just like that…
My Work In Progress to-do list got one item shorter.