"Workaday" / Tags: Conclusion

Since Friday morning, I've been contemplating the word, and the notion, of "workaday".   I hadn't heard the word for a long time until Sheldon described Leonard thus to Leonard's Mom (1:30), in the episode of American sitcom "The Big Bang Theory".

Weavers, and other "makers" in New Zealand, use the term "bread and butter" to describe work they make which are creatively nononerous but bring in quick/easy money.  Now that I've been reminded of the word, "workaday" seems to describe this activity better; you put in the hours, pieces get made, and a small amount of money comes in.  Kind of like office jobs I've had.  Even though in the current economy even the small pieces aren't flying out the window.  But I know you get the point.  It's usually not very exciting cranking out  these pieces off, at least not for me.  

I've been thinking of what I perceive as my "workaday" pieces.  Make no mistake, the same care goes into each of my piece, but the small 2/2 twill, (because it brings out the best hand,) cashmere scarves are my most workaday, followed closely by the 110/2 merino warp medium (about 30cm wide) and wide (between 75-84cm wide) pieces, including the latest.  I honestly do appreciate your compliments, and it is a nice piece this latest, but I think you will understand when I say there was no real challenge, no something-new, in the making of the piece, and that is what I perceive as workaday.

So, I've been thinking of cashmeres in a different structure, and at least for a while, a markedly different appearance.  And I've been contemplating Color & Weave and/or Shadow Weave.

* * * * *

The tags have been fixed, to the best of the printer's ability.  Paul, the owner or manager of the company, cut the sides of the tags which had more than 1mm difference in the width of the front and the back page.  But I was still left with a little less than half of my order not acceptable to me, so I asked if he'd give me yellow cartridge paper ever so slightly smaller than the tags so I can insert them like pages to detract the eyes, and he did this in an instant.  Paul also gave me the exact dimensions of the yellow sheets so I could order if I need more.  Best of all, the tags came back looking as fresh as the day I first received them; not worn, no corners bashed, and not looking tired and "handled".

I went to the galleries in town to swap the tags, and I came across a new problem.  I punched holes in the top/center of the old tags; the news ones, since they look like books, I punch the top/left; wee plastic bags I sometimes use to attach yarn samples come with holes in the top/center.

I contemplated a long tag folding vertically, (the fold running horizontally,) as I thought it looks more like a garment tag, but I was more drawn to the booklet idea so the idea was rejected quickly.  I'll worry about this if ever I have to order some more.

Actually, there is another wee problem.  See, I used to use an inexpensive hole punch that made 1/4 inch holes; because I didn't like the look of these large holes in the new tags, I invested in a Frisker's 1/8 inch hole punch this time.  The holes in the bags are somewhere in-between, but in real life looks better next to the 1/4 inch hole in the tag.  Looking for small bags without the holes would be the quickest route, but I have about 80 bags left, so I shall worry about it later.

Of course all this is of a minor concern if I can weave spectacular, mind-blowingly fab pieces one after another.  But I'm Japanese; I can't help thinking about the whole package, and these usually have quicker solutions than spectacular, mind-blowingly fab pieces one after another.  


I have now been classified as a fussy customer of Speedy Print, (Paul said it much nicely,) and I'm happy about that. But I am also a satisfied customer. 

Now if I could weave more quickly and consistently...