Lunar Year of the Wood Snake- Blog Post
Welcome to the Lunar Year of the Wood Snake!!
The Snake represents wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, intuition and creativity. Snakes are also associated with good luck, prosperity, fertility and longevity. And wood represents flexibility and adaptability, growth and expansion. It is an element that supports problem solving and creativity with an emphasis on harmony and improving communication.
The last time the Year of the Wood Snake come around was 1965. And that was a year of transformation! It was the year of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, the founding of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and the Civil Rights Act. It was when the first human walked in space and the very first ‘micro’ computer debuted, for a mere $18,000. It was a year of firsts and transformations.
A Year of Transformation!
The combination of the snake, who sheds her skin to transform and grow and the element of wood, which is the only one of the five elements that grows, makes the coming year a time ripe for transformation and growth. As fiber artists, we are surrounded by transformations. Yarns that transform after we wash them or tools that transform our weaving life. Or transformation and growth that we obtain when we learn about a new weaving technique, look at colors in new ways or go to a conference or guild meeting and learn new things.
Blueberry Pie Scarf with Copper weft
Blueberry Pie Scarf with Blue Green weft
Ripples Scarf by Denise Kovnat
Tetsu Stainless Steel and Silk
39 Stainless Steel and Silk
Yarns to Transform Your Fabrics!!
A fabulous feature of yarn is that you can transform it into so many things. And the end product can look radically different from the original yarn.
- Have you seen the Blueberry Pie Scarves designed by Mary Berent? The same warp can make two radically different looking scarves, just by changing weft color. And the copper weft scarf has an iridescence that appears through the combination of color and structure! It's magical!
- Or the Ripples Scarf designed by Denise Kovnat. The addition of the crepe yarn to a double woven scarf creates a delightful texture when the scarf is washed. Truely transformative!
- If you are looking to transform your weaving, give the stainless-steel and silk yarns a try. Shape your fabrics into new and interesting shapes!
Schacht Boat Shuttles
Warp Paddle
Baby Wolf Loom from Schacht Spindle Co.
Tools to Transform Your Creativity!
We are often asked what our favorite weaving tools are. This year, both Jenne and Amber said right away that their favorite weaving tool is the boat shuttle. Realizing there are so many different kinds and sizes and finding the right one for you is a game changer.
- Jenne went from using a big bulky single bobbin shuttle to finding the Slim Double Bobbin Boat Shuttle and she's never going back!
- And Amber started out using stick shuttles on her rigid heddle loom, because the loom came with stick shuttles. After a few weeks, she gave an 11” Slim Boat Shuttle a try. It was a total life saver! It made the ‘winding onto my bobbin’ process easier than when winding onto the stick shuttle. It also made weaving so much smoother and quicker when throwing my weft in.
Michele's quick pick of favorite weaving tool this year is her Baby Wolf Loom.
- Since Michele's very first ever loom was a 48”, 16-shaft AVL mechanical dobby loom, when she got her first Baby Wolf loom, she was thrilled. It was small, easy to warp and weave on, it could go to the living room, the patio or the kid’s school without too much trouble. Weaving went from the solitary occupation in a studio away from the house to a pastime she could enjoy with friends and family. And her Baby wolf is still her favorite loom!!!
And Katzy's favorite transformative tool is a warping paddle.
- Winding long, solid color warps are a breeze when you can use multiple ends at a time threaded through the warping paddle. It makes it easy to wind the 804 ends of the gorgeously soft warp of 10/2 American Maid™ Cotton for the Center of the Earthtone or Splash! towels.
We will see you on the road!
This Year of the Wood Snake, we are looking forward to seeing you this coming year.
- We will be in the vendor hall at the ANWG Conference in Yakima, Washington (June 16-21, 2025)
- And Michele B. will be teaching a workshop on Hemp Exploration at Midwest Weaver's Conference in St. Louis, MO. June 8-14.
Intentions for the New Year!
This Painting was created by Grace Noel. She has graciously given us permission to use it here. Click here to visit her website to see more of her work.
We Lunatics take this time to look forward to the year to come and set goals and intentions for ourselves.
Michele: Now that I have somehow flown into my 7th decade, I look forward to growing and transforming my role to one more of teacher and mentor. (Maybe with a little bit less schlepping boxes and loading vehicles?) And to grow my communication skills. And share all the amazing things that were shared with me.
Katzy: I would like to use this year of the snake transform many facets of my life: business, personal and my overall way of looking at my fiber art. Relax and see things in a new light!
Jenne: This really is my year of transformation! As I step into new roles in my career, I want to make sure I continue to find balance. Carving out time for weaving is just as important as bookwork. It is also vital to my mental health.
Amber: My intension for this year is to create more rigid heddle kits for beginner weavers, like me, to enjoy!
Here’s wishing to all our wonderful Customers, Suppliers, Kit Makers, Friends and Families, a year of meaningful, loving and supportive transformation.