Spirals, Shine & Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone: A New Tapestry Series Begins!
Hello, weaving friends!
So… I’ve done a thing.
I, the eternal lover of calm, earthy tones and soothing oceanic blues, have officially dipped my toes (and entire loom) into the brave, bold, blazing world of red, orange, and yellow. And I’m not talking “rustic burnt sienna with a touch of ochre” — no, no. We are talking look-directly-at-the-sun levels of brightness here. I think my warp was slightly confused. Honestly? So am I. But also, I'm loving it.
This new tapestry project marks the start of a small (but mighty!) series inspired by something that, if you'd told 14-year-old me, would be part of my creative future, she would’ve laughed, cried, and then dramatically dropped her math textbook: mathematics.
Yep. We're talking spirals. Fibonacci spirals, to be exact.
These hypnotic little curves, born from the golden ratio, have captured my weaver’s heart. There’s something deeply poetic about using numbers — the very things that haunted my Grade 9 dreams — to create something visually stunning, rhythmic, and yes, even soothing. Who knew math could feel like meditation?
Of course, this means I’ve now become that person who has dozens of graph pages covered in spirals, shaded in with every red, orange, and yellow pencil I could find. At this rate, I might start a black market for warm-toned colouring pencils. I just keep printing more of these babies and colouring whenever I need a break. It’s wildly therapeutic. (Except when the red runs out. RIP Red Pencil #3.)
🌟 The Yarn: Vinnis Colours Serina
For this tapestry, I’m using Vinnis Colours Serina — a bamboo yarn that I’m honestly obsessed with. The shine on it is unreal. It catches the light like a silk blend but is breathable and soft in a way only bamboo can be. Since I wanted finer detail and more control over the texture, I’ve been carefully deconstructing the yarn, using only a few plies at a time. Is it fiddly? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. It gives the spiral shapes a subtle definition that makes them pop.
🎨 Why Bright Colours Though?
Look, I’m asking myself the same thing. I don’t know what possessed me — maybe the sun was out too long that day — but I wanted to try something that made me slightly uncomfortable. And isn't that where growth happens? If we always stick to what we know, how do we surprise ourselves?
This is me, choosing to surprise myself.
This is me, choosing yellow.
If you’re curious about the design process, or just want to see how this psychedelic spiral journey unfolds, stick around! There may be colour swaps (necessity is the mother of invention and I’m definitely going to run out of orange), and there will definitely be more Fibonacci-inspired tapestries in the coming weeks.
Thanks for being here and cheering me on as I weave, colour, and math my way through this bright new chapter.
With love and slightly overstimulated eyes,
Sadé
Your Friendly Handwoven Artist with a Math Redemption Arc