Reprinted from Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot magazine, issue 138

Right from the start-develop a personal fiber philosophy before attending Convergence or other fiber conferences.

Often attendees feel overwhelmed by the extent of information, inspiration, exhibitions, activities and choices in the vendor area at Convergence. Sometimes it can even be discouraging to think about how much there is to learn.

Whether this is your first Convergence or you are a veteran Convergence attendee, think about developing a personal fiber philosophy prior to attending a fiber conference as large and varied as Convergence. What is a "personal fiber philosophy?" This is one definition better explained by examples.

Actually, I have a fiber philosophy for weaving, another for spinning, and one for knitting. These philosophies are not some weighty written treatises about fiber but my attitude and my thoughts about my crafts. It is the way I approach my crafts daily, remembering why they are done, what they mean to me, then staying focused on these beliefs while admiring other people's work at Convergence, while being inspired by the speakers, and while learning from the instructors.

Weaving Philosophy
To me, weaving is a journey for my mind. I weave to explore, either by weaving samples to find the answers to questions that come up in my teaching, or to discover the relationship of texture and color in reversible textiles. At this Convergence, I will be taking classes to help me progress in my journey. When I look at others' work, I admire it, but I also study it-not because I have any intention of reproducing it, but to learn how the artist has solved the problem he or she posed, whether it is the design, the weave structure or the fiber characteristics of the finished piece.

People weave for different reasons, all of which are legitimate. As a teacher, I encourage students to develop their philosophy-what is important to them. Some really want their threading to be perfect, so if there is a threading error, we fix it, even if it means unthreading and re-threading. Others can live with a mistake-they just want to move on. That is okay, too. Process is more important than the product to them and that is a valid goal.

Spinning Philosophy
In contrast, I spin for my soul. I like nothing better than to sit at my wheel after a long day and relax. In fact, my favorite Friday night activity is to sit outside on our patio and spin, with a glass of wine, talking to my husband. To me, it doesn't get any better than that! I like to try different fibers because I like the variety in textures. And the yarn I make? I have only one rule-it has to hold together. If the thread is not even, so what? As long as I can still use it in my weaving and knitting, it is yarn. After all, I spend good money for nicely textured yarns-why should I strive to make a perfectly even thread? The best spinning lesson I learned came from Judith McKenzie who taught me to set up the wheel correctly and not worry about the spinning. If I ever did it enough, I might actually get better at it. But that is not important-what matters is that I enjoy my spinning-I do not worry about the twists per inch. Spinning is to me a right-brain activity.

This is not to say that I don't admire those who are compulsive about their spinning. I am in awe when I see yarn as thin as hair-as perfect as a spider would make. I can appreciate, cheer and congratulate the spinner. And I am glad that someone is striving for and achieving that kind of excellence. Could I ever be that good? That is not a question I pose myself. Maybe I could, maybe I couldn't. The point is, I don't want to.

While it is wonderful to have excellence in spinning, I am saddened when I find, as I recently did, a spinner who was paralyzed because she was told that she was not spinning "correctly." I am reminded of what my husband says: perfection is the enemy of the good. I hope that she is now convinced that good yarn is better than no yarn, and that perfect yarn can only be achieved by practicing good yarn.

Knitting Philosophy
I have been knitting on and off since I was a child. I do not go anywhere without my knitting. I knit in the car as a passenger (though I have tried to sneak in a few stitches at long red lights when I'm driving), I knit in meetings, and I knit in restaurants. I used to knit at airports and on planes before knitting needles became terrorist weapons. I knit because my hands have to be busy, and if they have to be busy, it may as well be with the soothing feel of fiber. If I am at a meeting where I cannot knit, I make ugly paperclip sculptures. I know how to shape garments, how to make cables and how to do a variety of fancy stitches, but I choose not to use them. Since I knit on the go, I need to have portable projects that can be worked. I knit fiber squares to explore fibers or make simply-shaped accessories. While I feel that a little uneven tension will come out in the wash, I pick up dropped stitches, and if it is too late to pick them up, I unravel. The knitting has to be good enough to meet my standards.

Again, I admire the complicated work of others-the incredibly fine Shetland shawls and the complex color knitting. But admiration does not translate into the pressure of having to do it, or to envy because I do not do it, or to frustration because my eyes no longer allow me to knit easily with a fine thread. Could I do it if I had to? Perhaps-but my philosophy is to be happy with what I do, admire the work of others, and not worry about anything in between.

Value Your Reasons
In our enthusiasm to pass our crafts on to others, sometimes as teachers we want our students to understand that we have found the perfect way to do something. We forget that the "perfect" way may actually paralyze a student who is happy in her way, and that what is perfect to us may not be perfect to others. We also may forget that students are there for different reasons-that we should want to encourage each student in his or her journey, not have them join us in ours. My goal is to try very hard to explain my approach-why I do things in a certain way-and then let the student decide whether those reasons work for her or him.

But there is a fine line between guiding through teaching and imposing the instructor's way of doing things as "the" way-the only way. There is also a fine line between encouraging students to increase their level of comfort and efficiency, and pushing them to frustration. There is a fine line between posing a problem so that it can be solved, and solving it the instructor's way. These fine lines are different for each student.

So a little thinking about your own philosophy will help you to have a perfect Convergence (or wherever else your fiber travel takes you). Ask yourself why you practice your crafts, what they mean to you, and what is important to you. Realize that these answers are valid. If you feel unsure, frustrated or overwhelmed, remind yourself why you weave or why you spin. Remember where you want the craft to take you and where you want to take the craft.

Going into an experience with a clear idea of what you want to get out of it will help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. At Convergence in particular, it is impossible to do it all-to see it all. Even after you have developed a personal philosophy, you may still feel overwhelmed. If you have to leave something out, what will it be? By answering questions you can establish your goals ahead of time.

Think about the classes, workshops, or seminars you have chosen to take. What do you want from them? Do you want to learn something specific? Get a different point of view? Solve a problem? Or just hear a particular leader or speaker you have admired? All of these are legitimate.

Next, plan carefully the exhibits you want to see and why. It is far better to see fewer exhibits carefully than to see them all and have them end afterwards in a big blur. Do you want to be inspired? Learn how people use a specific technique? Do you want to study how others use color? Sometimes I like to walk through a series of exhibits just to get an overview of what is going on in the fiber world. I do not have a plan, and I stop to observe more carefully something that strikes my fancy. If I do not get through the entire exhibit, so be it, but I do not walk through marking time just so that I can finish.

At Convergence 2000 in Cincinnati, there was a big difference in how I approached the vendor hall when I was deciding on which loom I was going to buy. Since I had a specific purpose, this was a chance to do homework before making a purchase, to compare and contrast, and to make a decision. It would have taken months to do what I was able to do in three days at Convergence. It was a good experience and I feel I made the right decision, but it was hard work. When I don't have a specific (expensive) purchase in mind, I like to walk the vendor hall once to check it all out, stop to see what is new here and there, making a mental note of what I might like to buy. (Don't take too long, though, to decide on your purchases-they may be gone when you go back for them!) Touching fibers and yarn and looking at books that I don't have available locally helps not only with purchases at the conference, but also in the future. Picking up literature or cards helps me remember later where a specific item was located. Think about what you need from vendors-to find out what is new? To buy specific items? To test spinning wheels or looms? To talk to vendors about a particular problem? Make sure you meet your goals.

I have been known to skip seminars because I was reaching my saturation point, but I would highly recommend attending all lectures and featured speakers' presentations. While you may not be interested in a particular topic, it is good to be exposed to something new. I feel it is a small investment in time to be inspired by a different point of view, a different culture, or a different discipline, even if later it becomes part of "been there, done that." I would be hard pressed to have another chance to hear all of these speakers again.

Finally, leave enough time to meet old friends and make new ones. Yes, there is comfort in being with your guild members, but there are tons of other fiber people waiting to make new friends, too. Where else will you have the opportunity to talk with people from over twenty-seven countries? Sit with different people, talk to your neighbors, mingle at the receptions, and greet people in elevators. If you need an icebreaker, here are two: What seminar did you take today (or are you taking tomorrow)? Did you make what you are wearing (or, What do you like to make)? Work the room. Most people are more than willing to talk about their passion for their craft; they are just as shy as you are about meeting strangers. So remember-there are no strangers, just friends one hasn't made yet.

Have a wonderful Convergence, and I hope to see you there!

Marcy Petrini is a past president of the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., and teaches weaving at the Chimneyville School, sponsored by the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi.