I'm a self taught rug maker. I originally was a denim blanket maker who couldn't bring herself to throw away the denim pieces that were stained. These I cut into strips, sewed together, balled and saved until I had a big stash. At that point the search started to find someone who had a loom to get them made into rugs. Each time I had accumulated enough to send away, I found my previous weaver had passed on. It was literally a dying craft in my area!
I started to watch for a loom. I found one at an estate auction sale only 4 miles from my home. I bought a Union #36 (antique) and amazingly the original instruction book was with it.
From that book, and alot of head scratching, I figured it out. I am at heart very frugal (the ex called me cheap) so all my weft is "found" materials. I use denim - just spread the word about needing jeans and they appear! I use sheets, curtains, towels, chenille blankets, etc. Anything textile that is given to me, along with materials bought at salvation army stores, garage sales, and thrift shops -- as long as it is cheap. I would like to find someone to mentor me on different warping options and find out what all is possible on my loom.
Rugs are a way for me to enjoy myself and make a little cash on the side to help pay for horse hay! I also do alot of other crafty type things including drawing, stained glass, quilting, furniture refinishing, etc. I am currently remodeling a house. Needed to relocate due to a divorce and couldn't find what I needed so I bought land and a 1960 ranch that was for sale to be moved. Winter came too early this year... Doing as much as possible by myself.
Other activities include 4-H, church activities, and following the sports my son is involved in. I've been a 4-H leader for 21 years and have my own club and also the horse key leader for the county.
Weavolution was a dream without a name just over a year ago. Today, it's almost 4000 people strong and it's been great fun to watch and help it grow.
It's been a wonderful experience starting this project, Weavolution, from scratch and building it together with Alison and Tien. We have worked so hard, put in so many hours, especially close to launch. It is so gratifying to see it up and running. I just want people to enjoy the site, put all their projects up, come back often and have a blast.
My name is Laverne.
I am an Australian living in Santa Cruz, Bolivia where I teach English. I have lived in S America for 16 years. I started off in Chile's Patagonia in sheep country and, on a trip to Colorado in 1995, I learned Navajo weaving and a little about spinning. I had a Navajo loom built when I returned to Chile and made a few rugs. Then my interest grew to South American weaving and I got hold of a few books. I was lucky enough to get to go to Peru in 1996 and learn to weave with a backstrap loom as well as spin with a drop spindle and have since dedicated myself entirely to this loom. Since this first trip in 1996, I have learned to weave with indigenous women and men in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and, most recently, in Guatemala. I moved to Bolivia in 1998. Some of my teachers asked me to teach them techniques from Bolivia and other regions-that was fun! On a trip to Ecuador in 2007, I got a little experience studying and documenting techniques with an American anthroplogist and I hope to put out a book someday showing and teaching the various structures that I have learned. I look forward to chatting with other weavers here on this site and hope to be able to help out with any questions about backstrap weaving and also learn from the vast store of information out there!!
I have a blog about backstrap weaving backstrapweaving.wordpress.com/
I weave for pleasure and also occasionally sell items thru my guild or exhibits. I am a semi-retired community health nurse and in my "spare" time I weave, spin, knit, dye- but weaving is my favourite fibre love. I enjoy making special gifts for family and friends and usually have something on my two looms (Leclerc 8 shaft 45" for blankets, yardage and Leclerc 8 shaft 24" for scarves,placemats). I am a member of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers guild and am also on the board of directors for the Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival (www.gibsonslandingfibrearts.com)
In my many moves around BC, I have belonged to four weaving/spinning guilds and have always felt welcomed. Members have been generous in sharing their knowledge and encouraging beginners. I enjoy passing on my passion thru public demonstrations and teaching, both formal and informal. Looking forward to getting connected with other weavers on this fabulous new website!
I teach knitting (two socks on one long needle at the same time) and have also taught weaving and drop spindle spinning with my fellow guild members.
I live in Denmark, and have been a weaver for 10 years. I am in no way professional, but just enjoy making beautiful fabric for myself, family and friends.
Mostly I weave on a big countermarche loom, but occasionally I do inkle and card weaving, too.
I have tried many projects, scarves, shawls, towels, pillowcases, bags, rugs, curtains, ...
My favorite loom is too big for my house, so it "lives" in my summerhouse, and for many years I have only been weaving when on holiday there. Now I do own a smaller loom at home, too.
I belong to Complex Weavers (past pres), Weavers Guild of Boston (current Dean and NEWS rep), Weavers of Western Mass (current program chair, past pres.), Pioneer Valley Weavers (past pres.), Weavers Guild of Springfield, and HGA. I'm currently a member of the Complex Weavers study groups CTools, CAD, Japanese Textiles, 24 Shaft More or Less, and Early Weaving Books and Manuscripts and have been a member of many others in the past.
I am a full-time studio artist who's retired from teaching at the local university in the art dept.
Graduated from Haywood Community College in 2008 with an Associates degree in Professional Crafts / Fiber. Plan to open a business called Warpology in the near future, when I have a studio. I would like to teach weaving primairly
Disabled Rn ( as new nurse show says nurse with bad back is an unemployed nurse.) Luckily can weave or spin now when I am willing and able. On my last job I was a Home Care nurse with all the teaching of family and Clients I got quite good at it! My favorite job was as a staff nurse on a heart/ telemetry unit in a Medical College I learned so much there.
My spouse of 30 years is a fiber enabler. He builds reasonable priced weaving accessories as you can see on my webpage. Right now we live in Michigan in the summer and NC in the winter hope to move to NC permanantly.
I love Fiber, Color, texture and patterns
I´m a knitter, spinner, felter and weaver
with a "Restless Hands Syndrome".
It`s great to be here and to learn something new every day!
My daughter joined a 4-H club focused on weaving and spinning when she was about 13....well, apparently that was what I had been waiting for. Spinning did not appeal to me, but I took a short series of weaving classes and have hardly stopped since. I weave for pleasure and for profit. I participate in a shop with a local artists' cooperative; I sell at a lovely little soap boutique; my two guilds have holiday sales that have worked very well; and I made a lucky connection with an upscale web business (Beekman 1802.com) for which I weave a small line of textiles and baby things. I have also enjoyed being an occasional contributor to Handwoven magazine; my Christmas Tree towels appeared in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue.
