Weaving
Insider Info
Thousands of North Americans enjoy the ancient craft of weaving. In fact,
the journal Shuttle Spindle and Dyepot is distributed to about 10,000 members
every three months. It seems the future for weaving is looming large.
Basically, anything woven can be made on a loom at home. This includes
tapestries, blankets, towels, curtains, place mats, scarves, and clothing
-- even fine silk garments! All it takes is a loom, some thread, yarn or strips
of rags, and time.
Weaving is for people "who want to do something sort of artistic and yet
useful," says Bill Koepp, a weaver in California. "People love it if you give
them a hand-woven article."
Koepp has been weaving as a hobby since 1976. He also gives advice to other
weavers on the Internet. About 1,600 weavers belong to one of the lists of
which he's a part of. Koepp suspects weaving is growing in popularity.
"I think it's becoming more popular, but it's too early to tell," Koepp
says. "The signs are that it's getting more and more popular with people because
they're getting more and more tired of all this mechanized [stuff]."
Koepp says the popularity of weaving goes in cycles. It was very popular
in the 1940s and again in the 1960s and 1970s. Recently, its popularity has
started to grow again.
Weaver Joanne Hall has noticed the same cycles, but is unsure what causes
them. "I think it goes in waves," she says. "It could be tied to wartime or
economics, but I don't know."
Hall teaches weaving at her studio in Montana. She offers one main reason
people like to weave: "It's just a lot of fun."
There are three basic kinds of looms: floor looms, table looms, and tapestry
looms. Floor looms and table looms do exactly the same thing, but the table
loom is smaller. Tapestry looms are slow and intricate. Weavers of highly
detailed Navajo rugs use them, for example.
Getting Started
The one downside to the hobby is that looms can be expensive. Many cost
$2,000 or more. A good option is to buy a used one for between $100 and $400.
An even better option might be to take a course that supplies a loom.
Christine Loff teaches a 10-week weaving course. "Where I teach, everything's
supplied," she says. "So you need nothing except to bring yourself there,
which I think is good because then people can try it out and see if they like
it before they go and lay out for a loom."
It's possible to make your own loom if you're handy with wood. That's what
Koepp, who's a carpenter by trade, did. It took him three weeks to build a
floor loom that he and his wife still use.
Loff, who is also a representative for a weaving guild, says a wide variety
of people are attracted to weaving. More than 400 people belong to the guild.
"The people in my classes have ranged all the way from teenagers to a man
of 90," she says. "It's a recreational activity mainly, in our culture. People
are looking for something relaxing. They're looking to produce useful things
for their house."
Besides the cost of a loom, a weaver needs to buy thread, wool, or strips
of rags. The cost can add up, with a wool rug costing about $50 to $80 per
square foot.
The cheapest method is to use old shirts and jeans. Then, you can make
a rug for $10 to $15 per square foot. Six inches an hour is a typical speed
on a floor or table loom, and three inches an hour is the norm on a tapestry
loom.
Weaving is something virtually anyone can do. It doesn't require mobility
or heavy lifting. It just takes a few months of practice before threading
the loom and throwing the shuttle become second nature.
"A lot of people do it who are so beaten up by arthritis they can hardly
move," says Koepp. "There are no restrictions that way."
Most weavers give their creations away to family and friends. A few attend
craft fairs where they sell their wares. A very small number make a living
selling their woven products, usually in addition to teaching weaving.
Hall is one of the select few who makes a living weaving. She sells tapestries
to museums and teaches weaving at her studio.
"It's just like with any other artist -- many of us become teachers in
order to do that, because it's kind of an insecure way to make a living, because
you're constantly having to market and sell your work."
To find out more about weaving, contact your local weaving guild. Most
guilds offer courses for beginners, with all equipment supplied.
So, if you like to make useful things and want a relaxing, creative, and
fun hobby, maybe weaving is for you. Try it out and see if you catch the weaving
bug.
Associations
Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.
Two Executive Concourse, Ste. 201
3327 Duluth Hwy
Duluth
,
GA
30096-3301
USA
Internet
:
http://www.weavespindye.org
Links
Association of Northwest Weavers' Guilds
Collection of useful resources and event listings for weavers
located in the northwest U.S. and western Canada
Ruthe's Collection of Weaving Resources
Advice from a hobbyist weaver and information on weaving supplies
Rug Weavers' Workshop
Weaving tips and tricks, a gallery of photos, and more
Handweaving.net
Weaving draft and pattern archive with over 30,000 historic drafts
for weavers
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