Weaving on sundays is born!

It was a cozy and sunny Fall day in 2018, and I found myself in the comforting warmth of my sunroom. The leaves outside were turning their vibrant colors, a beautiful sign of the changing season. A copy of Weaving, Contemporary Makers On The Loom by Katie Treggiden had been delivered the day before, and with a cup of coffee in one hand and the book in another, I sat down on my couch, covered my lap with a blanket, and delved in.

As I turned the book's pages, I was captivated by the modern and innovative use of weaving. The applications ranged from fine art to commercial use, but the common thread was the emphasis on handcrafted pieces, each with unique imperfections. It had been a long time since a book profoundly impacted me, sparking a new wave of inspiration and excitement that I couldn't wait to explore further.

Following my intuition, I asked myself what I loved to do most and would get lost in the act of doing it. I had to reflect on my time in the weaving room at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, where I learned to weave. I remember being in that room late into the nights, many nights, making a warp, threading the heddles, pulling the thread through the reeds, getting the tension just right, and winding the bobbins. Only after I completed all of those, could I start to weave. Each step was methodical but I found the process calming and meditative.

Freedom and creativity come into play in the act of weaving itself. The infinite combinations of structure and color, even in the simplest of setups, are overwhelming and exciting at the same time. The possibilities are endless, from the intricate patterns that can be created with different weave structures to the vibrant palette of colors that can be used to bring these patterns to life.

At that point in my life, I had fifteen years of textile design experience working as a freelancer and designer at small studios and large corporations. I was a wife and mother and had a successful career, but something was missing. After years of working digitally, I yearned to work with my hands and take time to establish a creative practice. I decided to return to weaving.

After taking a refresher class from the Weaver's Guild of MN, I was excited to set up a weaving studio. My friend Karen lent me her Dorset loom, given to her by Sylvia Schwartz, her daughter's paternal grandmother. Sylvia graduated from Cranbrook in 1957 and was a Women's Airforce Service pilot during WWII. I refreshed the loom by lightly sanding the maple surface and replacing the yarn heddles with stainless steel heddles.

It was then that I decided to set aside time for this creative practice, and I was going to do it for at least one hour every Sunday. Thus, Weaving On Sundays was born. My creative practice has grown over the past six years; yes, there is a lot of weaving going on, as well as learning and observing. I don't only weave on Sundays now; I come into my studio daily. Designative time to be in my space brings balance, fulfillment and contentment to my life.

My intent for Weaving On Sundays changes every step of the way. I do not want to be contained in doing or being one thing. I want to move intentionally, be free to explore, and create from pure curiosity.

Welcome to my creative journey!