Have loom, will travel OR love notes from TSA

Have loom, will travel OR love notes from TSA

So you're headed for a week-long vacation in the sun and you decide to pack your little pipe loom for some beach-side weaving. Then moments before you head out the door, you pull the loom out, afraid TSA will think it is a bomb... 

Have you been there?

I have flown a lot in the US and have never had weaving equipment taken away from me. I have, however, had my bags searched repeatedly. I get love notes from TSA almost every trip. I chalk it up to the combination of metal looms and electronics. And for the record, I am glad they are checking. Aren't you?

Yesterday's Red

Yesterday's Red

Occasionally pieces I wove a long time ago pop up.

Before I became James Koehler's apprentice. Before I really knew all that much about weaving tapestry. Before I was an ATA member and read about tapestry and went to lots of shows and learned everything I could... back at the beginning, I wove some very simple things.

It turns out this one at least, is lovely.

Marginalia: the tapestries of Sarah Swett

Marginalia: the tapestries of Sarah Swett

I have been enchanted by the tapestry of Sarah Swett for a long time now. And if you've ever met Sarah, you'll have to agree with me that she is pretty enchanting herself. 

I was able to go see her new show at the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum in La Conner, Washington last week. This is most likely the last time she'll be exhibiting her Rough Copy series all together and absolutely it is a sight not to be missed.

Learning beginning tapestry weaving

Learning beginning tapestry weaving

Today is the third anniversary of my signature online tapestry course, Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry. The launching of this course was my first step away from my career as a healthcare provider. Sure I had been working as a tapestry teacher and artist for many years prior, but I always paid the bills with my therapist income. Three years ago I took the plunge when I pushed PUBLISH on this course and though it has at times been uncertain, I have never regretted taking the leap.

A return to Penland

A return to Penland

At the end of my time at Hambidge I was able to take a day to visit Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. Tommye Scanlin and Bhakti Ziek are two amazing masters of fiber art. Tommye is a tapestry artist and has been a big inspiration and mentor for me over the last half-decade. Bhakti has also become a mentor in a wide variety of ways. She is the master of jacquard weaving but also has a vast knowledge of weaving and weave structures.

The two of them are teaching an 8-week concentration in textiles at Penland. They have 12 motivated students who are working on everything from tapestry to complicated weave structures to overshot to indigo dyeing. I was quite impressed by the variety of projects these students are working on.

Happy Blog-o-versary (with a course discount!)

Happy Blog-o-versary (with a course discount!)

My first blog post was April 20, 2008. Somehow it has been nine years of blogging. My first post was about a tapestry called This Time I Dance which was purchased by a friend of a friend. 

The blog has evolved a lot over the last nine years. It has absolutely been the driver for my career as a fiber arts educator and I am so grateful to all of my faithful readers. Some of you have been around for that entire nine years--and I don't just mean my parents! (but thanks for reading Mom and Dad).

(Hint: Read full post for discount code for Little Looms online course!)