gathering at Anne Marie’s

Since I was in crazy weaving production mode due to the upcoming Driftless Area Art Festival I almost didn’t attend our monthly weavers gathering at Anne Marie’s house.  I’m sure glad that I went, it was just the break from weaving that I needed and now that the art fair is sadly canceled again this year due to covid; I am really glad that I went.

Her house is a short distance from mine, as the eagle flies perhaps only a few miles but it always seems like an adventure getting there on our winding steep roads. I love the picture I took from her driveway as we were leaving, it looks like we are headed straight to the clouds.

It was a small group but three of the people are ones that I hadn’t seen in a long time.  Denise has just recently retired so I am very happy that we will get to see her more often along with the weaving projects that she now has more time for.  I loved seeing her cowls.  Olga would have loved the hats that she showed us that she had picked up at a resale shop.  Handwoven fabric for hats seems like a worthy goal.

Cathy and Mary both joined us also.  Coming from LaCrosse, and Cathy’s job put restrictions on when they can make it.  So there were a plethora of woven goods from both that they shared.

Cathy is a very talented beginner weaver with a number of classes under her belt from Vavstuga and she shared many linen projects from her latest class there.  All equally beautiful but I think my favorite was the table square in the most vibrant of colors.  My table needs one of those.  Cathy purchased my 54″ Glimakra a couple of years ago and now she is up to 3 looms.  A woman after my own heart.

Mary showed us a lovely linen towel (also on my list) plus the lovely touch of a handwoven hanging tab.  She had 4 or 5 stunning samples of double weave from a class that she took with Jennifer Moore (also, also on my list).

Nan shared her hand made silver bangles and I had 3 new turned twill scarves just off the loom.  Inspired by Patti Lamb’s scarves that helped me further the stripe idea I’ve wanted to try for awhile now.  Her blog post is here and she also had an article in Handwoven Sept/Oct 2020 showing this draft.  Her blog is a wealth of knowledge if you want to lose yourself for a couple of hours.

Kathleen announced that she will be selling her loom.  Sadly not used enough to earn the status of loom in a living space.  Understandable.  I almost dragged my loom out to the living room during marathon night weaving to watch the Olympics but Jim panicked and brought up a TV from his workshop and hooked it up for me.  It made weaving until 10:00 easier.

Anne Marie’s house and food is always an inspiration.  From her antique grain grinder that looks well used to her hand spun skeins of yarn and the sheep it came from just outside, to lots of art that they have both created throughout their house.  I’m so happy that I went and thank you Anne Marie for your gracious, loving hospitality.

Back to weaving for me, somehow more sweet without the looming deadline of the art fair over my head.  I should rethink my participation in art fairs from a stress standpoint but this fair is so special I just know that I would miss it too much.  So you are hearing it here…I will build inventory over the winter so I don’t have to weave like a crazy person all summer. Snort..never going to happen though.

under the willow

Anne Marie modeling my scarves, sweet Eva and some of Nan’s metalwork silver bracelets

It was so good to see Denise after such a long time. Retirement agrees with her. Her cowls and lacy red wool scarf were beautiful.

Cathy’s lovely linens and wool bound weave from classes taken at Vavstuga

Mary shares some double weave samples from a class taken with Jennifer Moore. Plus her beautiful linen towel with a handwoven hanging tab

Some of Anne Marie’s hands-spun and the sheepies that made the fiber

My most recent twill scarves off of the loom.