The stories behind traditional textiles expose our commonalities—we have too much in common with each other to be divided into us and them, to be regarded as more or less. Stories allow us to acknowledge the person in each other.
Stories are inherent in traditional textiles, about the artisans and their communities, and about their cultures and traditions. Some of the stories are in the process, others are integrated in the designs, through figurative or geometric motifs. Though we usually associate stories with words, many are told through symbols or images, whether through hieroglyphics, geometric designs, or figurative imagery. Stories do not have to have a beginning, middle, and end, and they can take many forms, such as prose, dance, poetry, or even a list.
My friend Susan pointed her out. “There she is. The woman I told you about. The one with the brain injury.” Susan was pointing at an unremarkable looking woman. A bit on the skinny side, straight brown hair, sitting alone at a table, all her attention on writing in a small notebook. In my previous … Read more
When the editor of Selvedge Magazine (https://www.selvedge.org) showed interest in my journey to WARP, I didn’t need to think about it—the words were right there, ready to spill over onto the page. WARP, an acronym for Weave A Real Peace, is a networking organization (https://weavearealpeace.org) many of whose members include textile artists and textile aficionados, … Read more
I became a maker at a young age. I was first exposed to a textile technique as a seven year old when Mum taught me to knit. Through the years I learned a variety of textile techniques, including needlepoint, crocheting, felting, and spinning. I enjoyed them all. Learning to weave was different. It was as … Read more
