For all my blog post followers, you now have a chance to learn from me in person! I am scheduled to make live appearances on the East and West Coasts this summer, teaching two different classes in two different venues: Mid-Atlantic Fiber Association (MAFA) and The Grunewald Guild. Fall Square, double weave, 4 blocks, 16 shafts, horizontal stripes in one layer and vertical stripes in the other layer, 2019. An example of design showing movement, rhythm using color as the main

It’s that time of the year. Time when we reflect on the past year, plan for the new year, and make resolutions. Many of us resolve to live a simpler life, to cut out bad habits and install a few good ones. This is much like the process of editing needed in design. How does this apply to designing and editing for weaving? I see several correlations. First: You can’t do everything. Those who make resolutions usually only make one or two each year. They don’t have a list of

I have been thinking, one thing that may help you all in the design process is to follow my thoughts and processes from start to finish. I have been thinking of designing a scarf, because that is what may people weave. It gives you a lot of freedom and choices in the design process yet it is not overwhelmingly large. The first step is to set my limitations. I decided I would design with the elements of line and texture being dominant. That can go in many directions. At fi

As part of my BFA in studio art, I took a ceramics class. On the first day the professor asked us to make a cup/vase/container. We all did and some of us were quite happy with the results. Then he told us to throw them in the scrap bucket. We all hesitated. His reply is that you have to get over the thought that everything you make is “precious.” Precious here meaning valuable, a great object worth keeping. That applies if you have spent a little time and money in making

I am taking a brief break from my designing weaver interviews. There will be more coming, they are just waiting for responses from various weavers, and because, hey, designing weavers are busy...designing and weaving! During this interval I am taking a short sidetrack to talk about bravery. You hear it said that you can’t be creative unless you aren’t afraid to fail. That failure can take many forms, from a failed project to rejection from a gallery or buyer. But, you als

Peace Tent design, woven and photographed by Suzanne Halvorson. SN: I first met Suzanne while working on my MFA in studio art at Indiana University. In addition to weaving, we have many other things in common, knowing a lot of the same people and sharing a love for ecclesiastical art. SH: I am Suzanne Halvorson. I live in Bloomington, IN. I have a BSFA with a major in Art History and Minor in Theology from Valparaiso University. My beloved first weaving teacher and ment

How on earth do you begin something like this? That has been my conundrum for some time. First, an introduction, my name is Sara Nordling. I am a weaver with an MFA in studio art. I weave and I teach. In addition to teaching weaving I also teach in the Fine Arts Fundamentals area at a local university. In the weaving world there are many books on warping a loom, various weave structures, and projects ideas. Very few books, even those that push you to be creative and try