Fiber Fascination

About a year ago, a thought popped into my head:

"What if I made my own fabric?"

The thought was, in part, birthed out of frugality (wanting luxurious yardages of fabric for garment sewing but not wanting to pay the associated price) and in part out of curiosity (the yearning to understand how "it" all works). I see now that my frugality was based mostly in naivety. Those luxurious fabrics are worth every penny (maybe even more).

I began to research weaving and textile production. Wanting to dip my toes in the water, I bought an Ashford Inkle Loom.

My very first project was a band designed by weaver Kelly Casanova.

Then a few more from Handwoven Magazine.

And then I quickly began to design my own.

Instead of quelling my fiber fascination, inkle weaving stoked it.

I was hooked.

Months flew by and I consumed everything I could find on weaving. It wasn't until January, upon moving from Crowsnest Pass, Alberta to High River, Alberta, that I put all that theory into practice.

I found a listing for a second (or third) hand four harness loom. It was manufactured by a brand (Clement) that I had not heard before, but it looked solidly built and that was good enough for me.

One project...

...turned to two...

...then three...

...then more.

I can't see myself ever stopping.

It permeates my thoughts. I think about design and structure and yarn and fiber continuously throughout the day. I even SEE my surrounding differently. There is woven cloth all around the physical environment, which I had never paid much attention to before; towels, upholstery, clothing...it is everywhere. Deliciously so.