Episode 21: Generous Weaving
This episode we talk about the ways weavers are using their art to help others. We’ll hear the amazing story of the weaving program at Children’s Hospital in Seattle. I’ll share some thoughts about how twist affects winding a warp, and in today’s essay, Kate Jantz-Koprivnik tells the tale of a simple weaving project that turned into an eleven-day adventure.
Resources (mentioned during the show)
- HGA Convergence
- HGA COE in Handweaving
- Convergence Camping Group
- Cotton Clouds
- Christa Knits
- Random Number Generator
- Knitting for Charity
- Harrisville Designs
- Seattle Weavers’ Guild
- Seattle Children's Hospital
Musical Guest
"Help us do Enough" by The Aphrodisiacs from their album This is a Campaign
Sponsor for Episode 21
Download Episode 21: Generous Weaving
posted by Syne Mitchell at 4:05 AM
9 Comments:
Thank you for another episode, wonderful to listen to while untangling my warp.
Congratulations on the auction success, I'm really looking forward to hearing about next summer's Convergence and the Complex Weavers gathering right after it.
I thought this was one of your best and most heart-felt shows!
Please keep up the good work. You're an important part of the world-wide weaving community.
Thanks for the inspirations!
For more weaving, spinning, fulling, AND music, consider Norman Kennedy.
Great to have you back! But I must say I was very impressed at the support from your husband on the previous episode - it didn't even sound as though he had his arm heavily twisted behind his back...
You asked about other "good works" being done by weavers. WARP (Weave a Real Peace) is an outstanding organization. Its mission is "to facilitate empowerment and betterment of women and communities-in-need through textile arts".
I listened with interest to your report on the weaving program in the Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington, and I applaud the success of the certified volunteers from the Seattle Weavers’ Guild.
Weavers are the most generous and caring people in the world. How do I know this? Our little weaving/spinning group on the MS Gulf Cost was the recipient of this generosity after Hurricane Katrina. I wanted to share our experience with you. All but three of our members lost everything to do with fiber – looms, yarn, shuttles, spinning wheels, fiber, sewing machines, books, magazines – you have only to look at your own collected supplies and equipment to complete the list of losses.
While we dealt with shock and scrambled to find places to live, offers to restore weaving, spinning, knitting supplies poured in. We knew it might be a year or more before we’d have time or a space to set up a studio again and felt we should decline with regret. However, a local gallery owner encouraged us to accept these kind offers; he supplied a storage space, and the shipments started to arrive. By the time we were finished, that storage shed had been filled and distributed three times.
Individual weavers and/or spinners, as well as guilds, organized collecting, packing and shipping supplies and equipment. In some cases art associations paid for shipping; in one case a trucking company shipped a pallet of equipment and yarn free. An aircraft company in Jackson, MS stored it until we could drive up and retrieve several looms and lots of yarn. In most cases guilds or individuals paid for the shipping of their members’ donations. SUVs and vans drove from Texas to deliver their guilds’ donations. Individuals shipped their own contributions, and they came from all over the country.
I don’t have the words to explain what their actions did for us. Their generosity helped us to look ahead with hope and encouragement. Whether they sent items from their “stash” or purchased and shipped new items, their actions helped us put our lives back together and their kindness will always be remembered with love and gratitude by all of us.
- Dyed-in-the-Wool Weavers and Spinners
Of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
For the last few years, our guild has "adopted" one of the local women's shelters. Every December, we invite the co-ordinator to come and pick up scarves, hats, slippers, etc., which are then distributed to those people living at the shelter in need of them.
And the local Salvation Army has a textile recycling program. I have a bucket in my studio for my thrums and other thread/fabric "waste". Just delivered several bags today and asked if the program was organization wide, or done individually. The person said it was individual, so people should check with their local SA to see if they also collect textile waste for recycling. The SA uses the income to fund their programs, and they don't have to pay tipping fees to put the "rags" into the dump. Seems like a win-win situation. (The textiles are sent to Asia and recycled into new fabric.)
Laura Fry
Chimneyville Weavers & Spinners Guild of Jackson, MS has adopted HeartScarves as a permanent service project. One of our former members has heart disease, and is regional spokeswoman for WomenHeart, the organization devoted to improving the quality of life and healthcare for women living with heart disease, the number one killer of women.
Our goal here in Mississippi (and the original goal) is to show our love and support for every woman who has a heart procedure with a gift of a hand knit or handwoven red scarf. We hope to expand so that we can give scarves to health care workers, in appreciation for those who have made a difference in the lives of women suffering with heart disease.
We in Mississippi began to develop HeartScarves when we became aware of the San Diego project, and Chimneyville Weavers Guild adopted it almost immediately. We hope other guilds will be as inspired as we were to use our talents in support of women with heart disease, some of whom are right in our guilds, and maybe in our families. For more information in how you can get involved, visit http://www.bradfordaglab.com/tinabradford/heartscarves.htm and http://www.heartscarves.com and follow links.
Syne, I know this is a late comment ... but I just discovered that afghans for Afghans will accept handwoven blankets, as long as they meet the size and fiber guidelines on their website.
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