What the Loom Leaves Behind
Stories from the Studio | The Oregon Weaver
There is something about a beautiful piece of handwoven cloth that makes it difficult to discard even the smallest remnant.
After the weaving is finished, the cloth is washed, cut, and sewn into a garment, there are always pieces left behind. Some are narrow strips. Others are irregular shapes. All carry the colors, textures, and memories of the original fabric.
And each represents hours of work at the loom.
Over the years, I have collected these remnants. They are far too beautiful to throw away, but what might they become?
A Second Life for Cloth
Recently, I began bringing these pieces together in a new way, creating one-of-a-kind table runners that celebrate the beauty of handwoven cloth.
Each runner is a composition of color, texture, and pattern. Pieces are arranged, rearranged, and stitched together until they find their own rhythm. Sometimes the colors harmonize quietly. Other times, an unexpected contrast brings the entire composition to life.
The resulting surface has a wonderful corduroy-like texture, with ridges and valleys that catch the light and give the cloth a sculptural quality. The construction is carefully considered so that the richly textured surface can also accommodate a table setting, even balancing a wine glass.
There is a quiet satisfaction in this zero-waste approach to making. Cloth that might otherwise have been set aside becomes the beginning of something entirely new.
The Colors of This Place
Living and working on the Oregon Coast, I am surrounded by an ever-changing palette.
The pearly grays of morning fog. The deep indigo of the Pacific. The warm colors of autumn and the subtle variations of weathered wood.
These colors have a way of finding their way into my weaving, sometimes deliberately, sometimes without my noticing.
When the fabrics are brought together again, unexpected relationships emerge. A bit of blue finds its place beside gray. A lively red brings warmth to a quieter composition. Subtle changes in texture create shadows and highlights as the light moves across the surface.
The fabrics seem to remember where they came from.
From Studio to Table
I imagine these runners finding their way into homes where people gather, share a meal, enjoy a conversation, or simply appreciate the beauty of cloth.
Spread across a wooden table, the runners glow with rich color. Their dimensional surfaces invite a closer look, revealing little discoveries in the weave, the stitching, and the relationships between fabrics.
They are works of textile art, but they are also meant to be used and enjoyed.
A simple table setting becomes an opportunity to celebrate the pleasures of color, texture, and the handmade.
No two runners are alike. Each is a small collection of weaving stories, brought together in a new composition.
And perhaps that is what I love most about working with these remnants.
The weaving may be finished, but the story of the cloth continues.
— The Oregon Weaver
Explore the collection of one-of-a-kind table runners, each created from the beautiful remnants of handwoven cloth.
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