Mid-year Catching Up!

Oops! It's been half a year since I posted. I used to write in my blog almost weekly (and daily sometimes, espeically when I was at a retreat or teaching a workshop). These days I mostly post to Instagram about the tapestry work (and a few other studio things going on). So I'm going to do a quick summary of the year 2026 so far. I spent a wonderful week with my friends Beth & Fran in February. They came from Texas (Beth) and Florida (Fran) to spend the days with me at the studio here in Dahlonega. We first met in the fall of 1965 when we three entered North Georgia College as freshmen. We've stayed in touch over these decades and gotten together whenever we could—sometimes years apart. It was a great few days. We always do "studio time" and this year I introduced them to tapestry weaving! Each designed and wove a small tapestry in the evenings. During the days we had adventures out and about. We've already gotten plans for next year's adventures and I hope we can continue to do these times together for many more years to come.

In early March I taught for a week at John C. Campbell Folk School. The class was based on the tapestries of one of the early weavers at the Folk School, Alice Tipton. She wove lyrical landscapes and we were able to see several of her tapestries that are in the Folk School's collection during the week. Very inspirational to have those tapestries in hand to get a real feeling for her process. 

Later in March tapestries were delivered to the Roy C. Moore Gallery of UNG Gainesville for a solo exhibit. That show was up until June. There was a reception and artist talk on April 1 and a few weeks later I met with one of the faculty members and her students to talk abbout my work in the gallery. 

 

 In April I was in Asheville, NC to do a book talk and workshop at Local Cloth. I had a full class and there were lots of interesting approaches to "marking time" with tapestry (the topic of the workshop). It was the first time I've been to the River Arts District in Asheville after the devestation of Hurricane Helene in 2024. The recovery efforts made by the Local Cloth volunteers was amazing! I saw photos of the interior flooding earlier and to see what they've been able to do to reclaim their building is amazing! 

 

On May 12th I arrived for a week's stay at the Hambidge Center—and that afternoon as I was moving in I hit my tibia HARD on the edge of the bed frame and caused a massive contusion. It was quite painful and I decided to leave after a couple of days; came back home to see my orthopedic doctor for x-rays and treatment. Luckily there were no fractures but there's still a lump eight weeks later, even after several weeks of physical therapy. Even though I left too early, the couple of days at Hambidge gave me a chance to try a few things.

 

May 16th the Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild held a reception for their members' exhibit that was being held in the Atrium Gallery at the UNG Gainesville campus. After the awards ceremony there we went across campus to see my exhibit. 

 

In late June I cut off the tapestry I'd been working on since finishing the ginkgo piece in January. It's the second one done on the Glimakra tapestry loom. There's enough warp remaining to do a smaller piece on it before re-warping and I'm working on design ideas for that now. 

I haven't gotten a good photo of the tapestry; below is the tapestry on the right and the painting I based the design on at the left. 

 Maybe it won't be another six months before I post again? Time will tell!

Cutting off a New Tapestry!

 

I've started 2026 with a big sigh of relief: I was able to begin and complete a tapestry within two months! Although I was nervous about the way the design was progressing as I wove (because once again I hadn't planned the image completely and so had to make modifications along the way), I'm pleased with the result.

 

 

The tapestry is 36" x 24.5" and woven at 8 epi with two-fold of wool. The warp is 12/9 cotton seine twine. 

 

I began weaving in late November after the Ruthie loom went to live in Minnesota with Emily. This is the first tapestry I've woven on the loom I purchased from a friend a few years ago. I liked using the loom quite a lot although the image can be seen less as I weave because of it being wound onto the cloth beam.

 

Completing the weaving of a tapestry isn't the final step. Next, I need to clip weft ends at the back and do a warp finishing and determine the hanging method. All of that usually takes awhile and I usually do it in stages over several days. I put the tapestry on a table and turn on podcasts or music and get to work. Somewhat boring task but it's part of the whole process. 

 

 

Here's the 2025 tapestry diary laid out on the table for finishing currently:

 

 I have a class coming in early March at the Folk School to which I now need to turn my attention. But I want to put a new warp on this loom before long. Maybe the next new tapestry will be a few months away!

 

A New Year—A New Warp

 Well, here's 2026 and the start of a new calendar. I like the first of the year because, to me, it is a way to mentally start again. Reboot and renew, I guess. Yesterday I completed my tapestry diary for 2025 and cut it off. It was a celebration of different oak species that are around Dahlonega for most of the images, plus one leaf I collected when teaching at Arrowmont. 

Fresh off the loom. It's 56" long x 11" wide and woven with natural dyed wool on linen warp, 8 epi.

 I have several more hours of finishing work to go on this so the year-long weaving turns into a year + of time. And that's OK with me.

After cutting off the 2025 weaving I tied onto the remaining warp ends with the new warp and got the loom ready for starting anew today, January 1. 

I tie on to the existing warp by holding the new one my left hand while I use my right hand and my left fingers to tie overhand knots with each thread, one by one in order. 

 

Looks like a mess once all the knots are tied but it's easy to straighten out with a little tugging.

 

 

I tension the warp by using orange juice jugs filled with water. I ease the knots through both the reed and the heddles before beginning to beam the warp.

 

 

And then hold up the tie-on rod that's attached to the cloth beam with bungee cords until I can get the warp tied to it evenly.

 

 

After tying on and spreading out the warp I'm ready to start! And I did so this morning although I didn't photograph the first day's weaving. For the month sections I'm thinking about following a year of transition for dogwoods for 2026. I'll decide about that soon and start the January image.

 

After preparing my tapestry diary warp for the new year here at home, I went to the studio to work on the current tapestry, the one of ginkgo leaves. I've woven consistently on it since November 29 when the Ruthie loom left. And now I'm about 9" from the top of the image. I'll need to weave beyond that for a few more inches of top border and the hem. I'm hoping to finish it in time for an exhibit of my work at the UNG Gainesville campus, Roy C. Moore Gallery, in the early part of 2026.

 

 

New year plans and hoping for the best. Happy year to come for everyone!

 

Moving along and Lightening the Load!

 I mentioned in the last post that my largest loom was heading to a new home. And indeed it is now installed with a young tapestry weaver at her studio a thousand miles or so from Georgia! She and her boyfriend came on Thanksgiving weekend to pick it up. She's sent pictures of it with a warp already on it ready to go! I am so happy that this transition has happened to give a new life to the loom. And especially for it to become a well-used tool for the next generation.

Emily and Wesley* with Ruthie at my studio

And Ruthie happy in her new home with her new friend, Aurora! Photo by Emily Wick.

It didn't take long for me put another loom in Ruthie's spot, though! My husband helped me move the Glimakra loom into the place. I'd gotten the loom from a friend in Dahlonega a few years ago and hadn't yet had an opportunity to warp it up.  

I love all of my previously owned looms (that's almost all of them, by the way) but this one is special because I knew the original owner. He was a colleague of mine at North Georgia College (as it was known then) about forty years ago. Although psychology was his field he was interested in crafts of all kinds, from woodworking and jewelry-making to weaving. He'd purchased the loom and he and his wife both explored tapestry weaving a little. After his death the loom went to his daughter, herself an experienced weaver. Although she sampled a bit on the tapestry loom, floor loom weaving is her first love and she decided to sell the loom. Now it's becoming a workhorse in my studio.

Progress so far on this new tapestry.

In addition to selling the large loom, I recently gave one of the frame looms to a graduating UNG student who I'd met in the weaving class. I also passed along a bin of yarn to her. And I gave almost all of the books about color and color theory I've collected over the years to the art department for students use. I have another stack of assorted weaving books to give to a friend at the Folk School next time I'm there. Bit by bit, I'm lightening my load! And it feels good. 

Yesterday I completed the end finishing of the coded weaving I did earlier this fall. 

My tapestry diary for 2025 is nearing its end and I've started thinking about what next year will hold. That will begin my 17th year of doing this daily practice with tapestry!

 *By the way, Wesley will be teaching birch bark boxes at John C. Campbell Folk School next year.