Weaving Community w/Amy D. McKnight

Today’s guest stumbled upon weaving in 2017 at a shop for local artist in her neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN

A maker by nature, she fell in love with the idea of creating her own pieces, and immediately went home and bought a beginner's weaving kit on Etsy. 

She started weaving wall hangings and has since transitioned to weaving mainly on her floor loom. 

You can find pictures of her amazing work and links to all the relevant profiles on her website WestAshDesigns.com and on Instagram @west.ash.designs

I’m so excited to welcome Katie Oberton of West Ash Designs to our podcast! 

Today’s guest describes herself as a fairly new weaver/fiber artist who came to weaving after crocheting scarves, cowls, washcloths and an occasional baby blanket for a number of years.

While still employed full time at a local college, she would participate in about 5-7 local craft shows each fall. She noticed more and more crafters making similar items, so she thought, “what isn’t being represented?”

Pottery and weaving were a couple of avenues to explore. She ruled pottery out as it is messy, expensive … and breakable. But she had been inspired by some scarves she had seen on Pinterest woven by The Barefoot Weaver.

She decided weaving was the answer; Hey, I already had yarn.

At the end of December 2015, she retired from the college and started the next chapter in her crafting journey. After some research, comparing various looms and manufacturers, she purchased her first loom: a 16” Ashford Rigid Heddle. Down the rabbit hole, she went!

You can find pictures of her some of her beautiful handwoven items on her Instagram and facebook accounts under the name  Bizzzy as a bee. This is also the name of her home-based studio where she creates unique handwoven scarves, hand towels, and table runners, as well as an occasional washcloth.

Today’s guest is an Irish fiber-smith based in Limerick City in the Republic of Ireland. She went to art college to study printmaking but her path took a turn and led her into the world of bookbinding. A few years later she picked up knitting needles and the art of knitting and started traveling around the world.

It was on her trip to Australia that she learned to spin, was gifted a spinning wheel which she shipped back to Ireland, packed in fleece, of course. Upon arriving back in Ireland she joined the Irish Guild of Weavers Spinners and dyers and took her first rigid heddle weaving class with master weaver Marie Ni Neachtain.

With that, she plunged into the rich history of the Irish cottage industry of spinning and weaving and is continuing the tradition by making wearable clothes from the cloth she weaves on her rigid heddle loom.

Not content to keep the fiber crafting goodness to herself, she is sharing the love of fiber creation with others through craft retreats and classes.

You can find her all around the internet as VanaWillemeil on Instagram and Youtube and you can learn more about her retreats and classes by visiting her website babblestravellingyarns.com

Today’s guest is an artist who works in ceramics, mixed media textiles and fiber art. Despite a rare genetic illness, she has been able to work around her disability to create some stunningly beautiful yarns and fiber art pieces

After 19 years of living in Ireland where she got her start studying and working in the arts she and her family have moved back home to Quinte West Ontario, Canada. Where she now lives with her husband and two daughters ages 2 and 14.

She is doing amazing things all over the internet where you can find her by her handle Savvylikethat on Instagram Facebook and her website savvylikethat.com. You must. And I mean MUST go and subscribe to her YouTube channel where she shares her process and creates gorgeously beautiful woven pieces of art from dying to spinning to weaving delightfully textured scarves and shawls.

Today’s guest on the Weaving Community Podcast is originally from Boston but is currently living in Maine. She has a love for fiber arts that began as a child cross-stitching tea towels with her mother. She progressed to knitting and sewing, spinning, and dying. She is a trained artist and has worked as an art teacher in the school system. She makes amazingly whimsical art dolls and she weaves on a variety of small looms.

We covered a lot of ground from spinning to doll making to art appreciation for children! I know you'll enjoy learning about Ms. Linda Murdock as much as I did!