Zooming the Web: Resources
Cathy Koos
As we enter the third year of sharing life with Covid, we are seeing another peak in our rural community. I recently moved and have great internet now, so I have some terrific web resources for you! Zoom continues to be a lifesaver for many of us. Just today I attended a memorial service for a dear friend whose family was unable to travel here, so we all met on Zoom. Individuals, as well as organizations and professionals have embraced this online technology for face-to-face meetings both small and large. Guilds are continuing to meet online. The teaching community has really stepped up to the plate and figured out how to present their classes and workshops live. Kudos to all of us for venturing outside the box in these trying times.
Handweavers Guild of America hosts weekly “Textiles and Tea” on Zoom. Last week’s program interviewed Canadian Master Artisan Murray Gibson. Murray reflected on his lengthy tapestry career and where he gets his inspiration.
Murray Gibson, HGA
Social media often gets a bad rap, but there is a bright and creative side to socializing on the web. You can find all manner of inspiration on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
What are some of sites you use for inspiration? I will share some I recently came across:
There are a number of weaving, spinning, and basketry pages on FB. “Wild Basketry” is particularly inspiring to me and goes beyond the reach of pine needles, willow and wild grape, to some rather invasive plants like Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc.).
A recent post showed the works of Seattle mixed media artist Deloss Weber and his weavings around stones and rocks. Another post shows a skirt and bodice made from tule rush, a wetlands.
Deloss Webber
“WombleVision” shares all sorts of garments from recycled textiles. Think repurposing Grandma’s crocheted and knitted doilies, vintage hankies, bits and bobs to make dreamcoats, Boho wedding dresses and the like.
WombleVision, Facebook
For our sewists, “Sew Indy” features drapey Lagenlook, Mori Girl, and shabby styles that I think would be well suited to handwovens. The “TAL Sewing Community” has basic, boxy patterns as well.
“Projects From Handweaving.net” allows weavers to share their interpretation of the thousands of drafts for 2 to many shafts. Handweaving.net is originally a project by the University of Arizona acting as a repository for old and new drafts – some from the 1600s.
Print Publications
A number of print magazines have also gone digital and generously share articles from their issues.
Selvedge magazine comes out of the United Kingdom and is very international in its take on their theme “The Fabric of Your Life.” Just the colors alone send me to this site often. In addition to a daily blog post, there are a number of free articles, online talks and projects every month on a wide ranging from color studies to dye to indigenous craft artisans. Selvedge Magazine
Longthread Media was founded by Linda Ligon, Anne Merrow, and John Bolton to publish Handwoven, Little Looms, PieceWork, and Spin Off, as well as offer information, education, and community to crafters in those fields. Longthread also has a strong web presence with a number of free articles for your inspiration, as well as four seasons of textile podcasts. Workshops are behind a paywall. https://longthreadmedia.com/
And finally,
Arthur Brooks, a columnist for the Atlantic magazine had a wonderful article today on including art in your life as a necessity as important as eating and exercise. Brooks suggests setting aside 10-15 minutes before or after lunch every day to absorb art. Here is the full article:
Eat, Sleep, Exercise, Make Art