The ‘Weave Connected’ Project
In 2022, I took a weaving class with the wonderful Niamh at Aaran Street East. I had woven before as a child but not since then. I completely caught the bug again and delighted in making use of my late mum’s 40 year old stash of bits of wool while practicing.
I’m not going to lie warping the loom nearly makes me cry, not only because it is soooo long but my eyes literally start seeing double with all the tiny spaces and sequence of threading. However, once the warp is on it is all bliss from there.
I’m not sure how I got the idea of bringing the loom on tour but I’m so glad I did and Weave Connected was born. As usual I am terrible at social media and missed many cool photo opportunities so you’ll just have to imagine some of the fun and much laughter that was had.
Over the course of four months over 200 people in one montessori, one school, one afterschool club and retired ladies club took part. Age range of participants was 3 to 83 and everyone in between. Huge thank you to Belgrave Montessori, Scoil Mologa, Ringsend & Irishtown afterschool club and Rathgar Ladies Club for taking part.
I didn’t really have an agenda or plan in bringing the loom on tour other than inititally to spread my love of weaving to others who may never have seen or used a loom before. Anyways I ended up making a bit of an education programme on the types of fabrics, how they are made, how they are dyed and what can be made from waste material. So the focus became learning about how clothes are made and how we can be more environmentally friendly in this regard.
The scarf that the 200+ people wove is now nearing completion in that I have removed it from the loom and I am carefully weaving in all the loose ends. It is a really colourful multi-patterned scarf made on a four-shaft table top hand loom.
Come September time I hope to bring the scarf back to the groups that took part and show them the fruits of their labours and who knows it may lead on to another Weave Connected outing to other groups.
Three rascals who all took part in weaving the scarf.
Started weaving in the many end threads so on its way to completion…
The beginning - an Erica four shaft table top hand loom. The finished scarf of the weaved connected project.
