Michaela Edelhauser | Fibers

I learned to crochet and knit before the age of ten, but I did not have the patience to complete many projects back then. I eventually found my way back to fiber arts a few years ago when I felt the need after many years, to once again hold a pair of knitting needles.

Eventually becoming interested in sourcing higher quality yarns and fibers, I visited an alpaca ranch in Anza Valley, CA to purchase some yarn for an infinity scarf I was planning to knit. I discovered that the old floor loom was for sale. 8-Shafts, 10-Treadles and at least Forty years old, the loom belonged to a weaving teacher before it belonged to the alpaca rancher. Oh what stories would this old loom tell, if it could? I was excited to learn to weave, but no one I’ve known had ever been a weaver or even owned a loom. Was this even a “thing” people do anymore?

I learned that yes it, is a “thing” still, but it has sadly become more rare. In fact, the weaving class I planned to take to learn weaving on my new-to-me loom was cancelled because not enough people signed up for it. Instead I watched many videos online and read books and blogs. I taught myself to weave and I connected to it like to nothing else before. It made perfect sense to me, but at the same time, it seemed like magic. So many times I would pull projects off the loom and wonder “how did this just happen? I did this?” I wondered how did, what can best be described as a bunch of strings just a few days ago, turn into cloth? And it never gets old.

Weaving now is more to me than just pulling scarf after scarf off my loom. I’ve developed a full-fledged love and appreciation for textile design. Scarves, pillow cases, towels, shawls, table linens, handbags, window coverings, rugs and so much more. Weaving is an ancient and endlessly versatile craft that I want to continue to explore and learn more about for years to come.