Fruit of the Loom

Next weekend, November 13, 14, and 15, the Columbia Weavers and Spinners Guild will hold its 20th annual Holiday Exhibition and Sale. I've been a participating member in the sale from the beginning and always look forward to this fun, but rather intense affair. Like all of the twenty-some participants, I've been hard at work all year, trying to produce fiber art that will represent the best of my skills. Many of my things are purchased by people I don't know, and I never see these items again. This year I decided to take some photos of my weavings for the sale so that maybe five or ten years from now, I'll have a reminder of what I was making back in 2009.

First of all, handfuls of brightly-colored woven bookmarks. These are so much fun to weave on a simple inkle loom. The color combinations and patterns are endless.



Next, a bevy of little drawstring treasure bags. On most warps, I like to weave a yard or so of fabric just for these little bags. This allows me to try out color, yarn and design ideas that might not be suitable for table linens. These bags are perfect for small gifts, jewelry, glasses, and special treasures.



Breadcloths always seem to be a popular item at the sale. A loaf of homemade bread nestled in a handwoven breadcloth is a gift that will be remembered for years.





I only have a few table runners this year. Several were given to special friends over the course of the year, so just three will be going to the sale.



While I may not have many runners, I'm bringing armloads of towels. Handwoven towels seem to be a perennial favorite project among weavers, and I'm no exception. They are also an extremely popular item at the sale. We usually have a wall of towels in a rainbow of colors, literally something for everyone's tastes. We find that people who purchase the towels often use them for other purposes such as table runners or even wall hangings!



So there's a summary of my woven items for the sale. In addition to the weavings, I'll be bringing some knitted items - several hats and scarves using my own handspun/hand-dyed yarns. And finally, an assortment of colorful little holiday hat ornaments - great for hanging on the Christmas tree or to warm the head of your favorite house elf!