Holiday Sale at PGHW

I'll be selling my tea towels in all colors for three days during the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers' Holiday Sale! Starting this Friday November 9th through Sunday November 11th at the guild house in Manayunk.
Friday November 9th:  6-8pm
Saturday November 10th:  10am-4pm
Sunday November 11th:  12-4pm

All boxed up and ready to be dropped off! I also have pretty new business cards / tags with a new logo! (designed by Lydia Nichols)

Consigning with the Textile Arts Center

I'm excited to announce that I'll be consigning a selection of tea towels at the Textile Arts Center's Manhattan location this fall/winter! The Textile Arts Center holds classes, workshops and exhibitions on all manner of fiber art in two NYC locations- one in the original location (in my old neighborhood!) in Brooklyn, and one in Manhattan's West Village, where the shop is located. They also have an online shop found here!

There are so many beautiful pieces for sale- I especially love the Degen Sockies. So cute. And with winter coming up, I am wishing for them for my soon-to-be-cold toes! So stop by their shop in the West Village, or take a look online! 

See their incredible collection of looms below! Weaving dream-world. 

Tea Towel Collection premiere

My collection of tea towels is finally here! Inspired by bright, crisp mornings, freshly baked bread, and a pot of tea (with milk please!), they would make any kitchen proud this fall (or spring! Hello southern hemisphere!)

It's fitting, that with these kitchen towels getting ready to adventure to new homes, the weather in the northeast has been picture perfect, I've been baking sourdough bread nonstop, and my first thoughts when getting out of bed in the morning are of my first cup of tea.

Four patterns of handwoven cloth make up this collection: (the ever-popular) Dot, Lace Stripe, Tiny Leaf, and Lattice. I love their tiny, delicate graphic patterns, and the weave structures that balance color and that perfect towel handfeel. Each is paired with a crisp, white linen towel that has been embroidered with lines or crisscrosses of corresponding colors.

Although the patterns may be delicate, these are meant for an illustrious kitchen career. Each towel is machine washable and can be tumble dried. The handwoven towels are made with 100% cotton yarns and the embroidered towels are 100% linen with mercerized cotton thread. They measure about 16x23".

I'm offering free shipping on all tea towel orders. Stay tuned for collection additions and updates as well as other homegoods on the horizon!

Cerulean Tea Towel Updates

Tonight I finished the 10 yards of cerulean and white towels. It feels a bit like victory! Now, onto washing and sewing. Onward and upward, continually moving. Hoping to have these listed by the beginning of the week.

Tomorrow I'll be planning and purchasing some much needed supplies for some upcoming work and then celebrating the weekend! (Before getting back to work for the weekend! Oh the joys of essentially working two jobs, although this one, I love.)

Summer Tea Towels for sale!

I have just set up my coral/white tea towels for sale in my shop!

The handwoven pieces are 100% cotton, and the embroidered pieces are 100% linen. Sold in sets of two- one handwoven, one embroidered.

It's so lovely to be creating again. On a roll, onwards and upwards!

Cerulean & White Tea Towels and Slummer Nights

I am working on cerulean and white tea towels with sharp diagonal lines. Clean, crisp, contemporary colors. The exciting thing about this construction is that on the loom, the cloth is very flat, and the pattern is not very defined. But take it off the loom, and the threads respond by creating a slightly puffed, very defined diagonal pattern. I love letting the yarn personally create the characteristics of a cloth. They lend the shape, the hand, the finish, the construction. They are tools in creating cloth, not just the subject or object of this work.


I've been trying to get into the studio as much as possible, but I've been juggling various life responsibilities and getting my act together. Tomorrow evening, I'll be headed to my cousin's gallery on the edge of Chinatown- CANADA gallery at 55 Chrystie Street, for an evening of 30 short artist videos that will be kicking off Slummer Nights, better explained by their press release:

WEDNESDAY July 28th
9:00pm Cleopatra's presents: 30 short artist videos with live score by Hex Message
Projection is a program compiled by Cleopatra’s, featuring 33 emerging artists and filmmakers. The screening consists of 3-minute, black-and-white silent videos produced in response to the phrase Future Tense. Contributing artists are: Benedetti/Brown, Ed Brown, Jay Buim, Mary Helena Clark, Liam Everett, Loretta Fahrenholz, Petrova Giberson, Rebecca Gilbert, Kate Gilmore, Ethan Hayes-Chute, Jane Hsu, Scott Hug, Craig Kalpakjian, Ellie Krakow, Tobias Kaspar, Summer Kemick, Kyle Knodell, Josh Kolbo, Andres Laracuente, Kylie Lockwood, Zeljko McMullen, Robert Melee, Miss Joan Marie Moossy, JJ Peet, Sean Raspet, Birgit Rathsmann, Chris Rice, Mariah Robertson, Davina Semo, Brad and Vaughn Taormina, TIME STEREO, James Woodward, Olivia Wyatt

If you're in the city, come on down! It is sure to be spectacular.

tea towels on the loom

tea towels can appear to be scarves, for a moment

I have been dreaming of a spring line of wovens. Scarves were my first choice, but as I wove tests, towels seemed like the best place to start for spring weaving. There is nothing like a good tea or hand towel in the kitchen- drying dishes, wrapping up freshly made bread, brightening up the front of a stove. For this line, I've chosen salmon and white for one set and turquoise and white for another. Spring for me is all about crisp, clean, bright colors.

The first salmon/white warp has been warped and wound onto the loom. Structurally, it is a basket weave with a plainweave ground; simple yet elegant.

this is the test warp- what the industry calls a handloom

half of the warp on the warping board

winding the warp- even tension throughout!

more winding

homemade shuttle

As I am building my collection of weaving tools, I currently only have one boat shuttle. Of course I chose some patterns that need two colors, so I have a second boat shuttle on order. Until it arrives, I decided to make my own very rudimentary shuttle. On one hand, I'm almost embarrassed to show this, as "professional" it's not. But on the other hand, I'm a fan of making do with what you have, and trying to solve the issues that occur.

test warp and plainweave/basketweave structure