Kindred Spirits

A couple years ago, I met another weaver, Carol Brown, MN, in an on-line weaving group, and we began to write each other occasionally and share photos of our work. Over the peast year our friendship has grown, and I am very thankful for that. Carol refers to us as Kindred Spirits.


Our weaving interests are not always the same. Carol is a rag rug weaver, loves weaving with "rags," and has developed a variety of rugs, bags, and other items that sell well for her. COLOR is Carol's forte, she loves bright colors, lots of them, and they work for her. She has a distinctive style and look to her work, and an eye for working out her own designs, adding beads, buttons, and textures, all working well with her color selections.

My interests lean more towards medium to fine threads (towels and runners) and now entering into the world of drawloom weaving. At the opposite end of the weaving spectrum, I am also about to start weaving rag rugs. I need rugs for my log home, and recently received an order for a couple rugs. Though I like neutrals, as I get older, I am venturing more and more into color.

Carol and I email each other a few times a week, exchanging ideas, sharing photos of our work, sources for various materials we need, design and construction possibilities, as well as display ideas, marketing, pricing, and photographing our work. We share ideas of items that would translate well into weaving, bouncing ideas and suggestions off each other. We offer ideas of how items might be used, at times as if reading each others mind.

We ask each other for comments, opinions, and feedback, and provide honest, positive "critique" of each others work, always in the spirit of support. Most importantly, we don't try to overshadow each other. We admire and respect each others ideas and work, but don't rush to copy each other. Though we are also known to tell each other, "go ahead, you need to make some of these," there is a line we do not cross. We each have our own ideas and weaving we do, all made better by having someone to share it with.

Weaving and working in my studio gives me great joy and purpose, and in the last year has been made more special by having Carol, a special weaving friend, to share it with. I hope you each have such a Kindred Spirit in your weaving life.