Birth Story

Birth Story weaves together the hand written birth stories of nearly a dozen women, using their words on paper as weft with textural handspun and handdyed yarns. Tapestry techniques combine with a loom controlled multishaft weave pattern, and are accented by braided plaits and twisted fringe to tell a multi-voiced story of bringing new life into the world - combining experiences of joy and of trauma - that pulls from a rich history of “women’s work” including weaving, midwifery, and parenthood while it looks looks towards a future where birthing bodies are honored and supported in their most vulnerable and sacred moments. 

Birth Story physically represents the collective wisdom and life experience found in sharing stories of the birth experience. At times joyful and empowering or even orgasmic, at times traumatic and disempowering, and at times everything in between; birth is often a pivotal moment in the life of the bearer. This piece represents these experiences by literally using the handwritten accounts of over a dozen firsthand birth experiences of women across the USA and Europe as weft. Weaving ink-and-emotion-on -paper into this piece was a profound experience and I’m so honored and humbled that my collaborators were willing to share their experiences in this way.

Birth Story was woven in 2019 as part of the Birth collection. It was exhibited in the 2019 64th Parallel, Fairbanks Arts Association’s annual juried art show featuring Interior Alaskan works. It currently resides in a private collection.

Twilight Casting accepted into 64th Parallel

Twilight Casting is a meditation on the liminal magicks inherent in the twilit moments that mark the transition from day to night.

I’m super pleased and proud to announce that this piece was accepted into the Fairbanks Arts Association’s annual juried show: the 64th Parallel. So if you are a Fairbanks local, you should absolutely go check it out this Friday October 1, 2021 (or anytime the Bear Gallery is open for the month of October).

This piece will be available for purchase through the gallery. If it is returned to me after the show, it will be available in my shop in time for the holiday gift giving season.

Next on Stones that Heal : magical wefts for some very special cowls

I'm really excited about the next batch of pieces that will be coming off of the Stones that Heal warp.  The warp itself is hand dyed supima cotton, and is inspired by a selection of healing crystals and stones that are particularly good allies for the postpartum parent.  While these stones were selected for their energetic qualities with the intensely sacred and vulnerable postpartum period in mind, they can be supportive allies at other life stages as well!  The warp is dyed in the colors of Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Moonstone, Chrysocolla, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, clear Quartz, and Flourite.  Invoking the energies of these stones : unconditional love, spiritual protection, inner growth, empowerment and inner wisdom, strength and protection, physical and emotional healing, clarity, and the ability to neutralize negativity and stress - has been such a beautiful part of the process of preparing this warp.

I've been collecting wefts for this project for over a year now, and I'm so excited to see them come to life.  The next batch to be woven on this warp will be a series of cowls with hand spun wefts.  I sourced spinning fiber inspired by healing crystals and stones from some of my favorite fiber artists, and spun it for this project.  I love that these pieces are combining the energy and artistry of the fiber/dye artist with the time of deep intention setting, prayer, and occasional spellwork that is my process of hand spinning wefts and merging it with all the love and magic that went into the warp. 

As an added extra and amazing bonus, I had the chance to collaborate with a friend and fellow maker on unique and gorgeous bracelets to accompany each hand spun piece.  Lavender Pumpkin curated stones that match and complement the woven stone(s) and hand-knotted these enchanting bracelets that I'm honored to be able to send along home with the cowls.  

There will also be a number of hand dyed but commercially spun wefts becoming cowls...  keep an eye out in the Etsy shop in a few weeks (or follow along on Instagram!) for those listings.  If any of these hand spun wefts below are calling out to you, be sure you're subscribed to the newsletter and then just hit "reply" if you want to claim one of these pieces of magic before they are offered publicly.  Exact measurements and prices won't be available until these pieces are off the loom as I plan to simply weave until the hand spun yarn runs out, but I expect them to be generously deep single loop cowls.  

Moonstone is spun from a merino/alpaca/bamboo/silk blend for a divinely soft and lofty yarn.  I know and use moonstone mostly as an aide to intuition, helping tap into the deep wisdom and knowing that resides in our blood and in our wombs; it can also help to ease emotional stress and stabilize wayward emotions.  It was this second part that lead me include moonstone as a part of the warp design, but it is the energies of intuition and psychic enhancement that I spun into this weft.

Lapis Lazuli is spun from a merino/bamboo/silk/sparkle blend that beautifully mimics the variegations and striations in the stone. Lapis is a strongly protective stone that is adept at helping to release stress and anxiety, leaving a sense of calm well-being in their wake.

Tanzanite is a blend of merino/silk/sparkle in shades of purple that will absolutely shine on this warp.  Tanzanite is a psychic aide, helping enhance intuitive capabilities, and is also balancing to the physical and emotional bodies. It also happens to be one of the birthstones of those who are born in December, making this piece the ideal gift for the purple-loving Sagittarius in your life.

Serpentine is spun from a blend of Finn/yak/silk/sparkle for a slightly textural but so soft yarn.  Yak fiber is the shed undercoat of yaks and is both ultra soft and ultra warm.  Serpentine as a stone kept coming up when I was researching stones for postpartum : it is powerfully healing and protective and is associated with the root of the body.  I'm intrigued and fascinated to see how this darker moody green will play on the soft jewel tones of the warp! 

For any fellow spinners who are interested in such things, you can get your own Moonstone, Tanzanite, and Lapis fiber from the amazing Jill at Hipstrings.  The Serpentine is from Inglenook Fibers but appears to be sold out.  Their Aventurine blend is amazing though, and will be the weft for my personal piece on this warp!