Nancy Smothergill
I learned to weave in the early 1970’s in Syracuse City School adult education classes. That led to a purchase of a 42” loom which arrived in the midst of a raging snow storm. Once inside, that loom helped me create all sorts of weavings, from yardage for clothing and curtains, Rya rugs, wall hangings, and table linens. I joined the Syracuse Weavers Guild and have been president of that Guild twice.
Trained in child psychology I taught at Syracuse University, Onondaga Community College, then as a kindergarten teacher in the Syracuse Public schools. I call the time when I was teaching kindergarten and had two school age daughters the dark ages of my hand weaving. However, small band weaving, both inkle and tablet weaving, was portable and easy to pick up and put down. The best part about tablet weaving was to thread up the cards and attach myself to the dock post at our cottage in the summer.
When I retired the looms came back out of storage and I acquired various others. I taught a long term weaving class for seniors at a local adult recreation program, a weaving class for elementary children and various workshops, but my main fascination has remained with tablet weaving. I love how playing with the cards gives you such flexibility in patterning and with simple equipment provides endless variety of weave structures and designs. Discovering tablet woven calligraphy I “found my voice” in weaving, especially in combining TW calligraphy bands with on-loom weaving. Using tablet weaving is one of the most satisfactory methods of weaving letters and once learned, the system is quite simple to understand although it takes good concentration. I look forward to the chance to help others “find their voice.”
