Weaving Can Be A Profitable Home Business

2010 - Volume #34, Issue #4, Page #07

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The art of weaving is alive and well says a Montana company that specializes in setting up customers with looms for profit or just plain fun.
Success starts with having the right equipment, says Gilmakra-USA. Serious weavers who work at their looms 4 to 10 hours a day stress the importance of quality and ergonomic production looms that are built to last.
Sue Noble is a Gilmakra customer who lives and works north of Seattle. She broke three looms before purchasing a Glimakra counterbalance loom from Joanne Hall, a Clancy, Mont., weaver who is the North American distributor of the Swedish-built looms.
"These looms are designed for serious weavers," Hall says. "U.S. looms tend to be small; more for play or hobby. Swedish equipment is the kind you can weave on all day long without back and leg problems." The beater -- which pushes the threads together ù hangs from the top of the loom and doesn't require as much muscle power to operate.
"I have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia," Sue Noble says. "I'm proud that I set this loom up by myself. It's so well built I kept it working 7 days a week."
Noble became well known for making woven placemats, table runners, and scarves and selling her creations at a Farmer's Market. Placemats sell well at $25 and scarves run $1/in.
Noble notes that some weavers in her community created a co-op to market their products. "And the farmer's market is extremely viable ù at least where I live," she says.
Sarah Pilgrim weaves in Wilsall, Mont., and has developed a reputation as a fine artist. She uses silk, bamboo and Tencel fibers to design scarves, shawls and garments. Instead of using industrial-died threads, she often hand paints the threads with her own dyes, to give each piece a completely different look.
Through gallery and museum shows, word-of-mouth and her website, Pilgrim developed a high-end market for her products.
"My customers are people who like fine art," Pilgrim says. Scarves start at $140. Garments fetch up to $875.
While Noble and Pilgrim focus on high-end, artistic products, both agree there's a market for practical items such as rag rugs.
Joanne Hall of Gilmakra recently taught rag rug weaving classes in North Carolina. Every summer she goes to Aitkin, Minn., and teaches new weaving techniques with different threads and fibers.
Noble and Pilgrim praised Hall for her knowledge about weaving and setting them up with the right equipment according to what they wanted to make.
A portable fold-up rigid heddle loom, starts at $200 and is nice for weaving scarves. A larger floor loom sells for $787.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Joanne Hall; Glimakra-USA LLC, 50 Hall Lane, Clancy, Mont. 59634 (ph 866 890-7314;; www.glimakrausa.com).
Sue Noble, P.O. Box 303, Lopez Island Wash. 98261 (ph 360-468-4803; copper@rockisland.com).
Sarah Pilgrim, 18 Morrison Road, Wilsall, Mont. 59086 (ph 406 578-2345; www.sarahpilgrim.com).

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Weaving Can Be A Profitable Home Business FARM HOME Clothes The art of weaving is alive and well says a Montana company that specializes in setting up customers with looms for profit or just plain fun Success starts with having the right equipment says Gilmakra-USA Serious weavers who work at their looms 4 to 10 hours a day stress the importance of quality and ergonomic production looms that are built to last Sue Noble is a Gilmakra customer who lives and works north of Seattle She broke three looms before purchasing a Glimakra counterbalance loom from Joanne Hall a Clancy Mont weaver who is the North American distributor of the Swedish-built looms These looms are designed for serious weavers Hall says U S looms tend to be small; more for play or hobby Swedish equipment is the kind you can weave on all day long without back and leg problems The beater -- which pushes the threads together ù hangs from the top of the loom and doesn t require as much muscle power to operate I have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia Sue Noble says I m proud that I set this loom up by myself It s so well built I kept it working 7 days a week Noble became well known for making woven placemats table runners and scarves and selling her creations at a Farmer s Market Placemats sell well at $25 and scarves run $1/in Noble notes that some weavers in her community created a co-op to market their products And the farmer s market is extremely viable ù at least where I live she says Sarah Pilgrim weaves in Wilsall Mont and has developed a reputation as a fine artist She uses silk bamboo and Tencel fibers to design scarves shawls and garments Instead of using industrial-died threads she often hand paints the threads with her own dyes to give each piece a completely different look Through gallery and museum shows word-of-mouth and her website Pilgrim developed a high-end market for her products My customers are people who like fine art Pilgrim says Scarves start at $140 Garments fetch up to $875 While Noble and Pilgrim focus on high-end artistic products both agree there s a market for practical items such as rag rugs Joanne Hall of Gilmakra recently taught rag rug weaving classes in North Carolina Every summer she goes to Aitkin Minn and teaches new weaving techniques with different threads and fibers Noble and Pilgrim praised Hall for her knowledge about weaving and setting them up with the right equipment according to what they wanted to make A portable fold-up rigid heddle loom starts at $200 and is nice for weaving scarves A larger floor loom sells for $787 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Joanne Hall; Glimakra-USA LLC 50 Hall Lane Clancy Mont 59634 ph 866 890-7314;; www glimakrausa com Sue Noble P O Box 303 Lopez Island Wash 98261 ph 360-468-4803; copper@rockisland com Sarah Pilgrim 18 Morrison Road Wilsall Mont 59086 ph 406 578-2345; www sarahpilgrim com

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