St. Thomas University in St Paul, MN, hosted this year’s Midwest Weavers Conference. With tours to places like The American Swedish Institute, The Minneapolis Art Institute, and Fairbault Woolen Mill and many classes with some of the weaving worlds’ biggest rock stars. Classes like; Doublewave with Jennifer Moore, Crimp Cloth with Dianne Totten, and sigh…Designing Rep Weave with Kelly Marshall. How could I have been so preoccupied to have spaced out registering before the deadline. Too much “daughters graduation party” on the brain, I guess.

With only a little bit of whining, my hubby agreed to a road trip with a stay at the beautiful St. Paul Hotel. I don’t think that he has ever seen me in full fiber frenzy mode, usually he is doing his own thing and I am with fellow fiberholics. He did a lot of bemused smiling, and sitting and playing on his phone. And in an apparent effort to win best husband award; even though I had dragged him through the yummy vendor hall…twice, went through 5 rooms of incredible weavings on display and drove to the Textile Center, he agreed to come back after dinner to attend the fashion show. It was really fun. Where else would you see a lineup of middle aged women in their handwoven bathrobes, strutting their stuff. Still makes me smile.

Despite not taking any classes, I was inspired enough to be anxious to get back to my looms. And Jim must have been processing some of what he saw, cause as we headed into our home town the next day, he asked what 8/2 meant on some of the yarns he saw. Guess he was paying attention. Talk about earning some hubby brownie points!

The vendor hall

 

 

Exhibits of the teachers work

A little bit of heaven

Exhibits by local weavers and knitters
St. Thomas university
Mermaid dress woven with plastic bags and lights in the train
Small Works exhibit at The Textile Center

 

Kelly Marshall’s rep weave rug
Exhibits by various guilds