2020 Year in Review
At the beginning of 2020, I was working full-time at a stressful job, dreaming of spending more time on my weaving but unsure how to get there.
I wrote this in my 2020 planner:
By February, I was starting to put that dream into motion. I put in my notice at work, which also meant preparing to move, since I lived in a cabin on site. I'd found affordable housing (a momentous task in Grand Marais, sometimes meaning making a sacrifice like renting a place without running water, like the one I found ) and I trusted that my skills as a housekeeper would find work in this traveler's town, hopefully on a more part-time basis, leaving me more time at the loom.
By March, the unthinkable pandemic had made its way to Minnesota and completely shut down the hospitality industry where I planned to find work. In a last minute decision, instead of moving into my new little cabin, I drove 200 miles right past it to my parents' house, where we rode out the early pandemic together.
During the next two months, I managed the fear about the pandemic and the uncertainty about when I'd be back in my northern home by weaving all day, every day. My community (you!) showed up, supporting me, purchasing my work, keeping me engaged and excited about making art. I was privileged to have a place to stay and the ability to quarantine as COVID ramped up all around us. I began to play with gradients more, and made my first “moon rug”, a design which became and still is a favorite of mine.
In May, I was able to return north, moving into the rustic cabin, still unsure about how I was going to make a living. Bored and anxious during my two-week quarantine, I stumbled upon a part-time cleaning job on the local job board. It turned out to be, and continues to be, a perfect fit—independent work with a schedule that allowed me to be at my loom almost every day by 2 pm.
My new living location closer to Lake Superior opened up more opportunities for “adventure weaving” —bringing my portable loom and basket of yarn to various spots along the shore of the big lake to weave in the elements, one of the highlights of my year.
Fall and early winter brought yet another move (I decided that spending a northern winter using an outhouse and hauling water through the deep snow was not high on my priority list) and the return of a more intense quarantine period. With it this time came cold and dark as we neared the solstice. Once again weaving gave me a purpose, a place to show up every day and make something, even if it was something small, even if it didn’t work out.
Early winter also brought a surprise: a free vintage floor loom being given away locally. Though it takes up a third of my little cabin, it opens up a world of possibilities for weaving rugs, detailed tapestries, and speedier smaller items. I finished out the year making wild, playful, fringe-y weavings, sparking new ideas for future weavings and collections.
2020 By the Numbers:
100+ woven wall hangings sold ...
79 of which were nature-inspired designs (moonrises, sunrises, mountains, and more!)
9 wonderful commissions
6 Etsy shop updates (compared to just one in 2019!)
4 in-person events (one pre-pandemic, and three in spite of the pandemic outdoors and social distanced)
1 big dream realized - the ability to support myself part-time with my woven work!
Hopes for 2021
- More consistent shop updates to keep favorite items like coasters, plant mats, and small wall hangings well-stocked. My hope is to update every 6 weeks!
- Release at least one cohesive themed collection of wall art this winter. (I have a vision for this that came together this winter while ice skating on “wild ice” on the Gunflint Trail in early December)
- Learn how to use my floor loom, and hopefully take a floor loom weaving class.
- Continue to explore using secondhand materials (such as thrifted yarn and fabric) and possibly create an entire collection using recycled materials.
- Start a free local loom lending library to share the joy of weaving and keep my little collection of looms from gathering dust.
- Expand my offerings to include fiber packs, prints, and secondhand clothing with added woven elements.
- Carve out periods of rest and play (which in my experience so far is when new ideas and designs emerge!)
Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and kindness this past year. Here’s to more weaving, learning, and growth in 2021!