Fall warmth
Years ago I saw a beautiful handwoven cloak from Morocco that was covered in large pile fringe for extra winter warmth; ever since then I've dreamt of creating a cloak using some of those elements. I wove piles of organic cotton-linen fringe into this piece imparting warmth, weight and movement. This is the first of what I hope will be many works in this vein.
This cloak was sewn using fabric that was entirely handwoven by me in my home/studio in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The fabric was woven on a warp of organic cotton-linen with a weft of naturally dyed raw silk. The raw silk was dyed using black walnuts that I harvested locally here in the mountains of Southern New Mexico.
The pile-woven fringe woven into this piece are all remnants of past warps that I've saved over the years. Each time, in the transition from one warp ending to a new warp beginning, each end of thread is tied together and pulled though the loom to begin anew. During this process there are meters of thread that become 'loom waste'. I am a bit fastidious when it comes to not wasting anything, so I have saved this 'loom waste' for years so that it could be brought into new creations.
Laying flat this piece measures 56 inches (143cm) from wrist to wrist, 28 inches (72cm) long (from shoulder to hemline) and 30 inches (77cm) wide under the armpits. It will fit a wide range of sizes.
