Fiber-Textiles

Manbeck, Patricia

Tweedful Things

Fiber/Textiles

My work is rooted in early American folk traditions, particularly the visual language of PA German and Early American decorative arts. I create hand hooked wool rugs inspired by historic fraktur, redware pottery, antique rugs, and other objects of everyday use that once carried beauty, symbolism, and meaning into ordinary life. Working with 100% wool that I hand dye, I use a primitive rug hook and a puritan lap frame to create my art. This medium, humble, durable, and tied to domestic labor, feels inseparable from the imagery I choose. Birds, tulips, rabbits, and simple geometric forms appear in my work as a visual vocabulary. These motifs historically spoke of love, faith, fertility, protection, and belonging. I am interested in how they can still quietly speak today. Color plays a central role in my process. I favor palettes that feel aged and restrained-faded reds, soft ochres, walnut browns, flax, indigo, and ghosted greens-referencing 18^th and 19^th century dyes and the way time softens objects through use. I intentionally avoid polish or perfection, allowing irregularity, wear, and restraint to suggest history rather than imitate it.

While my rugs are informed by museum study and historical research, they are made to be lived with. I think of them as contemporary objects of use-functional textiles that carry forward the spirit of early American making. Through my work, I hope to honor the quiet intelligence of folk art and the enduring human desire to surround daily life with meaning.

etsy.com/shop/tweedfulthings

Boglioli, Loring

Loring Boglioli, Fiber Artist

Fiber/Textiles

Inspired by Victorian penny rugs and the unpredictable vagaries of sourcing and integrating upcycled textiles, her work merges well-practiced hand-sewing applique fabrications methods and bold color and design opportunities, to reinterpret a popular nineteenth century needle art, into unique fiber art wall hangings and interior design accessories.

Historically important, her work captures and honors the self-taught technical expertise and material-driven philosophy of nineteenth and twenty century needle artists and fosters the preservation of hand sewing techniques, textiles examination and the creativity and frugality of important but, unacknowledged fiber artists. Fusing venerated practices and innovative strategies, manipulating color, shape and dimension, her design aesthetic is unabashedly bold, kinetic, and playful, emerging from bags of cast-off scraps, or scavenged from flea markets, other fiber artists, and yard sales.

From these materials penny rugs are artfully cut, stitched, and layered textile pieces, then arranged in geometric patterns or naturalistic designs and stitched to a backing of stout fabrics. Completely original, unique designs are assembled using various weights and shades of woolens, synthetic fabrics, and felts and two common embroidery stitches to reinterpret color, shape, spatial frolic and primitive sophistication, evident in her compositions. All works are mounted as follows. Wall hangings under 14 -16 inches wide include an integrated stiffener and hanging ring. Hangings over 14-16 inches wide include 1/8^th”thick aluminum bar stock in a hand-sewn cotton casing with strategically drilled holes for hanging.

frugalfiber.com

Sareshwala, Khadija

Khadija Brand

Fiber/Textiles

My work explores the intersection of textile, painting, and surface design—merging tradition with contemporary expression. As a mixed media artist, I use fabric as my primary canvas, combining hand painting, wax resist, block printing, and layered dye processes to create richly textured, wearable pieces.

Rooted in my South Asian heritage and based in Northern Virginia, my practice honors traditional textile techniques while pushing their boundaries through experimentation and modern aesthetics. I view textiles not only as materials, but as living surfaces—capable of carrying emotion, memory, and cultural narrative.

Through each piece, I strive to reflect personal growth, lived experience, and a broader worldview shaped by navigating multiple cultures. My intention is to bring peace, joy, and tranquility to those who experience my work—while also celebrating diversity and encouraging a deeper appreciation for cultural inclusion.

Layered, tactile, and expressive, my work invites viewers to slow down, connect, and find beauty in both tradition and transformation.

khadijabrand.com

Staton, Amy

Amy’s Wool Applique

Fiber

The artisan has been creating wool appliqué for almost 20 years. Baltimore album quilts and other antique quilt motifs provide her with an endless supply of inspiration. She also incorporates antique crewel designs and fraktur motifs into some of her pieces. In addition to her wall hangings, table runners, and throw pillows, she creates penny rugs, a form of folk art which dates to the early to mid-1800s.

She uses both new and recycled wool from clothing and blankets in her creations. But whether new or recycled, it’s always 100% wool. The artisan applies the blanket stitch to secure the appliqué pieces after adhering them with heat activated adhesive. She also employs other embroidery stitches in her pieces.

The artisan has been selected for Early American Life’s Directory of Traditional Crafts for the last five years. For the most part, she sells her work at traditional artisan shows.

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Lavorgne, Maureen

The Rams Horn Connection

Fiber/Textiles

As so many businesses begin they begin with our parents. And with that being said mine began with my mother. My mother and father raised sheep. Romneys to be exact. Romneys have beautiful wool. Perfect for spinning and weaving.

What a talented and amazing spinner and weaver she was. She made beautiful coats, sweaters, jackets and more. She named her company Rams Horn Wool. She sold them at art and craft shows and did very well.

One day she decided to make little sheep from wire and wool to display the wool. Oh what a hit they were! So much so that she employed my two sisters who lived nearby and even my father to make these little fellows. Since I lived too far away she she said to start my own company. And so was born The Rams Horn Connection and that was 40 years ago.

This has been a craft of love for me. I trained my daughters on how to make these and now I am training my granddaughters. So hopefully 4th generation will start up. There are no tools used to make these just our hands and wire and wool.

Whimsical Woolies

Giles, Harriet

Best Demonstrating Artisan 2024

The Weavery

Fiber/Textiles

I weave rugs in a range of designs that evolve to reflect the changing tastes and moods of our society. I adapt simple weave structures to become devices for showcasing color, enlarging the scale and using nature for color inspiration. Because my rugs are often ordered on a custom basis, I also work with my customers’ palettes as well. The interplay of design, color, and woven structure gives each rug its integrity and individuality.

I am moving in a direction of greater sophistication in weave structure. Twills, Swedish Ripsmatta, and multi-harness block designs are finding their way into my repertoire. These offer more depth, texture, and intrigue without becoming too complex visually for a large item that will be integrated into a unique interior space.

Materials include cotton, wool, linen, and strips of cotton and wool fabric recycled from industry wastage when possible.

theweavery.com

Hall, Marian

Wooly Dye Works

Fiber/Textiles

I have been working with textiles most of my life. I started weaving in 1968, and started dyeing yarn at that time. As years went on I dappled with many other textile arts but finally settled on rug hooking as my favorite in the early 1990’s. I have now been rug hooking and dyeing wool fabric for the rugs for over 30 years. I do all kinds of hooking from fine cut to primitive cut and prefer mottled hand dyed wool to “as-is” wool to give more depth and “movement” to the colors in the rugs. Three of my rugs have been chosen for the annual Rug Hooking Magazine Celebrations book over the years and many of my rugs are featured in other rug hooking books.

WoolyDyeWorks.Etsy.com

Rochford, Grace

Designs By Grace

Mixed Media

Rochford has always been interested in history and early American crafts. Through this interest, she became acquainted with the historical American floorcloths. She enjoys demonstrating and educating the public about this craft. During the last 13 years, she has made these canvas products for home as well as for sale. The first piece, a large 8ft. rug is still in her front hallway. Many of designs are inspired by the colonial canvases, although she creates original and contemporary designs. The products begin with natural heavy cotton canvas. This canvas is stretched and coated with primer, artwork done, then a protective coats applied. The final step involves creating a folded under and glued hem. In addition to participating in many shows, Rochford has produced many and varied custom pieces, including historical reproduction pieces. She also worked with interior designers and have taught numerous floorcloth production workshops.

DesignsByGrace.biz