Fibers in the 21st Century – Foundation and Future

Conference / 14 Comments / July 22, 2015

Contemporary Handweavers of Texas Biennial ConferenceAustin, TX – June 24-28, 2015‘Warp Speed Ahead!’The production and use of textiles is changing dramatically in the 21st century. Google and other corporations and industries are hiring weavers to explore new concepts in fiber incorporating and embedding technology. It is a very exciting time to be involved in the future of fibers, fabric and textiles.

Dr. Joanna Berzowska’s Keynote address focused on these developments and the new frontiers of fibers and fabric. She is Associate Professor of Design and Computation Arts at Concordia University and a member of the Hexagram Research Institute in Montreal. She is the founder and research director of XS Labs, where her team develops innovative methods and applications in electronic textiles and responsive garments. Her art and design work has been shown in the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum in NYC, the V&A in London, the Millenium Museum in Beijing, various SIGGRAPH Art Galleries, ISEA, the Art Directors Club in NYC, the Australian Museum in Sydney, NTT ICC in Tokyo, and Ars Electronica Center in Linz among others. She lectures internationally about the field of electronic textiles and related social, cultural, aesthetic, and political issues. She was selected for the Maclean’s 2006 Honour Roll as one of “thirty nine Canadians who make the world a better place to live in”. She received her Masters of Science from MIT and worked with the Tangible Media Group of the MIT Media Lab before co-founding International Fashion Machines in Boston. Her Keynote address, ‘Weaving Textiles that Think: electronic textiles and biometric garments” was intriguing, captivating and amazing. To think that the handweaver is a part of this dynamic investigation is downright thrilling!

The Contemporary Handweavers of Texas is a state weaving organization that hosts the conference in different cities every two years. Weavers, spinners and dyers come from all corners of Texas come to attend workshops and seminars, exhibit their work in a juried exhibit or the fashion show, shop from exciting vendors, see old friends, and make new ones. This year’s conference was fabulous! Some of the workshops and seminars included:

Untying the Mysteries of Tied Weaves – Su Butler
Warping & Weaving with Ease – Yohannah Klingensmith
Plain Weave Isn’t Plain – Sandra Doak
Demystifying Drafts & Designing on the Fly – Susan Fricks
Making a Ply-Split Braided Necklace – Eileen Thompson
Weaving with Futuristic Yarns – Giovanna Imperia
Get Your Color Wheel Out of a Rut – Aimee Kandl
Tablet Weaving: Threaded-In Designs – John Mullarkey
Warping & Weaving with a Zoom Loom or WeaveIt – Carol Ann Britt
Blending for Spinning – Midge Jackson
Open Your Weaving to New Possibilities – Mickey Stam
Repurposing Sweater Yarn for Weaving – Pam James
Wood, Bugs & Berries – Deb McClintock
Weaving for Felting – Ella Strawman
Designing with Computers – Wilson, Mullarkey, McClintock, Carmel

A conference wouldn’t be a conference without vendors that bring irresistible materials and goods for the attendees to drool over and purchase! Want to do a little shopping of your own? Here is a list of the vendors that provided that much loved feature to our conference:

Colores del Pueblo
Festive Ware Arts
Fire Ant Ranch – Georgetown, TX
Giovanna Imperia Designs – Houston, TX
Happy Ewe – Jonestown, TX
Heritage Arts – Grandview, TX
Hill Country Weavers – Austin, TX
Homestead Fiber Arts
Jerry Brock Woodworks – Clearwater, FL
Lone Star Loom Room – Houston, TX
Lunatic Fringe
Misty Creek Alpacas – Somis, CA
Mohair and More
Redfish Dyeworks
True Vineyard Ministries – San Marcus, TX
Weavin’ Place Saori Style – Folsom, LA
Yarnorama – Paige, TX

There is nothing like sharing your passion with others that are as invested as you are! The 2017 CHT Conference will be held in the Houston area. Watch the website for news about dates and location. We would love to play with you!!