Marjie Thompson enjoys being “stuck” in the pre-20th century weaving world. Her focus is the textiles produced both at home and by the professional weavers. Marjie enjoys adapting these weaves to contemporary colors and uses. She is the coordinator of the Complex Weavers “Early Weaving Books and Manuscripts” study group, the “Preserving Our Past” study group, past president of NEWS, a past Dean of the Weavers’ Guild of Boston, past president of Complex Weavers, an active guild member in the Weavers’ Guild of Boston, president of the New Hampshire Weavers’ Guild, and a member of many study groups including Cross Country Weavers.
Her woven pieces have received the HGA award, Handwoven’s Weaving for the Home Award, and Marjie is one of a handful of weavers awarded the “Weaver of Distinction” title from NEWS in both the gallery and fashion shows. She is the co-author of Forgotten Pennsylvania Textiles of the 18th and 19th Centuries, The Huck Pattern Collection, Miniature Patterns for Weaving by Josephine Estes, and the editor of The Gartner Manuscript. Her articles have appeared in Weavers, Handwoven, Complex Weavers Journal, Shuttle, Spindle, & Dyepot, and The Spinning Wheel Sleuth’s Loom Supplement.
Near History of Weaving from 1876
The need to weave fabric for household textiles and/or clothing virtually disappeared by the 1850’s as machine-made textiles became affordable and abundant and handweaving was forgotten. The Centennial of 1876, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the Colonial Revival era caused a revival of weaving, but as a craft, not a skilled occupation. This seminar discusses the movements that influenced the resurgence of weaving and the names and stories associated with early 20th century weaving: William Morris, Mary Meigs Atwater, Laura Allen, Marguerite Porter Davison, Berta Frey, Annie Albers, and Dorothy Liebes, among others.