Weaving is Art

 Three local handweavers join together to exhibit their textiles and share their techniques. Faith Perkins (Salem, NY) owns Quarry Ridge Alpacas farm and has been producing exquisite scarves and shawls with her alpacas’ fleece for many years. Tomi Bentley (Hoosick Falls) weaves sophisticated fabrics with natural materials that emphasize complex weave structures and subtle colors. Stephanie Morton (Coila, NY) weaves vibrant rugs and runners using American-produced cotton and wool yarns, and recycled, indigo-dyed cotton.

Together they represent 3 different approaches that reflect their unique color sense and personalities. 

The artists will share their love of their craft with explanations of the materials,  weave structures and a working loom that illustrate the deep background behind the finished textiles.

Stephanie Morton

Stephanie Morton has been weaving rugs since her undergraduate work at Friends’ World College. She learned traditional textile techniques in England, Scandinavia, Mexico, India and Nepal before returning to the States to raise a family. Since then she has continued to learn and teach traditional European handweaving techniques in Connecticut and now Coila, NY. 

Stephanie is heavily influenced by Scandinavian design concepts and draws upon local and American-made yarns for her textiles. She enjoys playing with color and texture to create heirloom-quality rugs and textiles that make people happy.

Faith Perkins

Faith Perkins has long been fascinated by the interaction of fibers. In kindergarten, she taught herself to knit using 2 pencils and hiding her nefarious activities under her desk. The fiber friendship continued and morphed into crochet, then spinning, and eventually dyeing the yarns she created. In 1998, Faith and her husband Herb purchased their first alpacas and began harvesting the fleeces for processing into yarns and wearable items. Taking one step further, she started weaving lessons with Sylvia Graham at Fiber Kingdom and has now been weaving on her own looms for about 5 years. She is a member of the Hudson Mohawk Weavers’ Guild and participates in fiber festivals throughout the area. The fascination continues as she explores the interplay of color, texture, and pattern on the loom, creating fabrics with practical applications. And others of a  purely aesthetic nature. Fiber forever!

Tomi Bentley

Tomi Bentley was born and raised in the countryside of Japan and moved to Hoosick Falls NY in 2010. Sewing was her hobby, but she had no experience in weaving fabrics. Inspired by the hand-woven sachet she received from her friend, She started weaving in 2014. She has been a member of Hudson Mohawk Weavers’ Guild since 2015 and has been participating in events and craft shows with accessories and scarves since the fall of 2016. Ten years have passed since then. Textile production can create different appearances and tactile sensations by altering yarn color, thickness, and density. The weaving process requires careful consideration of the intended application. She strives to weave fabrics that enhance aesthetics and serve practical purposes.