This Deen loom was built in the early 1900s and has been in our family for four generations. It all started in 1947 with Clara and Stephen Stoner who bought the loom used in Navarre, Ohio. They used a wheelbarrow to haul it across town in pieces and assembled it in their basement. Clara joined the Maysville Guild of Home Weavers and was noted for her precision and attention to detail.

The loom was passed to Hilda Stoner who began weaving in her basement in the 1980s. She was the recycle queen of all fabrics, repurposing into beautiful rugs and bags. She also believed in donating her creations to her church for fundraising.

In 2015, my mother inherited the loom and moved it to Florida. She fell in love with the craft while learning the ins and outs of the antique loom. She’s following in the footsteps of the other weavers in our family, paying attention to details and recycling discarded fabrics to create beautiful rugs and bags as well as donating to fundraising events.

In 2017, I joined my mother to continue the family tradition of weaving and even start expanding on it by making straps, belts and soon scarves and tapestry.

The antique loom provides us with an opportunity not only to be creative but also to feel connected with our ancestors. We enjoy using the same tools our grandparents did and creating works of art that are both beautiful and functional. Also, because of the loom, we’ve made new friends in the Strictly Weavers of the Emerald Coast Guild, which has been a great source for knowledge, advice, and inspiration.

When we’re not working at the loom or prepping fabrics, we’re spending time with our family and pets, cooking, reading, or walking the beach.