I live in Avalanche, Wisconsin, on our farm. My weaving workshop and small retail store are just across the creek from our house, in a red and white building. It's called Avalanche Looms, which is a little word play. In my workshop I weave on floor looms, including two antique Scandinavian style barn looms. I stock a small selection of books, toys, cards and gifts, as well as my own weaves. The style I look for in all my store merchandise is simple, practical, beautiful and sustainable design. It's a rustic life out here, and my store reflects that. I also like to stock materials and supplies for people who like to make their own things. I appreciate creativity in all forms, and encourage it.

I opened my Etsy store a few years ago. Alas, I'm a slow weaver, and my weaving sells out quickly.. I do weave steadily, though, and list regularly, even if my shop often looks empty. Since I love to style and photograph textiles, Etsy is a perfect place for me to show my weaves, and perfect for the limited size of my production.

My weaving is based on historic Scandinavian weave structures, plain weave ticking stripes, Rosepath, and Goose eye. Not so many generations back, a loom was part of daily life, and its production was necessary for clothing and household textiles. Many hours were spent at the loom, and not just for the pleasure of weaving. It was a chore. My family heritage is Swedish and Finnish. I like the simplest, most basic weaves, and natural yarns. My favorite yarns are linen, hemp, cotton and silk. Those yarns combine with each other in beautiful ways. Color is very important to create feeling in my weaving. Often I hand dye yarns to get the exact color I want to see. Textiles, especially, are meant to be touched and used. What I'm always trying to make is a functional, wearable textile that is also art. Sometimes I get lucky.