Magpie Adventures

Transcript for Eps 01 - Feeling Creative at Gather Textiles

Lisa:
Hello friends! Welcome to season 1 of Magpie Adventures, where we explore how we feel in the spaces we share. I’m Lisa Pruden. Thanks for being here in this space, where a past version of me speaks to a future holding the present version of you. I wonder what we’re up to?

The theme of this first season is togetherness and gathering. I’m curious about how we here in Edmonton come together during the cold winter months and I found 3 great examples - 3 episodes - each with a different vibe.

This first episode is about coming together to create. It’s especially nerdy on my part because I love textile art, and I dig metaphors. So, here we go!

We’re visiting Gather Textiles, a weaving shop and studio in our city that puts so much care into bringing people together through this craft.

Weaving has an ancient history across many cultures, with knowledge and skills being passed forward and built on over generations. And it is often used as a metaphor for life and community: the way many individual threads come together to create a whole. What better way to get this podcast started?

The Gather studio is located on Fort Road, not too far from the Coliseum LRT Station. Let me introduce you to Kim McCollum.

Kim:
High there!

Lisa:
Hello!

Kim:
Welcome. Thanks for coming. We're happy to have you.

Lisa:
Kim is a master weaver, artist and owner of Gather Textiles. And friends, I am underselling what an accomplished creator she is. Very worth learning more about her journey, I’ll have links in the show notes.

For Kim, collaborative learning is one of the components of her weaving practice, and so she created this studio as a place for weavers to come together and do what weavers have been doing for centuries, share their knowledge.

There are workshops for guided learning, and the studio is also open generally for weavers to share the space and tools. The vibe is creative and generative. I get a real sense of abundance hearing folks talk and hearing the looms click and clack as their projects come together.

Kim:
We are primarily a weaving studio, so we teach all sorts of different classes, we sell yarn, and we're a home base for a lot of the really serious weavers in the city. So we meet here to plan projects. We make our own patterns, and, yeah, we just really nerd out over weaving.

Lisa:
Kim is going to give us a tour of the space, and we’ll start in the store front.

Kim:
So we have a fairly large warehouse space. The front area is kind of the more typical shop looking kind of area where we've got our till at the front here, and then some of our kind of fancier yarns out front, and we have all of our kits laid out so people can see what's possible to make. So, right when you walk through the front doors, there's a wall full of yarn, and then boxes filled with yarn and tea towel samples. So we've got a whole bunch of different color combinations out so people can get an idea of, like, the materiality of what they're making before they commit to a project. So with weaving, everything is quite slow, as you can imagine, so we do our best in the studio to make as many samples as we can so people can come in and see and touch things and get a feel for what they might actually be making when they buy yarn from us.

Lisa:
There are so many cloths, materials and textures in this space. There is such a tactile component that invites you to explore and learn through touch.

Kim:
Yeah, so on this back wall here, we have a couple of different things at the top is our Parkland blanket wool, and it's one of the projects I'm most excited about in our studio, because it's a collaboration between us here at gather and Traceable Textiles, who have a studio just down the road, and we've been working with them for a couple of years now to develop this line of completely local wool. So these cones here are all made from the wool of sheep in Alberta, and they are, it's completely undyed. We have some, some skeins of the same wool that is naturally dyed with local plants as well. And so it's really been a project we've been very invested in and made a whole bunch of samples with, because it's just so cool to be able to weave with things that are from sheep, that are grown so close to us.

Lisa:
And even as we were walking up to it, I could see it has such a lovely texture that I wanted to reach out and touch it immediately.

Kim:
Oh, yeah. I mean, this stuff is particularly blended to be great for making blankets, which is why we call it blanket wool. So it has a bit of grist, so enough that it's going to hold together and full really nicely, which is the weaving term for when we wash it, it kind of expands and then binds together, and can look almost felted afterwards. So it has a little bit of grist, but it's also very soft and drapey. So like, it feels, like, very squooshy and luxurious. It’s thicker than like a normal blanket would you'd probably expect it to be, but the drape is still really nice, which is exactly what we're looking for for a blanket. We're also using a weave structure called twill. It thickens it up and allows the blanket to fall a little bit nicer.

Lisa:
Kim and her team take great care in finding good materials to offer weavers. They even test the yarn and work with the tools so they can help weavers find the right textures and needs for their project. They put that same care and attention into community building. And I say all that just to give a hint at all the behind the scenes work that goes into cultivating a sharable space. Kim tells us more about that.

Kim:
Yeah. I mean, I think, like the materials element and the community element is something that we're constantly trying to bring together as one. I think we're often so out of touch with our materials and where they come from and how they're used.

One of my favorite artists, Anni Albers, has this whole essay about what she calls tactile sensibility and how important it is to learn about materials and, and our world by using our hands and making things. And I think that's just so true, and a big part of the community building around here really revolves around people that also feel that way and find each other here.

So we have a huge range of different kind of entry points into weaving. So there's people that really love materials and like, that's what gets them excited. But there's also people that really love structure and complex math. And so, you know, we get quite a range of different kinds of weavers, and that's really fun, and it makes it exciting to kind of work together to build projects. So here that person is Jamie. Jamie is an absolute whiz with computer programs and, like, understanding structure.

And so Jamie and I often collaborate, and I'll choose colors and materials, and then Jamie will figure out kind of the most intricate and interesting way to put those together, and then Mila will take it to the next step and make sure that our pattern is perfect, and, you know, communicate that well to our customers. And so it's definitely a type of craft practice that is quite wide reaching in terms of the entry points for different people. But we all agree on yarn being fantastic and inspiring and interesting. And I think that's probably, you know, what it comes down to.

Lisa:
With so many different approaches, weaving attracts all kinds of different people, each with their own stories and creative expressions. When people share their stories and learnings here, it contributes to the creative and generative vibe.

Kim:
Yeah, so it's really exciting time of year here, because we're getting a whole bunch of new weavers in. And we just recently had a class with eight brand new weavers. And so it's so interesting, I think, for them to, like, first start to look at a loom and understand how things come together. And I'm always brought back to, like, my first experience weaving. And I get really excited about bringing in new people.

I ask people to bring in a piece of cloth from their home or something that inspires them when they first come. And so often we're having conversations around like cloth that's meaningful to different people for different reasons. And I really love that. I also like to ask people a bit about their family history or their backgrounds, and if they have any makers in their families. And it usually is a really good springboard for lots of meaningful conversations.

There's also something about while you're weaving, you know, it's like when you're in the car driving, it's easy to have like conversations when you're not necessarily sitting down, just looking somebody in the eyes, you know, you're busy working away, and you can kind of talk about whatever, and it feels casual and fun. And I think that usually happens a little later in the class, once people are confident in what they're doing and they're just kind of weaving away.

Lisa:
Today is a day with no workshops running. Just a few weavers who came to be in the space. Having this informal way to gather is important.

Kim:
Absolutely!. You know, I do some creative projects on my own outside of gather, where I have a studio that I'm by myself in. And while I enjoy that time, I could not do that always. I love having that community. I love the action. I love being inspired by other people's ideas.

With weaving, there's this really fun way of setting up a project where you can make a warp. You can have some of the project plans set in stone, essentially. So the threading is done, the loom is set up, and then you can weave it in so many different ways. So we'll set up a simple warp, and then take turns weaving on it and come up with different things, and then show each other what we've made and talk it out afterwards, and kind of see what we like the best and choose the best things to turn into patterns for people. And that kind of dialog and energy is really what gets me excited about the space, and kind of the whole Gather project.

Lisa:
When you’re getting creative, a good workspace can amp up your motivation and get your synapses firing. And this workspace is fantastic. It is bright and spacious, with an array of colourful yarns, wooden tools, clacking looms and a couple of sewing machines whirring from time to time. While we were recording, there was also a wee bit of construction next door, so you might notice that in the background too, as Kim takes us through to the warehouse.

Kim:
So we have a warehouse here, which has a loft at the top. And then on the main floor, there are, oh, how many looms, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, floor looms are out right now. We have nine. Couple are folded up. And then we have seven table looms out right now, and a whole bunch of other ones set away. So there are a lot of large tools.

So the big looms that are on the ground are like six feet in terms of width, and maybe like three feet wide, and they're about - as go up to your shoulders in terms of height. So they're big pieces of equipment, and they look like they could have been built hundreds of years ago, and that's because they are made essentially the same now as they were then. So they're old fashioned looking tools. They're wooden. And I think a lot of weavers really love that about weaving is like all of the tools have their own kind of like history to them, and they feel good in your hands, and they're beautiful. We also have some other tools, like warping mills. So those are big pieces of equipment used to get the threads in order before you start weaving. We have some big tables at the front where we just put all our new yarn and where we meet to talk about things. And then we have a big yarn wall, which is at the back over here.

And this is one of the most fun parts, I think, for new weavers, is when we set them free on the yarn wall so they can just weave with anything they want when they come here. So on the far left we have our finer cottons. Then we have our linens, our silks, our linen blends, our slubby yarns. And then we have this area, which is kind of like miscellaneous fun. So it's just like bits and bobs. So it's some things that we might have now and then never have again. So it's always kind of interesting to see what's there and play around with whatever's new.
It takes a while to build up, you know, a stash, usually, of specific weaving yarn. So it's fun to be able to come in and just try a bunch of things before committing to, you know, spending all your money. It's fun to just be able to kind of play with different textures and try a couple of little bits of this and that.

What else we've got back in the corner there, there's all like our parts for looms, so it kind of just looks like a lumber yard, but they all have their specific purposes. And then on the far side, the wool on the back wall there is for rug weaving, and that's our newer line that we're practicing a whole bunch of different rugs for now. And then on this wall is just essentially cotton in every color and every size, with a couple of of tools and accessories on the left.

Lisa:
It is like a little crafters dream in here. It's a wonderful space.

Kim:
Yeah, thanks. Yeah. It feels, it feels very homey, I think now that we've been here about three years and a bit, so it feels like we've settled in. I think at first it felt like a really big space, but it didn't take us long to just, like, acquire more looms. That's kind of this thing that happens when you're a weaver, especially when you have a big space, is people just start bringing you looms. And we actually, somebody just brought us a huge 60 inch loom last week, and, but it's kind of in parts, and so we've been putting that together. That's what this is. Over here amongst our packing station is a huge loom that we've just ordered a bunch of parts for to get it working. So yeah, looms, have a way of finding us now.

Lisa:
How do you all feel having watched this come together because you started out of a butcher shop and then you came into this space and turned it into just like a dream playground for makers, yeah. What do you feel when you see people using it?

Kim :
Oh, you know, it's a it's it's really rewarding, I think, now and again, I like, I remember what it was like to be a brand new Weaver, and how excited I was getting about weaving, and how I just wish that there was more like, things to see and people to talk to and like and while there were weavers, I think now that we have, like, a home base in the city. I mean, there's also that Edmonton Weaver’s Guild that is doing lots of interesting things too, but another home base for weavers here has really helped build kind of that energy, and it's really exciting to have been, you know, a fairly major part of that happening locally. So yeah, like, I love having people in. I get really excited when people just come in, even to show me what they're working on. So that happens quite a lot. We've had customers now that have started with us, you know, four or five years ago, and they're really good weavers now, and they come in and bring their things, and they show us, and then we can take photos and show other people, and that kind of energy is really exciting and fun to have here.

Lisa:
That's perfect. Thank you so much.

Lisa:
A huge thanks to Kim McCollum for welcoming us into Gather Textiles. It was such a creative space to be in. Friends, I’ve got some links in the show notes for you so you can easily find out more about Kim, the whole team at Gather and everything they have to offer.

They’ve got workshops, they’ve got tools and they have so much yarn. So much yarn! They were also featured on the Weave podcast, which is a great show for those who love the craft. So head on over to the show notes for all of those links. Plus some links to the article Kim mentioned about tactile sensibility.

This podcast is created by yours truly, here in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ ). Edmonton, Alberta in Treaty 6 territory.
If you have ideas for vibes and locations, email me at himagpies@gmail.com. Or, find me on Instagram at hi_magpies.
Thank you for listening and sharing this time together. It means a lot, because this wouldn’t be here without you.

I’ll leave you with the sound of the hand-turned bobbin winder that Kim kindly showed me as everyone kept working on their projects.

Stay safe and keep trying out there.