Bobbie Irwin
My fascination with weaving started in 1973, when a brief magazine article introduced me to inkle weaving. For years I happily worked on my own, using homemade equipment and with only a couple classes, few books, and no other weavers around for inspiration. It wasn’t until I joined a guild in 1982 that I really started learning, and I thank that guild for gently pushing me in new directions. Since then, I’ve always valued weavers’ guilds, and when I’ve lived in rural areas, I’ve always been able to find other weavers and spinners to connect with.
Educated as a geologist, I’ve always loved original research. When I started weaving, I began using the same skills to focus on textile topics. Periodically, some aspect of weaving or spinning has intrigued me, and I typically spend a couple years sampling until I’ve answered my own questions and feel competent to write about it and teach it. My favorite research topics are those that have not been written about extensively, because then I can form and test my own theories without being overly influenced by other weavers. I love to play “what if?” games, sometimes bending the rules to discover new approaches to traditional methods.
Of all my studies, one of the longest and the one I have found most exciting is my ongoing study of iridescent fabrics. This has been my most popular workshop for many years and is the subject of my newest book…and I continue to learn!
With weaving, there is always something new to try and no excuse to get bored!