California Livin Home: Handwoven Originals by Amy C. Lund on Etsy

I have had a love of textiles since I was a young girl. In my lifetime I have had the opportunity in assisting with the production of thousands of yards of fabric being produced for sleepwear and bedding lines. From start to finish the process has always amazed me starting with the design and colors than the layout and finally the finished product.

From an interest in fibers and hand spinning her own yarns at an early age, Amy Lund has mastered the skills of Handweaving. I came across her Etsy Shop earlier last week and asked her if I could write a blog post on her craft. She eagerly agreed and in her own words below she describes how she came to weaving and how she creates her incredible Handwoven Home Furnishings.

Thanks for taking a peek ~

Sharon :0)

My name is Amy C. Lund. I am a hand weaver of home furnishing textiles and personal style accessories. I have a Studio & Gallery in Tiverton, RI where I make and sell my work, as well as online through Etsy, ACLhandweaver.

Lakeside/Seaside Cottage Hand Woven Natural Cotton Cup/Mug Coasters Set of (4) $40
4" x 5-1/2"

Cottage Rug - Hand Woven - Recycled Cotton Rags
27"w x 30"l - $185

I make table linens, rugs, blankets, scarves, shawls and more in what I consider simple, yet sophisticated, styles. I’m inspired by colors and textures in the world around me, and how textiles relate to our everyday lives. Every culture uses textiles, yet in many different combinations. I like to try to match form and function, texture, color and design to create a pleasing effect in ordinary objects. This often means understanding the individual details at one level and how they work together in a greater context. I try to incorporate my visions into the pieces I make. Some of the basic styles are universal and carry over between cultures and history. Although I use traditional forms and techniques, I am not trying to be old-timey, or of any one style, but to bring all my influences together in my work for use in contemporary lifestyles. For instance, while I make simple white linen table runners, they could be used in Traditional Historic homes, or Contemporary modern condos.

Recycled Wool Christmas Tree Ornament
$18.00 each

I make things that I like to use and think other people would find enjoyment in using. While it is true that there is a lot of “stuff” in our lives, we can pick and choose items that suit our needs both practically and aesthetically. Too often we forget that we should take time to live in the moment and be mindful of our lives and the world around us, both for ourselves and for others.

Weaving, to me, is about order and repetition, with some variation allowed with color and pattern. There are almost infinite possibilities, just depending on which parts are chosen and brought together in the structure being created.

Hand Woven Alpaca Scarf
$185.00

Seaside Cottage Hand Woven Scarf
$125.00

Sometimes it’s too easy to fall into the trap of over-thinking a project, just as much as it is easy to under-think it. While it takes some conceptualization to determine some of the details of a project, sometimes the fun is in seeing what will happen. Some of this comes from practical experience and some from artistic insight. It’s all a balance and an art as much as concrete counting and placing of threads.

Hand Woven Wool Windowpane Check Blanket
$675.00

For those Cool Nites at the Cabin
Wood Tote Log Carrier
Recycled Wool Rag
$225.00

Knit Felted Wool Slipped
$68.00

Recycled Cotton Rag Tote Bag
$280.00

I often think of what I want to make as an object and what qualities I would like it to have, then determine the fibers, materials, and then gravitate to colors and patterns. I try to reach for the point where I think form and function should meet. After sketching the general design and colors and working out the determination of number of yarns, the finished size, quantity I want to make, I dive into the actual process step by step from winding the warp, beaming on the loom, threading and tie up to actual weaving of the material. The processes of washing, edge finishing with fringe or hems, pressing, labeling, tagging, and pricing for sale completes each piece, turning it into something useful beyond yardage. Lastly, without marketing or display an item is not really done until it is in the hands of a customer and enjoyed.

Amy's Background…

I came to weaving through an interest in fibers and hand spinning when I was very young. With encouragement I bought some wool, fixed up a spinning wheel and practiced. Of course, I had to learn what to do with the yarn I created. I learned first to knit, then became interested in weaving, fascinated with textile history and technology. My first woven project used some of my handspun yarn on an old barn loom that a weaver set up in a museum setting. Eventually I took a class and learned the set up process myself and was given a loom. I worked off and on during my school years, reading both history and technical books and working on a few projects. After college in the late 80s, I found an internship under the guidance of a working weaver at Hancock Shaker Village Museum in Pittsfield, MA. This solidified my practical knowledge and encouraged me to get a graduate degree in the field of Textiles at University of Rhode Island, with focus on Conservation and History. While working in museums with textiles for a while was okay, I missed actual weaving. So, I again sought work with other artisans to understand some of the business-side of craft, before jumping in full-time myself in the late 90s. Initially, I exhibited at craft shows and art fairs, until becoming involved in an open studio and gallery started by another weaver. This new shop situation seemed to work well for me, and has become my main format. I have since expanded my shop online, adding websites, blogs, and through Etsy as a marketplace.