Table Rock Tapestries

Fiber Arts Collective

When Kathleen Coolidge learned to spin wool in the mid-80s, she was instantly attracted to the pleasurable feel of the fibers in her hands. She found “grooming” the fibers satisfying.

She wanted to find a way to use the beautiful yarn she was spinning. So, she found a class in Navajo weaving and expanded her enjoyment even more. Over time, she has made several trips to New Mexico to be part of weaving workshops on the Navajo Reservation with Sarah Natani, a very accomplished and generous Native weaver.

Kathleen weaves her rugs and wall hangings on a Navajo loom. Her designs are original, but she draws on traditional and native sources for inspiration.

For the most part, her sheep fleeces come from the annual Black Sheep Gathering in Albany, Oregon. She attends the gathering every summer and returns home to wash, tease, card and spin the yarn she uses in her weavings. She uses wool from naturally-colored sheep or dyes white wool with synthetic dyes for brighter colors, or vegetable and insect dyes for more muted, softer colored yarn.

Kathleen lives and weaves in the Rogue Valley near the Table Rocks. Her rugs will be on display at the Fiber Arts Collective in January and February, and she will be present to greet visitors during First Friday on February 3^rd, 2023, 5-8 pm.