My love of weaving did not start until I was in my junior year of college. At the time, I was studying interior design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (PCTS). (PCTS is now a part of Thomas Jefferson University). While I was studying interior design, I realized that this was really not my thing. I thought it would be more like interior decorating where you put pretty fabrics together.
One of my professors, told me to take a course in textile design. I fell in love with the textile design class. Textile design was a very tactile. I loved analyzing the fabrics, and creating new beautiful fabrics. I received a degree in textile design with a concentration in weaving.
My first handwoven project while I was in school.
After graduation, I was offered a position at Hoffman Mills. I was nervous about moving three hours away from my home town, but I knew it would be a great position for me.
I worked at Hoffman Mills for about ten years. During the time I worked there, I designed woven fabrics for a variety of markets, such as home furnishings, bedding, apparel, outdoor fabrics, just to name a few. This was such a fun position since every day I was designing such different fabrics and fabrics for different end uses. All of these different fabrics had their own unique challenges.
(Jacquard loom at Hoffman Mills. Looms are definitely more complex than a handweaving loom)
After about a decade of working at Hoffman Mills, the dreaded announcement came. They were closing their doors, like so many other textile mills in the country. At this point, in my personal life, I was married with an almost one year old son. I knew moving my husband to another state was not an option so I could not get another textile job. Now what?
Through the mills’ closure, I was able to go back to school, and I studied graphic design. Like interior design, I did not love it, but I was a freelance graphic designer for several years.
Since Hoffman Mills closed its doors, I have done a variety of positions, other than graphic design. I helped my husband with his construction business, we owned a convenience store, purchased many rental properties, and now we are organic farmers. I became a mother again to a second son.
When I was pregnant with my first son, my husband purchased a beautiful handweaving loom for me. At the time, I was a new mom with many other responsibilities, and unfortunately the new loom ended up in our attic.
Fast forward many years, I finally got the loom out of the attic and started handweavng. I was creating interesting fabrics, and my friends and family convinced me to start selling some of the items I was weaving.
Carrie Varner Textiles was born! Originally, I was just selling my work through local galleries, and did a few shows. Now, I have an Etsy store and my own website.
My husband, our two sons, and I remodeled a room above our implement shed into my weaving studio. It’s located on one of our organic farms only a few minutes away from our home. I have beautiful views of the mountains which is constant inspiration.
My weaving studio:
View from my studio:
My weaving journey started almost 30 years ago. From my time studying textile design in college, then working as a commercial textile designer, and now, with my own handweaving business. What a great journey it has been so far…
