Front Porch Textiles Pop-Up and Presentation

Front Porch Textiles Pop-Up and Presentataion

May 5, 2024, 2-4pm

We are so pleased to welcome Ann Arbor's own Mary Underwood, from Front Porch Textiles, to Spun! Mary will be joining us at our Monthly Spin-In this May to talk about her work in the fiber arts. Bonus: She'll be bringing along a fraction of the gorgeous and varied fiber she's been collecting over the years for us to sample and purchase. 

Mary is craftsperson whose expertise reaches in multiple directions and whose many successes stem largely from the priority she places on relationships, locally, nationally, and globally. She's given lectures and workshops throughout the US and Canada; presented at the annual Weaving History Conference; served as a panelist for the Handweavers Guild of America; penned articles of Spin-Off, Handwoven, and many other journals; and vended at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck.

In Mary's own words: "The long journey to creating Front Porch Textiles started in 1992 with a first house, fenced in back yard, a Norwegian Elkhound, and dog hair. Lots of dog hair. What to do with it? Lemons to lemonade. Learn to spin and make yarn of course. By 1995 the next logical step was weaving. Thank you, Spinners' Flock and Forma. In 2009 a weaving studio emerged in the back yard. With that came the opportunity to teach classes, have exhibits, collect books and expand a library, do research, to invite other artists to participate in bi-annual Friends at Front Porch studio sales. Finally a way to display textiles and craft as intended for use! Over the years, the thirst for fiber, yarn, and weaving knowledge expanded into exploration of Mongolian and Quebecois fiber traditions. An additional priority always included visiting farms and forming relationships and friendships with shepherds providing spinning fiber. These areas of interest continue to dominate much of the activity at Front Porch Textiles today."

Please make plans to join us for conversation and crafting on May 5!