P R O J E C T S

Community Outreach

Members of the Pikes Peak Weavers Guild believe it is important to share their knowledge of textiles and regularly participate in demonstrations and exhibitions of weaving, spinning, and other fiber related activities.

During the past year, PPWG members exhibited their works at the Fine Arts Center, Rock Ledge Ranch, the Pioneers Museum, Commonwheel Gallery, and other public venues.

Beyond Bedspreads:
: American Heritage Through Historic and Contemporary Weavings

The collection of coverlets in the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM) was discovered when the guild helped sponsor the exhibit of Paisley shawls at the museum during Convergence in 2004.

Members of the guild are documenting and photographing the collection. In preparation, PPWG study groups have been studying 18th & 19th century coverlet weave structures, dyes and yarns. The project has led to a number of exciting events surrounding the coverlet collection.

An exhibit of selected items from the CSPM collection opens April 26 of 2008 and runs through 17 August. In conjunction with the exhibit will be modern woven, dyed, and/or spun interpretations of historic coverlet motifs completed by PPWG members.

Living With Beauty: Handwoven Textiles for the Home

A particularly exciting outgrowth of this project with the coverlet collection is the international juried exhibit titled Living with Beauty: Handwoven Textiles for the Home that will be sponsored by the guild. It provides a rare opportunity for weavers of items for the home to enter and display their art. The show opens June 13, 2008 in Manitou Springs, CO.

Several events to raise money for co-sponsororship of the exhibit of historic coverlets and the exhibit featuring contemporary woven items have been conducted and are ongoing. Contributions to these efforts may be made to PPWG Coverlet Project and sent to the guild at PO Box 8104, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-8104. PPWG is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is the restored El Paso county courthouse built in 1903. The museum is guided by its mission to collect, preserve, research, and interpret the history of the Pikes Peak region. Forty-two coverlets brought to El Paso county and donated to the museum comprise the coverlet collection. Members of the PPWG are thrilled to have the opportunity to study, analyze, document, photograph, be inspired by, and help sponsor the 2008 exhibit of coverlets.

PPWG Journal

Members of Pikes Peak Weavers Guild are not only exciting textile artists and craftspersons, but many are also serious scholars who produce materials for various newsletters, journals, and other presentations. In order to make information available to others, some may post items here.

PPWG has acquired copyright or permission to publish items posted on this site so they are subject to U.S. copyright law. Anyone may download copies of items from the PPWG Journal for his or her own use. However, the user should give credit to the author(s) of the work.

Damask: An Analysis of Definitions, Sandra S. Hutton

Damask Definitions, Doramay Keasbey's List, 2000

Double Two-Tie Bibliography, September 2003

Rug Weaving Notes, Beverly J. Weaver