HGA Convergence in New Orleans, 2026

We were SO excited when HGA announced that Convergence was in New Orleans for 2026. It is a city that my husband and I have talked about going to but never gotten around to making the effort to plan. I've realized that to get excited about any vacation, I need to have a starting point to go there. Like a concert (Madness in Seattle, Rammstein in Minneapolis...) or a weaver's conference. Now that I've been to NOLA, I get it. Every time I mentioned to someone that we were headed to New Orleans who had been, they lit up. What an awesome city. HGA had the conference downtown close to everything which made it easy to try all sorts of food and hear lots of jazz. 

I keep saying that putting together proposals and trying to fill classes is just too stressful for me to manage along with my day job, but then when I'm there, the whole time, I'm so glad I made the effort. Will the stress and anxiety ever subside? Probably not. Is it worth it every time? Yes. I know more and more people every year and if I stop teaching and sharing my knowledge with other fiber artists then I loose that momentum that I've spent...decades...building. Something I've learned to do though, while I'm there amidst other weavers and fiber artists, is I start to think of more proposals and run ideas by my colleagues while I'm there...and write them down. I have a 2028 Proposals draft started and need to go through my notes in my sketchbook.

Convergence was busy from Day 1. The fashion show was particularly stunning this year. I had 3 blocks of time at the Leader booth and had better than usual sales this year. My Finish and Exhibit that Piece! Seminar was a low attendance but we went forward with it anyway and it was still fun and informative with a smaller group. A day or 2 later my husband said he ran into someone who took my seminar and she was very complimentary about how much she learned. This was Bryan's second Convergence, Reno was his first introduction to the weavers guild world and he fits right in along with being super helpful.

I took Tina Linville's Class on “Crafting Clarity: Writing Art Statements.”  I've always struggled with writing artist statements and bios. Her class actually got me excited to work on mine!  I utilized her talk to work on a Bio I needed to submit and it might be the first time ever I felt like it was saying and doing what I wanted it to.  She also pointed out to us just how much different types of writing and statement us artists have to do. I feel like I could take a longer workshop on this, but it was a great start to what I really should be focused on with my submitted writing.

My Beadweaving Sampler Class (Even Count Peyote, Flat Herringbone and Right  Angle Weave) was the last day of the conference and everyone was excited to take the class but also tired from all the stuff we'd been doing and classes we've been taking. I was worried about being tired, but I get so exited to teach beading that I didn't notice. Peyote and Herringbone went well for most everybody, Right Angle Weave was a bit more difficult because it doesn't have a flow to it. 2 students would agree, the other 2 eventually got it (and one had to leave early). 

Above are some of the student's flat herringbone stitch that 

I remembered to take photos of while everyone went to lunch.

My friend Sydney (thank you Instagram for another in-person fiber-friendship) invited me to pop into her dye class. I caught the end and got to see some of the beautifully dyed warps that her and her students worked on. It was also cool to see how they set up a hotel conference room for a dye-class. Lots of plastic coverings.

We stayed an extra 3 days past the conference. On Monday morning HGA hosted a very nice volunteers appreciation breakfast. I considered that I hadn't really done any volunteering, I will on the fly if my schedule allows but I was also trying to enjoy myself, it was nice to thank those who did though, and talk with the HGA staff and discuss the forward movement of HGA. 

The next stop on Monday was taking the bus out to Small Expressions at Longue Vue House & Gardens. The down side to the buses and trolleys was that there were a lot of screens that weren't working and my google map wasn't updating properly so we missed our stop. The bus driver asked who requested the next stop and pulled over early to drop us off, worried that two, clearly out-of-towners, weren't going to survive the walk in the heat. We did, we were quite hot by the time we got to the exhibit. As with the rest of the exhibits put on by HGA, Small Expressions 2026 is phenomenal and I'm honored have my original Resist Bangle as be part of it. 

We were close to one of the large pubic cemeteries at the Longue Vue House and got to walk that in a light rain storm, the overcast sky was really fitting and the graves in New Orleans are as beautiful as you hear about and unique as you always hear or see in photos. 

Looking back, Monday was a pretty long day too, Tuesday we walked around more, shopped and had an amazing dinner at Maïs Arepas. I picked this restaurant partially because it was close to the Rabbit Hole where we were headed for music for the night and the online photos looked great. It did not disappoint! Then we headed (a bit too early, as everything runs slow in the South) to the Rabbit Hole to see the Rebirth Brass Band. This was the only show we paid to go see and it was such a great time. I hear that every show is different at the Rabbit Hole when you go see Rebirth. The bartender cannot get enough of getting to see them all the time 

The last day was more exploring, we like to walk around and for some reason the heat didn't get to me as bad as it did in Reno. I also am probably better at knowing when I need to quite before it feels awful.  I took lots of photos of cool doors, hinges, bright color house paint colors, and "look! Real shutters!" We had great food, took a nap nearly every day, and I finally know why people light up when you mention New Orleans if they've been before. We'll look forward to going back sometime.

Spring Green Gold Plaid Bangle and Earrings

I packed this bangle as my travel beading project for when I went to Complex Weaver's Conference in June. I didn't work on this much during my trip and decided in the future, smaller projects, or pieces of projects will probably be better for plane travel rather than a whole bangle that's gets wide quickly. I had wanted something in case the urge to bead hit me so I pulled out the plaid pattern that I created forever ago and continued working the the spring greens from an earlier project, adding teal and gold. The nice thing about this "plaid" pattern is that I can make it a wide as I feel like. I got a bit bored with it, so it was finished a few weeks ago. 

I like to make a matching earring while the beads are all out so that was the actual finish of this set. I got around to photographing it. It's very different than a lot of my work. Definitely a brighter springy feel than I'm used to.

I'm trying to get better at not packing as many projects for when I travel. For this June trip I could have packed just the sweater (Cozy Classic Raglan) I had decided to take and my sketchbook. I got nearly the whole body of the sweater knit and I was slightly obsessed with working on it during my travels. It made my hands happy and eased my anxiety at the conference and for bus and plane trips. 

I finished and photographed this set in time to bring to Convergence Conference with me, then forgot to post this blog about it! I'm just back and sorting things out with home and work...I'll post about Conference and New Orleans eventually! This set did not sell there, so it's available for sale at the moment. 

Upcoming Local Show at Loewen Gallery in Williamston: Adorn

Loewen Gallery's  August Show is a break away from their usual beautiful quilts and is a juried show titled "Adorn"  The show will run August 6th - August 29th.

The Opening Reception for Adorn is on Saturday August 8th from 12pm to 2pm and I plan on being there. Winona, the gallery manager, and I picked out a grouping of my jewelry to be on display and available for sale for this show. 

Loewen Gallery is located at 128 W Grand River Ave, Williamston, MI 48895

A few pieces that will be in the show: 

Weavings and Beadwork accepted to Exhibits lately

I tend to think that I'm not creating as much as I'd like to be, but, the things I am making are selling and headed to exhibits, so I'll take that as a success. Two exhibits will have my piece for a year. The first is Handweavers Guild of America's Small Expressions. This show starts in New Orleans at Longue Vue House & Gardens in New Orleans, Louisiana from August 10, 2026 - October 16, 2026. From there the travel schedule is HERE and goes through May 11 (currently). My first Resist Bangle (in red) as accepted and is on the move. 

The second show that will have my work until April 25th, 2027 is called Piercing the Silence: Everyday Art of The Resistance at the Museum of Beadwork. Both of the pieces I entered were accepted: Angry Angry Angry Feminist and Rainbow Resist. I'll miss having both of these pieces in my personal collection...I might be making more. I'd like to go to Portland, ME to see this show in person, but with all the travel plans this year and next I'm not sure I can fit it in. 

The last exhibit that my work was accepted to is only during the Handweavers Guild of America's Convergence Conference. Perception was accepted to Threaded Revelry: Throw Me Something, Mixed Media Exhibit and will be on display August 13-16, 2026,  at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Complex Weaver's Conference 2026

View from our hotel room

The Complex Weaver's Conference was June 12-14th and I haven't fully had time to process or get to my studio. When I'm at the conference, it's all "I can't wait to go weave!" then I go home and it's back to the daily stuff... I spent a wonderful 2 and a half days after the conference with my cousins in Denver and then went right back to work for 9 days straight (and put together a new bed, had a mattress delivered, caught up at Physical Therapy...) I know I need to give myself breathing room, but with only so many vacation days and 2 conferences this year I failed to do so.

Keynote Speaker: Madelyn van der Hoogt

I'm finally unpacked and processing. My head is deflating from the compliments and excitement around my 2 hour seminar and discussions of hanging fiber work (I presented my seminar "Finish and Exhibit That Piece!").  I took a number of seminars myself, apparently when I signed up I wanted to know allllll about pleats and textures. I maybe could have done with a little less of that, or mixed in some other topics, note for next time. 

Samples from the Marge Coe seminar I took

I met Cally Booker who pointed out that we've been connected on social media since the early twitter days (2 decades?!) and we were finally meeting in person. It was such a huge compliment when she told me that she sends her students to my YouTube videos to see double weave pick-up in action. Then I was sitting next to Heather and she said the same, she references my videos specifically for double weave pick-up. Cally has just released her book Designing and Weaving Double Cloth in the UK and it's set to release in the US at the end of October. Yay for connecting and meeting with other double-weavers!

Heather, myself and Cally

I had a little jewelry set up (which I failed to photograph) for Market one evening and another weaver said she loves the earrings she bought from me at Convergence a number of years ago and she purchased a few more pairs. Sales at this short market were actually much better than I'm used to for a weavers conference. I get it, most of us are looking to buy yarn. I really appreciate and love all the support that this group provides. The excitement and passion is absolutely contagious.

Samples from the Wendy Morris seminar I attended

I think my favorite seminar I took was with Wendy Morris "Weaving Peaks and Throughs." Her talk was wonderful and straightforward along with lots of beautiful samples to see. All of the classes had beautiful samples and it is always an honor being in the presence of so many amazing weavers... "weaving royalty" someone murmured when we were in line for check-in at the hotel behind a few well-known teachers.

Elizabeth Bryan (Weaver Bee) and myself

I have Elizabeth to thank for convincing me to send in some proposals for this conference, and for being my roommate. I was nervous about this being a "complex" weavers conference as I don't think what I do as particularly complex...but apparently the stigma with double weave pick-up is that it is, in fact, very complex. I think of it more as tedious or time consuming rather than "complex" but I am working towards integrating more patterning within my pick-up work...so I am heading into the realm of what I would consider complex. I found myself looking up cones of fine linen yesterday... but for now I'm working with what I have, because I have a lot of yarn to use. 

I didn't take a lot of pictures, at the conference or the remainder of my visit. I did get a chance to visit with two of my cousins. Kyle lives in Denver with his lovely family (thank you for hosting me!) and his older sister Michelle was there helping with the kids. It was really nice to catch up. 

Cousins!

I also made it back to Boulder for an evening. I took the train and bus from Denver to Boulder which was really nostalgic. I had dinner with Russ who moved out there after training me at my current Millwork Specialist position here in Michigan.

Russ and I in Boulder

I packed a lot into one trip, and I'm still letting everything I learned between looms and people and family to steep into my wellbeing...while preparing for my next weaver's conference in August.

Rainbow Resist Statement Bangle

 

Can I finish a decent-sized bangle on a tight deadline? Apparently yes. But it's about all I did between sleeping and working. 

I found out that my first Resist Statement bangle (in red) was accepted to Handweavers Guild of America's Small Expressions Exhibit. Which means it will be traveling this June 2026 through July 2027. I have had the Rainbow Resist Bangle in mind, and another juried exhibit that I wanted to enter a Resist Bangle into....due by May 14th. I was dragging my feet creating this one thinking that I wouldn't get into Small Expressions and I'd just submit the red one to the next event... the universe had other plans. 

I started this one on May 10th and finished it on the 13th. Four days of only beading in the morning and evening around work...and on my lunch break. I usually just knit on my lunch since I only take a half hour, but in this case, every bead counts! 

I considered having Resist repeated on this bangle like I did on the first one. I initially chose to design this rainbow one with the word once so that it wouldn't take as long to bead. The more I have to pay attention to a pattern (I graph these out myself), the longer it takes with more potential for mistakes and backtracking. At first, I chastised myself for being lazy only beading Resist once, but ultimately, I like it better than if Resist was beaded out twice. I think it would have gotten WAY too busy looking really quick. 

I got the bangle done, photographed and submitted in time, so we'll see if this one gets to travel too. I like having one of these around. My subtle commentary on how I'm feeling every single day right now. As I make more, I imagine them piling up together as its own little protest in my studio and around the house. What color(s) to do next...

Striped Stash Yarn Choux Sweater [sweater pattern by Jessie Maed Designs]

Choux Sweater Ravelry Link Here

I love this sweater pattern design by Jessie Maed. I love a lot of her designs and the Choux Sweater combines my desire for a loose, comfy, basic sleeve, loose arm opening and no seaming after you're done knitting. Getting to wear a sweater right off the needles rather than having to get around to blocking and sewing the pieces together is... magical. I knit to relax and get away from my more detailed forms of fiber work. This sweater pattern has the delight of immediate gratification when the knitting is done. I did have to stitch in a bunch of ends before this one was ready to wear, but I can do that with little effort while watching tv. 

I'm never totally sure about how a pattern like is going to come together, or how much I'll end up liking the style and fit. So I decided to go with stash yarn for the first run on the Choux Sweater. I don't have 3 skeins of any one stash yarn (probably not even 2 skeins)... so stripes. I have a lot of blues. Likely because I don't tend towards blues, turquoise yes, but not basic blues, so they've piled up. I got all the blues and their variations together, created a sample and washed it. (If it won't survive the washing machine in a lingerie bag, it's not worth knitting). I figured it was good enough, but as I started knitting the actual full-sized sweater, I didn't like it. I added a variegated sock yarn that has blue, turquoise, pink and plum, that solved my color problem. Just a little spot of pink/purples made it so I was excited about knitting this. I also sampled the stripes in single rows and double rows. I have something else large from a few years ago that I had started in single rows that I'm ripping out now, I like it for the Tin Can Knits beanie that I live in at work in the winter, but for a whole sweater I decided to change yarn every 2 rows. 

First Try-On

"You're knitting with pretty big needles for you" my friend Jenn commented as I cast on this project at our local tea shop in Old Town. She's right, knitting any bigger than size 4s is unlikely for me, even 4s are pushing it. Maybe it's just the fingering yarn size that kept this still fun to knit. I also don't really like heavy sweaters. I used to think I hated wool sweaters, but it was the weight and density that I used to find uncomfortable and suffocating. This is wool, so it's warm, but with the larger needles it's somewhat light, almost airy. A perfect comfort level. 

I have, in the past, created my own dolman style sweater that the COVID lock-down helped me finish. I was trying to keep track of how I knit it, but that wasn't fun. I knit it bottom-up and stitched the top of the arms up to a loose neck opening. I do love that sweater, but I didn't love figuring it out, and it's a bit bulky. I wanted to create a similar sweater but I wanted to work off of someone else's pattern. Jessie put this sweater out just in time (I bought 3 sweater patterns from her Ravelry shop during her birthday sale, hoping one would be ideal, the other 2 are raglans). I started this on a mini ski trip with a friend, messed up the middle area gsr pattern, had to pull that out and restarted. Tracking this on Ravelry, it looks like I finished this in about a month and a half. That's pretty good for me for a whole sweater. I have the size 9 needles and a great pattern to thank.  

Detail of stretchy bind off that I took out

The pattern suggested a stretchy cast-off for the bottom if you tend to knit tight. I do knit tight, so I used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind off (there's a lot of links if you google that one). Upon my first try on it was TOO stretchy and I didn't like the way it hung. So I took it out and redid it with my normal bind off, which isn't really stretchy, but it fits my hips and that's what matters. 

My next blog post will be about the matching earrings