Andrea Strobach | Fiber Artist

Gifted Fleece 

When I was first introduced to weaving, my teacher said, “You are a natural. You must have been a weaver in a past life.” I believe that could be true, at least in the sense that all weavers are connected to the past in a very real way. There is evidence of weaving looms dating back to 5000 BC and weaving has been practiced in every culture of the world. The making of fabric has been at the heart of civilization for centuries. I have always looked with admiration at earlier times when people provided for all their own needs from food to clothing to shelter. This desire to keep alive a thing from the past is what motivates me. My love of the natural world, with so many colors and textures is what inspires me.

When I graduated from college, my father gave me a little money to buy some nice clothes for job interviews. I bought a loom instead. Give a girl some clothes and she has something to wear, give her a loom and she can make her own for a lifetime. I don’t think my father saw it that way, but it was the best purchase of my life. After many years of weaving, I still feel like I have so much to learn and explore with this wonderful art form and I am happy to share it with you.