Pam Naragon

I have been weaving for 22 years. It is therapy for my soul. My major focus is on functional items (towels, rugs, placemats, table runners, baby blankets, etc) to be used in the home on a daily basis. One of the fun things about this medium is the unending design possibilities. I love vibrant colors & use materials, especially cotton, that withstand use over time.

I grew up with little exposure to the art world, however; I loved a few crafts such as quilts, needlepoint, & embroidery. As the oldest of 4 children, I started working when I was 13 years old. The focus was on multiple jobs that helped provide what my parents could not afford.

My husband’s career as a professor in the Arts has been a great influence & supporter of my endeavors to explore the art of weaving. His encouragement to take classes at Eastern Illinois University started my journey and motivated me to buy a 45” floor loom to work at home.

The weaving process is very detailed and step-oriented. Calculating yardage requirements, preparing individual threads on the warping board, setting up and loading threads on the loom, weaving the project, removing it, and hand-finishing the hems are labor intensive. There can be over 300 individual threads in a simple towel which requires each of them to be pulled through a separate heddle (like the eye of a needle) which is attached to various shafts in order to create the weave structure. Tying the treadles to specific shafts lifts the shafts and contributes to the weave design. One mistake in this process creates obvious errors in the final product. 

It is wonderful to share my creations with those who can appreciate the love & time that goes into it. My hope is that my work brings you enjoyment. Here is a favorite saying that an artist friend shared:   

“When you buy something from an artist, you’re buying hundreds of hours & errors and experimentation. You’re buying years of frustration and moments of joy. You’re not buying just one thing, you are buying a piece of heart, a piece of soul, a small piece of someone else’s life.”