CALT, Mountain Weavers Guild

A New Research Project with the Mountain Weavers Guild

Posted by West Virginia Folklife Program on

We are excited to announce that West Virginia Folklife, a program of the West Virginia Humanities Council, received a Folk and Traditional Arts Experiences grant from Mid Atlantic Arts’ Central Appalachia Living Traditions program (CALT) to work collaboratively with the Mountain Weavers Guild in Elkins, West Virginia on a project titled “An Archival and Ethnographic Survey of the Mountain Weavers Guild.”

The Mountain Weavers Guild began in the 1960s as an informal gathering of fiber artists, weavers, and basket makers dedicated to craft traditions in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. Today, the guild meets on the third Saturday of every month in the basement of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Elkins. They have a library of fiber arts and weaving resources and a working studio of looms and tools where members can practice and learn together. Over the years, some members have been production weavers. Many others are interested in learning traditional fiber crafts including weaving, spinning, natural dyeing of fibers, and more. The guild welcomes beginners to join as members. To learn more and to contact the guild, follow the Mountain Weavers Guild Facebook group.

The project will be led in a collaborative effort by West Virginia Folklife and Elkins community members to document and present stories of the Mountain Weavers Guild. Researchers will explore archival records, record oral history interviews, and generate a final report exploring the history of the guild and place it in context of the fiber arts movements in the area. Some stories will be presented here as blog posts on the West Virginia Folklife blog, while all the interviews will be prepared for archiving and preserved in the West Virginia Folklife Collection.

  • A framed photograph of an old woman with a woven item sits to the left of a large wooden cabinet of books, yarn, and fiber products.
    The Mountain Weavers Guild has a library of resources for guild members to use. The image on the left is of Olive Goodwin, one of the founding members of the guild. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • A shelf holding several wooden shuttles for weaving.
    The Mountain Weavers Guild has tools and resources for members to use, including these wooden shuttles used for weaving. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • A blue and white woven cloth on the loom with various patterns, and someone's hand in the background showing the work.
    This loom is set up for members to practice various weaving skills. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • Four women stand around a table watching one woman who is holding an example of a woven band from a hand made loom. The table is filled with yarn, cards for card weaving, and various small looms.
    Enrica McMillon shares with Mountain Weavers Guild members how she has been using her materials and tools to teach young people basics of weaving. Photo by Jennie Williams, April 20, 2024.
  • Several varieties of small looms, some made from wood, some from playing cards, some from found materials, sit on a table and each hold works in progress.
    Enrica McMillon lays out her tools and materials she uses to teach workshops to youth, which include card or tablet weaving. Photo by Jennie Williams, April 20, 2024.
  • a hand holds a green woven band with blue and pink details.
    Enrica McMillon holds an example of her weaving that she uses during workshop demonstrations. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • A person in a purple sweatshirt holds up a handmade loom made from found materials including paper, a wooden stick, paper clips, and plastic clips. The loom holds a beautiful green, blue, and pink band that is in progress.
    Enrica McMillon holds an example of her creative handmade and handheld looms that she uses during workshop demonstrations. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • Several varieties of small looms, some made from wood, some from found materials, sit on a table and each hold works in progress.
    Enrica McMillon shows tools and materials she uses to teach workshops to youth. She is sharing how she would use these tools with the guild members at their meeting on April 20, 2024. Photo by Jennie Williams.
  • A brick church building in Elkins, West Virginia.
    The Mountain Weavers Guild meets on the third Saturday of every month in the basement of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Elkins, WV. Photo by Jennie Williams.

If you are interested to learn more about this project, please contact Jennie Williams at williams@wvhumanities.org or call 304-346-8500, and follow West Virginia Folklife on social media @ wvfolklife

Learn more about the Folk and Traditional Arts Experiences Grant and mark your calendar for when the application window opens again to apply to support a folk and traditional arts project in your community!

The Central Appalachia Living Traditions program also offers grants for Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects of $1,000 – $7,000 for non-profit organizations. Learn more to see if your organization is eligible.

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