Waldron Weavings

Our Reclaimed to Fame Market is very fortunate to have as one of its merchants Waldron Weavings. Margaret recycles old sheets into beautifully woven rugs. This is an art that you don't often see anymore and it's wonderful that Margaret carries on this type of craft. As she says on her shop profile "Beautiful old fabrics are given another chance to shine." She's agreed to share her story with us.



"I learned to weave at the University of Washington in the late 60’s. I was taking a general art course and signed up for the weaving class taught by the Home Ec. Department. One touch of those big floor looms and I was hooked.



"When I moved to Waldron Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State in 1972, I brought with me a handmade loom made by a friend. I wove presents for friends and various household items for years, but it wasn't until I married Joel Thorson in 1984 and moved to what is now Thousand Flower Farm on the island that I started production weaving.

"A friend gave us three bummer lambs, lambs whose mothers wouldn't take care of them. Joel wanted to learn to spin, to use our wool and to find a way to sell it that would bring in a reasonable income. So I dragged the loom out of storage where it had been put to make room for children and started making rugs from his hand spun wool using a cotton warp material. They were an immediate success and we were off on the fiber arts part of our venture.



"Recently I have added bright colored rag rugs woven in an old Swedish pattern from recycled sheets. I especially love the idea of giving old fabric a second chance to shine. I also weave fancy boas woven from a variety of glitzy novelty knitting yarns. I continue to grow as a weaver adding new ideas and techniques to my repertoire.

"I have two 1000 Markets shops, Waldron Weavings, which features my rag rugs made from recycled materials and which shop is in the Reclaimed to Fame Market, and Thousand Flower Farm, which features my other weavings, my wool rugs and boas."