The Artist - Lorri Ann Scott

When asked when my interest in weaving began, my answer was 1976 when I began weaving off loom pieces on bicycle hoops and wooden frames. Later, when I thought about this, I remembered weaving tons of potholders on one of those metal frame looms when I was a girl.  I loved making color patterns with them.

I wasn’t introduced to a real loom until adulthood and I didn’t obtain my first loom until 1983.  It was the same year I moved to Nova Scotia with my husband to be.  We crated up the loom to ship, I stocked up on “how to” weaving books and lots of yarn. For the next 5 months I taught myself how to weave while living in the LaHave Islands.

Next I discovered dyeing.  I loved being able to create interesting color patterns by painting yarns rather than exploring complex weave structures.  Dye painting is closely related to watercolor and lends itself to surprises, which intrigues me more than exact color reps that are counted on.

My process for creating a garment is to begin primarily with silk threads, color them using a warp painting method, thread the loom and weave my fabrics.  I also dye commercial fabrics to use for linings, seam finishes, and trim.

My technique for dyeing scarf blanks and fabrics is called “arashi shibori”.  It’s a Japanese process where the fabric is wrapped around a pole with string and “scrunched” to create resist patterns then dye is applied. I freehand paint some scarf blanks or fabrics.

I use fiber reactive dyes as well as natural dyestuffs, creating colors for yarns to weave cloth and coordinating with my dyed and printed fabrics to make one-of-a-kind, unique garments and accessories.

I have expanded my repertoire to include dye painted and devore velvets, hand sewn “wayward threads” scarves and stoles, dyed silk ribbons, and felting techniques.

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