[M.K.] What were your beginnings in weaving? [E.M.] The first time I warped a loom, I did it “against the wall”, because I didn’t have a warping frame. My grand- mother suggested I simply hammer nails into the wall and stretch the threads across them. That’s exactly what I did. By then, I had already learned to weave Baltic style belts, so I had some basic skills. My first weaving experience on a loom was a real struggle — I did everything myself, from building the loom frame to threading the warp. I didn’t have a shuttle, so I wound the threads onto a spindle and wove that way. I remem- ber my grandmother’s cousin, who had once lent her loom to someone, calling her elderly acquaintance. This lady, over 80 years old, walked three kilometers to return the borrowed shuttles. My first weaving project was simple towels with “perebory” patterns on the sides. It was a challenge because I didn’t know that using a board could help control the pattern. I picked each motif manually, which resem- bled the “sejpak” technique, where every row is selected individually. Although I thought those first towels were ugly, my family praised them highly. For the first year, I wove using only two treadles because my at- tempts with four didn’t always succeed. It wasn’t until later that I mastered weaving with four shafts. [M.K.] Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in weaving? [E.M.] For me, the greatest inspiration has always been the beautiful, intricate textiles I’ve had the chance to see in various places. I was especially captivated by old bedspreads — those from the homes of weavers, but also those that adorned church interiors. I remember one time during confession, I couldn’t focus because the priest was sitting on an incredibly ornate bedspread. Another major source of inspiration has been the stories associat- ed with weaving. Weavers often shared their experiences with me, and those stories left a lasting impression. [M.K.] Do you have any particular memory related to weaving? [E.M.] Oh, there are many, but one of the funniest involves my “hunt” for a warping frame and a set of loom parts. I heard that there might be a warping frame in an abandoned house in a nearby village. Early one spring, while there was still a lot of snow, I convinced my friend to help me. We didn’t find the warping frame, but in a neighboring yard, we spotted a set of loom uprights. They were huge, sturdy, made of oak, and one must have weighed about 50 kilograms. We took one and carried it through the entire village, in broad daylight, for about a kilometer and a half. My friend helped me with the first piece but got upset and refused to help with the second. Well, I had no choice — I went back for the other upright on my own. Sometime later, after I had assembled the loom and started weaving on it, the owner—who happened to be a distant relative—came to me and asked if I had “borrowed” her loom uprights. I tried to explain that I hadn’t realized the house was still in use. Thankfully, being family, the matter was smoothed over. [M.K.] What weaving techniques do you prefer most and why? [E.M.] I enjoy working with multi-shaft looms the most — they fascinate me with their capabilities and variety. I’m par- ticularly drawn to more advanced textiles, such as eight- or ten-shaft rugs. The simpler four-shaft ones I’ve always considered more basic — what weavers would jokingly call “junk.” I also love “perebory”. Double-weave is unfamiliar to me. Although I wove it not long ago, I don’t have an emotional connection to it because it was never part of my family or regional tradition. I don’t have one favorite method. I like variety and change. Often, I’ll start
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Tkane Dziedzictwo Wywiady
Woven Heritage Interviews
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