Who is TaleWeavers?
Occasionally someone asks about how we came up with the name TaleWeavers. Our eldest son coined the name when he put our combined interests storytelling and basket/seat weaving together. The name has persisted. Over time the name had taken us personally on many journeys. Our focus for the business today is the restoration of antiques, teach others, and share the historic crafts of handweaving.
I started into making baskets about 35 years ago, when I took a Saturday basket making class that was sponsored by a nature center in central Pennsylvania. I started making baskets for my family and wanted each basket to serve some purpose. I found patterns online and in books at the library and made baskets that had some historic significance and had some purpose for the people who used the baskets. I was fascinated by making baskets that each had a purpose.
When I started weaving seats for chairs, I found myself wondering about the weaver that originally put the seat into the chair. Who might this person have been, where were they located, and for whom did they work? I also pondered the travels that each chair had made over the course of its lifetime. In some cases, I know the chair's history but in most cases the chair had been in many homes. If the chair could share some of the stories it has heard, I imagined the history that would pour out.
Many of these chairs have seen better days. I have found chairs that have been in attics and basements. Some have been put into retirement early. In some cases I find chairs that have had pressed board or plywood seats nailed over the seat opening. Obviously the owners could not locate a seat weaver when the original woven seat could not be found.
Granted, seat weavers have not been plentiful. At one time, entire communities were employed in some way by the local chair manufacturer. The chairs were put together, then the seat weavers wove the seats. In some cases the chairs seats were woven in the homes of the weavers. This home-based work format created many craft centered communities. This model was not unique to American industry. In Scotland and Ireland many of the textile mills farmed out the spinning and weaving of many items to crafters living in the local community.
A community of seat weavers was not uncommon. In fact, on some islands and along the shores of South Carolina, much of an entire community was engaged in craft work. Chair caning was a craft of the blind communities in many cities. This is still true in some cities even to this day. In these 'sheltered workshops' many were employed to make handcrafts and recane chair seats. Chair caning was a tangible craft skill and therefore could be learned and done by those with vision difficulties. Even in the 1920's, chair caning was an acceptable vocation for those with varied disabilities. Wicker repair and rush seat weaving were included in the training programs for WWII veterans who were recovering from visual impairments suffered during the war.
As you can tell, stories run deep in the work that I do. Even now my dialogue digresses to share stories of how our American heritage was created as a tapestry is woven. Our lives reflect threads of many cultures and experiences. The stories of our own country and family heritages need to be shared so the next generation continues to carry the torch of our rich and diverse American heritage.
We continue to get comments on the name, TaleWeavers, which serves to strengthen our resolve to keep the meaning of the name close to our purpose. At a native American Pow-Wow as few years ago, folks thought the name represented us very well. My wife was doing storytelling in a teepee which was set up next to our craft booth, while I was weaving baskets and recaning a chair seat during the weekend.
When we repair or restore a chair we encourage the owners to share the chair's story. Further, we encourage owners to write these stories down and keep them with the chair. Tell the children, leave a legacy and help to build the heritage of our rich American life.
We bring the history of an era, a craftsman, and a family to a renewed meaning.
We pray for the Lord's Blessing for your family,
Charles and Florence Elliott
Copyright © by TaleWeavers, Caned and Wicker Furniture Restoration All Rights Reserved.
Posted at: 12:18 PM