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Miss Stephenson's newly acquired hobby-career is a fine example of the areas into which the mastery of a craft such as weaving can lead. With a little study and some practice, you, too, can easily learn to make lovely handwoven articles that will add to the smartness of your wardrobe and the decorativeness of your home; and payoff in profit if you so wish. Many a homemaker today finds that she can sell as many handwoven articles as she has time to produce.

Most of us know that for many centuries weaving was largely a home industry, the housewife supplying her family's clothing needs. But with the invention of the cotton gin around 1800, hand weaving went out rapidly. It is only during the last ten to twenty years that people here and there, tired of the uniformity of machine-made fabrics, have revived hand weaving, not in the traditional sense of household art, but as an art form—to be worked at either as a hobby or as a modest livelihood.

"My interest in weaving grew out of an afternoon's conversation around a tea table, back in February, 1953," says Anne Stephenson. "At a friend's home I met and talked with Mrs. William Sergeant Kendall, who was then trying to interest some of the women in our community in this craft."

"Weave, me!" exclaimed Miss Stephenson, when Mrs. Kendall broached the subject to her. "I'd love to, but I don't know the first thing about weaving. Why—I've only seen a loom once in my life." But before she got up from the tea table that afternoon, Miss Stephenson had agreed to try to weave. She did so, never thinking that she would be selling handwoven articles within a few months. But that is what happened.

"Although I'm now 'in business'," says Miss Stephenson, "I still think of myself as an amateur, and realize I have much to learn about this art. Truthfully, when I sat behind a loom for the first time I was scared by the thought of having to manipulate bits of thread on a framework of bare wood. But I quickly found out that there is nothing formidable or forbidding about weaving. Weaving, basically, is as simple as darning a hole in a sock. One strand of material is woven through others! So don't be frightened off by the appearance of a loom and its odd, technical terms."

ASPIRING WEAVERS may want to know how Miss Stephenson learned to weave. "I had no professional instruction," she says. "I learned from a book, 'Key to Weaving,' by Mary E. Black (Bruce Publishing Co.), which I read and reread from front to back. Another book that has much helpful information for beginners is 'Handweaving for Pleasure and Profit,' by Harriette Brown (Harper & Bros.). These books and a few days' practice on a loom are all that is required to get you started on the road to becoming a successful weaver."

While all weaving consists of passing weft threads under and over the threads that form the warp (by the use of shuttles) there are many types of weave patterns used to achieve different textures and fabric effects. These are explained in detail in the standard books on hand weaving which you will find at most public libraries. If you don't have a nearby library, you might write to Robert F. Heartz, Epping, New Hampshire, for his circular describing his "Weaving Notebooks for Handweavers." For many years Heartz taught hand loom weaving in state hospitals and for the Veterans Administration. He has recently put his weaving notes into classified titles—a series of short books (with color illustrations) dealing with beginners' projects. For example, one book called "Ties for the Hand Weaver," contains text on the technique of making ties; and gives design charts, cutting charts, pattern weaves—in short the whole process from paper to finished tie. There is a similar book on place mats. And, of course, others.

Some people find it tedious to have to learn something by themselves. Here is a suggestion for those who like to study with class groups. Many urban centers provide vocational craft courses that include weaving. A telephone call to your local public school administration will tell you if yours is one of them. Or write to your state director for vocational education (Department of Education at the state capital) to find out where, in your area, you may register for such a class. Also, dotted throughout the country are several privately endowed "workshops" where weavers can go for a week or a month or longer in order to study professional techniques. An excellent one is the Jay Hambidge Art Foundation at Rabun Gap, Georgia. Weavers who wish to apprentice with Mrs. Hambidge and live on her acreage may write her at Rabun Gap, Georgia, for details.

"I found watching other weavers at work invaluable as a supplement to reading books during the time I was learning to weave," says Miss Stephenson, "so whenever possible I'd drop, in on more experienced weavers in the neighborhood and watch them at their looms. This gave me a chance to observe various techniques and thus improve on my own."

Anne Stephenson offers now a word of caution: "No amount of study, though, will ever be a substitute for practice. So, my advice, to the man or woman who wants to learn how to weave is to get a loom and weave."

ARE YOU wondering what equipment is needed to engage in this craft and how costly is this equipment?

Well, hand weaving in its simplest form is done on little frame looms, or cardboard looms with pins for pegs. Many useful and attractive types of weaving can be done on these simple appliances which you can buy at small cost at stationery or hobby stores. For example, patch pockets for trimming dresses may be woven on an inexpensive cardboard loom. But most people associate weaving with a wooden loom of some kind; and once you start weaving it is safe to say that you will not be satisfied until you have reached the proper loom stage.

"The prices of looms vary considerably according to size and construction," explains Miss Stephenson. "A very simply constructed table loom may be purchased for as little as $6. The professional type loom is, let's face it, a little on the expensive side. Particularly when it is compared with the type equipment required for hobbies such as painting, leathercraft, etc. But a loom lasts for years!

"When I began weaving I used a table loom, but now weave on a four-harness, four-treadle floor model—by that I mean a loom that is operated by hands and feet. Although it looks much more difficult to use than a table loom, it is quite simple in action and has many points of similarity with the simple style table loom. Incidentally, a harness is the frame on which a row of heddles is mounted. Treadles, of course, are the pedals or foot levers to which the harnesses are attached, the operation of which permits threads, through which the shuttle carrying the weft is passed to form the woven fabric.

Anne Stephenson's present loom is one made by the H. L. Hammett Company and it cost her $80. "But remember," she says, "once you have made your original investment you can be confident that the purchase of threads and supplies will fit into even a small budget. So in the long run, weaving is not an expensive hobby. For example, you can weave six place mats from cotton thread that you can buy retail for about $2.50.

"You will want to add to your equipment as you go along and as you become more proficient in weaving," says Miss Stephenson. "For instance, you'll want a warping frame or reel, a thread winder, a mechanical counter. But my advice to beginners is to buy only minimum essentials. It is easy to add the conveniences later when you find you have really succumbed to this fascinating craft."

In some parts of the country and even in some large towns there are no handicraft shops where looms and weaving accessories may be obtained. If such be your case, look through the advertisements in this and other craft magazines, and you will find listed firms in various parts of the country which sell weaving equipment. Any of them will gladly send price lists on application.

A PROBLEM that besets almost every beginner is that of preparing the warp—a warp is the measured lengths of thread that are attached from end to end on the loom, to be used as the foundation of a woven fabric. "In order to produce good weaving, your warp must be properly wound, with good crosses," warns Anne Stephenson. "A 'cross' is made at a specified point on a frame and is useful in preventing the threads from tangling later and in making it easier to thread the loom."

A warping frame resembles a picture frame into which holes have been drilled so that round pegs can be fitted into them according to a specified plan. You can buy a frame for about $7."

The processes of warping and threading a loom, though generally alike, do vary in detail according to the make of the loom being used. So full instructions given here would only be confusing. Instead, just follow the instructions which you will find supplied with your loom, as they are exact for the particular loom you are using, and you will not experience any difficulty.

What type articles can you weave?

"Most persons think of handwoven fabric in terms of blankets, upholstery, suitings," says Miss Stephenson. "But neckties, scarves, luncheon sets, handbags, towels, belts come off a loom, too. Any one of these is good for a beginner to tackle. It can be completed quickly! And beginners have a way of expecting immediate results. If the weaver plans on selling handwoven items, these small pieces will bring in larger profits than, for instance, a blanket which takes a long time to make, for small pieces are inexpensive in time as well as materials used."

ANNE STEPHENSON specializes in place mats. Most of her mats are woven in plain pattern, or tabby, as it is usually called. While the structure pattern of her mats is identical, diversity has been achieved partly through variations in the spacing of the warp threads, but largely through combination of threads. "Too often weavers direct more attention to pattern, techniques, and equipment than they do to threads—the basic element in weaving," says Miss Stephenson. "The design itself should grow out of the thread.

"Many of my mats are made from cotton rug thread. To create an interesting texture I often use a finer warp with a heavier weft. Or a linen thread for the warp and cotton for the weft. To make a luxurious mat a combination of silk and linen for the warp with metal thread for the weft would be a good choice."

It is well to remember that all threads should be chosen with regard to the use of the finished fabric. A kitchen towel made of hard twisted cotton would not have the required absorbency. Color is another important element, particularly if you plan to sell your items. There are trends and fads in color just as in the cut of a dress. And there are colors for each season! Red is popular at Christmas, yellow at Easter, green during the summer. The weaver should be aware of these trends and make the most of them. Often Anne Stephenson uses two shades of one color in order to produce a deep, rich tone for her mats.

"It is important to know when choosing colors," says Miss Stephenson, "just what can be expected of them in the way of color fastness so that if the woven fabric is to be laundered the colors used can be depended upon. So, when you are buying threads, make certain that you are getting fast-colored threads. Incidentally, it is not necessary to have threads especially labeled 'for weaving.' Your department store and dime store will have on the needlework counters crochet cotton, nylon, rayon, worsted, jute, etc. All are suitable for weaving.

"To weave a mat, and by weaving I mean the actual weaving and making the fringe—not warping and threading the loom—it takes me about one hour and twenty minutes. Of course, when I work with a very fine thread, or do open work such as leno lace, it takes longer to weave a mat. Incidentally, one of the simplest and most charming lace weaves is leno—a combination of tabby, and the twisting together of the warp thread, that results in a lacelike fabric. My mats sell at wholesale from $1.60 up, depending on the thread used, the type fringe, etc."

Some people find it hard to make a good knotted fringe. Anne Stephenson comes up with this helpful information. "Just take a group of warp threads (the ends of your woven fabric) the number of threads in each group depends on the weight of the thread, but four is about average—and twist these threads to the left, until they are tight to the woven part. Make a loop and pass threads through the loop and draw it tightly up to the woven piece. The ends of the fringe will always become uneven when knots are made, making it necessary to cut the ends evenly when the knotting is finished."

ACCORDING TO Anne Stephenson's experience, there are certain general rules which a prospective home-business weaver can use as a guide in order to turn a weaving skill into money—comfortable money, not big money.

1. The weaver must have a thorough knowledge of her craft. No customer will be interested in slipshod work. Anything you make must be finished perfectly, no matter how much time it takes. Ignore this, and you lose the touch that marks the difference between an amateur's and a professional's performance.

2. She must produce something that will meet a fashion or a need—not something that is pretty but useless.

3. She must price it so as to make a profit. Because you will make the tenth article far more quickly than you do the first, your price tag should be set on the quicker time.

Miss Stephenson has through constant study and practice acquired a sound knowledge of hand weaving. When she decided to make her weaving pay off in profit, as well as personal satisfaction, she wisely decided to specialize in one item, something she felt would be apt to have a steady market.

"The real need in any home business," says Miss Stephenson, "is a steady market. Connoisseurs who appreciate the finest in design, skill and originality never provide regular income for weavers, or for any other creative workers. It is the everyday person with the average response to artistic products who will be your mainstay.

HOW DOES a hobbyist go about finding customers? someone is bound to ask.

"There isn't a single signpost along the road that says: Success—straight ahead," says Anne Stephenson. "It takes time and it is hard work to find customers. But rest assured, if you can do some one thing exceedingly well, and make an effort to show your articles to likely customers, you can sell your handcraft even in this machine age. But—you must recognize that your product will have to compete with those of commercial manufacturers. So anything you make has to meet professional standards. Never attempt to sell a faulty piece of weaving. Take the matter of broken threads. When you are weaving, threads do break from time to time. There must be no knots in your finished piece. This is how I repair a broken thread. First, I tie a new thread (back of the heddles) to the broken thread, drawing it (the new thread) through the heddle. Then, I fasten the new thread to the woven piece with a straight pin and continue weaving. When the completed piece has been removed from the loom, I untie the knot and weave the ends in, with a darning needle, so as not to show."

Marketing any home-produced item is at first a matter of personal contacts. Anne Stephenson's beginnings were small as has been the case with many another hobbyist.

"I showed my first mats to a friend," she recalls. "She liked them and told her relatives about my weaving. Words fly around a small community, and soon neighbors began drifting in to watch me at work on the loom. To my surprise some of these neighbors said they wanted to buy the mats. Satisfied customers brought others, and my sales began to snowball. Soon I was making mats to special order."

The possibilities for building up an active customer list are unlimited. For instance, you might send out simple announcements (ask everyone you know to give you a few names for your mailing list.) Government postal cards, with your message typed, or hand-written, make inexpensive announcements. But don't just send one card to a potential customer, and let it go at that. You must keep your name before the public when you have something for sale. So, send reminder cards throughout the year, particularly in advance of such holidays as Christmas and Easter—the year's two big gift-buying seasons.

Another means of getting customers is to contact your local woman's club and suggest that you be a guest speaker on one of their club programs. This gives you an opportunity to display your work, as well as talk about it; and you are bound to make some sales. Don't be timid about approaching directors of a woman's club. These women are interested in adding anything to their programs which will help their audience. Of course, you must prepare an interesting talk first!

Take advantage, too, of the counsel offered by your government. Write to the Business Information Service, U. S. Dept. of Commerce, Washington 25, D.C. for a copy of Home Businesses, compiled by Mary W. Ebert, which sells for ten cents. This booklet suggests various distribution channels for homemade products. It lists government publications that will benefit the prospective home business operator, tells of non-government publications on specific handicrafts, and lists the names and addresses of associations of interest to handicraft workers—such as America House International Federation of Hand Arts, etc.

AFTER A year of selling direct to customers, Anne Stephenson realized she had something housewives wanted. It was only natural that her next step was to try to sell her mats to stores. But where does a hobbyist take work that is ready for a store? There are two outlets:

1. Through non-commercial channels. These include woman's exchanges and craft guild shops and are the most receptive markets for home-produced articles. Here your products, sold on commission, are screened by a committee of experts in merchandising. Heeding the advice of this committee will put you on the right track to meet and deal with the competition you are bound to run up against.

2. Commercial outlets—small shops (which, at first, usually take things on consignment) and department stores which buy outright. Small shops are a beginner's best bet because they are interested in individual items. Department stores want only bulk quantities, which are often impossible for a homeworker to supply.

You don't need extensive business experience to sell to shops, but you must pick the right market. Try the stores which carry merchandise of a quality similar to yours. Among outlets for handwoven items are gift shops, home furnishings, decorative accessories, and other specialty shops. By trial and error you find out which stores are your best markets. Another excellent outlet, if you live in a city, is office buildings. Secretaries and receptionists are quick to buy unusual gifts.

"Having a friend who operates a shop is a big help when you are ready for the plunge into commercial markets," acknowledges Miss Stephenson. "It was my good fortune to meet, through Mrs. Kendall, the manager of a gift shop in New York City who agreed to take a few of my mats on consignment. Now this shop orders mats by the dozen."

But you don't have to have an "in" with a store manager! Anne Stephenson also placed her mats in a local shop just by walking into the shop one day and showing a few samples. "When showing samples," suggests Miss Stephenson, "be sure to point out the special appeal of your article—the quality that will make it sell readily to the type customer the shop attracts. For instance, you might point out that the fringe on your mats, or scarves, is held secure by an edge laid in by hand on the loom."

You sometimes have to make followup calls if you don't succeed in selling the first time. Somebody famous once, said: "Genius is the person who sticks around the longest." So keep this in mind when you test your wares on shopkeepers. It is helpful to assure the buyer that you understand that he will want his store to be the only one in the trading area which carries your product. Remember, a storekeeper is looking for items to draw customers into his store; so he wants something exclusive.

PRICING AN item is a problem for most homeworkers. If you are a rank beginner probably the best way to find out what to charge for your item is to find out what other people in your line are charging. Visit local shops that stock handwoven things and pretend to be a customer. Make a note of the prices and then gauge your prices accordingly. Another way of doing it is to keep an accurate record of your material and labor (aim at about seventy-five cents per hour for your time when doing something like weaving), then add ten per cent in case you ever want to take wholesale orders. Take these total costs and double them. You then have your top retail price.