BEREA, Ky. (February 25, 2005) -- On Saturday, March 5, Joyce Cooper of Berea, will demonstrate Inkle weaving from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea.

A native of Niagara Falls, New York, Joyce Cooper began her work with fabric when as a young girl she learned sewing and cross stitching from her grandmother. Joyce began her career in crafts by making candles in her kitchen and after many years of candle making, came back to fabrics and stitching. Moving to Berea in 1985, Joyce and her husband Gerald ran The Cooper Shop in Old Town, Berea, for 14 years. Joyce is a juried member of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen as well as the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

Joyce creates woven bookmarks with an Inkle loom – a tabletop wooden loom used to weave strips or bands of warp-faced cloth or ribbon. Historically, Inkle looms first came to the United States around 1930 from England and have been in use for centuries. Inkle weaving is mentioned in Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labors Lost” written about 1590, and in early times, these narrow strips were used as belts, headbands,  and straps to tie and support things.

Inkle looms are great for start-up weaving programs because they require little additional equipment, are easy to use and understand, and are easily stored. It has one open side for ease in placing the warp threads and a tension bar which adjusts the tension of the warp threads during weaving. Joyce creates Inkle woven bookmarks which can regularly be found at the Kentucky Artisan Center.

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located just off Interstate 75 at exit 77 (Berea). The Center’s exhibits, shopping, and travel information areas are all open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the café from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. The Center currently features works by more than 470 artisans from all across the Commonwealth. For more information call 859-985-5448 or visit the Center’s web site at www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov
 
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is an agency in the Commerce Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.                               

High resolution photos are available on request.
Contact:  gwen.heffner@ky.gov