Colleen Pope

I am a designer and hand weaver of large woollen rugs. I use a large Glimakra floor loom and an Oxaback Ulla Cyrus loom and weave at home in my studio. My rugs are woven with a weft of Axminster rug wool, sourced from mills in and around Yorkshire and are generally quite large – between 120/130cm wide by 175/200cm long.  The warp is 10/6 or 8/5 Irish linen. 

Using mainly Scandinavian weave structures such as Rosepath or Krokbragd and more recently, Dansbragd (sometimes several techniques in one rug), I like to play with intense patterns and rich colour combinations to create interesting and original pieces.   My rugs are robust and have good selvedges, which means that they can just as well be lain on a floor or hung on a wall. I take care to ensure they are finished well, with sewn-in threads, a neat reverse side  ( sometimes taped selvedges to prevent wear)and strong hemmed ends, sometimes folded or fringed.  

As a lover of the outdoors and travel, my rugs are born in the glaciers that scour Iceland, the wadis of Jordan and in the skies, seas, rivers and moors of Devon. I try to capture the rich colours and patterns of nature, such as those of a peacock or a blue tit. The wild beauty of the outdoors comes inside! 

I started as a weaver on the Dartington Estate over twenty years ago. Weaving was a hobby for many years whilst I pursued my career.    Quite early on during this period, I developed a love for the traditional Scandinavian bound- weave structures and focussed on honing my skills as a rug weaver.  I am largely self- taught, having attended a few short 3 day courses (with Jason Collingwood and Nancy Hoskins, for example) but have no other formal textile training.  I have learnt through sheer practice and through experience.   I am an active member of the Devon Weavers Workshop, both as a Trustee and as Treasurer.  

I weave a great deal and have a passion for it.  I have completed several commissions for customers and for fourteen years, have regularly exhibited with other members of the Workshop.  Increasingly, I am keen to exhibit alone as well. I currently have several rugs on display in the White Hart on the Dartington Estate. Several years ago I was invited to take part in the biennial Danish Weaving Festival at Jyderup, Denmark, exhibiting with other masters of their craft. It was a daunting experience showcasing my work to an audience of experts in weaving, spinning and dying, but it went well and it has given me more confidence. 

I am currently looking at new ways of designing and weaving to develop my work and keep it fresh, experimenting with different ways of manipulating the warp structure and changing lifts to create more unusual Krokbragd designs. This will continue into the future.  

I am now at a stage in my weaving life where I want to take my work to a wider audience and gain the critical feedback that will help me to grow still further.