Back row, from left, Izzy Ourada, Alinahh Ever, Amy Putansu, Millie Smith, Allison Teeples. Kneeling: Miranda Garbe, left, and Alyssa Sacora. Photo by Josh Rhinehart
By Emma Castleberry
Ten handmade blankets, woven by students in the Professional Crafts Fiber Program at Haywood Community College (HCC) during the fall 2024 semester, were auctioned in January to raise money for BeLoved Asheville and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.
Amy Putansu, professional crafts fiber instructor at HCC, organized the initiative in the days following Hurricane Helene. “Like many people,” she says, “I was overcome by a sense of urgency to be of use to those who suffered great losses. I also needed to change the syllabus for my weaving students because our college was closed for more than two weeks. As a weaving studio, how could we contribute our special skills to the relief effort while also serving college course learning objectives?”
The project was made possible in part by the donation of 129 pounds of Merino wool from an eastern mill that had recently closed. A collaboration with WARP (Weave a Real Peace) also provided an opportunity for the blankets to be auctioned to a broader audience.
The students chose from historical overshot patterns, often identified with Appalachian weaving, and converted the patterns into double weave for the blankets. “The overshot-patterned double weave is a great structure for blankets as it makes a stable cloth and is double thickness,” says Putansu. “The patterning draws from traditional overshot designs, many of which have deep roots in Appalachia, as they were used in bed coverings when hand weaving at home was still prevalent in this region as recently as the early 19th century.”
Alinahh Ever, an artist and HCC fiber student, was drawn to an old heritage design for her blanket, the Mary Ann Ostrander Pattern. “It was named after a woman and I like that,” says Ever. “It’s a beautiful design that has a lot of circular, organic feel to it, like flowers.”
Participating in this project held deep personal significance for Ever, especially following the storm. “The setup for these blankets was a challenge and stretch for me as a beginner student in floor loom weaving and dealing with mild collective/personal trauma post-Hurricane,” she says. “But when I began to weave, the piece came together and it felt really good. And I’m really pleased with the result. I’m so happy to know that we raised over $4,000 to benefit people hard hit by the Hurricane, including craft artists.”
Alyssa Sacora, another fiber student at HCC, wove a blanket in the Double Irish Chain pattern that was won in the auction by her aunt and uncle, who are also craftspeople. “I was surprised to discover that putting energy into the learning and making of this blanket kept me present and gave me something to help me stay grounded,” says Sacora. “I’m eager to make another one for two reasons: to more deeply understand the processes that we went through to create them and to have one to snuggle under on these cold winter nights.”
For more information about Haywood Community College, visit Haywood.edu or contact at hcc-advising@haywood.edu or 828.627.2821.
