BOISE, Idaho — As temperatures drop it's time to bundle up and one Boise maker has handwoven products guaranteed to keep you cozy.
At the end of a hall is something warped and wonderful. It's how Vila Cox settled on the name for her Boise business, "Warped and Wonderful."
"You’ve got to be a little warped to weave. The warp as what we put on the loom."
Cox has been fascinated with fibers since she was a child.
"Four or five [years old] I was doing embroidery," she said, "I learned how to sew, made my own clothes, made my own wedding dress."
These days, Cox works from home, in this room filled with several large looms.
"We decided that we either had to move-or add-on so this area was added-on," she said.
Cox weaves her wares in silks and cotton, designing intricate patterns in the process.
"There are color people and then there’s a structured pattern people. I’m structure pattern. I weave for the patterns," she said.
Cox says it's hard to classify weaving. One thing is for certain, it's hard work.
"It is very very physical I've injured shoulders," she said, "Making a living weaving is a hard thing. It’s labor-intensive. It’s just not appreciated by the public most of the time because the fabric is cheap now."
That wasn't always the case. Years ago nothing went to waste.
"If it was worn out it was cut down for the children. It was made into rags. It was made into quilts. Every piece of fabric was very precious," Cox said.
Now, with the advent of fast fashion, or mass producing clothing at very low cost, hand-woven, quality fabrics made to last a lifetime or longer have gone out of fashion.
Still, Cox insists the art form is not lost. She says taking a few lessons from a pro can get you on the right track. And after that - if you can dream it - you can weave it.
Cox will be selling her creations at Wintry Market. Saturday, November 13th and 14th from 9 am to 5 pm on the main floor of the Boise Convention Centre (Grove Plaza at 850 W. Front Street, Boise, ID 83702).
Admission is $5 for Saturday/Sunday, Children 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online until November 11. The remaining tickets can be purchased at the door with cash or card.
