Reed and Flyer represents our complementary skills of weaving (Lora) and spinning (Dave). A reed is part of a weaving loom and resembles a comb. It spreads the warp threads, guides the shuttle’s motion across the loom, and pushes the weft threads into place. The flyer is the part of a spinning wheel that has a rod for holding bobbins. It rotates as the drive wheel spins, adding twist to the yarn which is spun onto the bobbin. Our handmade products reflect the creativity and care we have developed while exploring the world of fiber. Enjoy our website!
Lora's weaving adventure began around 1980 when she took a weaving class at a Glimakra store. A table loom at home allowed her to create placemats and table runners, experimenting with different weaving structures and patterns. She continued for several years, until her career and work as a mom made life too busy for weaving. Upon retirement from full-time employment, Lora was fortunate enough to begin weaving again. She acquired a 4-shaft Harrisville floor loom from a neighbor. This joined a collection of inkle, frame, and rigid heddle looms, providing her with lots of variety. Lora has had to reacquaint herself with the mechanics of setting up looms and learning more about how to weave. She's lucky to have Dave to help with the process, brainstorm new projects and provide great handspun yarn! Lora enjoys going to fiber shows, supporting small farms and businesses when possible, and creating useful, beautiful products!
Dave has always had an interest and focus on activities that involve significant processes. He's been attracted to things like building stained glass projects and constructing challenge course elements from scratch. Following his move to the North Country, he was introduced to maple sugaring by a long-time friend and then discovered more than 300 maple trees on his property. With interests like these, it is no wonder that he has gravitated to spinning and making yarn from raw fleece. Finding local fleece and turning it into a usable product requires many steps but also provides a chance to always learn new things and experiment with different techniques. Making yarn that Lora can use in her weaving projects lets him focus on the process of making the yarn without having to worry about what it will be used for. For his day job, Dave serves on the year-round team at Camp Dudley.