I have written about tapestry collaborations I’ve been involved with in the past. Most recently, Waterline and then as a result of that project, more currently, Murmuration.

It all began with Joan Baxter , the creator of the Waterline project (with the support of Nearly Wild Weaving). What Joan most hoped for with Waterline was that we create a legacy. The resulting publication attested to that legacy.

As has Murmuration, which became the next collaboration between many of the same participants in Waterline. And as a result, I have heard many tapestry guilds/groups talking about doing similar collaborations.

From time to time, I would get emails from various groups asking for tips on how to get started, what were our challenges, and so on. I would also always include Waterline and Murmuration in any presentation I was doing on my own work - and there would invariably be these similar questions from the audience.

In one word, it takes Commitment. And, for that reason, a lot of these groups, understandably, decided against diving into such a big project.

But recently I learned of one such group that pulled it off - and so beautifully, too! In our last Elements critique, a member of the class, Susan Gaire, shared her experience with the Asheville Local Cloth tapestry study group as they embarked on their own personal collaboration: “Blue Ridge Mountain Collaborative Tapestry.” This tapestry project is a collection of 10 tapestries woven by members of the group.

“Blue Ridge Mountain Collaborative Tapestry” photo credit: Susan Gaire
The names of the weavers from right to left are: Susan Gaire (for a member who was unable to participate), Stephanie Lyon, Madelaine Hairrell, Betty Hilton-Nash, Susan Gaire, Kathy DeOrnellas, Anne Berg, Kathy Dennison, Jennifer Zia, and Jacqueline Fay.

Susan told us “My inspiration for embarking on this project came from the Waterline and Murmuration collaborations as well as a love for weaving our Smoky Mountains, especially at sunset.” So the legacy of Waterline lives on in another dimension.

Like Waterline and Murmuration, certain parameters were set before beginning. Prior to weaving, they agreed that there would be three mountain ranges that would run continuously across the tapestries providing unity and balance for subject, similar to the waterline in the Waterline project. In addition, everyone agreed the warp was to be 12/12 cotton seine twine at a sett of 8 epi.

Once the three mountain ranges were printed onto individual blank cartoons, (photo below), then the weavers began to design their own cartoons.

The total size of the collaborative piece is 7’ x 3’. photo credit: Susan Gaire

Each tapestry is 7 inches wide and varies in height from 17” to 35”. I especially love their choice to keep the width consistent. A seven inch width also allowed more participation as most weavers would have a loom wide enough to handle that requirement.

Again, from Susan: “We all wove a small sample of our weft colors and brought them in to ensure there were not any clashing colors between our neighboring tapestries. Then everyone went to work and wove their tapestry with whatever techniques and weft they desired.” With coordination between neighbors, of course!

The design phase took about six months and the weaving phase also lasted about six months. It was completed and hung on March 17, 2026 at Local Cloth in Asheville, North Carolina.

The exhibit is currently scheduled for Mars Landing Gallery (Mars Hill, NC) in July where it will also be for sale. If you’d like more information, you can contact Susan through the Hummingbird Looms website. And if you’re interested in a collaborative project of your own, there’s a lot of information on the Murmuration Collaboration site. I encourage you to go for it! It’s an incredibly rewarding experience to see the final piece come together. I’m sure Susan would agree.

Another Exciting Tapestry Collaboration