Pursuing the art of weaving

ARTHUR, Neb. (KOLN) - An Arthur woman enjoys pursuing the art of weaving in her studio, which used to be an old ranch bunkhouse.

Ruth Jageler has a business in Arthur called “May’s Place”. It used to be where her grandmother lived. Now, it’s a gift shop. There, she is able to sell her weaving products, and other people are able to sell vintage and craft items there as well. “My grandmother that lived there was a weaver,” Jageler said. “(Weaving) has been in my blood forever I guess. I didn’t learn from her. But she always said somebody’s got to learn to do this. I said I was busy with little kids. When she passed away, a friend of mine wanted to learn to weave, and I realized this was something I really wanted to do.”

While the gift shop called “May’s Place” is located in the center of town, her weaving studio is located on the edge of Arthur. “I have four floor looms, and so it takes up a little space,” Jageler said. “This little house where I work was a bunkhouse out on a ranch. My uncle worked there. He and my mom decided I needed this, so they moved it in on a stack mover. My husband then put it on a foundation. It’s been wonderful. It’s a great place to come when it’s a blizzard outside.”

“The threads and the colors are appealing to me when it comes to weaving,” Jageler said. “It’s something I really like to do. The important thing is threading your loom. You take it to the loom, you thread it, and however you thread it, that’s going to be your pattern. Different looms do different patterns. There’s a lot of planning in advance. Once your loom is threaded, you can weave a couple of rugs a day.” Jageler says she would encourage others to try weaving. “I’ve taught a lot of people. They are welcome to come. I will let them weave a rug. If you like it, you can buy used looms. It’s a great thing.”

Again, if you are interested in Ruth’s weaving, or other craft items, consider a stop at May’s Place in Arthur.

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