WESTTOWN EDUCATION FOR TEXTILES
W. E. F.T. is a textile education program for adults with developmental disabilities run by The Weaving Mill in partnership with social services agency Envision Unlimited. Focusing on collaborative process, a communal studio environment and creative use of found and recycled materials, W.E.F.T. workshops encourage participants to strengthen their creative and technical muscles through regular practice. We work on a diverse set of donated and accumulated floor looms, weaving primarily with deadstock and donated yarns. 60% of the proceeds from project sales are distributed to participants based on their participation in the program and 40% goes to the program budget.
The W.E.F.T. program has taken many shapes over the last several years, with emphases on sewing, design, quilting, drawing, and weaving. Through all these different projects and processes, W.E.F.T. participants have built a unique and supportive creative community.
Interested in getting involved? Contact info@theweavingmill.com for more information about volunteering, helping out, and getting to know the W.E.F.T. crew.
Donations of weaving equipment and yarn are always welcome. Please contact info@theweavingmill.com if you are interested in supporting the program through a donation!
These Fine Checkers are the latest in a series of W.E.F.T. Pillow Collections. Primary Checkers combine squares of red, yellow, cyan and tan in a delightful plain weave to create a series of prismatic color filters moving in horizontal and vertical directions.
Woven with donated and deadstock yarns, 60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Each pillow is a variation on the theme, featuring a unique striping rhythm…
These pillow covers measure 18” x 20”
Cotton & misc fiber blend
Care: Dry clean/hand wash
These fine cotton pouches are made with handwoven fabric from the W.E.F.T. studio. A little larger than your average pencil pouch, these can comfortably carry your necessary sewing supplies, sock-darning tools, toothbrush & toothpaste & floss, 4-5 clementines, a banana. Don’t let us stop you, put whatever you like in there…
The cute little checker stripe in the horizontal direction of this fabric is created by knotting together the thrums from our power loom. Thrums are the waste yarns left over when you pull a new warp through the loom. On our production loom, we always end up with 1600 pieces of thread from each warp design that are all about 50” long. Tie them together, alternating between light and dark and you’ve got yourself a self-striping weft yarn! Waste not, want not!
10” x 5”
Handwoven cotton: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry
These pillows are woven using the Patented W.E.F.T. Knotted Weft *technique: all the scrap yarns from the studio land in a basket, which we pull out during class and everyone chips in and ties a few knots, which results in a scrapwork patchwork yarn that we use as weft.
Woven with donated and deadstock yarns, 60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Each pillow is a variation on the theme, featuring a unique striping rhythm. Pillow cvoer dimensions below, inserts not included.
16” x 20”
Cotton & misc fiber blend / Dry clean or hand wash
*of course we kid. It’s not patented! It’s just good sense! People the world over have been doing this since the dawn of loom waste!
These Fine Plaid Pillows are the latest in a series of W.E.F.T. Pillow Collections. Autumnal Chenille combines bands of gold, olive, peach, teal, burgundy to make a plaid that calls up the last blooms of mums in November.
Woven with donated and deadstock yarns, 60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Each pillow is a variation on the theme, featuring a unique striping rhythm.
These pillow covers measure 18” x 18”
Insert not included
Cotton & misc fiber blend
Dry clean/hand wash
W.E.F.T. Placemats: Great Lakes are a set of a very lovely color-stripe rep-weave placemat set woven with deadstock yarns in the W.E.F.T. studio. Treat your table to some special placemats, they’re like rugs for your dinner plates.
60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Sold in a set of 2 / 16” x 12” each
Materials: Mixed deadstock and donated yarns
Care: Hand wash, hang to dry
These Fine Plaids are the latest in our series of W.E.F.T. Pillow Collections. Big Gingham combines twill-woven bands of bright white with red, teal, navy, olive and fuschia to create a series of prismatic color filters moving in horizontal and vertical directions.
Woven with donated and deadstock yarns, 60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Each pillow is a variation on the theme, featuring a unique striping rhythm…
Pillow covers measure 16” x 18”
Insert not included
Cotton & misc fiber blend
Care: Dry clean/hand wash
These marvelous one-of-a-kind rugs are woven in the W.E.F.T. program. They are the pinnacle of a circular material eco-system. The rapier production looms at TWM produce selvedge off-cuts in the process of weaving: essentially a macro-chenille yarn that is a record of sorts of all our past projects. We save up these selvedges, roll them into big balls, and use them as weft material for these marvelous rugs. Each one gets a name, because how else would you keep track of who’s who?
60% of sales is distributed amongst the W.E.F.T. program participants, 40% goes towards the program budget.
Select a name from the dropdown to see a picture of the specific rug.
Dry clean only. Every fiber under the sun.
Dimensions listed on the images

These one-of-a-kind tote bags are woven collaboratively in the W.E.F.T. studio, using donated, recycled, knotted-together and scrap yarns. With woven-in rope handles and gusseted corners, these bags are sturdy, durable and just plain fun.
Every bag is unique— select the number from the dropdown to see a picture of each individual tote.
Approximately 18” x 20” across, hand wash and hang to dry