Meet the Artist

Peggy Taylor is an artist who, although skilled in many media, specializes in fiber arts. A lifelong Indiana resident, Peggy has built her work on a heritage of weavers in her family: “My ancestors, 500 years ago in England, were weavers, so it is only natural that I keep up the trade. I consider it an honor to continue the work of weaving in Indiana.”
 

Peggy spent her childhood raising sheep on a farm in Knox County. Her hand woven art is rooted in the culture of Indiana as well.
 

“I create cloth that celebrates the tradition of domestic fabrics of the early period in colonial America,” Peggy says. “The love of spinning, dyeing and weaving cloth is a tradition I enjoy preserving.”

Peggy first learned to weave in 1976 in New Harmony, Indiana, and began her study of historic coverlets and blankets as the Textiles Coordinator at Conner Prairie, an outdoor living history museum near Indianapolis. Today, Peggy creates work from linen, cotton and wool, often spinning wool yarn from the fleece of her own flock of Shetland sheep.  “Creating fibers from sheep to shawl is a delight,” Peggy says.
 

She weaves on a variety of looms, including historic barn-frame looms and one built by her later father, Bill. Peggy weaves each coverlet, blanket, and fabric piece using historic patterns, quality materials and fibers, often with yarns that are hand-dyed and finished by hand. All our Peggy’s coverlets and blankets are signed with cross-stitched initials and date in cotton or wool floss.

Not only does Peggy honor the past, she teaches future generations about fiber art. She offers classes in weaving, knitting, quilting, and natural dyes at Raintree Cottage in New Harmony, Indiana.  She also served as an art teacher in Indiana schools, and included a fibers class that proved popular. After teaching a fibers class for 25 years in the local public high school, she now teaches a similar class at the Catholic school.
 

Peggy is delighted to have been featured in Early American Life magazine’s prestigious Directory of Traditional American Crafts.