A Crochet Designer Uses Lace Patterns in Pottery
By Alicia Kachmar – 6 Comments
Photo by H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record
Maggie Weldon learned to crochet at an early age, the craft quickly turning into an escape for her. It gradually developed into a full-fledged business of patterns, books and even crochet supplies, all based in North Carolina. Somehow Weldon found the time to take a pottery class with her daughter, and the creative juices, rooted in crochet, began to flow. Upon working in slabs, versus on the wheel which she didn’t take to, she took crochet doilies and linens, and stamps them into the wet clay.
Weldon became quite hooked on these crochet-inspired ceramic designs and decided to pursue it more seriously as part of her art repertoire, saying, “I push the envelope and try to make the biggest pieces I can.” One of those pieces is a 28-inch wedding cake plate! For delicate lace pieces that may be disintegrating, imprinting them onto clay may be a way to at least preserve their patterns in the long run. And who wouldn’t want a set of table linens AND all place settings to be crochet-related?!
More about Maggie Weldon can be found here.
wow, beautiful work!
This is pretty awesome!
Amazing work!! Of all the crochet possibilities, doilies are my favorite!!
I am searching for a pottery artist who created a pressed lace bowl in the 1970’s. The lace pattern is identical from inside to outside of the bowl. It was purchased at the Saginaw Art Fair and the artist’s name is Verna Hill. To my recollection she was from western Michigan. It is approximately 14″ in diameter and is in earthtones. Please advise if you are familiar with this artist. Thank you.
I used to work for Verna Hill back in the late 70s as a Summer college job.
She lived in Holland, Michigan on Felch Street on a horse farm.
Her husband Harley passed away several years ago and she maybe got remarried and if she did she may have changed her last name.
I lost touch with her a long time ago. She was/is a very creative person and was a lot of fun to work for.
Joyce, I worked in Verna’s studio for a short time back in the 70s, glazing some of her pieces. I may have glazed the bowl you own, lol. Her studio was closed many years ago and I’m not sure of her current location. She lived and ran her studio from the north side of Holland, MI. She did indeed have some beautiful creations, as does Maggie judging from the photos.