Alice Drew founded the Portland Parks & Recreation weaving program in 1955 at the St. John’s Community Center. The program started with one rug loom and two belt looms. Alice learned how to weave in 1950 from Ruth Clark, whose studio is still open and active under Ruth’s former students. In 1960, the weaving program moved to The Loom House, also in St. John’s, and eventually expanded to 25 looms accommodating up to 40 students with a loom sharing system.

In 1973, a branch of The Little Loom House opened at the Multnomah Arts Center on Capitol Highway continuing the tradition of loom sharing. The weaving classes continued at both locations until 1982 when The Little Loom House at St. John’s was closed and the equipment was moved to the Multnomah Arts Center’s new location down the street, still on Capitol Highway. Alice Drew retired in 1978. Today, the weaving studio Alice started is part of the Multnomah Arts Center textile department which offers other classes such as spinning, dyeing, basketry, knitting, and crochet. There are now over 60 looms including four harness floor looms, multi-harness floor looms, an AVL compu-dobby and table looms. There can be over 60 weaving students per term. Students no longer share looms and are assigned a loom based upon their chosen project which can be anything from scarves to rugs to clothing.

These students come to explore color, texture, and design. They come for the growth and satisfaction of creating. Whether fulfilling a lifetime dream to weave or rounding out personal lives, students discover an affordable weaving environment which also allows them easy access to the weaving studio beyond class time. The studio is a place for sharing ideas, questions, problems, and excitement. The weaving students at the Multnomah Arts Center approach textiles as casually or as seriously as they desire. Above all, they gain strength, commitment, and insight from instruction interaction with others involved in textiles.