A Life Well Lived

I got some sad news today 🥲

 

It is with regret that I must share the passing of Guild of Canadian Weavers Masterweaver Margaret Hahn on February 7th, 2023. She obtained her certificate in 1984, her thesis was on Opphampta. She also served as the GCW Test Mentor for many years.

I have posted her Obituary as published by her family below.

I was happy to call her a dear friend and weaving mentor and through her encouragement, had my feet firmly set on the weaving path, and my time and service in the GCW. Since I was a serving GCW president at the time of completeing my basic level, both Margaret Hahn as Mentor and Sandra Fearon as Test Administrator signed my certificate. The first and only so far I believe to not have a president’s signature. I’m fortunate to have some of her hand wovens and a couple of shuttles, but the best gift of all besides her encouragement, was her Megado loom which I use daily.

Margaret first came to weaving by using bed lap frames with her recovering patients in 1947 in her role as an occupational therapist. I met Margaret in 1995 as a new weaver and neighbour. She ‘inspected’ my first used loom and made sure of my posture and bench height to get me off to a good start right away. While I struggled with the learning curve, she picked up a shuttle and simply danced away on the treadles and it showed me what was possible! When I complained about my selvedges, she told me to ‘weave a mile’ and while it was said with a smile, she wasn’t joking. Of course she was right. I still recall her as mentor looking at an overshot tray cloth I had woven as part of my Basic level and she declared my circles as ovals and confiscated it and set it on her tea trolley and set a plant pot on it. She never did give it back!

Margaret inspired many weavers with her workshops and mentoring at both the local level or through her time mentoring with the Guild of Canadian Weavers. I know of several who started the testing program thanks to her encouragement.

After knowing her for many years I discovered that she wasn’t just Marg Hahn, friend and neighbour, but actually Baroness von Hahn. As you will see from her obituary, she lived a rich and full life outside of weaving.

The pictures of Margaret in a pink top are  from July 2012

This is her obituary and photo as placed by her family. Please click to enlarge to read.

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The Ponderosa Guild of Kelowna, BC shard their memories of Margaret:

Margaret von Hahn

1928 - 2023

 

Marg Hahn, as the Ponderosa Guild knew her, died last week in Vernon BC. Marg joined us in the mid 1980's, after moving to Carr's Landing (Lake Country) from Winnipeg. Originally from Cornwall, England, she had completed her Occupational Therapist training at Oxford University, which included a vigorous weaving component.

 

Marg became an active Guild member, teaching various weaving classes, a term as President, and as newsletter Editor. All while completing her Master Weavers programme for the Guild of Canadian Weavers, with her 4th year thesis on Opphamta in 1994. John Low of Woolhouse Tools named his 'Margaret' draw loom after her.

 

She did take spinning and other classes, but preferred weaving. Dye classes at her house overlooking the lake was always great summer fun, as was attending ANWG conferences with her. Marg was always willing to share her knowledge with our members, in addition to test mentoring GCW members doing their Master Weavers programmes.

 

Marg was a wonderful weaver with great colour sense, excelling in silk tartan scarves and tartan blankets. Her Okanagan Tartan was accepted by the Lord Lyon of Scotland. Our Christmas sales certainly benefitted from her elegant work.

 

She stopped weaving about 2012, aged 84! When she moved from Lake Country to Armstrong in 2020, she very generously donated her many weaving books and magazines to the Guild.

 

We will continue to benefit from her legacy for years to come.

 

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