Whitewoven Textile Workshop is the fiberarts studio of Sheree White Sorrells. We are located in the craft rich area of Western North Carolina in the Smoky Mountains, and surrounded by the Smoky Mountain National Park. For 20+ years the studio has occupied a downtown loft in the heart of the commercial district in Waynesville, North Carolina.

Our studio has produced a variety of fiber related products and art pieces over the years. Sheree and her studio assistants have designed and handmade many types of projects from handwoven and hand-dyed rugs to the ever favorite GRAFFITI FABRIC COLLAGE. Having been a rugweaver for most of her career, Sheree decided to expand into the construction of floorcloths. Afterall, a floorcloth is just another type of rug, right? She went about the task of educating herself about techniques and materials common to historical and contemporary floorcloth work. As you may know, most traditional floorcloths are hand painted on canvas with a varnish or polyurethane cover. But this didn't seem to be the right approach for Sheree.

Instead, her approach was through the techniques of fiberart, rather than painting. The first floorcloths were created as a kind of quilt top, then fused to canvas. Not being fond of the sewing involved, she explored technical methods further, and fascinated by the fun and immediacy offered by heat bonding her fabrics to create a collage directly on canvas. This inspired her to be even more spontaneous by free-hand cutting shapes, and drawing free hand to enhance the graphic qualities of the floorcloth or placemat.

The finish was to be a much more challenging step. Countless experiments with polyurethanes, varnishes and floor finishes did not produce the look she wanted. Finally, in a last effort of solution, she mixed several components together....

Voila! A unique finish was born. We call it DURAFLEX...because it is incredibly DURABLE and at the same time indefinitely FLEXIBLE. Sheree and her husband Ken ran many trial tests with their own busy family of teenagers and multiple pets, poured hot coffee and barbeque sauce directly on the artpieces.... In all situations, her floorcloths performed fabulously...no staining, or yellowing... and continue to do so today. The floorcloth shown on the Home page of our website is the original piece which has laid in front of our kitchen sink for almost 10 years. It still looks fresh and new.

Let us make something for you.