Welcome! I’m Carmen Shenk and I’m a contemplative textile artist. I’m headed to grad school in the fall of 2022 (Eastern Mennonite Seminary) and I’m enjoying weaving and making things with my hand woven cloth – so stay tuned for an Etsy store update.

I also have a YouTube channel where I have created over 500 videos (wow, has it really been that many?!) with 770K views – mostly on our lives in a tiny house, or life after the tiny house in our smart, sexy, small house, and a variety videos on simple faith and what it means to follow the homeless man of Nazareth. Oh, and how to cut your own pixie haircut. And weaving. Lots of weaving. Visit my channel

It is my intention to get back to making videos one of these days, but for now I am enjoying time at the loom. Funny, Covid made me realize that I wanted to be at the loom just like my Mennonite ancestors who were weavers. Weaving feels like my creative and spiritual home.

Visit my YouTube channel’s featured playlists:

66 videos
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55 videos
28 videos

Visit my bio, discover my first book, and subscribe to my email list.

Behind the scenes in my studio:

Sometimes there is a lot of competition for the attention of the ones we love the most. I just want you to know that it is ok to choose you. Even when nobody else does. Being alone on a holiday isn’t punishment, it’s not symbolic of all that’s gone wrong in the world. This is just one day of many, and while it might be nice to be surrounded by the ones you love the most, maybe that just didn’t happen for you this year. I see you. It’s ok to be alone, it does not mean you aren’t loved and appreciated. Sending so much love your way! You matter! Happy Thanksgiving! 💙💚💜#happythanksgivng I love what happens when the golden hour light interacts with my yarn wall. Surprise! Good hair day! Last night I wound damp hair up in a twist to get it out of my way and when I released it this morning all these fluffy curl things happened. What a fun surprise. Of course by the time I actually made it to school it was less curl and more hint-of-bendiness, and I am ok with that. I love how having a good hair day feels, who doesn’t?! A box of happiness just arrived! #squee #colors #yarnaddict #yarnlove @knit_picks #tuffpuff #rainbowyarn #happinessproject I’m so happy with the cloth I took off the loom this morning! I’m making a wool coat and needed four sections of cloth - this is the third one finished - one more to go. Yay!! #happy I love to weave while listening to my seminary class readings being read to me via a text to voice app. It’s so fun!! My eyes get to see color, my body gets to move, and my heart and brain are learning - all at the same time. #alcemy 💜🌈💕