Aideen Macken is a Dublin-based artist, weaver and teacher who came to weaving through the meditative, ancestral craft of crios weaving. Her journey began with a flash of intuition—a glimpse of a traditional woven belt (crios) —and led her to the Liberties Weavers, where she was mentored by Swedish craftswoman Marja Almqvist. Guided by a feeling that her hands were “remembering something,” Aideen quickly fell in love with the practice which is deeply rooted in Ireland’s cultural history.

The crios, once worn across Ireland and now preserved by only a handful of weavers, has become more than a belt in Aideen’s hands—it’s a vessel of memory, meaning, and resistance. Working from her home, she hand-weaves crios belts and other pieces inspired by the crios. Her work carries intention—woven with yarn from loved ones, echoes of landscapes, or symbolic messages for milestones like births, weddings, and personal transitions.

Beyond weaving, Aideen teaches Pilates, gently guiding others back into their bodies. Her parallel practices speak to a holistic philosophy: grounding people through breath, movement, and tactile beauty. Her work is not solitary—it’s woven into a wider circle of artists and friends, honouring tradition, intuition, and the power of women working together.