Weaving Workshops on Wednesday Mornings

Morning workshops meet from 10:00am until noon.  They provide an opportunity to broaden one's understanding of weaving and related areas.  Sign up, and get inspired! For the quick overview have a look at Workshop Calendar.

Fee and Registration Information can be found at this end of the page.

Unless otherwise specified, morning workshops are on the 2nd floor of the church. Handouts/materials fees are payable by cash or check to the teacher at the start of the workshop.

September 8, 2010

Weaving Traditional Swedish Bands
Becky Ashenden

The class will present weaving a basic band on a rigid heddle loom.  This charming little loom can be taken anywhere, and is peaceful and pleasant to use.  There will also be a demonstration of traditional pick-up patterns using the same type of loom.

Each student can also expect to have some time on one of our beloved band looms, which have a small warp beam, cloth beam and two treadles.

Please bring one large C-Clamp per person.  All looms will be prepared for weaving.

Knitted Edgings for Handwovens
Reba Maisel

Add a finishing touch to your beautiful handwovens by picking up along the edge and knitting a border.  We will explore various edgings that can be added to a project such as, picot edge, lace trim, rolled edge, ruffles etc.  These techniques can also be used to add a collar, sleeves or cuffs to a garment.

Bring several pieces of hand woven or loosely woven commercial pieces of fabric (at least 10 " each), stay stitched on all unfinished edges, knitting needles, crochet hook, and scrap yarns.

A Medieval Twill for Today - Gebrochene
Marjie Thompson

Gebrochene is a twill structure and is probably the older of the two medieval weaves that is still in use today.  A one-shuttle weave, it was written for 8 to 24 or more shafts but is adaptable for as few as 4.

In this morning workshop we will look at the old gebrochene drafts, determine how to read them, how to find the tie-ups in the same draft book; discuss using the computer and graph paper, how to lessen the required shafts.  And on-loom, we'll see how easy weaving a gebrochene can be.

Students need to bring graph paper and a pencil.  The instructor will provide a warped four shaft loom, and instructions in advance (project-width “sample”) for a warped eight shaft loom for students who are willing to warp and bring a loom.

Contemporary Basket Artistry, Weaving a Painted Paper Basket and More Maureen McGuinness Two Sessions

We will start each session exploring some aspect of contemporary basketry, analyzing representative pieces, and will spend the remainder of the class executing your painted paper basket. The instructional format of the class will be geared to participants who have never made a basket, but can be enjoyed by basket makers of all levels.  You will be provided with a kit that contains all the basic raw materials needed to complete your “masterpiece”.  In keeping with basket making tradition, your finished pieces will be on display during the afternoon meeting in October for all to enjoy.

Please bring the following to class, pencil with eraser, small sharp scissors (sewing scissors or Friskars are great), blunt end tapestry needle, ruler with a sharp edge, a small awl or ice pick, a packing tool or small flat tip screwdriver and your fun and creative spirit.  If you own the book 500 Baskets, please bring to both classes (not required.)

October 13, 2010

Contemporary Basket Artistry, Weaving a Painted Paper Basket and More
Maureen McGuinness
Session Two of Two

See session description above for details.

Weaving in the 21st Century: Finding Inspiration Online
Kristin Kelley

This workshop is a fast-paced overview of the resources available to weavers in the online world, including an overview of weaving-related sites and communities, as well as design-related sites that are great for inspiration in general.  A very detailed handout is included, with links and descriptions of all of the sites that highlighted during the afternoon lecture, How to Market an Ancient Art in Our High-Tech World.

Rigid Heddle Loom, Lecture and Demo
Barbara Provest

Get your rigid heddle out of the closet and we will cover:  preparing the yarn, warping the rigid heddle (the lickity- split way.) We'll practice several two-harness techniques such as:  lace weaves, log cabin, spaced warp and weft, tapestry and finishing techniques.  If you have examples of your previous two-harness work, please bring to show and tell.

Deflected Double Weave
Elisabeth Hill

This workshop will reveal the joys of deflected double weave and its many applications.  We will see how this beautiful and complex-seeming structure is really very easy to understand and use, with a presentation on deflected double weave including photos of completed projects, drafts, etc.  The workshop will then move into a hands-on experience.

The group will be given graph paper and instructions on how to take a familiar draft and transform it into a deflected double weave design.  There will be an 8-shaft workshop loom set up with a deflected double weave project available for the group to experiment.

November 10, 2010

Computer Class – Fiberworks PCW Laurie Autio

Tired of filling in little squares by hand and looking into a computer drafting program?  Computer drafting helps you to create fast, accurate and neat draw downs and to convert easily and quickly from profile drafts to threading drafts. It does not design for you, but it does allow you to design faster and push your skills further. Need help figuring out network drafting tools, fine-tuning color controls, fabric analysis, file management, etc. in Fiberworks?  This class will cover features, tips, and tricks of computer drafting on this powerful but straightforward program.  There will be time to ask specific questions.

Although Fiberworks is designed for the PC, it can also be run on a Mac with a PC platform addition. If possible, students are asked to bring a laptop with the full version (bronze or silver) of Fiberworks or demo, free to download from the net at http://www.fiberworks-pcw.com/download.htm

Build a Loom Out of PVC pipes
Judy Goodwin

Judy developed a small pipe loom after a loom that appeared in a book by Sarah Swett.  During the presentation, we will build looms from kits that are precut, and then explore the various ways to use the looms for various weaving techniques. There will be several PVC looms warped in various ways and articles to show what can be made using these looms.  We will see examples and ideas on how to build other looms from PVC and discuss other methods of loom construction out of materials such as copper and aluminum.

Items to bring:  tape measure, scissors, masking tape, small plastic fork, 1” plastic or wooden ruler.

Finger Manipulated Lace Weaves
Barbara Herbster
Two Sessions

You have no doubt used crossed warps to define a hem and know it to be a beautiful embellishment.  Have you ever thought to expand the technique of leno to make an entire piece of heirloom weaving?  Have you thought to combine leno with embroidery weaves to create a work of art?  Learn tips and tricks for handling a pick up stick that will make your pieces easier to accomplish.  Beginning with simple instructions for weaving each technique, you will progress to more complex designs. Bring your own pre-warped loom threaded to tabby and begin weaving examples of techniques to consider for future work.  If it is not possible to bring a loom to class, watch another weaver, and do the lessons at home.  Upon signing up, you will be sent instructions and a materials list.  Homework will be shared and reviewed the second class and more advanced work introduced.

February 9, 2010

Peter Collingwood Celebration Day 

For February, there is a departure from our normal workshops.  Instead, the Peter Collingwood Celebration Day program will be held in the church vestry, starting at 10:00am. During the morning, a special taped interview with Peter Collingwood will be shown.  See the detailed description of the Peter Collingwood Program for the whole day.  Members are encouraged to bring in rugs they have woven for the afternoon panel discussion with experienced guild rug weavers.

March 9, 2011

Finger Manipulated Lace Weaves
Barbara Herbster
Session Two of Two

See November 10 description for details.

Exploring Symmetry Patterns
Jennifer Moore

By learning about and applying the basic movements of symmetry to visual motifs we can create beautiful and complex designs from simple beginnings.  We will explore these ideas using rubber stamps, paper cutouts, and other fun exercises.  You will be amazed at how your design possibilities will expand by learning a few basic and fun skills.

Warping With Many Colors
Barbara Willis

Barbara has developed approaches to winding a multi-fiber 19+ yard warp, primarily of chenille.  Starting with the inspiration for a particular warp we will see winding the warp on a horizontal warping mill, using chenille, bamboo, and various other novelty yarns.  This method won’t work for all weave structures or fibers – or weavers.  We'll also see examples of Barbara's work, from a “roll” of 9 chenille scarves as they come off her loom to some finished scarves.  Some of Barbara's limited line of jackets and vests, which she calls “Along the Silk Road” will be on display.

Weaving Transparency
Rachael H. Emmons
Two Sessions

In session one, participants will design a small hanging with the special considerations of transparency design, learn the techniques of inlay and loom set-up.  They should leave with a cartoon ready to weave at home.  Participants need not bring a loom to class; the instructor will have a loom set up to demonstrate techniques and for students to try.

In session two, participants will learn about various ways to finish and mount their transparencies, and explore other scales and uses for transparencies. This will also be an opportunity to discuss problems encountered with first attempts.  Participants bring: design ideas, sketch pad, pencils, and color tools such as crayons, paper scissors, and glue stick. Materials Fee: None Limit:  15

April 13, 2011

Weaving Transparency
Rachael H. Emmons
Session Two of Two

See March 9 description, for details.

Design Process: From Inspiration to Finished Product
Sarah Fortin

The design process for each project is deeply personal for each of us.  Explore one weaver’s method of creating, from inception, a glimmer in the brain, if you will, to the completed project.  Sarah will present several examples of her work, explaining each segment of her design process: inspiration, structure exploration, warp planning, weaving methods and final construction process.  Samples, slides and working plans will illustrate the projects.  Bring yarns, structures, inspiration ideas and anything, or any questions about your own design process. This is not so much an organizational process for creating beautiful cloth as it is an explanation of one weaver’s process.

Summer and Winter
Fran Curran

This workshop will examine the structure of ‘Summer and Winter’.  This is a very versatile structure that allows for designs with many blocks to be woven on relatively few harnesses.  In the workshop we will create block designs and look at the many ways to treadle them to achieve different textures and patterns.  We will also discuss polychrome and ‘Summer and Winter’ for rugs

Creating Handbound Artist Books
Kristin Kelley

This is a hands-on workshop during which participants will learn how to use their hand woven fabric to case-in and cover their own blank journals.  The workshop will cover various techniques for binding journals as well as techniques used in creating artist books.  Examples will be available for participants to look through for inspiration. Participants should provide their own hand-woven fabric made from relatively fine yarn (8/2 and 10/2 Tencel or cotton woven as a twill works beautifully), but text blocks, casing-in materials, glue, binding tools, etc. will be provided.

Fees

$18 for members ($36 for a two session workshop)
$25 for non-members ($50 for a two session workshop), pending space available

Unless otherwise specified with the class description, fees for materials or handouts are paid to the teacher by cash or check at the start of the workshop.

Registration

The summer Bulletin contains an application form.  Or, click Registration Form*, fill it out and mail to the specified address with your total session fees.   Include a self-addressed and stamped (SASE) for confirmation.

If you have any questions, email morningworkshops@weaversguildofboston.org. call Rita:  207-541-9156.

Cancellation Policy

There will be a refund (in the form of a voucher) in only the following situations:  cancellation by the instructor, inclement weather, or unforeseen serious circumstances with one week advance notice to the Morning Workshop Chair, Rita Steinbach.

*

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