Designing for Weaving

1–5 Day

There is so much to think about when starting a new weaving project from scratch. It can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t want to waste that special yarn. This workshop simplifies and clarifies the process, breaking down design into a manageable sequence of steps. We’ll examine the relationship between function, fiber content, and weave structure. We’ll also consider at sett, basic measurements, and easy ways to sample. Taking this logical, step-by-step approach helps guarantee weaving success.

The 1-Day workshop builds design skill and confidence through sketching and drafing. The 3–5 day workshop is a hands-on weaving workshop where we will design and weave a small project of each participants’ own design.

Level: participants should be confident with dressing the loom and have a basic understanding of 4-shaft weaving.

Freedom of Expression: Painting Warps on Loom

2–5 day

In this dyeing and weaving workshop, we will have lots of spontaneous fun painting warps with fiber reactive dyes, after the loom is warped. This wonderful technique allows weavers to work with color and pattern in a loose, free, expressive way, creating large-scale abstract forms. We will paint enough warp to explore the possibilities of the technique, and for l or 2 scarves. Using Fiber Reactive dyes, we will learn how to mix our own colors working from primary hues. The workshop is primarily hands-on, but includes lectures and handouts on dye technique and safety, basic color theory, and special considerations when weaving painted warps. Students bring pre-warped table or floor looms to the workshop. Level: participants should be confident with warping the loom and have a basic understanding of 4-shaft weaving.

The workshop space needs running water nearby and table space for each student.

Freedom of Expression II: More On-Loom Painted Warps

2–5 day

This workshop is primarily designed as a second workshop for groups who took the first one. We review the basics of working with fiber reactive dyes. We will explore more dye application techniques, which can include painting borders, separating the warp into layers for painting, stenciling, masking, and stamping. We'll work with a 6 primary color mixing system to obtain a broader range of colors. We will also think about integrating weave structure and the painted warp. After some experimentation, participants will paint enough warp to weave a scarf integrating their favorite techniques. This is open to students who took the first one as well as those who didn’t.

The workshop space needs running water nearby and table space for each student.

Created in Space-Dyed Skeins workshop

Space-Dyed Skeins

3 Hours to 1 Day (Can be combined with Painting Warps Off-Loom)

In this workshop, we’ll learn the basics of working with fiber reactive dyes. They are safe, simple to use, and extremely color-fast. We’ll have lots of fun mixing colors and then painting your own skeins of natural-fiber yarns in glorious colors. You’ll leave the workshop with lots of beautiful yarns ready to use in your knitting, weaving, and other fiber projects.

The workshop space needs running water nearby and table space for each student.

Painting Warps Off-Loom

3 Hours to 1 Day (Can be combined with Space-Dyeing Skeins)

In this workshop, we’ll learn the basics of working with fiber reactive dyes. They are safe, simple to use, and extremely color-fast. We’ll have lots of fun mixing colors and then painting enough warp to use to weave 2 scarves on your loom at home after the workshop. Space requirements same as above.

Note: This is off-loom warp painting.

Made in the Adventurous Weaving workshop

Adventurous Weaving

3–5 day

This is an introduction to basic floor loom weaving, but with a sense of adventure and fun. We will dress the loom and then weave a series of explorations of color, texture and pattern, each one like a page in a book, to make the warp into a personal weaving journal. Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of how to make the interaction of warp and weft work for you. No previous weaving knowledge necessary. This is a good workshop for Rigid Heddle weavers who want to gain experience with a shaft loom. Also appropriate for all beginning and intermediate weavers who would like a refresher on basic skills and new ideas.

Making Good Cloth

2–3 Day

This workshop provides a concentrated look at how to create the appropriate cloth for its function by understanding and using good principles of sett, density and beat. We will explore the relationship of sett to weave structure, fiber content, and the function of the cloth. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have a great set of samples to for future use, as well as a deeper understanding of the characteristics of well-conceived cloth. Each participant will work at their own loom.

The Joy of Color

½ day to 5 days

This hands-on workshop encourages weavers to build their confidence in color for weaving. The lecture portions cover basic color theory, but the main focus is on a set of weaving exercises to open new windows on color. In the multi-day workshops we will weave a series of studies exploring color theory as it applies specifically to weaving. As we weave different weave structures and different colors, we will be able to study a wealth of color interactions. As we progress, we’ll also examine the emotional and expressive side of color use. Each day we will examine the day's efforts to make new color discoveries. In the half day workshop, we make yarn wrappings to explore color relationships. This workshop makes color fun and expressive. This workshop is for all weavers from beginners who can warp a loom and anyone who wants to work more with color. Each participant will work at their own loom.

Double Your Pleasure: Welcome to 4-Shaft Doubleweave

2–3 day

In this workshop, we will learn about four-shaft double weave by weaving cute doubleweave projects. Each item is actually a sample of a different doubleweave technique. We will weave double-width cloth, connect layers on the top, bottom and sides, weave tubes and flaps, stuffed items, and more. By the end of the workshop, you are guaranteed to fully understand the simple logic of 4-shaft doubleweave, and you will have had lots of fun along the way. Level: participants must be able to warp a loom and understand the basics of 4-shaft weaving and drafting.

Understanding Summer and Winter

1–5 days

Summer and Winter is a simple-to-understand weave structure that yields beautiful, graphic geometric patterns. This program is designed for weavers with little or no previous experience designing and weaving this versatile weave structure. It focuses on understanding the simplicity and logic of its structure, so participants can easily go on to design their own Summer and Winter projects.

This program is designed for beginners who know the basics of drafting and intermediate weavers. In the workshop format the participants bring pre-warped table or floor looms. We will explore a wealth of treadling systems, and explore color use. Each participant will work at their own pre-dressed loom.

The More the Merrier: Combining Weave Structures

1–3 days

We will discover ways to use all those harnesses on your loom, by exploring how to combine more than one weave structure in the same piece. Following some simple principles, this approach yields handwoven cloth with rich visual and textural variety. We will start by adding tabby selvedges, and then create drafts with intriguing structural squares and rectangles surrounded by twills and plain weave. Each woven sample can be a completed coaster or mug rug. We will make the most of simple weave structures, including tabby, all kinds of twills, laces, basket weave and more. Workshop level: Participants must be able to warp a loom and read drafts. In the workshop, each participant will work at their own looms, which they will dress looms of at least 8 shafts.

Resists Are Irresistible workshop

Resists Are Irresistible

1 or 2 days

In this workshop we explore Shibori, the Japanese art of folding and then resisting cloth through a variety of techniques to create intriguing patterning in the cloth. We will explore knotting, folding, binding and clamping. For a 1-day workshop, choose either Indigo or Fiber Reactive Dyes. In the 2-day workshop, we will work with Indigo on Day 1 and Fiber Reactive Dyes on Day 2.

Note: No previous experience necessary. Please note: this is not a weaving workshop.

Introduction to Handspinning

I offer private spinning lessons in my Syracuse, NY studio to beginners. Plan on four to six 45-minute lessons to master the basics. Students must provide their own spinning wheel. Please contact me for rates.