Introduction
The Further Explorations course is an opportunity to expand your skills and try something new with an experienced mentor to guide you through any tricky spots. Try a new structure, a new fiber, or finer yarns. Or explore the design possibilities of an 8-shaft loom. And enjoy the camaraderie of fellow fiber enthusiasts as you weave. This course is designed to meet you where you are on your weaving journey and to expand your ability to more effortlessly achieve the results you want.
This is a project oriented course, with each student selecting their own project to weave during the course. The instructor is available to consult on project selection at any point in your decision process. Please feel free to reach out to her at weavetutor@icloud.com. Downloadable portfolios of possible projects are also available for your inspiration.
The course is primarily hands-on with students warping and weaving their own individual project. The instructor will be available for one-on-one assistance and will offer tips for greater ease and efficiency of weaving. In addition, weekly half-hour presentations will focus on gaining a greater understanding of weave structures and their possibilities.
This fall, the weekly presentations will focus on twill weaves. Twill is a very large family of weaves ranging from weft-faced krokbragd to silky snowflake twills! Learn to recognize the characteristics of different twill weaves, to understand the terminology, and to gain confidence in modifying and designing twill drafts. We will cover some of the many twill-based weaves, guided by student interest. Possibilities include color-and-weave twills, collapse twills, waffle weave, double-faced twills, turned twills, decorated twills, advancing twills, and undulating twills.
Students are responsible for obtaining their own yarns before the first class and for winding their own warp before the second class. Note that there is a gap week between the first and second classes.
In addition to class times, students are encouraged to attend one or more of the Open Studios offered throughout the week in order to have plenty of weaving time. Please see the bottom of this description for the Open Studio schedule. If you are interested in a wider or 8-shaft loom, please register early to ensure your choice of loom.
Pre-requisites:
Next Steps course or the equivalent experience. Students should be familiar with the steps of warping a loom and able to weave following a draft.
