Introduction

Our introductory 6 week course will provide an opportunity to weave at a fully warped floor loom each week as you sample a variety of weaving projects using different yarns and weave structures. No previous weaving experience is necessary and even “lapsed” weavers with some experience are bound to find this a useful and inspiring refresher course on the basics. It certainly is a wonderful chance to play with yarn colors and textures without all the work of warping this many looms yourself!

By the end of the course you will have gained much valuable experience working with a variety of looms, training your eye and sense of touch as you cultivate some useful weaving habits. You will go home with samples from each of the looms at which you've woven, possibly with a rag rug or enough fabric for a sturdy bag, material for a small purse or cellphone cover and more. In addition to class time, there will be 2-hour open studio sessions to give you time to weave more on each week’s chosen project before surrendering that warped loom to another weaver. The class will culminate in a hands on opportunity to take part in the group process of planning, making a warp and preparing a loom to weave, skills prerequisite to taking other intermediate and advanced weaving offerings at the school in upcoming semesters.

Each class will include a short topical presentation and pdf's to familiarize you with the basics: the nomenclature of weaving and the tools used, the types of looms available, the characteristics of various yarns and how they are measured, how to read a weaving draft, an overview of the most basic weave structures, and links to a multitude of useful resources available online. Perhaps after taking this course you will be eager to plan a project of your own and return in a later session to weave it!