Just Getting Started Weaving?

Are you a new weaver?

Are you confused as to how to get started?

There are now four online instruction modules available from Historic Weaving designed to ease you into the weaving world.

I use these modules when I teach in person with my mobile weaving studio.  The looms I use for my instruction in my mobile studio are Ashford “Katie” table looms. While the looms are small in scale and quite portable, the methods that I present are the same ones used by professional weavers weaving on large looms. I present new tools with the methods to save time and effort and provide excellent results.

Clicking the links below will take you to the shop pages for the individual products:

Illustrated Weaving Glossary

Warp Calculator

Getting Warped

Drafting Solutions

Weave with me – Adult Continuing Education – 2021 Spring Classes

Weave with Me - Historic Weaving

I am once again teaching through the Bozeman Adult Community Education Program- Spring Semester

Three courses are being offered, there is limited availability (4 students per course). This allows for social distancing and one on one instruction. Instructor is vaccinated!

The courses are very affordable for students – $47, this include 4 hours of lesson and studio time, rental loom and all weaving materials, and handouts.

Students bring home their completed weaving at the end of the second session.

The course is non refundable once you are enrolled, but that is because I spend the money up front to equip the looms and prepare the studio for your arrival.

Location of the course will be in the Willson School on Main Street in Bozeman. There is good access and parking, and an elevator if needed.

Course Names and Dates & Times

Apr 5 & 6  6pm – 8 pm  – Let’s Get Started Weaving  – The beginner’s course, if you have not woven before start here. Learn how to weave on a table loom.

Apr 12 & 13 6pm – 8 pm – Getting Warped – Learn how to use a warping mill and how to warp a table loom from front to back. Will also address warp calculation, learning how to estimate the materials you need to complete a project. You need to have woven before taking this class. (This is the second course in series)

Apr 26 & 27  6pm – 8 pm – Historic Horizontal Stripes – Learn about early weavers worked with stripes and bands. All can be woven on a simple table loom. This is a technique course, you will be learning easy ways to do pick-up weaving. You need to have completed the first course – Let’s Get Started Weaving prior to taking this class, or have some prior weaving experience.

If you are new weaver – you can get up to 12 hours of instruction and loom time for under $150 with a weaving instructor with more than 25 years of weaving experience, a bargain!

If these dates do not work for you and you want instruction this summer, I am offering opportunities to learn outdoors on my deck at the studio so that you do not have concerns about COVID transmission. Contact me via email  or message me for details.

Where to register for the April classes: https://bsd7.revtrak.net/Registrations/

 

 

 

 

Updates to Warp Calculator

I have completed the metric version of the Warp Calculator and included it in the original product download.  This version includes a metric reed substitution chart that works like the American chart and Standard Item Sizes listed in metric lengths and widths.

The only conversion outstanding at the end of the calculation is one in which the user would convert from USD to local currency at the current exchange rate.

 

Questions from a Weaver: about – 4 Shaft 100 Boundweave Patterns archive.

From a person who purchased from the website: (Bolding is mine  to illustrate what I think the questions are.)

” I just purchased your 4 shaft 100 boundweave patterns and think it is terrific. just what I wanted. However, you have the threading as twill and I have my threading as rosepath, would all the figures come out the same or will be they closer together and maybe a little different?

 Also, you have the tieup I think for a sinking shed, I have 2 rising shed looms so I guess my treadling  will be 34 41 12 23   should it change for rosepath?  I am planning a Xmas wall hanging in boundweave, and will use the draft patterns I purchased, however, would like to know about the placing of the figures, and if I want a little more space, can I do  44 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 44? ”

 

My response:

Q1: Will there be a difference in the figures if I use a different threading?

Yes, there will be. Let me indicate for you what will change. Starting first by comparing the two threadings.  In my document I mention that the figures have all been worked on a loom with a point threading.

 

 
Point Threading Rosepath Threading

 

I picked an image with no color on thread one to help illustrate what happens because blank spaces are easier to see. Adding the extra white thread in the middle causes the image to separate, and look a little empty.  Your next thought is that you can now fill the space, I suspect. I choose to add a center spot of yellow to the flower.

 

 

This looks like you are just expanding the flower.
You also need to add the same coloring to all threads on shaft 1
Boundweave examples

 

 

This is what the repeat will look like on your fabric.

 

Q 2: Also, you have the tieup I think for a sinking shed, I have 2 rising shed looms so I guess my treadling  will be 34 41 12 23   should it change for rosepath?

 

A note in my instructions, mentions that I set up these drafts so that the weaver can weave them face up. Normal treadling sequences would have the weaver making the pattern face down where they can not see it, because it requires less physical effort – moving one shaft versus three at a time.

 

When working with new weavers, I find that although there are more shafts to lift on each throw, they get a better feeling for how to control the weave by weaving face up. My instructions have weavers raise all shafts except for the one that they want to have the weft color appear on the top. Its easier to discover an error and repair it this way. When working on a table loom it is a matter of moving levers rather than depressing treadles and therefore the effort is not the issue. If you set up the wrong tie-up you will not see an image on the front of the cloth you will see it on the bottom. Always check both surfaces.

 

The treadling sequence will not change with Rosepath threading.  There will be the same numbers of passes with the same colors of thread.

 

Q3: if I want a little more space, can I do  44 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 44?”

 

This translates into: How do I expand boundweave patterns using only 4 shafts?

Example of a Boundweave expainsion by repeating two threads Here I have repeated the two outermost threads, 1 and 2
Example of the boundweave expansion using a pointed twill The repeat is a  point twill from threads 1 to 3

 

I have left you to wonder what does  a  44 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 44 pattern look like.

 

Here is how to find out:

 

If you have Excel or graph paper start with the pattern in the center, you can copy and paste in Excel.

To get square grids in Excel – Highlight the leftmost corner block in the spreadsheet, it will highlight all of the cells, change the width of the cell to 20, and the height to 20 as well. You can click and drag to resize or use a tool bar to set the property.

Write your proposed expanded threading, now copy the colors from those columns into your new draft.

 

My turn to ask questions:

 

One thing to think about, in all of the examples I have provided so far, are there two threads on the same shaft side by side?

What change would you expect to see in your cloth?

Does that change affect the outcome and beauty of the cloth in a good or bad way?

In the examples given so far, have there been any changes in treadling or tie-up?

 

What have you learned about, threading  and figure placement in boundweave from this little exercise?

2020 Weaving Workshops

Weave with me workshop

Weave with me workshop

3/21/2020: An  update on this post due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All Adult education classes for the spring semester for Ennis, Bozeman have been cacelled

I have the possibility of running the classes in my studio if people would want to do so and we are not on a “full stop” lockdown. My classes are limited to a maximum of 4 students and as you can see from the image at left students are placed 6 foot apart in the classroom. The looms are made of wood and string, two items that do not retain the virus for very long because they are considered porous materials. My average time between classes is more than 7 days.

Until art/craft shows and gatherings are able to be restarted, I will only be using these looms for individual instruction or these small workshops.

 

 

Fri Apr 10th : Let’s Get Warping – Historic Weaving Studio – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me “Getting Warped for Weaving”.  If you have taken the “Let’s Get Started Weaving” course and you want to continue to explore handweaving, your next logical step is to learn
how a loom is dressed for weaving. This workshop will teach you the basics of how to wind a warp and how to beam it on your loom without frustration. The workshop will cover basic warp calculations, the selection of a reed, warp preparation, loom threading, and tensioning of the warp for weaving. Looms and materials are provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri May 22nd: Weave with me – “Texture”- Historic Weaving Studio – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me – “Texture” workshop introduces participants to the design element of texture, using the sense of touch to make design choices. Participants will experiment with yarns and basic weaves and will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving while they design and weave their chosen project. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri June  12th:  – Weave with me – “Color” – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me – “Color” is a color theory workshop where participants will learn about colors and how they impact textile design decisions. Students will develop a personal color palette. Participants will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving while they design and weave their chosen project. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri July 24th:  – Weave with me – “Structure/Pattern” – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me -“Structure/Pattern” workshop will introduce participants to the applied mathematics of weaving textile design, drafting fundamentals and block theory for various weave structures. Students will use these principles to design and weave their chosen project. Participants will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving and their favorite structures. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri Aug 27th:  – Weave with me – “Fiber” – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me – “Fiber” workshop is a materials workshop in which participants will handle and discover the different fibers used in weaving from the perspective of their material properties; suitability for purpose, tensile strength and care requirements. Participants will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving while they design and weave their chosen project. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri Sept 11th:  – Weave with me – “Overshot” – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me – “Overshot” workshop is a structure and pattern workshop in which participants will handle and discover how to design and weave their own overshot patterns. Participants will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving while they design and weave their chosen project. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Fri Oct 16th :  – Weave with me – “Boundweave” – Bozeman, 10 am to 4 pm – OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Call 406-640-1651 to register.   Cost $55 per student, includes materials and loom rental for the workshop.

Weave with me – “Boundweave” workshop is a structure and pattern workshop in which participants will handle and discover how to design and weave their own boundweave patterns. Participants will hear stories about famous weavers and the history of weaving while they design and weave their chosen project. Basic weaving experience is required. Materials and looms provided by Historic Weaving.

 

Give the gift of weaving for Christmas this year.

Do you have a special someone who loves all things fiber? And you don’t know where to begin to get that unique gift that they will always remember? You can provide them with the ultimate fiber experience, weaving cloth on a loom with a professional weaver as your guide. Both individual and small group opportunities are available. We can meet in my studio, or I can come to you.

Don’t know if they would like to weave or purchase a gift from my studio? A gift certificate can do it all and there no size or colors to worry about.

A gift certificate can do it all, no size or colors to worry about. Click on the certificate amount below for easy purchase using Paypal for secure transactions. $50 Gift Certificate,  $100 Gift Certificate, $200 Gift Certificate

 

 

 

Group Programs

Entertain your group with both the magic and fascinating history of weaving.

Relax with a 30 minute historical presentation of the weaving topic of your choice, followed by a 1 hour weaving experience sure to be a team builder.

Perfect for groups who need to try something new and different for growth. Program can be customized for length and hands on activity.

Click here to see available presentations and how to book yours today

 

Rigid Heddle Band Weaving

latvian woven bandBeautiful bands with a thousand uses. Many cultures weave bands but few weave them with the style of Scandinavia and Latvia. The materials needed to weave these bands are simple and readily obtainable. double rigid heddleThere are groups dedicated to this type of weaving. The Braid Society in Europe and TWIST in the United States.

On the society websites you can find galleries of woven bands and instructions on how to get started weaving in this tradition. I also found a course being offered by the North House Folk School in Minnesota in May of 2013 that you may be interested in taking if you are in the area.

While the bands are traditionally woven on backstrap  looms they also can be reproduced on a standard loom if you happen to have one handy. sash upper The image on the left is  a Latvian design that I wove in a wide band on my AVL loom. The most important consideration  to remember is that a pattern thread is twice the thickness of the ground thread. A traditional belt, band or sash is often woven using wool. My experiment was woven in cotton.

I have also been able to weave this style of band on my Morgan loom without using a rigid heddle or tablet cards.

smDSCF2358

I was able to make use of red and white beads to identify pattern threads and modified my draft to make weaving easier for me.

DSCF2477DSCF2461

 

 

 

Here is a copy of the draft that I made for weaving the belt.

BELT1.xlsx

Books:samibandweavingcover

 

 

Video Tutorials:

Favorite Scandinavian Projects to Weave: 45 Stylish Designs for the Modern Home

I went to the local library a week ago and I found this little treasure. Because I have a Glimakra drawloom I was very IMG_2846interested in this book. Hints and tips from the writers of VAV Magazine are ALWAYS welcome. Was I delighted when I opened IMG_2838the cover to browse through the pictures. None of the projects are overly complicated. And some of the treasures include how to weave a hammock,  make european style linen towels with the woven loops, and a striking striped summer “light” blanket. While the threads are not ‘translated’ it will be easy enough to make use of of Handwoven’s thread guide to find our American equivalents.IMG_2841

I am most interested in the hammock project as I have always wanted to make one for my house.  I can’t wait for a sunny day and a glass of lemonade and my sunglasses!

Favorite Scandinavian Projects to Weave

Author / Editor: Ignell, Tina    Publishing Location:   Publication Date: 2008

Publisher: Trafalgar Square  Pages: 128p

Periodical Title:   Volume:   Issue:

Description of Contents:

Creating handwoven textiles for the home is a time-honored tradition and one any crafter can enjoy. If you wish to truly tailor your home decor, let this book lead the way. It features : 45 unique projects developed and tested by professional weavers — Step-by-step instructions, charts, illustrations, and color photos — Work with linen, half-linen, cottolin, wool, paper, and piassava — Versatile ideas for pillows, throws, rugs, curtains, table linens, and more — A special section on textile care and handling.

To Purchase: To View:

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Find out more - what people made, and how they did it

Weaving Courses - tutorials, videos, instructions

Project Material Catalog

Inkle Weaving

One of the most important books on handweaving by Mary Meigs Atwater. In it you will learn the basics of inkle and tablet weaving.

Byways in Hand-Weaving

Author / Editor: Atwater, Mary Meigs    Publishing Location:   Publication Date: 1954 and 1988

Publisher: Shuttle-Craft Books  Pages: 128

Periodical Title:   Volume:   Issue:

Description of Contents:

Traditional patterns from around the world for small or off-loom weaving. This book, which has been used extensively as a reference for some obscure techniques includes information on equipment and materials, as well as drafts and designs for card, inkle, and a variety of belt loom weaves. Twining, including Maori and Persian, and braiding and knotting techniques from India, Egypt, China, Peru, the Philippines, and some Neolithic times are included. There are card-weaving patterns and techniques from Egypt, Finland, and Armenia. Included with “inkle” weaves are those from Europe, as well as some Navajo and Mexican weaves, and those from Central and South America. Estonian and Peruvian bag weaves are compared. Other little-known weaves included are that for an African girdle found in the Atlas Mountains, a Scandinavian warp-faced weave, and some Egyptian warp-faced weaves, including the draft for the so-called “Girdle of Rameses”.

To Purchase: To View:

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Find out more - what people made, and how they did it

Weaving Courses - tutorials, videos, instructions

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Cardboard Loom Weaving

Cardboard loom weaving is an inexpensive way to get started weaving. Your material costs are very minimal, and even young children are able to participate. Weaving is an activity that can easily occupy a restless child on a rainy afternoon. The added bonus is that you can make something both beautiful and useful.

My favorite book about cardboard weaving is:

Weaving on Cardboard: Simple Looms to Make and Use

Author / Editor: Alexander, Marthann    Publishing Location:   Publication Date: 1972

Publisher: Taplinger  Pages: 88

Periodical Title:   Volume:   Issue:

Description of Contents:

Instructions for constructing and using simple looms made of easily obtainable, inexpensive cardboard to introduce weaving to those inexperienced with the craft. While many of the instructions are for weaving with a needle or varieties of finger weaving, there are also instructions for building and using weaving cards.

To Purchase: To View:

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Weaving Courses - tutorials, videos, instructions

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Tartans

Tartans are a big hit around St. Patricks day, this book will guide you through setting up your loom and weaving traditional tartan plaids. Scotch tartan setts: A Shuttle-Craft Guild guide for weaving 132 traditional plaids.

Scotch Tartan Setts: a Shuttle-Craft Guild Guide for Weaving 132 Traditional Plaids

Author / Editor: Douglas, Harriet C.    Publishing Location:   Publication Date: 1949

Publisher: Virginia City, Mont.: Harriet C. Douglas  Pages:

Periodical Title:   Volume:   Issue:

Description of Contents:

To Purchase: To View:

Access to WorldCat

Find out more - what people made, and how they did it

Weaving Courses - tutorials, videos, instructions

Project Material Catalog