New Workshop Programme for 2023/ 2024!
A summary of our new Weaving Workshop Programme to guide you on which workshop is right for you!
We have been developing our workshop programme for some time now and we are delighted to finally share the vast array of workshops where you can learn to discover (and elevate!) your weaving style!
We have kept our popular Introduction to Weaving series of workshops for those new to the craft. Our Introduction to Frame Loom Weaving workshop focuses on the how to set up a frame loom, learn the basic techniques and patterns, how to tidy the ends and remove from the loom to create a wall-hanging. What is new is this workshop is now available as an online workshop in January! We will send you your kit by post and then you can join us from wherever you are in the world. Check it out!
The Introduction to Table Loom Weaving workshop is super popular as so many who are new to weaving on a table loom want to learn the basics. This is a great workshop for testing out if weaving on a table loom is for you or if you need guidance in the early stages. We cover the technical side of setting up a loom, then get starting on dressing the loom, followed by weaving and exploring different patterns, techniques and materials. New to this workshop is that you can now Bring Your Own Loom! If you have your own table loom at home but don’t know how to use it, then join the workshop and we’ll show you how. Book now.
While we have been teaching students to weave for many years now, we realised that once a student mastered the basics, they needed support throughout their weaving journey. To help with this we have created exciting workshops that tap into the many unexplored techniques that are not often shared. Our Techniques to Elevate Your Weaving on a Frame Loom will explore different warp yarn thicknesses and EPI, techniques around shaping, blending and graduating colour, experimenting with colour warps, extra warps and understanding complex patterns on a frame loom. There will also be a focus on exploring the features of The Oxford Frame Loom to apply more advanced techniques.
In the Techniques to Elevate Your Weaving on a Table Loom workshop students will focus on maximising a weaver’s creativity using a 4-shaft loom. Working with the restriction of 4 shafts, weavers will explore ways to create more intricate patterns using pick up sticks, experiment with ways to add colour and texture to a warp with only one back beam and practice reeding techniques to add variety to an otherwise simple warp. With these fun tips and tricks, students will discover exciting new ways to take their work to the next level!
When it comes to weaving on a Table Loom, those who have begun their journey will know that repetition plays a big part in developing their weaving skills. To help with that we have added 2 new workshop that will be a game-changer by giving new weavers the confidence to plan and set up a loom, under our supervision. The first workshop is our Design & Plan a Warp on a Table Loom, which addresses the challenge of thinking and planning out a warp, the cornerstone of every handwoven project. By working through all the technical jargon in a warping plan, doing the calculations and making sure the intended warp is suitable for its intended purpose, students will be come away with a technical worksheet full of information to tackle their next project. We then offer Warp a Table Loom for Beginners, the follow-on workshop in this sequence. This workshop reminds weavers of each step in setting up a loom, from practicing to wind a warp through to threading up correctly and being able to ask questions along the way.
From our Survey this summer, we have also introduced workshops to help fill the gaps in for our growing community. Workshops that focus on a project was a big request, so we have added workshops on how to weave a Contemporary Handwoven Cushion on a Table Loom and how to weave a Contemporary Handwoven Scarf on a Table Loom. Both of these table loom workshops are based on the richly-textured designs of textile designer Cassandra Smith, but encourage weavers to experiment and add personal touches to the designs to create something original. Students also learn how to cut and sew handwoven fabric, an exciting opportunity to develop this important skill.
For our frame loom weavers we have created practical workshops that take into consideration the unique nature of weaving on a frame loom. In our Contemporary Woven Cushion Workshop on a Frame Loom students work from a pattern, learning to personalise their design with their own colours and textures. They weave the entire cushion, front and back over the course of 4 days, finally hand-sewing it together. In the Contemporary Woven Scarf Workshop on a Frame Loom students explore an exciting feature of The Oxford Frame Loom by setting up an extended warp. They learn to weave a textured pattern in their preferred colours, practice advancing the warp and weaving a long length before finishing off the scarf with a blanket stitch. Both workshops take students on a journey, embracing the slow craft of weaving.
Finally, we have 2 exciting workshops that will help all the budding designers out there with our new Design Series of workshops. First we have our Find Inspiration to Design Your Woven Project, which helps weavers with that crucial step of working out how to bring an original and personal approach to their designs, and a fun, Exploring Materials - Designing with Texture workshop where you can indulge your love for the maximalist or modern rustic approach for texture and 3D textiles - a personal favourite!
Unsurprisingly we do have more workshops in the pipeline, including more Online workshops for our community beyond the UK border, as well as some very exciting and original project-based workshops, but we need to get these first workshops up and running!
See you in the studio!
Cass