Photo from the Intermountain Weavers Conference, Durango, Co

workshop-calendar.html

🎨WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS:

Color & Design for Inkle Weavers (3 hours)

Audience: Anyone interested in inkle weaving. All levels of experience. No loom required.

Description: We will look at many samples of woven bands and discuss what makes a good design, discuss color theory, look at yarn choices, experiment with color selection tools, and, as time allows, create patterns on paper or using an online tool. This is a more in-depth discussion than what I typically include in my Beginning Inkle Weaving workshop.

It is not a hands-on weaving workshop. Students do not need a loom.

Learn to Design Patterns & Weave on an Inkle Loom (6 hours)

Audience: This class is designed for beginning weavers with no experience on inkle looms. However, students with some experience may enjoy learning more about design and tips for weaving.

Description: The inkle loom is a simple tool for weaving useful everyday items.

In this workshop, students will learn the techniques and artistry of inkle weaving from someone with over 4 decades as an exclusive inkle loom weaver. Students will have the opportunity to look at samples and graphic aids to learn how to use elements of color theory and pattern design to create endless variations on their own. They will also learn two methods of creating patterns using a free online tool and a chart-paper method.

They will then warp and weave the designs they create or ones supplied by the instructor.

Annie will share tips for warping, making heddles, fixing mistakes, starting and stopping, and keeping selvages straight. She will also demonstrate how to temporarily remove and replace the warp, as well as how to cut the final project off the loom and handle it when it is complete.

Horizontal Bar Background Pickup on the Inkle Loom (6 hours)

Audience: For experienced inkle weavers only. Students must know how to warp their loom on their own and be familiar and comfortable doing plain weave on the inkle loom. Students can bring a loom, purchase one, or borrow one during class. Borrowed looms will not be available to take home.

Description: The horizontal bar pickup technique is commonly used by indigenous weavers in North, Central and South America. We will look at woven samples to discover several variations on this technique and discuss charting methods. Students will warp their looms, and work with printed patterns to develop their own designs on the loom.

As time and student interest allow, we can also explore a free online tool for creating patterns.

Speckled Background Pickup (AKA Baltic Pickup) on the Inkle Loom (6 hours)

Audience: For experienced inkle weavers only. Students must know how to warp their loom on their own and be familiar and comfortable doing plain weave on the inkle loom. Students can bring a loom, purchase one, or borrow one during class. Borrowed looms will not be available to take home.

Description: Speckled pickup is a simple technique to learn, but has vast possibilities for creating exciting patterns on a woven band. It is used in many countries and cultures and, therefore, goes by many names. Some common ones are: Baltic, Sami, and Supplementary Warp. We will look at examples to learn the many variations that are possible using the Speckled pickup technique, explore simple pickup patterns as well as pick and drop patterns, and learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns.

As time and student interest allow, we can also explore a free online tool for creating patterns.

3-Color Pickup on the Inkle Loom (6 hours)

Audience: For experienced inkle weavers only. Students must know how to warp their loom on their own and be familiar and comfortable doing Baltic-style pickup on the inkle loom. Students can bring a loom, or borrow one. Borrowed looms will not be available to take home.

Description: For weavers who have already been doing speckled (or Baltic) pickup work, you will be amazed at how easy it is to add more color and complexity to your pattern motifs and create fantastic new ones. Unknown to most modern weavers, Three-Color Pickup is an older technique for which pattern books have not been readily available until now. To weave this variation, it's very helpful to have a working knowledge of regular Baltic pickup.

First we will look at samples and discuss what makes this different from the typical Baltic patterns. By viewing the samples, students will get an understanding of the difference between asymmetrical and symmetrical threadings as well as tips for choosing colors to make the patterns pop.

Students will then warp their looms and practice weaving various motifs using pattern charts supplied by the instructor.

As time and student interest allow, we can also explore a free online tool for creating patterns.

Student work from 3-Color Pickup workshop in Seattle, WA, March 2022

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am available to give presentations to schools, guilds, or other groups.

A one-hour slideshow entitled, "Narrrow, but not Limited" can be given in person or by Zoom. It aims to inspire by showing many possible uses for woven bands. The full program description is below.

"Because the inkle loom is a simple device designed to make very narrow, warp-faced pieces, its true potential is often overlooked. People frequently ask “What can you do with an inkle loom, anyway?” Annie MacHale has spent over four decades exploring the possibilities and loves to inspire others to join her in the adventure. She will share many stories of her inspiration and creation and show a diverse array of items produced on her inkle looms."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~