Monday, March 4, 2024

Have Inkle Loom. Will Travel!

 I might be getting in the groove and figuring out how to be a successful traveling teacher. In 2024 and 2025, I have some interesting places lined up and am adding to them. You can see the whole list here:

https://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/p/classes.html

Some workshops, hosted by guilds, may or may not be open to non-guild members. 
Whereas others, at shops and conferences, have open enrollment. Here are a couple of opportunities to study with me which are coming up soon. 

If you have a local guild or shop that might be interested in having me come visit and teach some workshops, please get in touch. My email address is: iweavestraps@gmail.com.

I'm delighted to be returning to the Fiber Circle Studio in Petaluma, CA in April. This photo is from a past workshop there. I will be there just at the same time as the Conference of Northern California Handweavers which is in Rohnert Park, the next town over. 

You can learn more and sign up here: https://fibercirclestudio.com/collections/in-person-workshops-events?page=2


And, at the beginning of May, I will be headed up to the Eugene Textile Center, in Eugene, OR. 

I have been doing business with them for years, but haven't been there in person, so, I am excited! There are only a few spots left for those 3 workshops. You can find out more and sign up here:  https://www.eugenetextilecenter.com/class-calendar

Workshops in Eugene include Three-Color Pickup. At this time in the U.S., I'm the only one teaching workshops in this technique, so it's a rare opportunity!



Of course, if you can't get to a workshop, there's always the book which you can purchase here in paper or PDF form. https://taprootvideo.com/instructorClasses.jsf?iid=12





Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Color & Design Class at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2024

Coming in April 2024 is the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta, New Mexico’s Premier Fiber Arts Showcase!

This biennial event is an extravagant showcase of fiber in all its variations. It will be held at Expo New Mexico (the NM State Fairgrounds) in the Manuel Lujan Complex

Learn more here: https://abqfiberartscouncil.org/fiber-arts-fiesta-2024/

I'll be teaching a brand new 2-hour workshop, 

Color & Design for Inkle Weavers                                                             

If you have my book, In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design for Inkle Weavers, you will have some of this information already. Or, if you have taken a beginning inkle weaving workshop with me, you may have learned some of it there. 

The workshop will be on Friday, April 12, 2024, from 10:30am to 12:30pm in Classroom C. It is sponsored by The Las AraƱas Spinning and Weaving Guild.

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.
The cost is $30.00 and you can register by clicking on the button below. 
This does not include EXPO parking fee or show entry fee.
The payment button below has been glitchy for some folks and I haven't figured out why. If you have trouble with it, please email me at iweavestraps@gmail.com.   Thanks!

Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2024

$30.00

Buy now

Students need to bring: Note-taking materials. Tablet or laptop if desired to use with the online Band Weaving Pattern Editor 

The instructor will provide: Samples, inspiration, handouts with pattern charts, blank pattern paper, colored pencils, slide show.


To see other workshops that I'll be teaching in the future, visit my Classes, Programs and Demonstrations page here: http://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/p/classes.html

Thursday, October 19, 2023

New Video! Inkle Weaving Basics: Tricks and Tips for Warping and Getting Started

 As a teacher and mentor, I have observed new weavers asking the same set of questions as they first start out. In this video, I demonstrate the basics of warping and answer some of those questions.

Tips include some things that even experienced inkle weavers may not know like:
  • How to use a quick-release knot to secure the beginning of your threads to the loom while warping
  • How to change colors as needed with only one knot per color
  • What is the proper length for heddles and how to test it
  • What loom makers don't tell you about taking the shortest path and how to prevent the warp from slipping
Also, there is a valuable tip in here for the thing that inkle weavers seem to struggle with the most: getting nice edges! Once you know this, you can eliminate the lumps and bumps forever!



If you want some free patterns to try out look here: http://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/p/pattern-drafts.html


The intro of the video shows me weaving a very colorful pickup band, and since someone asked, 
the pattern is below. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

What's New?




Thanks to my Santa Fe guild, Las Tejedoras Fiber Arts Guild, for sponsoring me to be a guest on the Handweavers' Guild of America series, Textiles & Tea.  In case you are not familiar with the video interview series, there have been many wonderful episodes so far! Here's more information from the HGA website:

"Each week the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA) hosts Textiles & Tea, a conversation with some of the most respected fiber artists in the field today. In our 45-minute discussion, we focus on their artwork and their creative journey. We allow 15 minutes at the end of our conversation for questions from the audience. Textiles & Tea will take place every Tuesday at 4:00 PM (ET) and is broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live. These broadcasts are free to view and open to all."

It's now recorded and on HGA's YouTube channel where anyone can watch it at any time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrt-b4eTd5U&t=20s


So many guitar straps! Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the patterns up close. 


 In September and October, I had the pleasure of being a vendor at a couple of excellent local music festivals. (Michael Hearne's Big Barn Dance in Taos and the Albuquerque Folk Festival) It's good to get back out to events! My love of weaving guitar straps leads me to choose music festivals as my top selling venues. The best thing about this is, no matter what else happens, I get to listen to wonderful live music!! AND I meet cool people! 

One of my favorite bands from the BBD is Beat Root Revival, the duo of  Andrea Magee and Ben Jones.  Wow! Do they put on an awesome performance!! They are really rockin' it in this video and you get to see a lot of footage of  one of my guitar straps in action!! https://www.facebook.com/beatrootrevival/videos/245616480606972
 This makes me happy!


My next show will be in Santa Fe at the Scottish Rite Temple on November 18th-20th 2022.



 Hosted by the New Mexico Fiber Arts Center, the Fall Fiber Fiesta is an annual showcase of local fiber artists. This large ballroom in a lovely historic building gets completely filled with fiber art and artists. With over 40 artists, this is New Mexico’s Premier showcase of local, handmade fiber art & supplies! Shop thousands of one-of-a-kind gifts, wearables, art, supplies and more!