Classes, Programs and Demonstrations

Please contact me if you would like to schedule a class for yourself, a group, or a guild.  I am available for private sessions in my home in Edgewood, New Mexico and I like to travel!    

 Email me at: iWeaveStraps@Gmail.com.  

🎨SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS:

Date: January 18th &23rd, 2025
Location: Fiber Arts on 4th, 6463 4th St NW, Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, New Mexico
Event: Stand-Alone Workshops
Topic: Lean to Design & Weave on an Inkle Loom, Horizontal Bar Pickup
For more information or to sign up: fiberartson4th.com
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Date: February 4 & 5, 2025
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Event: Lecture and workshop for the Redwood Guild of Fiber Arts
Topic: Learn to Design Patterns & Weave on an Inkle Loom
For more information (registration may be limited to members of the RGFA): https://redwoodgfa.org/


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Date: February 8 & 9, 2025
Location: Fiber Circle Studio, 113 Kentucky St., Petaluma, CA
Event: Stand-Alone Workshops 
Topic: Color, Design & Weave on an Inkle Loom and Horizontal Bar Pickup
For more information or to sign up: 
https://fibercirclestudio.com/collections/in-person-workshops-events


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Date: February 13-16, 2025
Location: Tacoma, WA   
Event: Red Alder Fiber Retreat
Topic: Color, Design & Weave on an Inkle Loom, Horizontal Bar Pickup, Speckled Pickup (aka Baltic) 
For more information or to sign up: www.RedAlderFiberArts.com

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Date: April 3-5, 2025
Location: Orlando, FL   
Event: Florida Tropical Weavers Conference
Topic: Color & Design for Inkle Weavers, Beginning Inkle Weaving, Three-Color Pickup
For more information or to sign up: ftwg.org

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Date: May 2-4, 2025
Location: Whidbey Island, WA
Event: Weavers Guild Workshops
Topic: Beginning Inkle Weaving, Horizontal Bar Pickup, Three-Color Pickup
For more information or to sign up: WhidbeyWeaversGuild.org

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Date: June 13th-14th, 2025 
Location:  Danforth campus of Washington University St. Louis, MO
Event: Midwest Weavers Conference 2025
Topic: Baltic-Style Pickup on an Inkle Loom, Three-Color Pickup on an Inkle Loom
For more information or to sign up: https://weaversguildstl.org/mwc2025

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Date: June 15th-21st, 2025 
Location:  Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Event: Braids Conference 
Topic: Three-Color Pickup
For more information or to sign uphttps://amksoc.org/featured-home/braids-2025/

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Date: July 8-13, 2025
Location: Westfield, MA
Event: New England Weavers Seminar
Topic: Color, Design & Weave on an Inkle Loom, Speckled/Baltic Pickup, Three-Color Pickup
For more information or to sign up: www.NewEnglandWeavers.org








                            From the Hangtown Fibers Guild workshops in Placerville, CA 2023



Photo from Fiber Circle Studio, Petaluma, CA


                        Photo from the Intermountain Weavers Conference, Durango, Co



🎨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.

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.

 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

 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

🎨PAST WORKSHOPS:

To date, I have taught classes for:
Pike's Peak Weavers Guild, Colorado Springs, CO
The Carmel Crafts Guild, Carmel, CA
The Golden Fleece, Santa Cruz, CA
Yarns by the Sea, Aptos, CA
Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center, Espanola, NM
Las Tejedoras Fiber Arts Guild, Santa Fe, NM
Intermountain Weavers Conference, Durango, CO
Handweavers of the Central Valley, Exeter, CA
Fiber Circle Studio, Petaluma, CA


Testimonials: 

"I was program chair for our weaving guild a few years ago, and we scheduled a presentation and workshop with Annie. It was one of the most popular programs of the year, and even people with very little weaving experience made lovely inkle bands during the workshop. Annie makes her workshops learning, community building, and fun experiences. Seeing her amazing collection of bands is so inspiring, and so is watching her hands at work. She takes obvious pleasure in sharing her skills and passion for inkle weaving, and does it very well. Feel free to email me if you want to hear more about our experience with Annie's teaching, twopettits@yahoo.com
Ann Pettit, Program Chair, Carmel Crafts Guild


"Annie MacHale is an excellent teacher.  Her love of inkle weaving, gentle teaching style and supportive approach lets her students shine.  I highly recommend Annie as an instructor.  You will count your day with her as a highlight of your year."  
Mary Brown, President, Carmel Crafts Guild

"Annie is a gifted weaver and a most generous teacher.  I will be forever grateful to her for introducing me to the inkle loom.  If you are at all curious - and have the opportunity - take her class.  You will not be disappointed, and you might find yourself inspired to continue on and on!  Weaving can be addictive, but it's really good for the brain!"  Kathy Sinnott


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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."




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Videos:


Pickup Tutorial




A 30-minute TV interview discussing my love for inkle weaving.


Interview on HGA's Textiles & Tea ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. do you ever come up to Canada?? pleeeeeeze?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd love to! Do you have a local guild or shop that would like to arrange a visit and find a classroom full of students?
      My email is iweavestraps@gmail.com

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