The aim of the course is to teach weavers the design possibilities of 8-shaft Summer and Winter Weave Structure.
It is suitable for all weavers who are confident with making a warp and dressing their own loom.
There will be three sessions of approximately 2 hours each, one week apart.
• Janet will be available to answer questions via email throughout the course. • A ‘Padlet’ will be set up for everyone to share photographs of their weaving. • A recording of each session will be taken and posted on Janet’s website. • Only paid -up students of the course may watch these videos.
Requirements
• An empty 8 shaft loom with a weaving width of at least 16” and ready for a warp to be put onto it.
Ideally, an 8-shaft table loom, but a floor loom will be fine.
• A copy of “Exploring Woven Fabrics” by Janet Phillips
• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Ruler
• Calculator
• Two coloured pencils
YARN REQUIREMENTS:
You will be weaving a finished sample blanket/gamp approximately 12” wide and 2 yards long. There will be approximately 240 ends in your warp.
A suitable warp and weft yarn would be 8/2 cotton, sett at 16epi, in one colour. You will therefore need approximately 6 oz (1200 yards) for warp and weft combined.
You may choose a different yarn than this if you wish.
The warp sett should always be a low Plain Weave sett.
In addition, you will need a yarn for the PATTERN WEFT. This can be almost any yarn you have in your stash. Traditionally it is a yarn slightly thicker than you warp yarn, but we will be experimenting with yarn weight, so almost anything in your stash – thick or thin - will be suitable. You will not need very much of each of these yarns.
Session 1
• Learn the weave construction and determine a warping plan and a threading plan to weave a three-sectioned sample blanket.
• Hands on practical exercises will be done together.
• Students will have a week to make a warp and thread their looms. • Students will be able to email their designs and warping plans for Janet to check if they wish.
Session 2
• Learn how to construct a lifting plan and then a tie-up and treadling plan to weave different designs.
• Discuss the variations in weft patterns and yarn quality that can be used. • Hands on practical exercises will be done together.
Session 3
• Students will come together to discuss outcomes of weaving the sample blanket.
• Exploration of Turned Taquete and Supplimentary Warp weave structures. • Looking at the Padlet of photographs together.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• It is important that all participants actually attend the live lessons. • There will be hands-on worksheets that we will do together so it is important that Janet can actually speak to everyone, answer questions and ensure that everyone understands the design process.
• Before each session Janet will email everyone worksheets that they must print out to work on during the course.
• The Zoom link will be emailed to each participant one hour before each Session.
BIO: Textile Designer, Hand weaver, Weaving Tutor and Author
I studied industrial textile design at the Scottish College of Textiles, graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in 1972. After working in industry for three years I bought a 16-shaft Dobby loom and built up a career as a commission weaver, designing and weaving functional fabrics for private clients.
I taught a one-day, weekly community education class in Oxford from 1987 – 2004. In 2009 I stopped my commission weaving work and now focus on teaching weaving and weave design from my own studio in Somerset, UK.
I have written three books on weave design:
The Weavers Book of Fabric Design - published 1983
Designing Woven Fabrics – published 2008, reprinted in 2009 and 2015
Exploring Woven Fabrics – published 2020