TABLET WEAVING FOR BEGINNERS

Participants will be introduced to the versatility of tablet weaving and how it can be applied into finished projects or as embellishments on woven items. They will also become familiar with the tools and the best yarn to use for specific projects. The students will learn the difference between threading defined patterns and turning defined patterns. One warp will be made using a threading defined pattern. Another warp will be made using warping technique called 'continues warping'. This warp will be used for a turning defined pattern. On that warp the students will learn regular double-faced tablet weaving. How to design original patterns and how to use these patterns to weave motifs in a band will be taught.

DOUBLE-FACED 3/1 BROKEN TWILL

In this workshop the participants will be introduced to the ancient tablet weaving technique double-faced 3/1 broken twill. The basic technique will be taught, as well as how to interchange colours between the two faces to make motifs in a band. The many steps in how to design an original pattern will be taught. The students will design a pattern and weave a project.

PEBBLE WEAVE WITH TABLETS

In the basic pebble weave structure there are two faces one dark and one light and each face has 3-span warp floats in alternate alignment. The faces can be interchanged to make motifs. The students will be introduced to this weave structure. They will learn how to weave pebble weave using tablets and how to set up a warp for this technique. The basic technique will be taught and how to interchange colour between the two faces to make motifs will also be explored. The participants will learn how to design original patterns. They will design patterns and weave a project.

WARP-TWINED TABLET WEAVING AND BROCADING

Exquisite brocaded tablet woven bands, dated to the Viking period (800 AD - 1050 AD), have been found in Northern Europe. Many of these bands were woven with fine silk as the foundation weft gold and silver as the brocading weft. In this workshop the participants will be introduced to the technique used to make these bands. The students will learn the ground weaving technique warp-twined tablet weaving. They will also be taught two different methods to tie-down the brocading weft, arranging the tie-down points, how to treat the brocading weft at the selvages, and designing brocading patterns. Adding embellishments to a band will be demonstrated. Uses for brocaded bands will also be discussed. Participants will design a pattern and start a project.

"FOUR-COLOURED DIAGONAL PATTERNS WITH FLOATING" the Snartemo technique

In this workshop the participants will be introduced to the ancient tablet weaving technique the Snartemo technique or "four-coloured diagonal patterns with floating.". The basic technique will be taught, as well as how to interchange colours between the two faces to make motifs in a band. The many steps in how to design an original pattern will be taught. The students will design a pattern and weave a project.

'MISSED HOLE TECHNIQUE' WITH BROCADING

This technique is an old Icelandic and Norwegian tablet weaving technique. It is woven with three threads in each tablet. It is therefore most often referred to as the `missed hole technique'. The participants will learn the basic technique, as well as how to interchange colours between the face and the back to make motifs in a band. How to add brocading will be taught and the many steps in how to design an original pattern will be explored. The students will design an original pattern. They will make a warp and weave a small project using the pattern that they have designed.

DECORATIVE FINISHES AND OTHER EMBELLISHMENTS FOR CLOTHING

Finishes and other embellishments are used to personalize the look of a handwoven garment and can play a major role in a garment's design. This seminar is filled with great ideas on how to add special touches to garments. The participants will be introduced to specific finishes such as decorating a raw edge using bias binding, buttonhole stitches (several variations will be taught). They will also learn how to add trim (cord, lace, braids and beads) to a garment. Closures will be discussed and the students will be shown how to make three different buttons (Chinese buttons, Dorset buttons, and bead buttons). How to decorate garments using tassels, Bolivian pom-poms, shisha mirrors, sequins and embroidery stitches will be explored. Students will make a piece of cloth and add the different embellishments to this cloth. Many garments will be available for inspiration..

BROCADES AND OTHER INLAY TECHNIQUES

In this workshop, the participants will be introduced to the broad scope and great freedom in the kind of designs that can be employed when using inlay techniques. The possibilities are endless in pattern and colour application. The students will be taught different inlay techniques such as brocading, boutonne, twill inlay, Minor's inlay, dukagang, and glit (an Icelandic inlay technique). Inlay on plain weave ground structure will be explored. Sets for ground weave and sizes of yarn for inlay will be discussed. The participants will bring looms already dressed and samples will be woven trying the different inlay techniques.

FABRIC ANALYSES

Fabric analyses is to take apart a piece of fabric in order to determine the interlacement between the warp and the weft and then draw the interlacement thread by thread on to graph paper to make a drawdown. Order parts of the draft such as threading, tie-up, and treadling can then be determined. In this workshop the participants will each be given a piece of fabric to analyze. They will be taught how to determine warp direction, fibre content, yarn structure, ends per inch and picks per inch, threading, treadling order and tie-up.