WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE LEFTOVERS: you could make a unique jacket

Handweavers who weave fabrics for garments are frequently left with small pieces of left over fabrics and are often wandering what to do with them so they do not end up in landfill sites. This workshop is designed to teach how these leftovers combined with commercial fabrics scraps can be used to make a unique jacket. They will learn how to organize the scraps into a pleasing arrangement and how to fuse them together into a fabric. A special technique on how to make the fabric stable enough to be used for a jacket will also be taught. The jacket will be sewn together if time permits. The participants will also be introduced to different bead buttons and special closures for their jacket.

INCORPORATING TABLET WEAVING INTO GARMENTS: Tablet borders woven simultaneously with loom weaving.

Through my studies of ancient textiles, I became fascinated by the weaving of tablet-woven borders alongside a piece of fabric on the loom. Participants will learn how to arrange a tablet warp beside a fabric warp on the loom so the two warps can be woven together using only one shuttle. They will learn how to avoid tension problems between the two warps, and how to accommodate the differences in take up of the two weaves. A simple tablet weaving technique will be employed and the students will learn how to add embellishments to the tablet woven border, such as tassels, twining, beads at the edges and on the surface, braiding overlay, wrapped warp ends, loops, and brocading.

TABLET WEAVING FOR BEGINNERS

This workshop will introduce the students to the versatility of tablet weaving and how it can be applied into finished projects or as embellishments on woven items. They will become familiar with the tools to use and the best yarn for specific projects. The difference between threading defined patterns and turning defined patterns will be taught. The participants will be introduced to three different tablet weaving techniques such as threading defined patterns, regular double-faced weave, and pebble weave. How to design patterns and how to weave motifs in a band will be explored.

TIMELESS TABLET WEAVING: Ancient Tablet Weaving Techniques

In this workshop the participants will be introduced to three tablet weaving techniques; regular double-faced tablet weaving, double-faced 3/1 broken twill, and the missed hole' technique. In this workshop three different warps will be made for the techniques. The basic techniques and how to interchange colours between the two faces (weaving motifs) will be taught. How to design original patterns will also be explored. The students will design patterns and weave them. Several samples will be available for inspiration. Students are invited to bring tablet woven projects they would like to share.

TABLET WEAVING AND BROCADING

Beautiful, elaborate, brocaded tablet woven bands made in silk with gold and silver as brocading materials have been found on garments dating back about 1000 years to the Viking period. A short history will introduce the students to these bands. Participants will be introduced to the two ground weave techniques used in ancient bands. These techniques are warp-twined tablet weaving double-faced 3/1 broken twill. Different methods to tie-down the brocading weft, arranging tie-down points, and how to design brocading patterns will be taught. Designing patterns for the double-faced 3/1 broken twill and adding brocading to it will also be explored.

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 applications. The students will be taught several different inlay techniques such as brocading, twill inlay, dukagang, and glit. Inlay on plain weave ground, as well as other ground structures will be explored. Sets for ground weave and sizes of yarn will be discussed. How to design an inlay pattern will be addressed.