November 5th, 2022: Taste of Tapestry II Workshop
The Tapestry workshop is just a couple of weeks away. This is a follow-up workshop to the one that Mary conducted in April. At the last one you learned the basics and now you are ready to create a picture in yarn.
Mary has sent out the following email explaining how to warp your looms:
Instructor: Mary Kircher, mkircher@nc.rr.com, 919-427-4680, WOVENtranslations.com
Location: Sandhills Handweavers Guild at Sandhills Community College
Date: November 5, 2022, 9:00 am-4:00 pm.
This class will build upon the basic techniques covered in the 2021 Tapestry workshop with the Sandhills Handweavers Guild. Our goal will be to create a design for tapestry of your choice. From the design, we will create a cartoon that fits the warp on your loom and then transfer that cartoon to your warp so that you can continue weaving on your own. The morning will start with a small very basic tapestry refresher to review the basic techniques that can be applied to your final design.
Prerequisites:
Previous basic tapestry experience will be assumed. We will have a little warm up exercise to play with those techniques.
The ability to pre-warp the loom you will be using in the workshop. Please use a strong warp such as seine twine or other strong smooth twine. I typically use 12/15 weight, but 12/12 or 12/9 will be fine. Perhaps the guild members can share a cone: yarn.com or glimakrausa.com.
Or I can send yarn and you can reimburse me for it.
Please let me know if anyone would like the directions for making a basic frame loom to use in this class. I will resend the tapestry instructions from the last class as a reminder. Of course, you are welcome to start playing with any of these techniques beforehand!
Materials
Please bring the following:
Bring your tapestry loom. Frame loom or small tapestry loom.
Scissors
Shed making device such as a ruler or weaving sword that is wider than your loom.
Bobbins or small shuttles if you like to use them. I will be using/making butterflies.
Sandhill Handweavers Guild will provide tapestry yarns. You’re welcome to bring your own as well.
Please bring images for color palette ideas AND images or sketches of your next tapestry design.
Make a copy of the image as we will be marking up the image. Simple is best for your first design!
Bring a pencil and pen for marking up the image.
Warping instructions:
My next tapestry will be 6” wide and I will also be working on a small sample. Looms should be warped at 6 or 8epi before class. Depending on the size of your loom, you might consider putting two warps on the same loom: one 2” wide and the other the width of the next tapestry you will be making on your own. We will be applying a cartoon to the second tapestry in class.
If you have room for only one warp…NO PROBLEM. Just prepare a warp for your next tapestry. PLEASE feel free to contact me if you have questions about the warping! Here’s what my loom will look like.
Warping Steps–a reminder:
- Tie warp yarn to one end of loom. Wrap warp from bottom to top to the desired width. Tie a secure knot after wrapping the warp to the desired width. Knots should start/finish on the same end. I suggest putting the cone on the floor, the loom should be off the edge of a table, so the warp doesn’t get all twisted as you wrap top to bottom.
- Insert a ruler or weaving sword into the warp, being careful not to twist the long warp threads. They should be in order as you run the ruler or dowel up and down the warp.
- To flatten the warp: Cut a piece of warp yarn approx. 4X the width of the loom. Tie to the left side of loom with sturdy knot. Run the yarn across, over/under. Pull tight. Wrap the yarn around the right-side post, tie a knot. Return in an under/over weaving pattern to the other side. Pull tight. Wrap around the left post, tie a double knot around all the yarns. Do this one more time, ending on the right side and tie a secure knot.
- Space the warp and weft yarns evenly.
- Twining. Twine across each warp separately (i.e. do the 2” section and 6” sections separately). This helps keep the spacing secure.
- Double half hitch to secure the wool weft yarns. I use sewing thread. See the handout from the last class for twining and double half hitch directions.
- See you at the workshop!
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- Spacing the warp with two warps
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- Placement of two warps
July 17th, 2022
A note from Linda:
This is just another reminder that we will not be meeting this week at our usual time. Our workday at the Sanders Cabin took the place of the regular July meeting. We had a busy time but made good progress! We will need another day on the big loom so let’s be thinking about how/when to get that warp threaded and wound on efficiently.
We will gather again in August on the third Tuesday at SCC Horticultural Gardens Visitors Center classroom. Hope everyone will be busy working on something to bring for show and tell. Always interesting and inspiring!
Be safe!
Linda
June 21, 2022
A note from Teri
The swap meet consists of selling fiber-related items that you no longer wish to keep. The saying “one weaver’s trash is another weaver’s treasure” is totally true. It is not too late to start looking in your craft closets and sorting through things that haven’t seen the light of day for quite some time.
I will bring some petty cash to facilitate the sale. I would like to avoid dealing with coins. For example, my table will have items priced from $1 to $5. In fact, I think I will have a motivational sale = buy two items and get the third item for free (of course, the free item would be the lowest priced item).
So, bring some cash or your checkbook and let’s have some fun!
March 12, 2022
A note from Jackie
I am attaching the tapestry loom information from Mary Kircher in case you still need to make one. Mary says that if you own a Schact or Mirrix Tapestry loom, you may use it for the workshop, BUT, you need to know how to warp it yourself. She will show us how to warp on the frame loom that she provided instructions on.
She also suggests that NO rigid heddle looms be used, as they do not hold tension tight enough.
The Guild will provide the weft yarns in many colors and Mary will provide the warp yarn. Please bring paper and pen, pencil, a ruler, flat stick shuttle/s, a tapestry beating fork, or regular fork, a thin dowel or pencil for making a shed, scissors, and a tapestry needle if you have one.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks!!
A note from Mary
Instructor: Mary Kircher, WOVENtranslations.com
Location: Sandhills Handweavers Guild at Sandhills Community College
Date: March 12, 2022 9:00 am-4:00pm.
This class is designed to introduce the basic techniques of weaving on a frame loom using traditional tapestry techniques. We will make a sampler that includes a variety of techniques that will get you started creating pictorial weavings. This small format takes little space and travels easy.
Materials: Please bring the following
- Frame loom or small tapestry loom. I will be demonstrating on a simple frame loom – directions below. If you have a loom you would like to use, please send me a picture to make sure it’s appropriate for this workshop.
- Scissors
- Ruler – the ruler should be at least the width of the frame loom and will be used as a “shed” making device
- Pencil or small dowel for making rya knots if time allows
- I will be providing seine twine for the warp and a tapestry guide sheet. Tapestry yarns will be available at the guild for the weft.
Building a frame loom.
Materials: two sets of stretcher bars 15” x 18” up to 18” x 24” (available at Jerry’s Artarama or other art stores)
Assemble the stretcher bars in a rectangular shape. The loom should be sturdy and square (not a parallelogram). Use a rubber mallet or hammer if needed to get the corners square. Put a little wood glue in the corners to keep the bars from shifting.
Make a mark at the center top and bottom bars. Then mark 1” and ½” increments both directions from the center. It can be in the front of the loom or on the ends as I have shown. The front is typically easier to see.
You’re ready to start warping your new loom. See you at the workshop.
February 15th, 2022
Sadly, Our Rock Day celebration this year had to be cancelled. We were concerned about the transmissibility of this new Omicron strain, and consequently we decided it was better to be safe than sorry. So a lot of the fun planning, including coming up with a date for the tapestry workshop and figuring out what our next challenge would be had to be postponed until our February 15th Zoom meeting.
These planning sessions are one of the most important things we do each year, and this coming Tuesday we will be able to set dates for workshops, discuss some new ones and swap ideas about what we would like to learn in the coming months.
So this is a call to all our members to come via Zoom, meet, greet and bring your calendars! You are the Guild, and this is your opportunity to share your talents and tell us what you would enjoy learning.
From Mary: How to make a tapestry frame
This class is designed to introduce the basic techniques of weaving on a frame loom using traditional tapestry techniques. We will make a sampler that includes a variety of techniques that will get you started creating pictorial weavings. This small format takes little space and travels easy.
Materials: Please bring the following
- Frame loom or small tapestry loom. I will be demonstrating on a simple frame loom – directions below. If you have a loom you would like to use, please send me a picture to make sure it’s appropriate for this workshop.
- Scissors
- Ruler – the ruler should be at least the width of the frame loom and will be used as a “shed” making device
- Pencil or small dowel for making rya knots if time allows
- I will be providing seine twine for the warp and a tapestry guide sheet. Tapestry yarns will be available at the guild for the weft.
January 8th, 2022
The Rock Day Luncheon and Challenge Reveal will take place at my house on Saturday, January 8th at 12 pm. I am attaching a copy of the yearly challenge that we set for last year. It’s never too late to create something.
If you would like, please bring either a small dessert or some kind of bread. I will provide everything else.
Looking forward to seeing all of you and the results of our challenge. Come with some ideas for a new challenge in 2022! We will have our meeting after lunch to brainstorm ideas for meetings/workshops during the coming year.
Please RSVP to me if you can attend.
October 19, 2021
Our October meeting will be held tomorrow, October 19, at the Ball Center of SCC starting at 6:30. We will not be serving refreshments.
Amber Galley will be demonstrating serger techniques for finishing woven pieces. In a recent email, she said:
“I am bringing in a few sergers that can be tried out and I am happy to help members use their own machines if they are interested in bringing them in. (I mention this because Kate asked me about hers last month.) I would like to ask that if bringing in their machine, members also bring their manuals and extra parts that were included so that we can have the best chance of success with setting up their machines.
If a member has a handwoven test piece or two that they might like to use as practice with the machines they can bring that along.
I plan on providing sample swatches of store bought fabrics for practice and a basic handout to follow at the meeting and as a reference for future projects.”
June 15, 2021
A note from Nancy: I love this little sheep and there is a great you tube video on the bobble stitch. I have purchased some kits for us, so people can choose to do it. The kit and pattern will be 7 dollars.
A note from Jacque: Here is a fun project to keep your hands and minds busy that Nancy will teach in June. Grandbabies will love this one. Since we can’t be sure that the college will be open, we can always meet via Zoom.
May 23rd, 2021 To Laura’s Farm
For the first time in more than a year we’ll meet again in person. This time at Laura’s farm–what a joy.
Let’s celebrate! We’ve planned a brain-storming session, and we need all your creative minds to plan for the rest of the year, just like we did back in January.
So please mark your calendars for May 23rd, 2:00 p.m. at Laura’s. Directions will follow.
And, of course, if we are celebrating, we need food. Please bring your favorite cookies, cakes, berries, whatever, to make this a very special occasion. Laura will provide drinks, ice and cups, and she has plenty of seating.
And, oh so important, please bring masks in case someone hasn’t been vaccinated.
We will be brainstorming about our programs from August through December. Also, it is possible that the classroom at Sandhills Community College will be open by November and that might be a good time to have a workshop. Our brain-storming session would be the perfect time to discuss what sort of a workshop you would like to have. In past years, we’ve found that early November has worked well for us.
So, you see there’s lots to celebrate and discuss. Please come and bring all your thoughts and ideas with you to support and to move our Guild forward toward 2022.
September 7th, 2019, Inkle Loom Weaving Workshop
A Note from Linda
The Inkle workshop with Barbara Koch will be on Saturday morning, Sept 7 at our regular meeting place.
We will be ordering 5/2 perle cotton as a guild for this workshop. It will be included in the fee for the workshop.
You will select 2 contrasting colors from Halcyon Yarn. These are visible on their website. Your color selection must be included with your workshop fee when you register. Do not order the yarn, just use the website to select colors you like.
Teri will be taking registration. Aug 20 is the deadline for registration. There are 10 slots available for this workshop. Teri will be ordering all the yarn.
A Note from Teri
The fee for the inkle class is $35.00. This includes your yarn order and the instructor fee. You will also need a belt shuttle to aid in the weaving process. If you do not have a belt shuttle, I will be happy to order a Schacht belt shuttle ($13.00) for you when I place the yarn order on August 21st. Then your cost would be $48.00. All fees are due by our August 20th meeting. You may either mail me a check payable to Sandhills Handweavers Guild (145 Old Hunt Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374) or you may pay cash at the August meeting. Please bring the correct amount as I will not be prepared to make change.
As of this date, the inkle class is full. If you would like to be placed on a waiting list.
Anni Albers at her loom
Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 21. The presentation will be “Anni & Josef Albers at Black Mountain College” by Molly Gwinn, art historian who has presented the spring lecture series in the past and has offered a number of classes with the Center for Creative Living at Sandhills Community College. She earned her doctorate from Rutgers University and has taught at Rutgers, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University, and at the Dallas Museum of Art.
When the Albers arrived at Black Mountain College in 1933, from the Bauhaus and Nazi Germany, they joined a faculty of avant garde artists and writers. Josef spoke no English and Anni had to translate his lectures to the first class of art students. Josef taught that art wasn’t about creating objects, but about performing experiments with color and materials, often using geometric compositions like the Albers square we know so well. Meanwhile, Anni found time to establish a weaving studio, to encourage students to imagine materials as an adventure and to make art from the unlikeliest objects they might find. She went on to have a profound impact on weaving in America. Molly is a fabulous presenter and you are sure to enjoy this program.
A Note from Nancy (Please note–Important Date coming up)
We are having a weave in on April 6th from 9-4. We will bring our prewarped (plain weave) looms to make plastic bag products similar to what is done at Common Threads. Kathy will supervise this weave in and will give instructions about the warp at the March meeting.
The March meeting will feature a program on Icelandic Weaving by Deborah Andersen.
Nancy
November 9, 2018
A reminder from Linda
Take a few minutes to look this over and put some dates on your calendar. These were discussed at the recent guild meeting.
Nov 10 Stepping Back in Time Heritage Day at Mill Creek Forge 9-5pm
Dec 2 Bryant House Holiday Open House 1-4pm
Dec 7, 8 & 9 Shaw House Holiday Open House 1-4pm
Dec 18 Christmas Celebration 5:30pm at Nancy’s home
Jan 5, 2019 Rock Day 12 Noon at Linda’s home
Our community outreach is educating the public about textile traditions. Plan to attend these events if possible and help with our outreach goals. Bring handwork, spinning or other tools needed for your activity. Each place has a large frame loom & materials set up for weaving.
Mill Creek Forge
4512 Busbee Rd, Seagrove
There are 2 working saxony wheels & a walking wheel available to use and some white wool roving. Linda will bring a Dorset loom set up with the twill gamp, yarn, & shuttles for this loom. Someone may want to demonstrate carding/preparing fleece. You will need to bring your own fleece. 1 set of new handcards is available to use there. If you prefer to spin your own fiber or use your own wheel, please bring! Quilts on the ground and a tent (if needed) will be set up outside the weaving & spinning rooms to accommodate guild members & visitors. Some chairs will be set up for us to use. If you have a favorite stool or chair, bring it. You can always leave it in your car if you don’t need it. Don’t forget to bring your lunch and/or snacks. You’ll want to stay a while so you have time to visit all the other folks demonstrating a wide variety of old-time crafts at the Forge and Westmoore Pottery. Come hang out and have a good time! This is in lieu of our regular monthly meeting which falls near Thanksgiving.
Bryant House
3361 Mt Carmel Church Rd, Carthage
The loom is set up to weave rag rugs. All tools & material for weaving are there. Bring any handwork or spinning wheels you want to use and any needed tools & fiber for your project. Newly installed lights will make it easier for everyone to see in the dark of winter. Contact Linda if you plan to come.
Shaw House
110 Morganton Rd/SW Broad St, Southern Pines
The loom is set up for plain weave. This is a small cabin so we usually try for shifts of demonstrators. Two people per shift works out well. One can bring handwork or spinning wheel & the other weave on the loom. OR do any other type of fiber craft, as well as just talking about textiles and history. Contact Nancy if you plan to come.
Hope you can make it to these events!
Linda
August 21, 2018, Inkle Weaving with Andy
Our next meeting is already here, folks–It’s tonight!
Andie will demonstrate card weaving on her Inkle loom and will bring samples. You will have an opportunity to weave and to cut off samples.
Please bring your Inkle loom (if you have one), string heddles and a belt shuttle.
June 16, 2018, Dye Day at Nancy’s
A note from Nancy
Dear Fiber Friends,
Here is what is I planned for the dyeing workshop on June 16th at my home. I will be ready at 9:00 a.m., and we will start as soon as you get here since it will heat up quickly on the back deck.
Please wear old clothes and bring a skein or two of white (natural) wool. I have some skeins. Please email me, if you need one so I know that I have one for each of you. We will dye in a dye bath or paint the skein and set the dye in one of my microwaves.
Your skein should be soaked before coming in a solution of warm water with a few tablespoons of white vinegar or citric acid crystals. You can bring wet fiber in a plastic bag. For you who are spinners we can use white (natural) roving also soaked in above solution.
I will have water hot for tea, and we have a Keurig for coffee. I guess someone will bring refreshments, and I will have a few scones.
If you have questions, please call or email me and let me know if you plan to attend.
Nancy
March 20, 2018, Color Wraps as a starting point for cloth inspiration!
A note from Jackie
At this meeting we will explore the creative process in creating a colorful warp—using small yarn wrappings on cardboard to create a pleasing design. The Fibonacci and Lucas Series will be discussed as an aid in planning color, stripes, and plaids.
Don’t forget to bring your mobius for “Show and Tell.”
March 9 – 11
Another workshop, another opportunity to expand your horizons and have fun doing it!
This time around we’ll be holding a Beginners Weaving Workshop, specifically designed to help our new weavers meet this year’s challenge, which is to weave a scarf using yarn from Barbara’s stash. Friday night we will set up our looms and get started on the warping process. Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to exploring the possibilities of weaving on a four-shaft loom and creating a mobius.
The workshop leader will be led by Jacqueline Stewart, a Guild member now living in Virginia, and her side-kicks, Jackie and Linda. The class will be limited to 12 participants, and it’s filling up quickly, so call Teri, Jackie or Linda to reserve space. If you don’t have four-shaft loom, we might be able to rent a couple from a neighboring guild. Just let Jackie know and she will make inquiries.
The cost, which includes 4 mini cones of 5/2 mercerized cotton, is $115 for members and $140 for non-members.
February 20, 2018
A note from Jackie
November 21, 2017
A Note from Linda
Project Planning
Let’s look at planning a weaving project! We’ll review the steps, the decisions and the math that has to be done. We’ll talk about resources that can help with planning. We’ll review several projects from beginning to end and learn some tips to make the process as painless as possible. If you have some yarn and a project idea, bring them and we’ll work with these to get you started. If you haven’t planned your guild challenge project, this would be a good way to get started!
October 17, 2017
There has been a suggestion from some of our members that our Guild should adopt a set of bylaws. Therefore, our October meeting will be devoted to coming up with bylaws, modeled on those of other guilds.
This is an important pivotal meeting. Do come, if at all possible and have your say on our need for bylaws and what they should cover.
September 19, 2017
From Jackie
In preparation for our Saori Workshop, Jackie will demonstrate how she warps her table loom from front to back. She will bring her warp on the warping board, chain it off, pre-sley the reed, wind on using lease sticks and finally threading. She will also try to have a handout for the members.
This classic method of dressing a loom will be helpful to everyone and especially to those new weavers who have joined the group recently.
Jackie will also be providing snacks for the group.
August 15, 2017
From Teri and Linda
Barbara, an integral part of our Guild.
Our meeting on Tuesday, August 15, will start at 6:30 p.m. at Nancy’s home. When you enter her driveway, keep bearing right.
This month we will have a sale of items donated by Barbara and her husband, Brian. She wanted our guild to have her fiber “stuff.” So Brian has passed it along to us. There are numerous small weaving tools, from shuttles to weaving needles. There is also some yarn, in a wide variety of fibers and sizes.
Barbara was such an integral part of the guild, a real treasure. So her stuff becomes treasure for all who purchase something. We have discussed several options for using the proceeds from this sale. It will ultimately be used for educational purposes since Barbara was a life-long learner who loved to learn new techniques & skills and share them with us. This will honor her generous spirit.
You can purchase items with cash or check. Teri will get some petty cash from our guild account so that we can make change more easily.
May 16. 2017
From Teri
Our May meeting will be held on Tuesday evening. I would love for everyone to come as early as possible so that we could have our business meeting and be finished by 7 pm. We will be making macramé snowflakes and it will take every bit of our time to finish by 9 pm. I will be providing all of the supplies that you will need.
Refreshments this month will be provided by Louella–always a treat! The “new” refreshment sign-up sheet that was passed around during the February meeting has not been found as far as I can tell. If anyone has located it, please bring a copy to the meeting. Otherwise, we will start over with another sign-up sheet for the next twelve months.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday,
April 18, 2017
We meet at Ball Gardens Visitors Center at Sandhills Community College.
Betty is one of our incredibly talented craft people. Her presentation will be about recycling yarn from old sweaters and redesigning some we might wish fitted a little better. You could even use the yarn to restyle one that had laid dormant in the back of your drawer for ages.
March 21, 2017
It’s March–that means it’s Swap Meet time. Do you remember last year when Linda and Jackie organized the silent auction of Georgie’s weaving equipment? Wow! that was spectacular.
So now’s the time to go through your stash, thin it out, bring it to our Swap Meet and make some extra money to do…. what? Get more yarn, of course!
We buy, sell and barter; but most of all we have a good time and go home happy.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at this once-a-year fun event.
February 21, 2017
Patty, the newest member of our Guild, has stepped up to the plate and volunteered to lead us through a program about embellishing fabric. She will be referencing Anita Mayer’s DVD on embellishment, a great source of inspiration for all fiber artists.
Here comes the list of stuff you will need to bring with you:
1) Material, handwoven or commercial
2) Beads or Buttons
3) Needles, thread and scissors
4) A tapestry needle and different colored yarns to match your material and beads
5) Yarn and a crochet hook
6) Plastic rings, about 1″ in diameter, like the ones you use for hanging café curtains. If you are having trouble finding the 1″ plastic rings, don’t worry Patty will be at JoAnn’s this week and will pick up some extras.
7) Any other items that might be used for embellishing fabric.
This should be a really fun meeting–who doesn’t love to add a little glitz and sparkle to life? And it will tie in perfectly to our challenge for this year which is to jazz up something in your wardrobe. So if you are looking for good ideas to feed your creativity, plan to join us at our February meeting.
Sandhills Handweavers Guild 