Workshop topics are followed by detailed description of the class. Simply click on the title of the workshop to locate a general information sheet that includes the description, followed by student information, materials needed, prerequisites, and facility requirements. Each general information sheet is presented as a separate page, and I invite you to print any that your committee may need to make a decision. Once you have contracted with me for a specific workshop please provide each student with a copy of the appropriate general information sheet.

Tapestry I - A Solid Foundation (2 or 3 days)

In this workshop students will be introduced to basic tapestry weaving using slit technique. The warp is the foundation of a successful tapestry, so that's where we'll begin. You will learn about tools, materials and equipment, the structure of the weave, and warp and weft considerations. There are many choices in tapestry weaving. You can weave from bottom to top, from side to side, with the front of the work facing you, or the back. You can weave a row at a time or a shape at a time with wefts that travel in the same or the opposite direction using slit or interlocking techniques. You will learn how to weave many shapes including horizontal curving shapes, and vertical curves. I'll also share many technical tips that will make the process easy and successful and even solve those weft direction problems for you. You will weave a sample project provided by the instructor. Finishing techniques will conclude the workshop. The 3-day version also includes the secret of weaving a "round" circle, a few interlocking techniques, an introduction to shading techniques and some ways to come up with your own tapestry designs.

Tapestry II- Shading & Blending Techniques (2 or 3 days)

Once you know how to weave basic tapestry shapes you'll definitely want to learn how to blend colors, create shades of colors and work out color schemes for your tapestries. That's exactly what we'll do. We'll begin with a review of technical tips, and then explore hatching, hachure and floating bar techniques. These techniques are used to make subtle color transitions from one color area to the next. After practicing various techniques each student will work our their own color scheme and weave a small tapestry using a design shell provided by the instructor. In the 3-day version students will also explore blending techniques using multiple strands of weft as they plan and weave color samples and learn how to mark their cartoon. The purpose of this 3-day version is to make sure you learn the entire planning process involved when using multiple strands of weft. Each student should have time to begin weaving their project during class. However, it is anticipated that most students will complete their tapestry at home after the conclusion of the workshop.

Tapestry Weaving - A Comprehensive Study (4 - 5 days)

In this workshop, the students will learn about tools, materials and equipment, the structure of the weave, warp and weft considerations and technical tips that will make the process easy and successful. There are many choices in tapestry weaving, and you will be exposed to weaving with the wefts in the same direction, and the opposite direction, and you will learn how to insert colors between existing colors and still maintain correct weft directions. You'll learn how to weave a variety of shapes including horizontal curving shapes, vertical curves, and a circle. Then we'll explore hatching, hachures, outlining, and vertical shading techniques. Suggestions on gathering design ideas will be presented along with an in depth analysis and review of many tapestries (via slides) so that you can visualize how various techniques look when incorporated into a particular design. Each student will weave a small design which incorporates as many of these techniques as you choose to do. Various design shells will be provided by the instructor and you will work out color, technique and shading decisions, mark the cartoon, and weave the piece. Feel free to bring designs ideas of your own for discussion (and anything else you would like to share). Finishing techniques will conclude the workshop.

Tapestry Techniques for Rug Weaving (2 days)

In this workshop you will learn how to "master the interlocking techniques": weft interlock, warp interlock, double weft interlock and interlocking around a single warp thread. All of these techniques will be explored with the neighboring wefts traveling in the same and the opposite direction so you can choose which technique and effect you want for your pieces. Additional techniques include diagonal shapes, horizontal stripes, vertical stripes and the use of lazy lines. Many Navajo techniques are included. Using a cartoon and finishing techniques will also be included.

Tapestry Techniques for Fabric for Clothing (2 days)

Tapestry has consumed my weaving career since the mid 1970's. Although I began weaving with an interest in weaving fabric for clothing I got side tracked by tapestry weaving for 20 years. In 1999 I began exploring the use of some tapestry techniques in fabric for clothing. The resulting fabric is not weft faced, and has a wonderful hand. The flexibility of tapestry techniques like hatching and hachures allow you to work spontaneously or follow a preplanned design. Once I did all the planning and sampling, it took me less than 6 hours to weave the fabric for a vest using these hand manipulated tapestry techniques! First you'll learn how to weave two tapestry techniques, hatching and hachures. Then we will take a commercial vest or jacket pattern pattern and enlarge it to create a cartoon to weave from (to accommodate fabric shrinkage). Then we'll plan a design and mark the garment "cartoon". Since the garment length will be the weaving width we will weave a small sample of the fabric only during the workshop (due to the small width of most workshop looms).