Weave it your way
Design your own projects
with our hands-on curriculum, design tools,
and supportive community
A New Way to Explore The World of Weaving
Weaving is a beautifully complicated craft.
There are a million and one ways to design a piece of fabric, and a million and one ways to end up with muddy colors and a tangled mess.
Before, the only ways to learn were through books, videos, and solitary classes. And then it was just you, alone at the loom, struggling through problems you weren’t quite sure how to solve.
Our goal is to get you to the loom, designing and weaving your own projects with confidence.
Short courses all integrated within a larger picture
Live online events to connect with fellow weavers across the globe
Discussion forums for feedback on your designs and questions
Student galleries give unlimited inspiration and ideas for your next project
Hone Your Craft
Our courses are built to be what you need, when you need it, all in a unique approach that makes it easy to learn and practice design.
Short, easily digestible classes are regularly added each month, with live teacher support.
Comprehensive curriculum supporting all aspects of weaving: color & fabric design, drafting, weave structure, technique, process, and more
Hands-on learning with projects you design and create, putting what you learn directly into practice
Discuss a specific class in a forum and show off your work in photo galleries
Follow Your Curiosity
Each step of weaving creates more questions, threads to follow, and discoveries to be made.
Go on, try something new. We’ll be there to get you past any hurdle.
See hundreds of projects from other members to find inspiration in class photo galleries
See hundreds of projects from other members to find inspiration in class photo galleries
Find a mentor or the answer to a tricky question in our always-on forums and live virtual meetups
Quickly get answers to commonly asked questions with our online Weaver’s Toolbox
Quickly get answers to commonly asked questions with our online Weaver’s Toolbox
Connect With Your Creativity
Weaving is more fun when you’re connected with others.
We’re the place to go to get inspiration, peer support,
and the tools needed to help move your designs forward.
Courses that teach you why, not just how, so you can easily integrate the concepts into your own projects
Trust projects you design will end up how you imagined through community support every step of the way
Gather constructive feedback in our carefully monitored culture of supportive problem- solving
I would say that the Academy is for the weaver who wants to learn to design their own product, work at their own speed, and engage with other weavers to share knowledge and ideas. Instructions are very clear and the team of instructors are superb!
Mary Dyer
Joanna Thomasma
Cindy Culbertson
It’s great you are coming at this from so many directions. Written words, pictures, the video clips. And for me I learn a lot by doing. So I’ve really appreciated the live color editor exercises. You don’t just tell me how, you let me try it!
C.G.
New Techniques, Fresh Ideas, Reliable Support
We do so much more than offer top-quality courses at The Handweaving Academy—each and every course connects back to a larger curriculum, has class-specific forums, and photo galleries for members to show their work. Come join us!
Not sure if The Handweaving Academy is for you?
Give us a try!
Take our class
Getting Started with Design
and get full Academy access for 21 days!
Only $7
No recurring charges
14-Day refund policy!
BASIC MEMBERSHIP
$
19
.99
PER MONTH
$
199
PER YEAR
Save more than 15% with an annual plan at $199/yr
Access to all courses
New classes every month
Friendly & knowledgeable community
Weaving-focused discussion forums
Monthly Weaving Help group meetings with fellow weavers
Monthly Design Help online get-togethers with your peers
Monthly Weaving Help group meetings with fellow weavers
14-day refund policy!
Premium MEMBERSHIP
$
29
.99
PER MONTH
$
299
PER YEAR
Save more than 15% with an annual plan at $299/yr
Everything in basic membership!
PLUS!
Live Lectures with both Tien & Janet
Live Q&As with both Tien & Janet
Office Hours with Janet every other month
Design Sessions with Tien every other month
Recordings and transcripts of ALL past Premium Webinars
About us
You Don’t Have To Figure It Out Alone
Besides a global community of weavers, you have us, Tien and Janet, in your corner.
Tien Chiu
My specialty is visual design and the design process. I’m particularly known for color in weaving – I’ve spent a decade studying it, weaving hundreds of swatches and dyeing over 2,500 samples to master the subject.
But what really gets me excited is teaching. I’ve taught over 15,000 students about color in weaving, and their excitement when they catch on and create something beautiful is the most wonderful thing I can imagine.
Janet Dawson
I’m a weaver, a teacher, a writer, and an editor. This combination is my superpower: I not only get this stuff, but I also explain it well and write about it clearly.
Over the last 23 years, I’ve taught over 18,000 students in my classes, in person and online.
I live for that instant when a student gets that “Aha!” look – when everything begins to “click” for the first time.
The Handweaving Academy definitely provides a valuable learning experience.
Linda Hayes
The support students receive via ZOOM meetings and courses and forums means one can have the support of a Guild while being alone. The knowledge of the teachers is phenomenal and their willingness to help is a true virtue and credit to the Academy. The site is easy to negotiate, and offers the chance to move from the mundane to amazing creativity.
I am pleased to be part of this weaving community and to continue to be part of it.
Dayamitra
The classes are very well organized, encompassing various aspects of working with color and weaving structure, and then bringing them together to a final project at the end. The instructors, Tien and Janet, are extremely helpful guiding us along the way.
I would recommend the Academy classes to any weaver, even those with only basic weaving knowledge, who would like to learn how to use color and weaving structures to achieve the most out of their woven projects. I tried one of their Weave-Alongs and was blown away! I could have used this kind of instruction years ago.
