Handwovens and Scale
Multiple pattern scales can be used intentionally to create pieces that transform as you walk up to them. It’s particularly important for fashion show garments or wall hangings, which are apt to be seen from both close and far away, but even with accessories such as scarves or shawls, you can create pieces that will […]
Weaving Resolutions – and some alternatives
I have just returned from a family trip, and while I was avoiding the mountain of laundry that needs to be washed getting back into my routines, I spent some time browsing through the Academy. I noticed that in each members’ profile, there is a section titled “weaving goals”. This piqued my curiosity so I […]
Ending Shaft Envy
Once upon a time, I was under the illusion that more shafts are always better. Because on a loom with eight shafts, you can weave four-shaft designs as well as eight-shaft ones, so you get more design freedom. But why stop there? On a 16-shaft loom, you can weave four, eight, and twelve-shaft designs (not […]
Colour your Heddles!
Have you ever started threading a project, and JUUUUST before you finish, you realise that you don’t have enough heddles on one or more shafts? This can happen for a few reasons. You might have made a mistake in your threading, or an error in your calculations. Most likely though, you made an error in […]
Card Wrap Adventures
I am the first one to admit that in the past, I have avoided creating card wraps. I was never quite sure WHY, but every time I had the opportunity to use them, I would essentially turn into an overgrown toddler, stamp my feet, and say “I DON’T WANT TO”. Time has passed, and through […]
The Beauty of a Handwoven Gift.
‘Tis the season for many people to be at the loom, frantically weaving “a few more shots”, in order to complete a project in time for holiday gifting. No matter what holiday you celebrate, you are likely deep in the planning, weaving, and finishing stages of one or more (many more, for some!) projects. You […]
Why your yarn colors are weaving into duller ones – and how to fix it via the draft
Have you ever wondered why the same two yarns can weave into dramatically different colors of cloth? If you use two very different colors, like blue and orange, you might get anything from brilliant patches of blue and orange to disappointing mud – or anything in between. The secret is in your choice of draft. […]
How to choose colors that stay bright in handwoven cloth
One of the challenges in weaving is brilliantly colored yarns that turn into a dull color when woven together. This can produce fascinating results…but very often, it’s not what you anticipated or wanted. If this is happening to you, how do you choose colors avoid getting “muddy” cloth? It turns out to be quite simple. […]
Meet Dawn, our tech support, and so much more!
Dawn is our resident tech support, class, and Color Editor guru, as well as being a weaver and fiber enthusiast. Working with her, I have come to realize that this fantastic person is kind, intelligent, funny, loving, creative, and a darn good friend. Read on to hear more about her, in her own words. ~ […]
Save your selvedges!
It isn’t unusual to hear a weaver say “My selvedge(s) keep fraying and breaking!” This is an issue that often is caused by a combination of yarn/weave/threading that results in the outermost thread on one side of the warp slowly unplying, while the twin thread on the other side of the warp is slowly plying […]
