Learning Path: Rigid Heddle Weaving
Overview
We welcome rigid heddle weavers!
At the Handweaving Academy, you’ll find both rigid heddle focused classes AND classes which contain lots of useful information for both rigid heddle and shaft-loom weaving. This page gathers all the rigid heddle applicable classes (current and forthcoming in the next few months) in one place. Now you can see at a glance what we have for YOU!
Class Descriptions
= specifically for rigid heddle weavers
= applies partially or completely to rigid heddle weaving (as well as shaft loom weaving)
Learning Path 1
Understanding Value
You might be surprised to learn that the most important part of a color is its value – how dark or light it is. In this class, you’ll learn why value controls the patterning in your handwoven cloth and contributes strongly to the mood of your designs. You’ll also learn how to determine value accurately to help you design, and explore your tastes in value combinations.
Value in Design
In this class, you’ll learn to create a piece that fits your style and design goals. You’ll learn about mood and pattern, the two major components of visual style, and discover how to use value to design both. You’ll also design and weave a lovely set of napkins in your favorite style.
Color Recipes 1: Value and Stripes
Did you know that you can do an infinite number of cool things with just a few basic “color recipes”?
When we say “recipe,” we don’t mean rigid formulas, but foundational patterns as flexible as a chef’s recipe for soup stock – a solid, simple base that can be modified in millions of ways to create your own beautiful, unique designs.
In this class, you’ll explore some of these foundational patterns, learning “recipes” that will enable you to create interesting and beautiful designs in even the simplest of stripe patterns.
Cotton Yarn: A Weaver’s Guide
Get the scoop on common cotton weaving yarns!
In this class, you’ll learn about cotton’s vital statistics and important characteristics. You’ll find out good setts for common weights of cotton yarn in various structures, understand what projects are ideal (or not) for cotton, and know what to watch out for when working with cotton. You’ll also learn how to wet finish and care for cotton fabrics.
Ashenhurst’s Formula to Determine Sett
Did you know you can use a…well, let’s call it a relatively simple mathematical formula to figure out a good sett for your yarn with nothing more than its yards per pound and some information about the threading you’ll be using?
Ashenhurst’s formula will give you a much better starting point for sett for fancy twills and other structures than the commonly recommended “wrap some yarn aroudn a ruler and divide by two or multiply by two-thirds”.
(We also have a convenient Ashenhurst Calculator tool available to our members!)
Crunching the Numbers
Math is unavoidable if you want to design your own projects or modify a project designed by someone else, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. This course takes the anxiety out of the necessary number crunching by providing detailed, step by step instructions and clear explanations for all your project math.
You’ll also get easy-to-follow worksheets for all the calculations you might need to make.
The Design Process
An effective method for designing handwoven projects, from finding inspiration to finishing and polishing your design. Full of tips and checklists for each step of the design process, as well as a workbook to help with design, it’s a class you’ll find yourself coming back to many times.
Sampling: A New Approach
Think sampling is about creating swatches of cloth before you start your project? Think again!
Sampling isn’t just creating woven samples – it’s any method you use to test your design. In this class, you’ll learn what a sample is, when it’s worthwhile to sample, and how to choose the right sampling method for the purposes at hand. You’ll also learn twelve sampling methods, and the pros and cons of each.
From Dull to Brilliant: Spring 2023 Weave-Along
“Dull” colors aren’t dull! They can produce wonderfully exciting pieces as well as more subtle, elegant ones. This end-of-Learning-Path class gives you the opportunity to create a gorgeous scarf, practicing everything you’ve learned!
Plus, get inspired by the 450+ photos of others’ work already posted in the class discussion group!
Learning Path Two: Tantalizing Twills
Understanding the Rigid Heddle Loom
Rigid heddle looms aren’t just simplified versions of shaft looms! Find out how rigid heddles really work and why rigid heddle looms make unique weaving tools.
Fine Threads: Double Density on the Rigid Heddle Loom
Think rigid heddles are for plain weave in bulky yarns? Think again! Master double-density threading to open up the world of fine thread and point twill.
Understanding Hue and Saturation
Learn to use eye-catching colors by discovering how hue and saturation affect your color compositions. You’ll get plenty of opportunity to apply what you’ve learned to real designs – it’s not just color theory!
Color Mixing
How do you choose colors and drafts to mix the colors you want? In this class, you’ll discover how to predict and control the results when two colors are mixed, and how the draft affects color mixing.
What’s a Twill?
Find out what makes a twill a twill: an in-depth dive into twills as a weave structure
Three-Shaft Twills
Twills aren’t only for four or eight shafts! Three-shaft twills offer design possibilities on fewer shafts, and can be woven on a rigid heddle loom with just two heddles. Explore the magic and versatility of 3 shaft twills!
Color in Classic Twills
Now that you’ve learned how to draft your own classic twill structures, it’s time to add some COLOR! In this class, you’ll learn how to pair classic twill drafts with color composition to create GORGEOUS designs. Includes some color “recipes” for wonderful designs in straight, point, broken, and M&W twills.
Translating Three Shaft Drafts for the Rigid Heddle Loom
Rigid heddle looms aren’t limited to plain weave! In fact, you can weave any three-shaft draft with only two heddles. Learn to read and analyze any three-shaft draft, then how to translate those drafts for rigid heddle weaving.
Warping and Weaving Three Shaft Twills on a Rigid Heddle Loom
Once you’ve translated your three-shaft twill draft for the rigid heddle loom, what next? In this class, you’ll learn to warp and weave three-shaft twills on your rigid heddle loom, using two heddles.
Project/Weave-Along: Twill Towels
Armed with what you’ve learned, you’ll design and weave the final project for Learning Path 2, a set of towels in fabulous twills – fingertip or tea towels, as you choose. This will give you a chance to practice and integrate everything you’ve learned. It will also be one of our free Weave-Alongs, so invite your friends!
