Learning Path Two: Tantalizing twills
(May through November 2023)
Overview
If you think twills are boring, think again! In this Learning Path, you’ll explore a whole universe of possibility. While you could spend a lifetime exploring twills, here you’ll meet seven members of this majestic family, and learn how to design with them.
You’ll get an introduction to six different types of twill: straight, point, broken, M&W, advancing, and fancy twills. (And maybe more than that, if Janet gets over-enthusiastic. She rhapsodizes about twills!)
After you meet the family, you’ll master how to design your own drafts in each of the six twills, combining threadings, tie-ups, and treadlings to produce your own unique designs.
We’ll also dive into the versatility, rich history and beauty of 3 shaft twills (which can be woven on a rigid heddle loom using two heddles!).
Once you’ve learned to design the structural draft, you’ll move on to color and design in twills. You’ll master principles for designing color with twill structures, and get quick color “recipes” that will jump-start you into creating beautiful work.
Last but definitely not least, you’ll unravel color mixing in weaving – how to predict and control what happens when you mix two colors, and how to choose drafts to mix or separate warp and weft colors, as you wish.
Rigid heddle weavers also have access to the design power of twills! We will start by learning how to use two heddles to work with fine threads and use the same threading to weave a point twill sample.
Learn how to read a draft, then learn to adapt any 3 shaft draft to two-heddle threadings. We will cover the unique sett requirements of 1:2 twills and how to calculate the available setts you can use on your rigid heddle to open up a world of design possibilities. Finally, you’ll discover how to warp and weave that wonderful three-shaft twill you’ve designed, using just two heddles!
Class Descriptions
appropriate for shaft looms
appropriate for rigid heddle looms
appropriate for both shaft AND rigid heddle looms
May 2023
Drawdowns: Blueprints for Success, Part One
A drawdown is a drawing that shows you the structure of a fabric. It’s a priceless tool for fabric analysis, helping you answer questions like:
- Will two different treadlings in the same piece will produce wavy selvages?
- Will my fabric be thick or thin?
- Will my fabric lie flat or will it curve or ruffle?
- Will I need to tension some parts of my warp separately to keep the warp tension even as I weave?
In this class, you’ll learn how to create a drawdown from a draft, how to analyze what it represents, and then how to use that information when designing a fabric and planning a project.
What’s a Twill?
Find out what makes a twill a twill: an in-depth dive into twills as a weave structure
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.
June 2023
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!
Classic twills
Start drafting your own twill designs! In this class, you’ll learn the ins and outs of straight, point, broken, and M&W twills, and start designing your own drafts in these structure.
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.
July 2023
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.
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!
August 2023
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.
Drawdowns: Blueprints for Success, Part 2
The drawdown isn’t just an end result. It’s the source from which the rest of the draft springs! In this class, you’ll discover how to take a drawdown and create a draft from that drawdown.
September 2023
Sexy Twills
Discover the beguiling possibilities in advancing twills, plaited twills, and fancy twills! By the end of this class, you’ll understand how these structures are created and how to draft your own designs in each structure!
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.
October 2023
Color in Sexy Twills
Now that you’ve learned how to design in advancing, plaited, and fancy twills, let’s add color! In this class, you’ll learn how to create effective visual designs in each of those three structures. We’ll also offer insights into more advanced color concepts, e.g. working with lines and motifs. Finally, you’ll get some “recipes” for color in sexy twills!
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.
November 2023
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!
