Weaving Workshop with Alsager Weavers, Spinners and Dyers

Weaving textures on a rigid heddle loom or a 4 shaft loom

Tutor Kath Allen, a very experienced weaver who has completed the famous Bradford Certificate, with support from other weavers in the Guild

Saturday 23 July  9.30 for 10.00 start until 3.30.

Cost Members £20, non-members £30

Come and learn how to use a rigid heddle loom and weave textures too.

If you do not have we have some that we can lend for the day, so don’t let that put you off.

A keen interest is all that is needed and you can be guaranteed lots of support and a friendly working environment. You don’t have to be able to spin to weave and for many this is a great introduction to our textile crafts.

The aim is to produce a piece of cloth to use as a table runner, a wall hanging or folded to make a bag or cushion and of course gain more expertise with your weaving, so you could go home with the basis of your own unique bag.

During the day there will be a series of demonstrations on the various techniques, time for you to work on your weaving and assistance given where needed.

If you would like to come please contact Jane White for more details:

sjnwhite@aol.com or 01606 737418

If you would like to come and have a loom already, these are further details:

Loom – rigid heddle loom or 2 or 4 shaft table loom -  warped up

Several small shuttles

12inch rule to use as a pick up stick

So warp up your loom using yarns suitable for the purpose that you intend. The basis is plain weave (i.e. a balanced cloth where both weft and warp show evenly) so choose a yarn and heddle to give you this. For the texture we will be doing a) Rya, where yarns are tied in to make a long or short pile, so you may want to use some fancy yarns, b) Soumak which involves finger manipulation and stitching with the shuttle, so a small shuttle or even a large bodkin could be used, c) Leno or mock lace, again finger manipulation and a small shuttle. Bring some of the yarn used for warping to use as the weft on the plain weave sections and possibly some contrasting yarns for the textured areas.