Where to begin…

Sievers School of Fiber Arts, my shining venue in my otherwise crazy year!  I do love this magical place.  It all starts with the ferry ride.

Actually it starts with an early morning flight from Newark to O’Hare, where anything can go wrong and usually does, but this was a smooth trip.  Then on to Green Bay, WI where I’m met by someone from the Sievers Staff.  We drive through Door County, cherry country, to the tip to hop the ferry.  Then the fun begins.

This trip I actually taught two different classes.  This was my ninth trip to teach at Sievers, and the first Inkle Weaving class I taught there.  I had all different levels so I did a variation on the workshop I did in Asilomar in the spring, but included information for beginning inkle loom weavers.  In fact one student had never woven anything at all, when I said it was time to make heddles, she said, “What’s a heddle?”  I smiled and of course explained.  She had actually bought the loom at the Sievers’ Gathering last fall after watching me demo inkle weaving.  She was one of the most eager and fun students!

We started with basic plain weave, learning how to weave a competent band.

We then played around with supplemental weft, a technique I use often when weaving trim for things like a Chanel Jacket

They switched to supplemental warp and played around with that.

Then they learned how to do a 2:1 pick up with the 5 pattern threads in the middle.

Some brave souls kept the supplemental warp going while attempting the pick up techniques.

By lunch time we were finishing up the first warp and ready to start warping a different set up, one that would have the center section alternating light and dark.  At this point they were a little bleary eyed but hung in there and learned to do a 1:1 name draft.

They worked well into the evening, and some began to work on what Ann Dixon calls in her pattern book, Runic.  It is basically a free form patterning done on a 1:1 pattern ground.  The results were beautiful.

I showed them how to do paired pebbles on the same warp, but we literally ran out of time. It was an intense class, but they were good sports and really focused and learned a lot.  If I teach this next year, definitely want more time!

Three of the students stayed on for my next class in garment construction.  Apparently 10 days of classes with me isn’t too much! (or maybe it was!)

Stay tuned for part two of my Sievers’ Experience…