I teach occasional classes in the following topics:

Open Your Weaving Horizons

Let’s discuss a variety of methods for widening the scope of your design vocabulary. We will examine how textile design students learn to research new ideas, how to develop a design notebook, and how to refine your own unique design sensibility.

Unusual Materials: from the almost familiar to the odd

Unusual materials are both ancient and modern. Some will seem similar to yarns you have used before, others will be quite different. Horsehair, paper, straw, stems, unusual silks and plant and animal fiber yarns, and overtwisted yarns have been used for centuries. Elastics, plastics and stainless steel, copper, brass and synthetic metallic yarns are all newer.  We’ll look at them all. Why use some of the more unusual materials available? How do you go about evaluating them? Let’s find out.

Evaluating Yarns

Yarns are a weaver’s raw materials. A project can be successful or not depending on the yarns we use. We will be discussing yarns in terms of type of fiber included and construction characteristics, with the woven end use in mind. Participants may bring up to 3 yarns to be evaluated. Emphasis will be on natural fibers.

A Collapse Weave Practice

Collapse weave is simple and complex at the same time. Collapse weave creates a cloth which draws-in in controlled ways, displaying a 3-dimensional effect. It often involves the use of very simple structures. It is the materials used and the method of use which is unusual.

We will discuss a variety of methods for producing collapse, and my practice with these methods. There will be many examples of samples, finished products, materials and books to examine.