LECTURES
Each monthly meeting includes a learning opportunity, usually in the form of a lecture on a specialty topic given by a nationally known expert. Visiting lecturers usually offer a workshop in which they share their knowledge and techniques.
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March 1, 2025
Monthly meeting lecture Kimberly Hamill, Rio Grande Style Rug Weaving Kimberly will speak about her experience as a production rug weaver in Taos, New Mexico as an apprentice to Rachel Brown, founder of Rio Grande Weaving Supply and Weaving Southwest. Traditionally Rio Grande style rugs were woven on Spanish walking looms, a style of loom that is made for a weaver to stand while weaving. These looms are used today throughout New Mexico, Mexico, and South America. This talk will include practical information about how to weave wool rugs in the Rio Grande style as well as historical and present-day information about the Rio Grande rug weaving tradition of New Mexico. During 17 years as a production weaver at Weaving Southwest, Kim became an expert at operating Rio Grande style walking looms. Kim owned and operated Manos Weaving School in Taos for several years in partnership with Weaving Southwest. She currently maintains a website with online weaving instruction for Southwestern style weaving as well as frame loom weaving and backstrap weaving: Kim's website: https://www.kimberlyhamill.com/ |
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April 5, 2025
Monthly meeting lecture Jill Staubitz, Understanding Profile Drafts and Block Weaves How often have you asked, “I understand how to weave it, but how did you come up with those tie-ups?” The concept of block weaves and profile drafting mystifies weavers of all levels of weaving experience. Yet, by understanding the basic principles, a weaver has the power to create a profile draft and translate it into cloth using a block weave structure, thereby designing and weaving a unique design! We’ll start by analyzing a generic profile to understand how to break it down into a thread-by-thread draft with treadling and tie ups. We will discuss the major differences between block weaves vs. block weaves that are unit weaves, using Overshot, Summer and Winter, and Bronson Lace as our examples. Each structure will be translated into a thread-by-thread draft using one profile. Jill fell in love with weaving after retiring from a career in graphic design. She began teaching and weaving at the Hartford Artisans Weaving Center. The pandemic led her to teach online classes with the intent of building a community of weavers who could stay connected while weaving at home. She loves teaching structures in a simple, understandable way. Her greatest delight in teaching comes when participants have that lightbulb moment and feel confident enough to design and create their own cloth. |
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Coming soon!
Janet Phillips, Designing Woven Fabrics Janet will illustrate the way that she designs an original woven fabric including: Constructing weaves Using multiple-sectioned sample blankets (gamps) to explore weaves Designing stripes Choosing colour Applying Colour and Weave techniques into a cloth The effect of sett, fibre and yarn on a cloth. The talk is based around the information included in Janet's two books: Designing Woven Fabrics - published 2008. Reprinted in 2009, 2015, 2021 and 2023. Exploring Woven Fabrics - published 2020. Reprinted 2022. Janet received a 1st class Honours Degree at the Scottish College of Textiles in 1972 After working in industry for several years, she purchased a 16-shaft George Wood Dobby loom and began weaving original fabrics for clothing and interiors for private clients. After weaving yardage for 35 years, she now concentrates on passing her knowledge on to others, by teaching courses in her studio in Somerset, UK, and on Zoom and writing books. Janet's website: https://www.janetphillips-weaving.co.uk/ |
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