Classes on my mind

This is what I see on the side of our house and around many houses in our Hunter's Run neighborhood.  I love purple flox, I enjoy the dogwood and red bud as I take my morning walk through our neighborhood. The many signs of Spring.

Spring also conjures up thoughts of renewal and refreshing and reward.  It's also a good to learn something new.  The Warp and Weave class being offered on June 30 in my Poolesville MD home studio is a great way to learn a new skill.  We will spend the day learning about the parts of a loom, how they work together to place vertical threads (warp) on them and how you weave in the weft threads to create beautiful scarves, shawls, table runners, napkins.  The list of things you can weave is almost endless.

 This is my friend Jordan modeling a scarf I wove on my Cricket loom.
It took me about 20 minutes to warp the loom, 10 minutes to thread the loom, and 10 minutes to finish up the preparations to start weaving.  You can do these things just as quickly with a little practice.


Learn to Weave and make three samplers and a scarf in the classes on Saturday, July 14, 21 and 28.  This summer class session will take you much further in your weaving studies.  The class meets weekly from 10am to 3pm.  Class size is limited to 4 people which allows for individual attention.

Take both classes and get a 20% discount!  Try weaving in June, if you like it and want to learn more, sign up for July and save $25!


Scarves and weaving in general is a great stash buster!  If, like me, you have a collection of yarn you have purchased over the years, you can now use those yarns to make things for your home and scarves for gifts.  In just one weekend, you can complete a project like the scarf pictured here and wear it to work on Monday.

A happy customer!!

Want to learn to knit?  I am holding a one-day Knit-In on Saturday, June 23rd from 10am to 2pm.  Bring knitting needles and worsted weight yarn and learn to knit.  Or, bring along a project you tried to knit and were unable to complete.  Find a pattern you want to make and are unsure how, bring it along and we can work on figuring it out.  Registration required in advance.  Contact Claudia at weaveonstudio@me.com

Interested in purchasing a loom, spinning wheel or other accessories?  I am a Schacht dealer and will be happy to help you choose the right loom or spinning wheel for your needs.

Feel free to contact me for private classes.  My email address is weaveonstudio@me.com. I am available during the week and certain weekends.

Rigid heddle weaving in a day

This was the view as I finished my morning walk today.  It inspired me to consider simplifying my rigid heddle weaving classes.  Three Saturdays of class is almost decadent so I have decided to teach Rigid Heddle Weaving in 1 day.
That's right, a one day, all day classes to warp the loom and weave a sample.  If you want to learn more, I can schedule more.
So, I will be teaching how to warp and weave on a Rigid Heddle loom on Saturday, April 28th from 9am to 4pm.  All classes are held in my Poolesville, Maryland studio.  Class will begin with how to warp the loom and end with finishing techniques.  It's a condensed introduction to weaving on a rigid heddle loom.  All classes include the loom and materials needed to warp and weave.  For more information and to reserve you place, contact Claudia at weaveonstudio@me.com or claudia@weavolution.com.

Rigid Heddle Weaving in a day will also be offered on Saturday, June 30 from 9am to 4pm.  In addition,  the three session In Depth Rigid Heddle Weaving class is available on Saturday, July 14, 21, and 28.  In the longer class, we will warp the rh loom 3 times, create 3 different projects and work with both direct and indirect warping methods.  Contact Claudia at weaveonstudio@me.com

Last weekend, I attended a class in Color and Weaving with Su Butler.  It was an excellent class with so much valuable information I almost felt my head explode.  I have not had formal training in color theory and this class gave me the background information I wanted.  There is no single book available on weaving and color so this class is extremely unique.  Su is a very good teacher and covers a load of material throughout the weekend.  We spent 3 days studying color, value, intensity and how to use this information in your weaving.  I hope to post new projects soon and discuss my choices for colors based on what I learned in this class.

This past weekend was spent celebrating Passover with our family Seder of 12 people.  We had a rousing good time and I found a wonderful model for all my scarves, ponchos and shawls in Craig's girlfriend, Jordan who is pictured here wearing a houndstooth scarf I wove.  This is a great, lightweight scarf that will soon be for sale on our Lotsaknots Etsy site.

Have a great week and Happy weaving!!

Classes available online SOON!

Here's a beautiful example of pebble weave woven on a backstrap loom by a friend.  I love the vibrant colors and the complex design.

In our busy world, we often find it difficult to add one more thing.  Taking an entire Saturday to learn to weave for three weeks in a row seems like a very big indulgence for most of us.  Saturdays usually represent errands, grocery shopping, catching up on the mail, bills, kids soccer/track/lacrosse games, etc.  And, if the weather permits, there is always work to be done in the yard.

To better meet the needs of our busy world, I am going to be offering online, LIVE, in person weaving classes in the evenings and on Saturday and Sunday.  This option allows you to stay home, take care of your chores and enjoy a couple of hours a week to learn a new craft.

What will you need to take a class online?  First, a microphone and speakers (built in to most computers manufactured in the past 5 years) and a webcam.  I purchased a webcam that sits on top of my computer screen.

I use the earphones and microphone that came with my iPhone for speakers and a mic.  It works very well and many have commented that the reception is very good.  Most cell phones come with earphones and a mic on them.  Check out the accessories in your box or check your computer.  You may be surprised to find you have a built-in microphone, speakers and webcam!



So, on to the classes.  I am still formulating the lesson plan.  One thing is clear, you will need to have a rigid heddle loom.  If you live near my Poolesville, MD studio, you are welcome to come over and borrow one for the class.  If not, I can assist you in choosing one to purchase.  Some local fiber arts guilds have looms to rent.  That's a good place to start.  What's a fiber arts guild?  Weavolution has a list by state and country of local guilds that help people with an interest in a specific fiber art (spinning, weaving, felting, knitting, etc,) to communicate with each other and develop their skills.

I will be offering classes on rigid heddle weaving.  All levels and topics will be available and most will be taught by appointment so you can base it on your schedule.  Classes will be 2-3 hours long and will take place online via video conferencing.  More details available soon.  Stay tuned and feel free to leave comments.

Upcoming Classes!!

I am planning two Weave On Start Weaving classes.  The first group will start on Saturday, April 14th.  We will meet on three consecutive Saturdays, April 14, 21 and 28, from 10am to 3pm.  You will weave 3 projects including a scarf or table runner for your final project.  This is a basic weaving class taught using rigid heddle looms like the one in this photo on the right.

A second set of classes will begin on Saturday, July 14th and run for three consecutive weeks, July 14, 21 and 28.  This class will cover both basic and more advanced skills.  We will focus on color and weave, pickup and planning your project.  This class is open to beginners and intermediate students.

Both classes are limited to 4 students.  We will explore weaving language, parts of the loom, and weaving fabric for household items and clothing.  The small class size allows you to move at your own pace.  Working in a small group enhances the learning process and gives you more personalized attention.

Classes take place in my Poolesville home studio.  We take a lunch break each day and water and snacks are always available.  Classes fill quickly and I encourage you to contact me at weaveonstudio@me.com to register or if you have questions.  Also feel free to post any questions following this blog post.













As for my own weaving, I have projects going on three looms and they are all in different stages of completion.  I am threading my Schacht 4 shaft table loom to take with me to a class at the end of the month.  What class does the weaving teacher take?  Color and Weave with Su Butler.  Su is a well known weaving teacher who wrote a very good book about weaving with rayon chenille.  You can purchase her book on her website HERE.

I continue to work on finishing the two rugs I am weaving using Pendleton selvedges I purchased several years ago.  I love the way the colors are turning out.  

In addition, I am winding a warp to sample several overshot patterns on a set of placemats.  I have included sufficient yardage to do some sampling for color and design before I start weaving the placemats.

I almost forgot the Schacht Flip I use every night to complete a table runner.  Here is a photo of me threading the heddle to beam this warp.  The table runner should be done soon and I will post photos next week of the completed table runner.  I am loving weaving on the Flip and so glad I bought one.  

Interested in a new Schacht loom, spinning wheel or accessories?  I am now a Schacht dealer!  Check out all the Schacht looms, wheels and accessories HERE and feel free to contact me with your Schacht needs.  My prices are excellent.  

Happy Weaving!! (and knitting, crocheting and spinning).  Next time: my spinning adventures on our new Schacht Sidekick.

Destination Poolesville (Maryland)

Destination Poolesville is a local event sponsored by the Poolesville (MD) Chamber of Commerce to highlight local businesses.  I will be there with Weave On Studio and Lotsaknots on Saturday, March 10 from 10am to 2pm.  Stop by and try using a drop spindle, a loom or some knitting needles.  Sign up for a class and buy a hand made scarf or two!  Over 30 vendors will be there to showcase their products and services.

Saturday was the last class for my current group of rigid heddle students.  I demonstrated indirect warping and we enjoyed sharing the completed projects.  Everyone seems to have enjoyed the Cricket loom and learning to weave.  Joyce has rented a loom for the next month and Claudia and Jackie are looking forward to trying out the 15" Cricket when it arrives in early April.

Jackie wove a small rug using cotton warp and blue jeans for weft.  It's a bit difficult to see the jeans but they're there.  The warp is yarn she purchased at the annual Guild yarn sale.
Rugs are a bit difficult to weave on a rigid heddle loom since the heddle doesn't give you the opportunity to beat the weft in very firmly.  It was great she gave it a try because she learned a lot about the loom and her materials.  Since I am currently weaving a rug with Pendleton selvedges for weft, this gave us a chance to talk about floor looms and rug weaving.  In addition, I demonstrated how to weave on my Glimakra Standard.

Joyce started this scarf in class last week.  The warp is 3/2 cotton sett at 8 ends/inch and the weft is a thick and thin rayon in turquoise, white and black.  The finished scarf has beautiful drape and the color is wonderful on her.

At the right is a close up of the scarf.  I apologize if it's a bit blurry.  I wanted to show off the colors.

Jackie made a wool and rayon shawl that looked lovely on her!  The blue warp is very light and soft and the chenille weft gave the shawl a little body and maintain the beautiful hand that only chenille and wool provide.  She did a lovely job weaving and finishing the shawl.

Class this week should be titled BLUE because everyone did their project in a shade of blue.  Claudia did blue stripes on a blue striped warp.  She measured and counted very carefully to have the scarf come out in a tartan looking plaid.  Kudos to her for such fine work.  

Well, I have lots to do to prepare for Destination Poolesville.  Hope to see you there.  

Destination Poolesville

On Saturday, March 10th I am participating in a local program to introduce businesses in our area.  You can find me at Destination Poolesville from 10am to 3pm.  I will have 2 looms warped up and ready for you to try weaving.  I will also have several of our Lotsaknots scarves for sale.  If you live in Maryland, come check it out.
Here's a loom ready for weaving.

And, here are a couple of pictures of the wool/mohair scarves we will have with us.  Hope to see you there.

Plus, I just learned that I am now a Schacht dealer.  If you are interested in seeing some of the looms and the Sidekick spinning wheel, please contact me at weaveonstudio@me.com and we can set a time for you to try out the looms or the spinning wheel.  Schacht Spindle website shows all the products available.  I have ordered a 15" Cricket and expect to have it in the studio by early April.

New classes, new videos and new resources.

I have scheduled a Next Steps class for anyone who has taken a beginner rigid heddle weaving and can direct warp their loom independently.  In Next Steps we will learn to create exciting patterns using a pick up stick and we will weave designs with 2 heddles.  Class will meet for 2 weeks, Saturday, March 24 and 31, Please contact me at weaveonstudio@me.com for further details and to register.  Class size is limited and first come, first served. 


A Warping Refresher class will be held on April 21st and 28th.  Don't remember how to warp?  Need a refresher?  I have scheduled this class for those who weave on either rigid heddle or floor looms.  We will focus exclusively on warping, that all important skill.  We will warp and weave samples for two  weeks on Saturday, April 21st and 28th.  All weaving classes are small with individualized instruction so sign up soon by contacting me at weaveonstudio@me.com

My current class just completed week two of three and we took some videos this week of techniques for tying your warp to the front beam.  Here is the method I teach and use most often.

Here is a picture of Jackie finishing tying her warp to the front apron rod on the Schacht Flip loom. 

Calculating a project for the first time can be daunting.  There are several tools available to perform the math for you but you must know some basics first.  Follow along with me as I calculate my next project on my Cricket rigid heddle loom.  I have chosen to weave a scarf with a huck weave pattern which I will create using pick up sticks.  The final scarf will measure 6"wide and 66" long.  I am planning on doing an 8" sample to see how the huck pattern works before I make an entire scarf with it.
The yarn I'm using is a light blue rayon/silk blend yarn that is 1000 yards/lb (that info is on the label) and the wraps per inch (wpi) equal 12.  I wrapped the yarn around a ruler to find all this information out:  Divide that in half to determine the epi or ends per inch which tells you what size heddle to use   In this case I have chosen a size 5 dents per inch heddle.  To determine the number of ends in the total project, you need to allow for draw-in and shrinkage which total about 15% of the width so I added 1". Multiply the epi times the total width of 7" and you need 35 ends.  I also add one extra end on each side for a total of 37 ends.
Now for the length.  I want my finished project to be 66" plus 4" at each end for fringe and 20% allowance for take-up and shrinkage.  That totals 87" to which I add 12" for my sample and 12" for loom waste.  Added together, my warp will be 111" or 3 yards.  
I wound my warp and threaded my loom yesterday.  I finished my sample a few minutes ago and it looks like this while still on the loom.

 This is what it looks like on the loom.  Huck weave changes drastically once it is wet finished.  I'll post another picture when it's done.

There are very long floats now and those will shrink up to create the huck weave structure I am planing for this scarf.  Weaving a sample and cutting it off the loom gives me the opportunity to check the design before I start the final project.  We'll have to see how it looks once it's wet finished.  Stay tuned.