"The call of complexity draws some weavers to more shafts, more structures, more hand-manipulated techniques. For Annie MacHale, refining the techniques and celebrating the artistry of very simple bands has been a lifelong fascination. Starting when she first picked up a shuttle and inkle loom in her teens, Annie has worked in wool, cotton, and hemp, creating practical cloth that’s just a few inches wide."
Saturday, April 20, 2024
A Conversation with Anne Merrow of Long Thread Media
Monday, March 4, 2024
Have Inkle Loom. Will Travel!
I might be getting in the groove and figuring out how to be a successful traveling teacher. In 2024 and 2025, I have some interesting places lined up and am adding to them. You can see the whole list here:
https://aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/p/classes.html
Some workshops, hosted by guilds, may or may not be open to non-guild members.
Whereas others, at shops and conferences, have open enrollment. Here are a couple of opportunities to study with me which are coming up soon.
If you have a local guild or shop that might be interested in having me come visit and teach some workshops, please get in touch. My email address is: iweavestraps@gmail.com.
I'm delighted to be returning to the Fiber Circle Studio in Petaluma, CA in April. This photo is from a past workshop there. I will be there just at the same time as the Conference of Northern California Handweavers which is in Rohnert Park, the next town over.
You can learn more and sign up here: https://fibercirclestudio.com/collections/in-person-workshops-events?page=2
And, at the beginning of May, I will be headed up to the Eugene Textile Center, in Eugene, OR.
I have been doing business with them for years, but haven't been there in person, so, I am excited! There are only a few spots left for those 3 workshops. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.eugenetextilecenter.com/class-calendar
Workshops in Eugene include Three-Color Pickup. At this time in the U.S., I'm the only one teaching workshops in this technique, so it's a rare opportunity!
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Color & Design Class at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2024
This biennial event is an extravagant showcase of fiber in all its variations. It will be held at Expo New Mexico (the NM State Fairgrounds) in the Manuel Lujan Complex
Learn more here: https://abqfiberartscouncil.org/fiber-arts-fiesta-2024/
I'll be teaching a brand new 2-hour workshop,
Color & Design for Inkle Weavers.
If you have my book, In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design for Inkle Weavers, you will have some of this information already. Or, if you have taken a beginning inkle weaving workshop with me, you may have learned some of it there.
The workshop will be on Friday, April 12, 2024, from 10:30am to 12:30pm in Classroom C. It is sponsored by The Las AraƱas Spinning and Weaving Guild.
This does not include EXPO parking fee or show entry fee.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
New Video! Inkle Weaving Basics: Tricks and Tips for Warping and Getting Started
As a teacher and mentor, I have observed new weavers asking the same set of questions as they first start out. In this video, I demonstrate the basics of warping and answer some of those questions.
Tips include some things that even experienced inkle weavers may not know like:- How to use a quick-release knot to secure the beginning of your threads to the loom while warping
- How to change colors as needed with only one knot per color
- What is the proper length for heddles and how to test it
- What loom makers don't tell you about taking the shortest path and how to prevent the warp from slipping