Description
Lecture on February 5, 2024 at 10:00 am (during the guild meeting):
Annie MacHale – Narrow not Limited
Zoom & Luther Burbank Art and Garden Center, 2050 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa (map)
Non-Guild Members welcome
Because the inkle loom is a simple device designed to make very narrow, warp-faced pieces, its true potential is often overlooked. People frequently ask “What can you do with an inkle loom, anyway?” Annie MacHale has spent over four decades exploring the possibilities and loves to inspire others to join her in the adventure. She will share many stories of her inspiration and creation and show a diverse array of items produced on inkle looms.
At the age of seventeen, Annie first discovered the inkle loom, sparking a lifelong love affair. She built her first loom in 1976 with the help of her dad and a library book. Since then she’s woven miles of bands including over 1,200 guitar straps. She loves to play with color and pattern and finds the inkle loom a very satisfying way to do this.
Annie is known to many through her blog, ASpinnerWeaver.com. The popularity of her patterns shared there has led to the 2019 publication of a book, “In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design Inspiration for Inkle Weavers”. This was followed by another book in 2021, “Three-Color Pickup for Inkle Weavers: A Modern Look at an Ancient Baltic-Style Technique” in which she shares a rare, older Lithuanian technique which has fallen out of use.
Workshop February 4, 2025, 9am to 5pm and February 5, 2025 1 pm to 4 pm (Tuesday and Wednesday)
At the Luther Burbank Art and Garden Center
Learn to Design Patterns & Weave on an Inkle Loom
Description: The inkle loom is a simple tool for weaving useful everyday items.
In this workshop, students will learn the techniques and artistry of inkle weaving from someone with over 4 decades as an exclusive inkle loom weaver. We will discuss color as it relates to bandweaving and learn some tools for working with color. Students will have the opportunity to look at samples and graphic aids to learn how to use different pattern elements. They will also learn two methods of creating patterns using a free online tool and a chart-paper method.
They will then warp and weave using the designs they create or ones supplied by the instructor.
Annie will share tips for warping, making heddles, fixing mistakes, starting and stopping, and keeping selvages straight. She will also demonstrate how to temporarily remove and replace the warp, as well as how to cut the final project off the loom and handle it when it is complete.
Format: This is a hands-on workshop
Maximum number of students: 12
Skill Level: Beginners. No prior inkle weaving experience is required.
What you will need to bring:
Inkle loom
30 Heddles (string or Texsolv) which are the right length for the loom
Stick or belt shuttle (4-8” preferred)
Sharp scissors
3-5 colors of cotton yarn (perle cottons, knitting or crochet yarns, carpet warp) in ready-to-use skeins/cones/balls
Note-taking materials
Laptop or tablet for using online color and pattern websites
Workshop Fee: $100 (RGFA members) $135 (non-members)
Cancellation Policy: Refunds will only be made for cancellations if the remaining registration exceeds the minimum participant requirement for the workshop. Refunds will not be made for workshop costs already incurred at the time of cancellation (such as materials fees).
For more information or to be added to the waitlist: Contact Karen May, [email protected]