Karen Donde Handwovens

New Year, New Study Group Subject

2012-01-04T20:48:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, Sutherland Handweaving Studio Friends!

Karen Donde and Barb Butler invite all weavers and weaver wanna be’s to join Sutherland’s Weavers’ Study Group as we start our second year. Our first meeting will be this Sunday, Jan. 8, from 2-4 pm, at our studio in the Cotton Mill Studios, 122 Riverside Drive, Asheville. We’re starting a brand new study subject, so this is an ideal time to join. We meet monthly on a Sunday afternoon, but which Sunday tends to fluctuate. We’ll try to work that out at the first meeting. So check out the details below and let us know if you’d like to join us. If you’re interested but can’t make it Sunday, we’ll put you on the contact list for next month. Don’t worry, we’ll catch you up.

Our study subject this year is block weaves. The group will choose one profile draft and everyone will weave a piece based on that profile, similar to Handwoven’s Weave-Along last year. Members will choose a month to show their sample and discuss how they interpreted the design. The process will work with any loom, from rigid heddle to multi-shaft.

At the first meeting on Sunday, Karen will provide a little tutorial about block theory, how to develop a profile draft and how to translate it to various weaves. We’ll work together to design a two-block profile draft that will be our inspiration for the year. Then we’ll assign months for members to present. Here’s one of Karen’s latest block weave projects.

We will also collect our $15 annual dues for 2012. Show-and-tell is one of the best parts of our meeting, so please bring whatever you’ve been working on, thinking about working on or have questions about. We love sharing successes and ideas.

We decided at our last meeting to arrange a tour of the Oriole Mill in Hendersonville, followed by dinner at the pizza place in Hendersonville. Our dues from last year would be applied to the bill for last year’s study group members. Others are welcome to join us. We’ll just ask that you buy your own pizza.

We had a lot of fun learning together last year and are excited about our study group’s second year. Hope you can join us!

Karen and Barb

Dear Santa…

2011-12-06T14:50:00.001-05:00

Sutherland Handweaving Studio has some exciting news about guest instructors for 2012, just in time for holiday gift giving or gift hinting!

Excellent Holiday Gift Number ONE:

Laura Fry will teach a one-day seminar titled A Good Yarn, Saturday, March 17. Laura has been weaving professionally since 1977. Her work has evolved from table textiles to yardage woven for a fashion designer. She teaches throughout Canada and the U.S., writes for a variety of textile publications and has won numerous awards for her clothing fabrics. In 1997 she became the 27^th weaver to earn certification as one of Canada’s Master Weavers. Her book, “Magic in the Water,” which is filled with woven samples prior to and after wet finishing, is a very special acquisition for a weaver’s library. Here’s just one page from my copy showing the samples on the right and a photo of the finished project on the left.

A Good Yarn is designed to help weavers better control their end results. Laura discusses fiber characteristics, yarn spinning and how weave structure and density affecting the finished textile. This is a tabletop workshop with no loom required. We have room for 20 participants and the cost is $120, plus a $10 supply fee. We’re going to need full payment for this workshop up front, as Laura is coming from British Columbia on a tour of the Southeast, and we need to lock in her travel plans as soon as possible.

Excellent Holiday Gift Number TWO:

Daryl Lancaster returns to Sutherland May 29-June 2 to teach her very popular five-day garment construction class, A Wearable Extravaganza: Wrap your body in clothing from you own hands. This is a terrific class for those wanting to learn to fit and sew clothing from their handwoven, hand printed, dyed, quilted, felted or other special fabric, as well as for those more experienced students wanting polished and professional results. Students will construct a basic unlined jacket, from their own fabric, custom fit to themselves, while learning all sorts of inspiring techniques to make their garments reflect their creativity. This class is designed to teach creativity as well as technique. Students who have already made a jacket with Daryl may opt to bring their own patterns. Even if you’ve taken a similar sewing class with Daryl, this class will move you to your own next level. Here is a link to the full prospectus, which includes more details and the supply list. Yes, you’ll need a sewing machine for this one.

We’re limited to only 10 participants for Daryl’s class, so make your reservation early. Cost is $450, plus a $35 materials fee, which includes an extensive handout…a book actually. A deposit of $225 will be needed to reserve your place in the class. The full balance will be due May 1, 2012.

Cancellation policy for both Sutherland workshops: Refunds of payments and deposits, less a $10 service fee, will be accepted up to 30 days prior to the workshop. After that date, refunds are only possible if another student can take your place.

FINALLY, Excellent Holiday Gift Number Three:

If your interest in weaving classes is more at a beginning level, another Weaving I: Three Warps, Three Towels class with Karen starts Saturday, Jan. 14, from 10 am-2 pm. This class will continue for eight, four-hour segments on consecutive Saturdays. Cost is $310, plus yarn fee.

So if your special Santa keeps bugging you for gift ideas, slip this blog post onto his or her computer screen . We have gift certificates! BUT please don’t wait to contact us if you want to make sure you have a place in our guest instructor classes. We think these are going to fill quickly.

Happy Holidays from Karen and Barb

What happened to this year?

2011-10-26T21:06:00.001-04:00

It can’t be the last week of October. I feel like I’ve been in a time warp since last spring…which partly explains why posts have been few and far between.

First the news of the hour. Our Sutherland Weavers’ Study Group will celebrate the conclusion of its first year of study this Sunday, Oct. 30, at 2 pm. We’ll discuss our progress, look at projects from the year and plan our study for year 2.

This is a great time to join the Study Group. We include weavers of all experience levels weaving on all kinds of looms, rigid heddle to multi-shaft compudobby. We always learn from and inspire each other. The show and tell is excellent.

Next year, we’re talking about stash reduction as the theme of our study, and we’ll firm up the details Sunday. We voted to use our dues from last year to purchase something (yarn or book maybe) that we can all use during the study. Suggestions welcome. We’re also doing a finger-food potluck. Nothing big, just some snacks and cider, but what’s a party without food?

Let us know if you’d like to stop in and check us out. New members are always welcome.

Next up at Sutherland is the much-anticipated tapestry weaving workshop with Tommye Scanlin and Pat Williams. It’s been full for months with a waiting list, so we’ll be talking with Tommye and Pat about scheduling another one for next year.

The following weekend is our River Arts District Studio Stroll, Nov. 12 and 13. It’s always a crazy weekend with weaving demos and hundreds of strollers shopping for holiday gifts. All of our River Arts District Artists are open both days, so there are lots of great gift ideas. We, of course, favor handwoven scarves and towels!

Meanwhile I’m trying to keep up with the schedule at Haywood Community College Professional Crafts-Fiber program, writing for the Handwoven’s Weaving Today newsletter and planning the classes I’ll be teaching at Convergence next year. Look for this scarf I wove for Weaving Today’s block draft Weave-along in the new November-December Handwoven!

And Barb has Sutherland looking awesome with new work, new lighting, new displays and a NEW LOOM!

Here’s Barb getting acquainted with Meg, our new 32-shaft Louet Megado compu-dobby. It’s added a whole new dimension to our weaving.

Hope we’ll see you in the studio soon!

Karen

The deal is done!

2011-07-01T11:19:00.001-04:00

We have scheduled the tapestry weaving workshop team taught by Tommye Scanlin and Pat Williams at Sutherland Handweaving Studio Nov. 4-6, 2011. This will include 2 six-hour days of instruction Saturday and Sunday suitable for beginners to more experienced tapestry weavers, plus a little bonus the evening before (on the 4th) when Tommye and Pat meet everyone, begin to assess every participant’s experience level and talk a bit about their own work.

For those concerned about equipment, no worries. Tommye and Pat bring looms, bobbins, yarns and lots of inspiration. Of course, if you have a tapestry loom and tools, please bring them.

A warning, we have a 15 student limit, and 5 seats are already filled. Here are the particulars about registration. Cost for the workshop is $180 per person, payable to Sutherland, and $10 supply fee payable to the instructors at the workshop. We will need a deposit of $90 to hold your space in the workshop. So if you’re interested, call us right away to discuss payment. If you should need to cancel for any reason, we will refund your deposit (less a $10 processing fee) up until 30 days prior to the workshop. After that, no refunds are possible unless we have someone on a waiting list to fill your space.

I’ve taken this workshop myself, and can testify to Tommye’s and Pat’s ability to take you where you are in tapestry, teach you better ways to do even the basics, and push you forward in both skills and designing.

We’re thrilled to bring Tommye and Pat to Asheville.

Calling all current and potential tapestry weavers!

2011-06-21T15:26:00.001-04:00

A number of Sutherland visitors have asked over the past several months about scheduling a tapestry weaving workshop at our studio. We are currently talking with Tommye Scanlin and Pat Williams about a 2-day, plus the evening before, tapestry workshop in late October or early November (before Thanksgiving for sure). Tommye and Pat have been team teaching this workshop that they adapt to people with no tapestry experience, a little tapestry experience and even those who’ve taken their class before. Having taken the class, I can testify that it is a fun, educational and information-packed two+ days. They provide tapestry looms, tools and yarns if you don’t have your own frame tapestry loom.

You can read more about Tommye and see her work at her website: http://web.me.com/tmscanlin/web.me.com_tmscanlin/Welcome.html Pat’s website is: http://web.mac.com/patwilli1/Site/Welcome.html

So we are curious to find out how many of you would be interested in taking such a workshop. We are estimating the price at around $180 per person plus a $10 supply fee (for some truly wonderful handouts). I know it will depend on when. But if you’re really interested and have schedule limitations, let us know and we’ll do our best to find the most acceptable dates. Generally we’re thinking about a Thursday evening through Saturday, or a Friday evening through Sunday format.

Thanks for the input!

Broken Threads

2011-05-24T14:43:00.001-04:00

The email group posting or guild newsletter ad is all too familiar, and weavers can usually read between the lines. A friend, often another weaver, is listing for sale the entire contents of someone’s weaving studio. Looms (usually more than one), shuttles, warping board, bobbin winders, lease sticks, benches, ball winder, swift , hooks and gadgets too numerous to mention, pounds and pounds of yarn and a full library of weaving books and magazines all for sale.

We know it means another weaver has died.

We read through the equipment listing debating whether to add this or that to our own collections, knowing the hands that threaded these heddles and threw the shuttles, the feet that tramped the treadles in a rhythmic order and the heart that pounded with excitement as a pattern began to emerge on the loom are gone.

Today my heart is heavy. My first weaving teacher, my mentor, my close friend, Naomi Cannon, lost her battle with advanced breast cancer yesterday. In her Cherry Hill, NJ, cellar some 12 1/2 years ago, Naomi laid her shuttle in my hand for the first time. “Step on a treadle,” she encouraged. “Now slide the shuttle through the opening and catch it with your other hand. Let go of the treadle and grab the beater right here. Now pull it toward you firmly…a little harder than that,” she instructed, grasping the beater and giving whatever she had been weaving a good thwack. “Now step on the next treadle and do it again.”

That was all it took. I was hooked. My heart was pounding and this lovely little (only 5-foot tall) woman was beaming. She offered to give me weaving lessons in her cellar. Saying yes instantly was the smartest decision I ever made. Naomi, schooled at the heels of Doris Boyd, who also became my teacher, was a perfectionist. She wanted everything she wove to be perfect, and to me and her other weaving friends it always was, though she was quick to point out any tiny flaws.

For me, this meant I was taught the “right” way to do almost everything and the value of a perfectly handwoven, properly finished textile. I will always be grateful to her for that.

But I will miss her most because she was my friend, almost a sister, really. Even though she was several years my senior, we hit it off right away. She taught me how to speak “weaving,” and once I learned the language, we could talk for hours. Naomi was coordinator (she wouldn’t call herself president) of the South Jersey guild. In fact, she was a large part of what kept that guild functioning. She brought me in as secretary, and during the years all guilds seem to experience when volunteers are scarce, we managed guild affairs as a team.

We drove to regional meetings together. We went to sheep and wool festivals, conferences and workshops together. We studied at Doris Boyd’s for nearly a decade after Naomi convinced Doris to take me on. Naomi was a joy to be around, and always first to share the latest internet joke or some delicious cookies she had just baked. She insisted on washing the lunch dishes at Doris’, while the rest of us grabbed tea towels and tried to keep up with her. Here’s Doris and Naomi celebrating the cutting off of another weaver’s project.

Even after I moved away from South Jersey to Asheville, NC., Naomi remained my champion and biggest supporter. I am sorry she will not be at Convergence with me next summer. She was thrilled to learn I’d be teaching there.

My most cherished memories of Naomi, however, are back when I was learning to weave from her one-on-one in her cellar. I’d be perched at her small Macomber, struggling to thread 20/2 cotton for an overshot sampler. He husband Del once asked her why she was making me use such fine threads as a beginner. She told him, “Doris made me do it.” And, of course, it taught me much more than simply overshot.

At lunch time, we’d climb the stairs to her kitchen, where I’d pull out the lunch I’d brought, and we’d sit down with Del to relax and talk about family, or flowers or the latest news.

I know that soon enough, Naomi’s weaving things will be dispersed among other weavers near and far. It’s the regular order of things. Whatever makes it back to my studio will be held very dear, a connection to the hands and heart that guided me along this path.

Thank you, Naomi. I love you dearly and will miss you forever.

Karen

You’re Invited to a Reception at Sutherland

2011-04-27T16:00:00.001-04:00

Barb Butler and Karen Donde invite you to a special reception we’re having at Sutherland’s new Cotton Mill Studios for Wence and Sandra Martinez. Wence is the Oaxacan-born, Zapotec Indian who weaves the beautiful contemporary tapestry rugs we’ve been lucky enough to display at Sutherland over the winter. Wence and Sandra will be stopping by Asheville on their return to their Wisconsin home with new work to show us. We want you to be part of the celebration of their return. They’ll have lots to tell us about the new work and the inspiration they gained while spending their winter in Oaxaca, Mexico.

We’ll also be cracking the champagne bottle (figuratively…we never waste wine) over our new Cotton Mill studio, just down Riverside Drive a bit from the first one. We have been settling in and testing it out with a couple of classes and workshops. It’s performing wonderfully and we’d love to show it to you.

Please plan to stop by and say hello to Wence and Sandra. Here’s a small taste of the beautiful new work they’ll be showing, and they’re always fun to chat with.

Here are the details.

What: Reception for Wence and Sandra Martinez

Where: Sutherland Handweaving Studio, 122 Riverside Drive, Cotton Mill Studios, Asheville, NC 28801. Come in the main door. We’re on the first floor just to your right.

When: 5 pm-8 pm, Friday, April 29 (this Friday!)

Why:

To see Wence Martinez’ beautiful new tapestry rugs.

To check out Barb’s and Karen’s bright and roomy new digs in the Cotton Mill Studios.

To enjoy some snacks and drinks.

Because it’s SPRING, and we want to party.

Please RSVP to Barb at barbbutler1@gmail.com or call 803-513-1814 so we know how many to expect.

Hope to see you there!

Weaver…unplugged

2011-03-16T12:56:00.001-04:00

Well almost. I did bring my laptop on vacation so I could work on the lesson plan for the Handwoven Lace Techniques workshop I’m teaching March 25-27. And I’ve been keeping up with email. But all in all, my spring break in Sanibel, FL, has been quite relaxing.

A couple visits to the spa, daily walks, a few exercise classes and I’m a new woman. I will admit that the restaurants in Asheville are much better than what we’ve found in Fort Myers or Sanibel. But the weather has been clear and sunny with highs in the 70s and 80s since we got here. That won’t be true in Asheville for a few more weeks, at least.

I took in a nice fiber show at Big Arts in Sanibel yesterday. Titled Hanging By a Thread, the contemporary fiber art invitational included a lot of politically themed applique and quilting, some fiber sculpture, hand-made dolls, and some beautiful tapestry weaving by Terri K. Stewart, which of course was my favorite.

We’ve stayed away from Fort Myers Beach, which is currently besieged by hoards of spring breakers…you know, the young and single who like to mingle crowd. Even the Sanibel beach parking lots are jammed. So we’ve mostly stuck to the quieter resort perched on Sanibel Harbour just before the causeway.

We’ve heard so many nice things about our new website. Thanks to all. We love it too, giving credit to Barb’s very talented daughter Melissa for the concept, design and photography. And we’re settling into our new studio in the Cotton Mill Studios. I’ve already had one student in the classroom, and it’s working famously. Here’s Laurel warping Towel 2.

The next class is the Handwoven Lace workshop, then in April is Kathie Roig’s Warp It! Paint It! Weave It! workshop. Deadline for registering for Kathie’s workshop is the last week of March, as Kathie has to send out pre-wound warps for participants and we need to know there will be enough students to run the workshop. So if you’ve been thinking about Kathie’s workshop, but haven’t committed yet, NOW is the time. We must have your payment in hand by Monday, March 28.

I head back to North Carolina tomorrow and will be in the studio Friday and Saturday. There is even a yarn and fabric swap from 1-4 Saturday at both Sutherland and Cloth Fiber Workshop, our new studio neighbor. Hope to see you there!

Namaste

Karen

More in the Valentine’s mood

2011-02-02T17:24:00.001-05:00

Actually the two scarves I just finished got their start last fall when I pulled what was a poorly chosen supplementary warp off my loom. The remaining ground warp became a couple of plain weave scarves, one with ombre blue and turquoise wefts that was featured in our 12 Scarves promo. The other, a short one with stripes on one end, I kept for myself.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t bear to waste the supplementary warp, a wonderful hand-dyed (by our friends at Just Our Yarn) fine, unspun cotton from Habu in gorgeous red violet shades. What can I say. I was seduced by the color. This delicate yarn makes a wonderful weft, but is challenging (to say the least) as warp. No longer able to be anything but warp, the soft cotton was threaded onto my studio loom in an extended point twill, with a much wider sett and more open reed.

For the first scarf, I wove in a few differ wefts that just weren’t working. Then Barb pulled a cone of red Jaguar, a modal blend, from our stash of Silk City yarns. It was too fine to use singly, so I doubled it and, voila!, there were the lovely concentric diamonds. It washed up soft and cozy but still lightweight.

The second scarf on the warp had to weave faster, as I needed the loom for a class this Friday with a group of girls from a local high school. I rummaged through my stash of sock yarns and found a deep red and a variegated purple with some mohair in it. I blended randomly sized bands of the colors into each other for more ombre effects. It finished up both wider and fuzzier than the first, but I wove it off in 2 1/2 hours.

Next up, when I’m not busy with school or homework, I’ll be sewing up some luscious yardage I wove last month into the long-planned “Akira” jacket, inspired by the work of potter Akira Satake, I’ve been a big fan of Akira since he joined the group of artists at CURVE studios & garden.

Speaking of CURVE, Barb and I have some exciting news that we’ll be announcing soon. Big changes are ahead!

Karen

Another pic of that Valentine’s giveaway scarf on our Facebook Page

2011-01-24T20:08:00.001-05:00

Barb’s work is so fine, that when she weaves patterns, it’s often hard for the camera to capture them. I managed to get this closeup Sunday of the scarf we’re giving away as a prize in sutherland’s latest Facebook page promotion. Be sure to click on it for a better look.

Keep suggesting our page to your friends and have them mention you when they visit and become fans.

I really can’t believe she’s giving this one away.

Win this scarf in sutherland’s Facebook Valentine’s Giveaway

2011-01-21T10:54:00.001-05:00

Calling all sutherland fans! Karen and Barb are excited to announce their Valentine's Giveaway on our Facebook page. From January 17 through the 31st you'll have the chance to win a scarf handwoven by Barb valued at $195! We will draw for the winner on February 1. All you have to do to enter is: 1) suggest the sutherland fb page to your friends, 2) once they become a fan, they must post on our wall that you suggested they become a fan, and both of you get entered - it's that easy! There are no limits as to how many times you enter, so suggest away!

Good luck!

We have a winner!!

2010-12-29T17:24:00.001-05:00

What fun we had with our 12 Scarves of Christmas promotion on our Facebook page. For those who missed it, we posted a picture of one of the scarves we have for sale each day for the 12 days before Christmas. We then invited folks to comment on them, and every day someone liked or commented on the post we entered their name in a drawing to win a 50% discount on one of Barb’s or Karen’s creations.

Even better, we sold three of the scarves before the promotion ended! And we made a whole lot of new fans and friends. Our weekly views skyrocketed! One goal for 2011 is to really get a handle on social networking and make this Facebook thing work even better for us.

So, congratulations to Debra Davis of Brevard, NC, just south of Asheville, whose name we chose in a very scientific method. I’ll be happy to explain it to anyone curious. We have not met Debra in person yet, but look forward to her visit to sutherland. It seems Debra collects yarn, lots of it. Already we’re kindred spirits. And she’s taking a few small weaving classes in January from a local group. The chemistry is palpable.

So, once Debra gets totally hooked on weaving, we’re looking forward to getting her in some of our classes. Following is Karen’s new class list for 2011. We’re going rogue with the scheduling, as we could never stick to the calendar anyway. If you see a class you’d like to take, call or email and Karen will schedule it based on time and loom availability.

AND don’t forget to sign up for Kathie Roig’s Warp it! Paint it! Weave it! class at sutherland Feb. 18-20. See the Dec. 16 post! This is going to be lots of fun. Kathie paints warps with fabric paints instead of dyes – a lot less mess. Please call if you have any questions.

Barb and Karen feel very blessed to have spent the last year doing what makes them happy and sharing it with friends old and new. Here’s to finding your creative passion in 2011…and doing something about it!

Hardy Holland took Karen’s Weaving I class last January and several others in 2010. This fall he stopped by to show off the overshot baby blanket he wove for a friend and stitched together by hand! Well done, Hardy!

sutherland Weaving Classes

For Beginners

Just Weave $95 This class invites students to weave a complete scarf in one day on a loom already warped in rayon chenille. They will learn the basics of loom operation, how to wind bobbins and efficient weaving and finishing techniques. It is perfect for beginners who want to try weaving before committing to an in-depth class, lapsed weavers who need a reminder of how much fun weaving is or experienced weavers with no time to warp who simply want to spend a day throwing the shuttle or weaving a quick gift.

Weaving I-Three Warps, Three Towels $310 + yarn Warping the loom can be the most intimidating part of learning to weave. The only way to become comfortable with warping is frequent repetition. This in-depth introduction to weaving guides students through planning, warping and weaving three separate projects on three different short warps in eight 4-hour classes. Dish or hand towels are perfect short projects. The first will be a plain weave towel with a solid colored warp and contrasting color weft. The second will introduce twill. The third will feature threading and color variations. Along the way, students will learn about choosing fibers and colors, how looms and other weaving equipment work, efficient warping tips, proper weaving techniques and how to finish handwoven textiles.

Beyond Beginners

Weave a Twill Gamp $215 + yarn Students who have completed Weaving I, or have basic weaving experience, can explore four different twill patterns by weaving a gamp or sampler. We will review good warping and weaving techniques, and students will learn how to thread different patterns and vary treadling to weave different but related fabrics. Six 3-hour classes.

More Twills and a Taste of Overshot $215 + yarn A follow up to either Weaving I or Weave a Twill Gamp, this class introduces students to two additional twill patterns and an overshot threading to make a cotton table runner. Students may choose one threading, or use them in the same warp. Lessons include a first look at overshot theory and design, and examples of twill variations. Six 3-hour classes.

Handwoven Lace Techniques $215 + yarn Students who have taken Weaving I, or who are familiar with warping and plain weave, will be introduced to three different threadings for weaving lacy, open fabrics using fine cotton or fine wool. Choosing from Huck Lace, Swedish Lace or Atwater-Bronson Lace, weavers will create a scarf or series of napkins experimenting with various pattern effects possible with treadling variations.

Drafting & Design $215 For students who are comfortable warping, working from an existing draft and weaving tabby, twill or other basic weave structures, this class helps them learn how to design their own projects and draft their own patterns. Students will be asked to come to the first class with a general idea of a project they want to weave. We will work through decisions about appropriate fiber, yarn size, color and structure for the desired textile, practice planning yarn needs and pattern drafting and weave a project sample. Students will be introduced to computer drafting programs. Students may supply their own yarn or we will order for you from one of our suppliers. Six 3-hour classes.

Color and Weave $215 + yarn This class introduces some of the many color-and-weave effects possible when color order in warp and weft interacts with weave structure in a gamp or sampler. Students may choose three different color orders and will weave them in both plain weave and twill. With the remaining warp, students may experiment with other weft color orders. Six 3-hour classes.

Introduction to Designing & Weaving Warp Rep $215 + yarn Warp Rep is a warp-faced (or warp-dominant) block weave in which a thick weft alternating with a thin weft produces color patterns and horizontal (weft-wise) ribs. In this introduction, students will learn Karen’s building-block technique for rep design. They will then thread studio looms with their own designs and weave a variety of treadling variations into a series of mug rugs or coasters. Six 3-hour classes. Minimum Experience Level: Advanced beginner. Students must be able to read a draft and warp a precise color pattern independently.

Warp it! Paint it! Weave it! with Kathie Roig

2010-12-16T20:51:00.001-05:00

A sutherland Handweaving Guest Teacher Workshop

Feb. 18-20, 2011

sutherland Handweaving Gallery & Teaching Studio is pleased to welcome guest teacher Kathie Roig to the studio to teach her popular and unique method of warp painting in a workshop Feb. 18-20, 2011. The class explores two different methods of painting a warp using fabric paints instead of dye. This spontaneous method of applying color to yarn can be used in either functional or non-functional pieces. Students will learn to paint the warp once it’s already on the loom and prior to dressing the loom, and will be encouraged to experiment with color, texture, and weave structure. Students must have basic warping and weaving experience. They will need to bring a loom pre-warped according to Kathie’s instructions with a warp she will provide in advance. sutherland classroom looms will be available for rental. Contact us as soon as possible for fee and availability.

The class runs 1 pm-5 pm on Friday, Feb. 18; and 9 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19 & 20, 2011. Workshop fee is $250, plus a $20 supply fee. Class is limited to 10 students, and full payment in advance is required to hold your space. If the class must be cancelled for any reason, fees will be refunded.

For more information or to register, email sutherlandstudios@gmail.com or call Barb Butler: 803-513-1814.

sutherland’s “12 Scarves of Christmas” on Facebook!

2010-12-13T10:49:00.001-05:00

In celebration of sutherland’s first anniversary, we invite our friends and followers to enjoy a little contest feature we call, “The 12 Scarves of Christmas.” Starting today on our Facebook page through Dec. 24, we’ll post a picture of a different scarf or pashmina available for sale at sutherland. Think of it as a little inspiration for your own or your true love’s holiday gift giving.

Every day you leave a comment (a nice one we hope) we’ll enter your name in a drawing on Dec. 26 for a coupon worth 50% off one of Karen’s or Barb’s creations. One entry per day, please.

Featured items may be purchased in the studio or over the phone at any time, so if you have your heart set on one, best not wait! Call or email for prices.

Enjoy the pictures and good luck!

Karen

PS: Each day we’ll also offer another gift idea available at sutherland. Feel free to share them with anyone you think might be interested.

And here’s a peek at the 1st Day’s scarf.

Happy Accidents

2010-11-19T11:18:00.001-05:00

The latest things off my loom are the results of other plans gone awry. But sometimes you succeed despite yarn and color challenges. I am still experimenting with beiderwand and how to turn the draft for faster weaving and more drape. While at the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair last month, I stopped in to see our friends at Just Our Yarn, looking for some pattern threads to go with some of their hand-dyed tencel skeins I had on hand. We pulled out this gorgeous deep red violet color of a very soft cotton from Habu that I’ve used before. It would make a beautiful pattern weft for the next beiderwand scarf. I snapped it up, without another thought.

Back at the studio that afternoon I couldn’t wait to wind the warp. It dawned on me briefly that when turning this draft, the pattern weft would now be in the warp, alternated 1 on 1 with the tencel. I gave it the old “Is this strong enough for warp?” test, before winding the two yarns together. Mistake Number 1. What was glorious on the warping board turned into a nightmare when trying to wind it on the beam. The cotton was just too fluffy, the double-weave sett too dense. I persevered (stubbornness mixed with the thought of wasting this hand-dyed beauty) and once on the beam, it threaded fine. I started weaving the beiderwand pattern and it was beautiful. But about 8 inches into the scarf, the cotton fluff started clogging up my 15-dent reed and those devilish little cotton warps started breaking. One, then another. I fixed them and kept weaving. Then a few more, and finally two snapped in the space of a quarter inch. I gave up on the turned beiderwand for now, but was determined not to waste either the cotton or tencel.

I lifted the pattern shafts, put a cross in all that cotton and pulled it away from the tencel, winding it on a kite stick on the floor under the warp beam. Then I decided to just weave the remaining tencel in plain weave. Probably would have enough for two scarves. I used the remaining cotton on the ball for weft and started weaving (very fast I might add). After about 48 inches of scarf, I ran out of the cotton. I toyed with the idea of using some of the warp ends I’d been saving, then thought better of it. Who says a scarf has to look the same on both ends? I used some stripes of the warp yarn and a little bamboo I had on the shelf to weave another foot or so. It’s a bit short, but I liked it so much I decided to keep it for myself.

The fun thing about those JOY colorways is that you can weave almost any color into them and they look good. I pulled out some turquoise and blue silk I’ve had for a while and decided to weave them together in an ombre pattern. Here is the result. Happy accident number 1.

The remaining cotton warp is now on my studio loom being threaded into a point twill, at a much more open sett and in an 8 dent reed. We’ll hope that ends in happy accident number 3.

Happy accident number 2 was the result of not wanting to move heddles around on my teaching looms at the studio to accommodate that beiderwand project. (I wove that at home.) With an empty studio loom and time, I decided to stop planning and figuring and just wind a warp out of leftover bobbins. Because they came from Barb’s stash (thanks, Barb) they were mostly silk and bamboo. I gave only minor thought to the order and started winding stripes. As soon as one bobbin emptied, I started another. Here’s a pic of the warp on the warping board. I thought it reflected Meagan Chaney’s tiles pretty nicely.

Barb dubbed it the ugliest warp she’d ever seen. You can’t see the audacious pink stripe in this pic. Again, I persevered. After our first sutherland Weaver’s Study Group meeting last month, I decided to weave some honeycomb in this scarf which I threaded into twill blocks. That looked nice but was a bit heavy, so I wove the center portion in 1/3-3/1 twill to make pleats. Then I finished off the other end in honeycomb. Barb still wasn’t convinced. So I washed the thing, which made both the honeycomb and the twill pleats do their thing. Then I decided to stitch the honeycomb ends into tubes to more closely match the width of the twill pleats. Ta da! Happy Accident number 2.

As for the short scarf, I haven’t photographed it yet. It’s around my neck today.

Karen

Weaving His Way Back into Notoriety

2010-11-11T19:31:00.001-05:00

I’m not really a Conan O’Brien fan, and was only half paying attention when I first caught his new American Express ad. Here he was walking into a shop in India, picking up a cone of silk and tasting it. Then he’s winding it, presumably a warp, weaving it on a loom with a fly shuttle (well, we see only one pick), crushing berries for dye and standing waist deep in red water either dyeing or rinsing.

Next time I paid more attention. Still kind of missed the point of the Amex ad, but enjoyed all the weaving references. Maybe we should show this in a loop when explaining how much work goes into our fine handwoven cloth. The slogan: “When every detail counts.”

Even if you’ve seen the ad, here’s a longer online version, which is even better.

Enjoy.

Karen

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/08/conan-american-express-india_n_780364.html

As it should be…

2010-08-26T17:34:00.001-04:00

I had an economics professor back when I was in college – the first time – who used to talk about “hog heaven.” I can’t quite remember what constituted hog heaven from an economics standpoint. It had something to do with supply and demand, and it seems the elasticity of one or the other was involved. Basically it described a state where everything was humming along happily.

Now while today’s economy may be a long way from hog heaven, I found myself in that blissful state today. I had returned from design class at Haywood Community College, where I have finally enrolled in the Professional Crafts-Fiber program, albeit on a limited schedule. After lunch I parked myself in my sunroom overlooking the Western North Carolina mountains and went back to work on my tapestry loom finishing a piece for the Blue Ridge Fiber Show in October.

Meanwhile at the studio, I have two students coming in for class on Saturday, and I am weaving a scarf also intended for the Blue Ridge Fiber Show. It’s turning out even better than I’d hoped, but I won’t share pictures of either until after the show is judged, just in case the handweaving judge should happen across our blog.

So while I was weaving today, listening to my Josh Groban CDs and snacking on a few pieces of dark chocolate (for my health, of course), I was thinking about these projects, being in school again and all the exciting things coming up on the sutherland schedule this fall: new classes; the start of a new study group at sutherland (more about this soon); the CURVE studios & garden open house and twilight party the last weekend of the September, an in-studio workshop with Daryl Lancaster on Sept. 27, new displays and furnishings we’re adding to the gallery side of sutherland, a special exhibit of contemporary tapestry rugs by Wence and Sandra Martinez that opens Oct. 8 with an artists’ reception (more about this later too) and being able to share it all with my good friend and studio partner, Barb.

Suddenly I started remembering Professor Kuhlman and hog heaven, and how that seemed like a pretty good description for my current state of mind. I don’t have a clue what hogs had to do with it, but here we are, me and the hogs, lovin’ life.

Karen

I’m on TV, but don’t blink

2010-08-10T10:50:00.001-04:00

Remember when I told you about QVC coming to our studio to do some filming about Asheville for a jewelry designer? Well the segment aired on Aug. 8, and here’s a link to a very brief peek at me at the loom now on UTube. CURVE studios & garden got a nice plug, and that’s our studio mate and CURVE owner Pattiy Torno quilting.

Constance Williams next door got a speaking part, but then she’s president of the River Arts District Artists. The other clips about Western North Carolina are fun to watch too.

Seriously, don’t blink.

Karen

Blue Ridge Fiber Show Entry Deadline is AUG 13!

2010-08-05T17:46:00.001-04:00

EIGHT DAYS!! That’s when all entry forms for the 2010 Blue Ridge Fiber Show have to be received by the committee! I want to encourage all of you who weave, spin or felt to enter a few pieces of your work. The show is non-juried for entry, which means no one will judge whether or not your pieces can be included. If they meet the criteria, they’re in! For those unfamiliar, this is a production of the Western North Carolina Fibers/Handweavers Guild. Traditionally it has been one of the biggest non-juried fiber art shows in the region. You don’t have to be a guild member to enter and you don’t have to live in Western North Carolina! This show has attracted international entries.

The deadline for receiving entry forms is Aug. 13...yes next week! For guild members, that is BEFORE the August guild meeting. However, your entered pieces do not have to be delivered until the end of September. (Are you reading between the lines, here?).

Your entry form does not require a fancy photograph. Just fill out the one-page form, describe your pieces and send with a check for $30 for every two items entered. You may enter two pieces in each major category: weaving, spinning or felting.

Although the items are not juried for entry, the pieces will be judged for several awards, which include many CASH PRIZES. You may enter in either the amateur or professional category. You’re a professional if you sell your work or teach.

I would love to see entries from all our weaving students! I’ve included a link to the entry form. Click on it and print the form to remind yourself. Then fill it out and send it in so it arrives by Aug. 13. If you need help or advice, come see me at the studio. I’m there tomorrow through Sunday and again next Wednesday. If you have any questions email me.

Karen

CLICK HERE: http://www.wncfhg.org/brfs10/entryfrms.html

Convergence Reflections

2010-08-04T20:32:00.001-04:00

Now that the laundry is done, students are back on the studio looms finishing their classes, and the boxes I shipped back from Convergence have been emptied, it’s time to reflect on the inspiring but exhausting experience last month in Albuquerque. Convergence is the biannual conference of the Handweavers Guild of America and attracts weavers, spinners, dyers and basketmakers from around the world.

I hadn’t attended since 2006 in Grand Rapids, where I met Barb by the way. So I got there early to warp a rented loom for my 3 day workshop and didn’t leave until they were kicking us out of the exhibit hall at 4 Sunday afternoon. I spent a lot of time in vendor hall where I picked up some books from the Unicorn booth, a few skeins and cones of unusual yarns I want to try, several tubes of Bockens 8/2 cotton for classes…on sale (it pays to shop on Sunday) a new ondule (fan) reed for Barb, and my personal indulgence, a Randall Darwall scarf that begged me to take it home.

My workshop was outstanding. Robyn Spady calls it Pictures, Piles, Potpourri and Perplexing Curiousities. If you are a structure person, and ever have a chance to take it, don’t hesitate. There were 13 uncommon structures, on 32 different looms and 31 participants. Still, we all managed to weave all 13 samples. The sample notebook of all the structures is worth way more than Robyn charges for a supply fee. I warped one of the handwoven velvet looms. Actually I just threaded, beamed the ground warp, sleyed and tied on. Robyn had already done the heavy lifting, bringing the velvet pile warp on a secondary warp “beam” she had fashioned from empty wire spools she got from Lowe’s. Here’s a picture of the pile warp set up. It worked pretty well, but we had some tension issues as the sampling continued.

Other neat structures that I’ll definitely spend more time with include a fantastic supplementary warp and weft that I will subject to one of my differential shrinkage experiments…definitely making a SAMPLE first; a corkscrew twill that begs further study; and beiderwand. I’d always been curious about beiderwand, and now the next thing on the loom will be a scarf that tests the structure with fine yarns: one of those beautiful hand dyed skeins of 30/2 Tencel from Just Our Yarn (met these creative ladies in vendor hall) for ground and a soy silk I found at another booth as the pattern weft. Yes, I’m sampling first.

My other Convergence classes included a behind the scenes tour of the Juried Fashion Show with Daryl Lancaster, where I collected a bunch of clothing construction tips…and got to see inside some of these beautiful pieces. Sunday morning I attended a seminar with Rosalie Neilson all about designing warp rep with curves. When pressed, she said getting real curves takes more than 8 shafts, but her design technique will be very useful and her work is gorgeous. Here are a few samples.

While in New Mexico, I spent time with good friends from New Jersey, reconnected with other friends I usually only see at conferences and met some fun new people. As a personal highlight, I got to spend a few days with my sister and her family in Las Cruces, and then drove north with her to tour Santa Fe and Albuquerque before the conference began.

Kelly was also around while I spent Tuesday afternoon warping that velvet. I was so focused, I didn’t notice her taking pictures with her phone. She posted them on her facebook page with some interesting descriptions of what I was doing. Here’s Kelly at our Monday lunch spot in Santa Fe.

Convergence is an expensive proposition, but this trip was well worth it. I asked a few HGA board members at dinner one night where the 2012 Convergence would be and was given the party line, “Well, there WILL be one.” They remained mum on location except to say the executive staff was negotiating with four sites and they didn’t want to muck up negotiations. Look for the site announcement in Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot or join HGA’s email list.

If you’d like to peek at the workshop sample notebook, just let me know when you’ll be in downtown Asheville and I’ll bring it to the studio. Pique, corduroy or beaded leno anyone?

Karen

A Little Respite with Spot Bronson

2010-07-13T16:07:00.001-04:00

The spot Bronson shawl,which I put on the loom to take a respite from some frustrating differential shrinkage experiments, is finished and hanging in the studio. What a nice project. Aaahh.

Barb was right. Experimentation and design is exciting, but sometimes you need to just weave something that turns out simple and pretty. This one has a Bambu 12 warp and 16/2 bamboo weft. It feels lovely.

Now I am making final preparations for Convergence, the biannual international weaving conference next week, organizing my travel plans and winding my workshop warp. I am taking a three-day workshop with Robyn Spady that includes all kinds of interesting structures. I get to warp the loom for velvet, which I have woven before for my Certificate of Excellence Portfolio. I swore I would never do it again, but Robyn assures me she has a simpler set up for the pile warp, so I said I was game to give it another go. It’s a round-robin workshop, so I’ll get to weave samples of lots of different and less common structures.

I’m taking a couple of other shorter seminars and will spend the rest of the time touring exhibits and galleries, visiting weaving friends and shopping at vendor hall. This is only my second Convergence, so it’s all still a bit overwhelming, but I will take lots of pictures and bring back notebooks full of inspiration and ideas.

If you’re coming to Albuquerque next week for Convergence or Complex Weavers Seminars or American Tapestry Alliance conference, give me a call.

Finally, something that works!

2010-07-09T12:05:00.001-04:00

I’ve been experimenting a lot on the loom lately, with less than stellar results. Barb said I just need to put something on that’s fun and that I’m sure will work. So I dug into the Bambu 12 stash and found this new wine color I just ordered from Silk City. I played with weft colors a bit and, advised to “make it more red,” found a tube of bamboo in a red-orange color in Barb’s stash.

I had my doubts, but it really lights up the spot Bronson pattern, so I’ve “borrowed” this tube from her.

In other sutherland news, I’ve just compiled our fall 2010 list of weaving classes. Until I figure a way to make it accessible on this blog, just email me if you’d like a copy. I know, we need a website…we’re working on it. The first class is a 2-day Warp Rep workshop Aug. 14-15, so get in touch right away if you’re interested. Looms need to be warped ahead of time.

Also coming up soon is a one day workshop with Daryl Lancaster Sept. 27 titled Playing with Color. This is a no-loom color & design class, and Daryl’s always fun. Register early, because we’re confident it will fill. I’m starting another Weaving I class Aug. 22, and a new class that delves deeper into design, project planning and drafting Sept. 15.

Back to my spot Bronson…

June 2010 RAD Studio Stroll…Whew!

2010-06-14T15:45:00.001-04:00

Twice a year, the second weekends of June and November, the artists in the Asheville River Arts District sponsor a Studio Stroll, when all of the more than 150 artist members with studios in the RAD (including sutherland Handweaving) open 10 am-6pm both Saturday and Sunday. The first stroll was in 1994 and attracted about 200 people to the 25 or so artist studios at the time.

For those of us at CURVE studios & garden, opening the doors is a daily thing, as we’re always (save 5 holidays a year) open 11 am-4 pm. Nevertheless, Barb and I geared up for the “thousands” of strollers we were told to expect this past weekend. And there may indeed have been thousands, despite heat and humidity that was far above the norm for our mountain climate in early June.

When I had time to catch my breath from helping children and adults weave on the demonstration loom, I snapped a few pictures. One is of the crowded front room of sutherland’s handweaving gallery, where Barb was weaving two more tencel/bamboo pashminas, answering tons of questions and ringing up a few sales. Trust me, she’s back there.

Another captured the nicest group of college-age kids who took turns weaving and sharing their amazement at the patterns made by a simple twill treadling on an overshot threading. They were all working in the area as camp counselors for a Lutheran summer camp, and this was how they decided to spend their one day a week off.

Finally there was Thomas, a young man who sat down to weave on Saturday, caught on in an instant and shared his thoughts on color theory as he pulled bobbin after bobbin out of the basket, loaded them in the shuttle and made up his own treadling patterns. He had so much fun, he asked his mom and aunt if they could come back Sunday. And they did. (Notice the shirt change in the two pictures.) Thomas wove another 20 minutes or so before relinquishing the loom bench to a couple more young men who wanted to try.

Thomas made a big impression on us. We hope his fascination with weaving continues.

By the way, during the weekend more than 20 people signed our guest book to receive email updates about future classes. That’s a lot of potential new weavers, and we hope to see many of them in our upcoming classes. A new schedule for fall will be out in a week or so. Contact us if you’d like to receive it via email or snail mail. Or stop by the studio. You can see the finished community sampler our guests wove this weekend.

Inspiration and Experimentation

2010-06-01T20:36:00.001-04:00

Some days creative inspiration lands in your front yard. We’ve frequently seen hot air balloons in the skies near our home on weekends as a take-off and landing location is just across the highway. This weekend though, my hubby called from the patio, “They’re right over the house.” On this day the breezes blew two of the four balloons in the sky that day right into the field across from our clubhouse.

The picture washed out a bit as the sun was very bright, but the colors, patterns, shapes and unmistakable sound of the balloons launched the day into creative high gear.

So how coincidental was it today when the differential shrinkage shawl I’m weaving at the studio gave me a hint of what’s to come -- just the slightest little balloon-like poofs.

With two students coming tomorrow for the More Twills & a Taste of Overshot Class, I had to fold up my loom and roll it out of the way. I turned it so the cloth beam faced out so the students could see the progress on this undulating twill with tencel/cotton blocks framed in black merino. I’ve been experimenting a lot lately with dimensional fabrics from various weave structures. Not all these experiments have succeeded. So I was thrilled to see that with the loom tension released, my shawl is already beginning to puff up into the “undulating bubbles” I wanted.

Now I can’t wait to get it off the loom and drop it in the shrinkage soup to see how it finishes.

Karen

Celebrating Weaving Greatness

2010-05-26T14:46:00.001-04:00

When I was asked to chair a fund-raising raffle for this fall’s Blue Ridge Fiber Show, I was tempted to hit the floor and Army-crawl out the door. I’m glad I didn’t, because we’ve just put up an exhibit of raffle prizes at Sutherland donated by some of the top names in the fiber field, locally and nationally. These pieces are, as you certainly would expect, beautiful.

The Blue Ridge Fiber Show is a biannual show sponsored by the Western North Carolina Fibers/Handweavers Guild. It is a very large, unjuried show, attracting entries from around and outside the United States. Cash prizes are given in several categories, which means fundraising is critical to its success. The raffle is only one of several fundraisers for the show.

Here is a picture of the raffle items on display at sutherland. It doesn’t do them justice, especially for the framed items, so please follow this link to the BRFS website for detailed descriptions and much better images.

We will be selling tickets here through June 13, (Studio Stroll weekend) then the whole exhibit moves to Textures-For the Finely Crafted Home, in Waynesville, NC, through July 14. Textures is owned by fiber artist and raffle donor, Suzanne Gernandt, and her husband. After that it goes on the road again to Earth Guild where the BRFS committee is holding a trunk show as another fundraiser. Then it returns to sutherland until the drawing during the BRFS Opening Reception in October. The pieces and tickets also will be at every WNCFHG meeting through September.

Feel free to share the link with anyone you think might be interested in winning one of these beautiful prizes. Tommye Scanlin has posted details of the raffle and her piece in progress to her blog, and I’ve already had two emails from people around the country wanting to purchase raffle tickets through the mail. We can do that!

If you’re in the Asheville area, please stop by sutherland to see these beautiful pieces in person. Buy your tickets early and often! They’re a bargain. $1 each, 6 for $5 or 15 for $10. You can enter different drawings for each prize, and you do not have to be present at the drawing to win.

By the way, at our May Web Chats AT sutherland this Friday 10am-noon, I’ll be showing my Certificate of Excellence in Handweaving Level I samples (all 40 of them) and answering questions. That would be an excellent opportunity to buy your raffle tickets. Just email or call to let us know you’re coming.

When Weavers Move…or why they don’t

2010-05-14T14:17:00.001-04:00

Last week I was finally able to move the rest of our New Jersey things to Asheville. That included many weaving things I had been missing. My most familiar and tiresome lament at sutherland over the past 5 months has been, “I have that, but it’s in New Jersey,” whenever we decided we needed something for the studio.

So now it’s no longer in New Jersey. I just don’t know which box it’s in. I had my home studio looking pretty good before the movers arrived. New cabinets in place and yarn shelves at the ready. As the movers carried in boxes and asked for direction, I kept sending them upstairs to my weaving loft. Later I went up to assist in placing some bigger items and gasped. Where did I get all this stuff?

So here’s a look at what awaits me at home, which is probably why I’m lingering at Sutherland today. I know it will eventually all get put away, and I’ll undoubtedly look around and decide, “Now what I really need to get is…”

Where to Start?

2010-03-31T20:54:00.001-04:00

There are many changes afoot at sutherland Handweaving. For one we’ve expanded, taking extra square footage on Pattiy Torno’s floor for a new dedicated weaving classroom! At right are some pictures of students working in the space. Today the classroom was buzzing all day, with Hardy and Donna threading their twill gamps from 10:30-1:30 and Mimi making up a lesson and weaving her twill towel, number 2 in the Weaving I project towels. Emily, also making up a lesson from the Weaving I class, came in this afternoon to weave her twill towel. Monday, Caitlin was threading Towel 3 in the Weaving I class with 8/2 cotton, warp stripes and a point twill threading.

Soon our classroom will have shelves to hold all the supplies, equipment, warping boards and other weaving necessities. Once I bring in a small desk for my laptop and tea mug, maybe an apple, if I’m lucky, and a chair to watch everyone work, I’ll be very close to weaving teacher nirvana.

Upcoming classes include another installment of our weekend Just Weave: Weave a Scarf in a Day class, April 23, 24 & 25, during the CURVE studios & garden Spring 2010 Open House. May 6 we begin a five week installment of “More Twills and a Taste of Overshot,” which allows students to weave two twills and an overshot pattern as a gamp, or to select one of the patterns for a pearl cotton table runner. This is a 5-8 pm class on Thursdays.

So what’s left in our original two-room studio? We’ll post pictures and tell you more as construction gets going, but for now we’ll just say we’re sprucing up the “gallery” side of the business to improve the browsing and shopping experience for our retail customers. You’re not going to recognize the place. We plan for everything to be finished by the CURVE open house April 23. Be sure to stop by our Twilight Party from 5-8 pm that Friday to check out our new and improved space, visit the garden and enjoy some great food, drink and music.

It’s finally SPRING!

Sale of 35 year weaving collection

2010-03-28T19:36:00.001-04:00

Doris Boyd’s Legacy: April 24 Basement/Carport Sale Features Lifetime Collection of Weaving & Spinning Equipment, Yarn & Books

When South Jersey weaving teacher Doris Boyd died last December, she left behind a loyal legion of weaving students who will never forget her enthusiastic spirit, patient guidance and the incredible volume of knowledge she shared with us. She also left a collection of weaving and spinning equipment that includes 21 floor looms, from a 22” 4-shaft Harrisville to a 46” LeClerc 4-shaft rug loom; many accessories including shuttles, lease sticks, loom benches, a warping mill, a drum carder, a spinning wheel; hundreds of cones of yarn and three bookcases full of a wide variety of craft books.

Those of us who studied with her and treasured our time with her know she would like nothing better than for her collection to make its way into the hands of weavers, new and experienced, who will continue to produce beautiful yarn and cloth and teach others to do the same.

On April 24, from 9 am-2 pm, Doris’ husband Howard will hold a sale of Doris’ weaving collection at their home, 232 Oakshade Road in Tabernacle, NJ. This will be an excellent opportunity for new and aspiring weavers to pick up a studio full of equipment for below-market prices. Everything must go, and no loom is priced higher than $300. An antique barn loom is free. All magazines are 10 for $1, practically free.

Members of the Pineland Weavers will be on hand to answer questions and help with the sale. The list of items for sale can be found at the local guild website: www.sjgsh.org Please help us spread the word about the sale.

Some rules and logistics:

Sales will not be considered prior to April 24. (NO EARLY BIRDS!)
Parking is at a premium. PLEASE CARPOOL!
Looms must be carried up wide cellar steps to the outside and put in your vehicle, unless you make special arrangements for pick-up later.
Cash only. All sales final.
For more information about the equipment or sale, please contact: Naomi Cannon, 856-429-8604.

Patience

2010-03-14T14:54:00.001-04:00

One thing I’ve learned about Barb during our 3 1/2 months in business at sutherland is that she is very very patient. She loves winding on 60/2 silk for a pashmina, weaving it in plain weave with 120/2 silk for weft and then hemming and beading both ends. It makes her happy.

But I came into the studio today to teach a new student, and as I was pointing out the different parts of a loom, something caught my gaze above the secretary we use as an office. The swift was stuck up there with something on it. As I looked closer, I realized even Barb’s patience has its limits. She had just started winding what we refer to as a “skanky skein” of fine yarn into a ball when I saw her on Friday. Apparently it never got better, because there are the remains in a tangled mess still on the swift perched above our desk.

I had to laugh. I know this was hand dyed (not by Barb) yarn on the expensive side and it would have been painful to cut it off and toss it. I expect Barb may take another stab at untangling it, or maybe she just needed to work up the courage to let it go.

Either way I couldn’t resist snapping these pictures and sharing them. We’ve all been there. If we didn’t need the swift, I’d tell Barb to just leave it up there.

Love ya, Barb.

Karen

They’ve Graduated!

2010-03-10T12:20:00.001-05:00

The inaugural class of Weaving I-Three Warps, Three Towels at sutherland Handweaving has graduated, and just look at their final projects on our last day of class. We started with plain weave and a heavy weight cottolin and moved on to straight twill in the same yarn for the second towel. For the final towel in the class, I challenged them to create warp stripes with point twill threading using finer yarn, 8/2 unmercerized cotton.

Boy did they get creative with color and pattern! All three looked so distinctive, and the students’ technique and understanding of warping had charted significant improvements since the first towel. Congratulations to Donna, Martha and Hardy.

Next up for two of them is a Twill Gamp class that starts March 18 from 5-8 pm. With another Weaving I student starting this weekend, the studio looms are again all booked until the Monday Weaving I class finishes April 5. If there’s enough interest we’ll start another session of Weaving I or Twill Gamp on Mondays.

Please let us know right away if you’re interested in these or any of the remaining classes on the spring schedule. The looms don’t seem to be staying idle for long!

Alice Schlein Visits sutherland

2010-02-28T19:39:00.001-05:00

Our floor has never looked better than when Alice Schlein spread her jacquard triptych on the floor for better viewing by the group of 15 weavers, friends and spouses who gathered at sutherland to hear about her latest book.

The studio was buzzing with decades of combined experience represented by the people who gathered there last Friday morning. We saw many other samples of Alice’s beautiful jacquard and dobby weaving and learned that this self-taught weaver decided to write her new book, The Liftplan Connection: Designing for Dobby Looms with Photoshop & Photoshop Elements, because so many dobby weavers were interested in the design techniques described in The Woven Pixel, which she co-authored with Bhakti Ziek. Several guests of this special Web Chats AT sutherland helped lighten Alice’s load, buying up copies of The Liftplan Connection, The Woven Pixel and even Alice’s very last personal copy of Network Drafting. Alice graciously autographed every one.

The event also brought together friends, former teachers and students, and even two of the newest weavers enrolled in Weaving I at sutherland. Barb and I were so thrilled with how everything worked out that we will try to plan more visits by notable weavers who live near Asheville or may be traveling through Western North Carolina. If you have a suggestion for a special Web Chats guests, just let us know!

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Waiting for the loom delivery

2010-02-15T20:44:00.001-05:00

…warps in hand! The second session of Weaving I began at sutherland today with three new students and one from the Sunday class who decided Mondays work better for her. Even though delivery of the three new Wolf Pups we ordered from Schacht Spindle Co. got delayed by snow from Ontario to Indiana to Colorado and finally to Asheville, NC, we started our first class focusing on planning, estimating warp and weft needs, drafting and winding our warps.

I had promised our Schacht rep my students and I would be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the delivery truck, warps in hand. She said, “I’d love to see that.” So I snapped these pictures today of the students and their warp chains. The looms are expected Wednesday or Thursday, so the students will begin warping next week.

This also means sutherland Handweaving is now a Schacht dealer. While our space does not permit us to carry a lot of inventory, we will be able to order looms and equipment for students or anyone wanting to order from Schacht.

Our Storefront Has a Storefront

2010-02-09T11:46:00.001-05:00

Our signs have arrived, so we’ve loaded our front door with information to help our CURVE studios & garden visitors understand all that goes on in here and hopefully entice them in. I snapped this picture yesterday afternoon during the 3 hours of sunshine we got between winter storms.

Last night we had a lovely Web Chat AT sutherland in the studio with a couple of our friendly area weavers, learning more about their work, looking at wonderful show & tell pieces and hearing more about the wonderful rich history of weaving in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina.

We already are taking reservations for our very special Web Chat AT sutherland Feb. 26, from 10 am-noon, featuring a book sale and signing with network drafting guru Alice Schlein. Alice’s newest book is called The Liftplan Connection: Designing for Dobby Looms With Photoshop® and Photoshop. We’re very excited to have her discussing her latest research and seeing some samples of the work. We’re expecting a big turnout, so please register in advance, as we may need to borrow some floor space from our studio neighbor. Just email us at sutherlandstudios@gmail.com There is no charge to attend the web chat, but Alice will be selling copies of her books.

We’ve redecorated at sutherland

2010-01-28T20:38:00.001-05:00

Barb and I (with Pattiy’s assistance) were busy rearranging the furniture at our studio today to make the shop more comfortable for shoppers and make room for more looms and students.

Even stripping a screw that held our scarf rack to the freestanding wall couldn’t stop us. Pattiy and her vise grips to the rescue. Then we hoisted the large, heavy angled wall through the studio, out Pattiy’s door and into the CURVE space next door that will soon be occupied by encaustic painter Constance Williams. We moved the bookcase of yarn to the open corner, the secretary (our office) into the corner where the bookcase was and a new three-sided wire display rack into the space where the secretary was.

A little vacuuming and merchandising later and our new look was ready for business and classes. It’s a good thing, because three new looms are on the way for the three Weaving I students who will start class on Monday afternoons this month. Whew!

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And We’re Threading…

2010-01-24T13:19:00.001-05:00

It’s the second session of the Weaving I Three Warps Three Towels class at sutherland, and three of the four students are here threading towel 1 today in a straight draw.

We hope to get these warps wound on the beam, and tied onto the front by the end of the day. Our students could even be weaving later. Welcome to Lennie, Donna and Martha. Our fourth Weaving I student will rejoin the class in a few weeks after a little vacation.

Making room for more students!

2010-01-19T20:24:00.001-05:00

Our Weaving I class began last Sunday with a full roster of students, plus one! All three studio teaching looms are in use, and a fourth student brought his own table loom. I was so excited to have so many students and so busy getting them started on their first warps that I forgot to take pictures, but I’ll get some next week.

Welcome to Donna, Lennie, Martha and Hardy! You’re making nice progress already.

We are also working on starting a second Weaving I class on Monday afternoons starting Feb. 1. Two other students called about joining the class, and fortunately they were both available Monday afternoons. This means we’ll need to order more teaching looms to meet student demand. What a nice problem to have!

Pictures next week, I promise!

CURVEilinear reception invite, revised

2010-01-14T11:41:00.001-05:00

This includes a little clarification of the directions. Hope you can attend.

CURVEilinear exhibit includes sutherland

2010-01-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

How exciting. We just opened our handweaving gallery & teaching studio in CURVE Studios & Garden in Asheville’s River Arts District, and we’re just in time for an exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86 featuring all the artist at CURVE!

The exhibit runs Jan. 11-Feb. 6, 2010. Gallery 86 is at 86 North Main St. in Waynesville, NC. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm. Greg Vineyard, one of CURVE’s artists, is curating the exhibit. He stopped by one day last week to pick up pieces from both Barb and Karen.

The artists reception will be Jan. 16 from 6-9 pm. Everyone is invited!

Web Chats AT sutherland on Monday

2010-01-08T20:22:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that the inaugural meeting of Web Chats AT sutherland – face-to-face networking for weavers—will be this Monday, Jan. 11 from 4-6 pm. Area weavers and weaver wanna be’s are invited to join us in the sutherland handweaving studio for conversations about what you are weaving, why you’re not weaving, what you’d like to show off and what you’d like help with.

We’ll keep everything informal and casual, but hopefully you’ll go home with a tip or lesson you didn’t know before. If you can join us, just contact Barb or Karen at sutherlandstudios@gmail.com so we know how many to expect.

Hope to see you Monday afternoon!

Love this structure!

2010-01-06T17:55:00.001-05:00

Looking through Sharon Alderman’s book Mastering Weave Structures for something squishy and stretchy, I came across a waffle-weave variation she said was called Brighton Honeycomb. What a fun cloth it makes when woven with sock yarn. When I decide what exactly to make from it, I may enter it in the Handwoven sock yarn challenge.

It’s easy to weave with a straight 8 threading and straight twill treadling. Try it, you’ll like it. Email me if you can’t find the tie-up.

sutherland in the News

2010-01-03T19:44:00.001-05:00

We’re introducing sutherland to the local media and received a nice story in The Laurel of Asheville announcing our January classes and events. Scroll to page 25. For those unfamiliar, Barb is in the picture foreground and Karen is behind her. Asheville has welcomed us warmly. We even had a story on the local TV news during our grand opening in December. I’d post a link to that, except while they found us interesting enough for the Sunday evening news, we didn’t make the website. It was nice, nevertheless.

Please check the sutherland studio blog

2009-12-28T20:16:00.001-05:00

I invite everyone to visit the new blog we’ve set up for sutherland handweaving studio. I will continue to post to my personal blog, but will be posting more studio related news to the sutherland blog.

Upcoming posts will detail our classes and events calendar for January, including the Just Weave class Jan. 8-10, our first Web Chats AT sutherland, Jan. 11, and the 8 week Weaving I class that begins Jan. 17.

We’ll also have pictures to show our expansion into the room next door, which will provide more floor and display space and allow us to fit our fourth Baby Wolf loom into the studio.

Snowed in and making do

2009-12-21T11:54:00.001-05:00

I am writing this post with no idea when I’ll get to publish it on the blog. Shortly after the last post, while the snow continued to fall, we lost power, including our internet connection. Two hours later the power returned, briefly, but went out again about 7 pm. It stayed off until after 1 pm Saturday. Fortunately our energy efficient house held enough heat that we stayed warm with extra jackets.

We ended up with about 12 inches of snow outside the front door, but closer to 16 inches in the driveway where it drifted. That meant the car was going nowhere outside the garage. It’s now Sunday night and the “maintenance-free” management company here has yet to clear our driveway. Our shovels remain in New Jersey, along with our boots.

The cable, and internet connection, has never returned. Lots of reading, and playing cards. I started to bake cookies, but my pantry isn’t completely stocked yet and I had no vanilla. Thankful we had gone grocery shopping before Friday, we have been able to prepare meals. The investment in the gas range paid off during the blackout.

So what’s a weaver to do with all this time on her hands? Warp a loom, of course. I have some yummy sock yarn I picked up at Woolbearers in Mount Holly before I left that was meant for the Handwoven sock yarn challenge. I scoured the books I have here for an interesting draft, finding one in Sharon Alderman’s Mastering Weave Structures. Then I headed up to my still-pretty-sparse home studio to wind the warp. Alas, the yarn was in a skein and my swift and ball winder are in, you guessed it, New Jersey. Barb has one at sutherland, but that didn’t help me here.

I looked at my husband and almost asked him to hold the skein for me, but thought better of it. There must be something here the right circumference to hold the skein. After turning over a couple of small tables and chairs to no avail, I spotted the step stool I had out to decorate the Christmas tree. I slipped the skein over the top and it slid about 3/4 of the way down before resting comfortably. Up we all went to the warping board where I patiently wound the warp directly from the skein. I had to unwind a bunch from the step stool and drop it on the floor before winding it on the warping board, but only had a few nasty snarls. And with a little silk in it, this yarn felt wonderful in my fingers.

Sunday, with no snow plows in sight, I started warping. Again, some of my good warping tools are in a bag at sutherland and others are in New Jersey, including my long raddle. Front to back it was. Thinking the sett should be 8 epi, I looked for the reeds I’d remembered to bring down this time. A 10 and a 12. I opted for the 10 and settled for 7 1/2 epi. But now that I have it on the loom and have woven a few picks, I think I’ll resley to 10 epi. The sock yarn is a lot thinner when it’s stretched out under tension, and the weft was packing in too much.

I’ll leave that for Monday, although I’m supposed to work at sutherland in the afternoon…if I can get out of the driveway. (Monday morning update: still stuck)

By the way, I talked to my Philadelphia son earlier who told me they got 2 feet of snow in New Jersey. Good thing I’m in THE SOUTH.

For Doris’ girls

2009-12-21T11:49:00.001-05:00

Another of weaving’s great mentors and teachers has gone. Doris Boyd, who operated a continuing weaving class in her cellar in Tabernacle, NJ, died two weeks ago from complications of Alzheimer’s. I was unable to make it back for her memorial service Saturday, but she and the rest of Doris’ girls were on my mind.

I started studying with Doris and the Thursday Pineland Weavers more than 10 years ago, and I’ll never forget the first day I met this petite, slim, agile, happy, patient woman who never let any weaving challenge fluster her.

A few years ago, I wrote a story for Handwoven about four such weaving mentors, including Doris. The story was edited for publication, so i thought I’d include the entire segment I wrote about Doris here. It’s how I’ll remember her and the wonderful weaving sisterhood who will always be Doris’ girls. Pictured here are a few of the girls (Rita, Diane, JoAnn and Naomi) with Doris leaning on the loom.

“Across the United States and Canada, small pockets of weavers fortunate enough to have met the right person at the right time come together to study under the watchful eyes of outstanding teachers and mentors who challenge and inspire them to master the fundamentals and push the creative envelope.

Some of these teachers, who learned to weave in the 1950s and 1960s, have become not only masters of the craft, but its strongest champions, training new weavers, leading and supporting guilds and conferences, writing books and adding to the industry’s collective knowledge with insights gained during decades of experience.

Following are the stories of four such mentors who together have nearly 200 years of weaving experience. The youngest is 90, the oldest 102. Whether weavers are simply born of heartier stock or weaving itself has kept them young, they, and the many mentors like them, are excellent examples of what most weavers want to be “when we grow up.”…

For nearly 30 years, openings in Doris Boyd’s weekly weaving classes were rare. Only so many looms fit in her 20 ft. x 20 ft. cellar, and probably half are at least 36” wide. With some careful maneuvering, though, Doris has fit as many as 12 devoted students down there at once, all weaving at their own pace, but challenging themselves to learn everything Doris knows before they graduate.

That partly explains why many students lucky enough to land seats at her looms never left. Doris knows an awful lot about a lot of things, including weaving. One 17-year veteran of Doris’ Thursday class said her husband once asked, “You’ve been going to weaving class every Thursday for years. Haven’t you learned it yet?”

Those students fortunate enough still to be weaving with Doris continue to make every effort to schedule doctor’s appointments, vacations, even jobs around Doris’ class. Every hour spent studying with Doris and her Pineland Weavers is an hour that inspires creativity, soothes the stresses of daily life, stimulates the psyche and teaches something new, whether it’s about weaving or life.

The driving spirit of this tight sorority of very diverse weavers is a slim, petite woman whose 90 years have only slightly diminished her ability to rearrange the looms that fill her basement weaving studio. Until a recent hip injury, from which she has recovered nicely, it wasn’t unusual to find her crouched under a loom repairing the tie-up cords, and the next minute climbing on a chair to retrieve a particular cone from the top shelf of her wall of yarn.

Her enthusiasm for weaving, and the myriad other crafts she has mastered, is as boundless as her energy. A high school business teacher by trade, Doris didn’t start weaving until she and her husband retired to New Jersey’s Pinelands in 1969. During a break from formal teaching to raise her two children, she ran a ceramics studio in Philadelphia. A lifelong fascination with birds prompted her to produce three films for the National Audubon Society, handling all the photography and writing herself. The films launched a national lecture tour. With her husband, Howard, a naturalist, author and authority on the New Jersey Pinelands, she has traveled the world.

Once she finally “retired,” she focused her energy on learning every conceivable craft: painting, watercolor, pottery, doll and doll house making, beading, quilting, knitting, crochet, jewelry, copper enameling, paper making, leatherwork, basketry, china painting, embroidery, lacework, felting, spinning, dyeing and weaving.

But she has always been a teacher at heart, and the nearly 30 weaving students she has mentored over the years are forever grateful she focused her teaching on weaving. In the beginning, she insisted every student master the basics, with carefully prescribed lesson plans and samplers. She has mellowed over the years, guiding beginners through projects and yarns of their choosing and letting them learn from their mistakes. Her goal has always been not just to teach people to weave, but to help them learn to love it.

Some lessons her students will never forget: “Never give up. You’re not going to waste the rest of that warp, are you? If the knots are not up against the heddles, keep weaving. You’ll never know until you try. Don’t worry, everything will work out fine. I think it’s time you tried something new. No, you cannot hire someone to warp your loom.”

Doris was one of the first members of the South Jersey Guild of Spinners and Handweavers and has always contributed to it and other local guilds, teaching and hosting workshops, providing an unending inventory of show and sale items, participating in public demonstrations, sharing her extensive library and attracting new weavers. As Doris looks back over her weaving career, one of her biggest concerns is for the future of the craft itself and who will continue the teaching tradition.

Fortunately, some of her students have become weaving teachers. But Doris’ passion, patience, determination and contagious enthusiasm are unique. Her cellar has become the foundation for a true community of weavers who learn from and are inspired by her and each other. That is her greatest gift. We treasure our time together and wish only for more lifetimes, so we can finally learn it all.”

You’re not going to believe this

2009-12-18T15:19:00.001-05:00

Working from home today because…IT’S SNOWING. Seriously snowing, like it hasn’t snowed in Asheville for 10 or 12 years. We’re expecting up to 10 inches of snow before it stops tomorrow, and that’s at the low elevations. Our mountain neighbors may not make it out for days.

Good day to catch up on home things: decorate the Christmas tree, try to convince our new puppy that she really does need to go outside and walk around in this stuff, finally getting the Christmas cards out, and borrowing a snow shovel from the neighbor because we left ours in New Jersey. This is, after all, the SOUTH!

I may not make it to the studio tomorrow either, unless it stops sooner than predicted and the plows make their way to my road. It will be a good day to plan my next warp using sock yarn. I’m hoping it will be successful enough to enter in Handwoven’s sock yarn weaving contest. If it keeps snowing, I might just warp and weave it here.

Fortunately there’s food in the fridge and the pantry is stocked with Tazo Joy tea, a holiday favorite that a good friend turned me onto last Christmas.

My first sale!

2009-12-15T15:17:00.001-05:00

It’s my first day at sutherland by myself. Even Pattiy is off today. And I made my first sale. A nice man bought my corduroy handbag and the black and white star check scarf I just wove as gifts. What a nice uncle!

I’ve been catching up with online-marketing stuff and haven’t woven a pick except for the three I threw showing my customer how the scarf was made.

We also believe we now have two students for my Weaving I class, and I’m thrilled about being able to test out my new three-warp format for this class.

I got a visit today from a woman who wove blanket samples for Beacon Blankets for years. When she’s not at her new day job, she weaves scarves and shawls at home using a loom and yarn she got when Beacon closed down. She reminded me of my friend JoAnn, who also learned to weave in industry in New York. She can’t read my drafts and I can’t read hers, and JoAnn can tie on a new warp in about 10 minutes with her special knotting technique. JoAnn and Carolyn, my visitor, would have hit it off great.

By the way, Carolyn came in because she saw Barb and I on the local TV news. Jason from WLOS-TV came by Sunday morning to interview us and take video of the studio. I had sent a press release about the grand opening. The story was shown on the 6 pm news Sunday, and I MISSED IT! I was distracted by a new puppy my husband and I picked up from a local rescue that day. I’ve ordered a DVD, and if I can figure out how, I’ll post it here for your amusement.

And here’s a picture of Cara, a young woman with multiple craft skills who stopped in to see us Sunday during our grand opening. She wove the wall hanging in a class she took in Peru and bought the belts from a backstrap weaver there.

sutherland is open!

2009-12-09T16:24:00.001-05:00

The studio in Asheville’s River Arts District is open. Barb Butler and I are so excited sometimes we just look across the room at each other and start grinning.

We will eventually have two rooms in Curve Studios, sharing wall space with another artist who works in clay and jewelry. For now we’re cozy in our front studio, weaving away on two of our baby wolf looms.

We also just signed up our first weaving student for the Weaving I class starting in January. Yeah! Our grand opening is this weekend and we’ve been handing out invitations and postcards to spread the word.

I’ve included a few pictures of our studio and merchandise displays. The top one is the front door. We’re the red door on the right (signage to come); Pattiy Torno is the double door on the left. It was actually snowing that day! The center pic is the merchandise display you see walking in the front door. The bottom one is a view from our future second room back into the corner where Barb’s loom is set up. By the way the painting on the wall is by her husband. We’re a multi-media studio.

It’s a work in progress and we’re missing a bit of furniture, which should arrive tomorrow. We are learning something new every day about gallery retailing, and Pattiy has been sharing great advice.

If you’re in Asheville this weekend, please stop by our grand opening for snacks, coupons and conversation. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Tabby Two-Step

2009-12-09T15:56:00.001-05:00

Just a note before posting the following. I actually wrote it last week when I was on my way to Asheville. I arrived last Thursday and have been working full out to get the studio organized. I’ll post again with pictures of the new studio, but here is the Two-Step for now.

Testing out the new rayon chenille before the Just Weave class scheduled for January, I put on a warp for two scarves before I left Jersey. One is for my husband who not only drove me to Silk City, but waited around for me while I shopped, with only a couple of references to the time. He fancied a super fine cashmere and a black/ivory tweed rayon chenille. The cashmere would have been at least 45 epi, and a fortune even at outlet prices, so I threw the tweed chenille in the basket.

I set up a 2 dark, 2 light color-and-weave warp with black for a little variety. With my warping board in North Carolina already and only the horizontal warping reel left in the New Jersey studio, my first challenge was trying to use the warping paddle with the reel. Couldn’t figure out how to make the crosses with the paddle and the pegs on my reel, so I wound two separate warps and warped front to back, not my preferred method.

Once the warp was on, it wove very quickly with a wonderful tabby rhythm, even with two shuttles for the color-and-weave pattern. I don’t weave a lot of tabby, preferring structural patterns, but I had fun with this. The color-and-weave houndstooth check with the tweed and black held my interest and made a nice subtle patterns for both scarves. I let my husband choose his favorite, which was the one with only a block of the color-and-weave on each end. The other is houndstooth all over except for black ends. It’s headed for the sutherland studio in Asheville, where I am headed this week.

I added a picture of the scarves before I cut them from the loom. The extensions from the apron rod let me weave until the knots were within inches of the heddles, a little trick I learned while working on the COE Level I samples. Multiple times, I ran a little short of warp when what were supposed to be final samples became more practice samples.

I also have a tendency to estimate warp length a little tight. Blame my mother. During our trips to the fabric store, she always looked at the fabric requirements on the back of the pattern and declared, “We don’t need that much.” As I recall, she never ran short of fabric, but she did do some very creative pattern layouts.

A new baby for the studio

2009-11-24T16:46:00.001-05:00

A baby wolf loom, that is. We were able to purchase another baby wolf loom for sutherland from a friend of mine in New Jersey, which brings our family of available floor looms for classes to four. That opens up more space for students when classes start in January.

The first class is scheduled for Jan. 8-10, and is called Just Weave. I will warp as many studio looms as needed in rayon chenille. Students may reserve one of them on any day that weekend and come in to “just weave,” a scarf in one day. I’ll provide instruction for those who’ve never woven before and let those familiar with weaving just weave away the day enjoying the rhythm.

For those novice weavers who become hooked during this taste of weaving and want to learn more, I have scheduled an in-depth introduction to planning, warping and weaving that will actually allow students to warp the loom three times before the class is finished. Weaving I-Three Warps, Three Towels begins Jan. 17 and continues on Sunday afternoons from noon-4 pm for eight weeks. It is my hope students leave that class much more comfortable with warping on their own and more likely to continue weaving.

If our students fall in love with the Baby Wolf, as we have, we are also working on a dealership arrangement with Schacht Spindle Co. to help them adopt a “baby,” “wolf pup” or bigger Schacht loom of their very own.

Talking about design, and things

2009-11-22T19:35:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, a group of spinners and weavers from my South Jersey Guild launched a design challenge after a field trip to see a museum exhibit. Over the next few months, we got together every 4-6 weeks to share our progress and get feedback from our design guru, Kathy Remsa. Kathy designs high end upholstery fabric for one of the few remaining textile mills in the US.

We had so much fun with the project that we continued to meet as a design study group. Kathy took us back to school with design theory and lots of exercises to practice the concepts. About a year later, we decided to focus our periodic discussions on our particular design challenges, promising at each meeting to accomplish another step toward our goals before the next time.

The group has dwindled to four. Betsy focuses on her designs for tapestry weaving. Meg has returned to quilting for the time being, though she said she plans to get back into weaving very soon. Kathy is interested in pushing the limits beyond weaving to what she can do to the fabric once it’s off the loom. She also keeps us apprised of the challenges of her job and the next big things coming in design. I share whatever’s next on the loom, and for the past several months I’ve been thinking about the Certificate of Excellence Level II from the Handweavers Guild of America. I earned the Level I COE in October 2008, and I’ve been tossing around a couple of ideas. I think I have landed on a good one, and the next step will be preparing the study outline for submission to HGA.

Today was the last meeting I’ll have with the group probably for some time, as plans for sutherland and the classes I’ll be teaching there in January will limit my trips back to New Jersey. This experience has been so valuable for me. We’ve become good friends, and our discussions usually include recaps about our families and lives outside weaving. But the most important benefit of this group is that it keeps us all moving forward toward specific goals, especially knowing that our friends will be holding us accountable for our progress.

That was part of the thinking behind what Barb and I are calling “Web Chats AT sutherland.” We want to host small groups of WNC weavers a couple of times a month to discuss our design challenges, get feedback on ideas, troubleshoot problems and share ideas for future projects. These “chats” will start Jan. 11. I’m looking forward to getting to know the talented weavers in and around Asheville and making more close weaving friends. I just wish I didn’t have to say goodbye to those in Jersey.

Our first RAD Studio Stroll

2009-11-17T11:55:00.001-05:00

While I was digging through the Silk City Fibers Warehouse Outlet this weekend, Barb, my partner in sutherland, was busy demonstrating, handing out weaving class schedules and selling our items at the fall Studio Stroll hosted by the Asheville River Arts District. Even though we don’t take occupancy of our studio there until December, our gracious landlord, Pattiy, invited us to set up a sales table in her studio.

Barb snapped these photos of our make-shift gallery. Barb recorded a few sales, one of which she is sure resulted from her weaving on-site. She also handed out all the class schedules she had printed and had to email a few more when she got home. Hopefully that interest will result in students when I start teaching in January.

Silk City Fibers Outlet

2009-11-15T19:54:00.001-05:00

While in New Jersey, I decided to drive to Paterson to check out the monthly warehouse outlet sale at Silk City Fibers. Silk City is strictly wholesale except for the open-to-the-public outlet. However you can see the yarns they carry on the website without a wholesale account.

I was looking for rayon chenille to use for the “Just Weave” class I’ll be teaching at sutherland in January. This class is designed for beginning weavers who want to try their hand at weaving without a lengthy commitment or experienced weavers who would simply like to spend a day throwing the shuttle without warping the loom.

I will pre-warp the studio looms with rayon chenille for a scarf. Students simply reserve a loom and pick one day during the designated weekend. They arrive in the morning, get a little instruction as needed, and weave off the scarf by

the end of the day. My hope is that most of the students will be smitten with the process and want to learn more.

Here’s a look at the rayon chenille I found Saturday. I’ll be adding it to my current stash for the class.

Of course, I found a few other treasures I couldn’t pass up. From left to right, 3 cones of wool crepe/velveen, two cones of Ecocot organic cotton, superfine merino, a cone of a silk/cashmere blend and a cone of silk. Yummy.

Barb and I are wondering whether to establish a wholesale account with Silk City and invest in the sample books. Please let us know if you might like to order these yarns through us.

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Becoming a better teacher

2009-11-11T20:27:00.001-05:00

At the Mid-Atlantic Fiber Association conference last summer, Sharon Alderman told me how she occasionally likes to step into the role of student to become a better teacher. It’s important, she said, to remind yourself how difficult and awkward it can feel to walk into a class where you know nothing and try to learn something new, because then you’ll have a better understanding of how your own students are feeling.

I put her words to the test this week while warping a dozen or so fingertip towels for sale in the new shop. I warp front to back or back to front depending on the project and the loom I’m using. Recently I acquired one of Peggy Osterkamp’s warping books and noticed in the first few pages that she recommends a lot of things I have never done. When I watched Peggy’s warping video at my October guild meeting, I decided to try some of her techniques with my next warp.

I haven’t felt so awkward warping since my days as a beginning weaver, not because the techniques didn’t work. It was simply new for me. I finally got the hang of the “claw technique” by the time I finished sleying the reed, even though I discovered some missed dents. And the “crank and yank” method of winding the warp on the beam was kind of fun. Well maybe it was just more fun to say “crank and yank” for 8 yards of fuzzy cottolin. It’s clear I haven’t perfected the technique as the two picks separating the towels are “smiling” in the picture.

But the warp is on, weaving fine and the towels are nearly finished. I may not incorporate all of Peggy’s techniques in future warping, but I will definitely include several. I also will try to remember the frustration I felt the next time one of my students is struggling with a warp.

Have you been outside today?

2009-11-08T16:20:00.001-05:00

Some days are meant for simply enjoying and being inspired. Today I’m in New Jersey drinking in one of those rare, perfect November days. Temps in the high 60s, perfectly clear blue skies, no wind. The sun is making those long shadows that remind you this weather won’t last long, so take advantage.

This is my excuse for not going into the basement to finish threading a long warp of fingertip towels for the shop. Julia Cameron calls it filling the wells and stocking the ponds of our creative, artistic reservoirs. (The Complete Artist’s Way) Maybe I’ll take the sketchbook outside and look at my trees and shrubs in a whole new way. With the leaves down and the sun glinting off the bark, they look sculptural, almost architectural.

I did want to share pictures of a scarf I finished last week. It is one in a series of deflected doubleweave experiments with differential shrinkage. This one is red tencel for the non-shrinking yarn and peacock green merino for the shrinking one. I think they look like rose blossoms. Look for more of my experiments in the January/February 2010 Handwoven.

Barb’s been busy

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When I met Barb at Convergence in 06, we were both warping looms we’d rented for our workshop that started the next day. I noticed she was working with pretty fine silk, which surprised me as we only had a few hours of pre-workshop warping time. I was warping 5/2 cotton. I was even more surprised when she said she was a relatively new weaver, and she just loves fine threads. Really fine threads.

So it surprised me again when she sent these pictures of the latest project to come off her loom, a scarf made with comparatively thick handspun alpaca she picked up at the Blue Ridge Fiber Fair last month. She was surprised herself at how much she likes it. She also discovered how quickly it weaves, especially with a loose sett. On and off the loom in one day. It feels so good, she plans to weave another, sett a bit closer.

The batch of purple scarves is more her style. Expect to see all at Sutherland in December, unless she sells them at the River Arts District Studio Stroll Nov. 14 & 15.

Getting ready for the stroll

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The River Arts District in Asheville, where our new gallery/teaching studio will be located, is having its fall Studio Stroll Nov. 14 & 15 2009, from 10 am-6 pm. Barb Butler and I are among 120 artists working in studios in this converted warehouse area beside the French Broad River.

During the spring and fall ‘strolls,’ artists open their doors to meet personally with customers and sell their work. Barb and I have both joined the RAD and will be displaying a sampling of our woven pieces in the Curve Studios, home of our new shop. Look for Barb at Pattiy Torno’s Quilts, Clothing & Fun Fleece studio.

Today I’ve been preparing a small assortment of my handwovens to send to Barb for the stroll. Here’s one of my scarves that will be for sale.

I’ll be in New Jersey that weekend and plan to visit the Outlet sale at Silk City Fibers looking for yarn for my first class at Sutherland in January.

The new shop

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My friend Barb Butler and I have been emailing all day about our plans to open a weaving gallery/teaching studio in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. I met Barb at the Convergence in Grand Rapids, where we learned we were both planning to relocate to Asheville soon. Barb, from Columbia, SC, got there first. I followed when we bought our home there last January.

This summer Barb started talking about opening some kind of shop in Asheville where she could sell her handwovens. She has a studio in Columbia, and had received such good response that she wanted to expand her offerings in her new home. She asked whether I’d be interested in joining her in the venture, and I said sure, as long as I can teach some classes.

Barb found a studio space in the Curve Studios in Asheville’s River Arts District. We move our shop, named Sutherland, into the space Dec. 1. We’re planning a grand opening for early December.

There is much to decide and plan and I’ll share more news as things take shape. Stay tuned!

Back to Tapestry

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I’m not a serious tapestry weaver, but I’m lucky to know and learn from two members of Archie Brennan’s and Susan Martin Maffei’s Wednesday Group . Betsy Snope and Rita Landau, two close friends and members of my New Jersey weaving guild, began sharing the techniques they’ve learned from Archie and Susan with a small group of local weavers interested in learning tapestry. I wouldn’t have completed the tapestry samples for my Certificate of Excellence in Handweaving without their instruction and support.

Their class has morphed into a Tuesday morning study group attracting anywhere from three to 10 weavers each week, all working at their levels. After a long absence, I finally made it back to tapestry today. My latest work in progress is a 12-inch wide by 12 or 14-tall representation of a puffin I am adapting from a photo in a book. I’m working in the body of the black bird, blending my blacks with dark brown, dark gray and even dark green. It’s slow because I don’t get back to him very often. But when I need a change of pace from the shaft loom, I pull him out and continue painting with yarn. It’s very contemplative.

Welcome to my blog

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I am starting a new adventure in weaving with my recent move to Western North Carolina. This means leaving behind the weaving friends in New Jersey who started me on my fiber path. I will miss them tremendously. But I hope this blog will keep the bond between my fiber family and me strong. I look forward to sharing the next chapter of my life with you and hope you'll continue to keep me grounded, inspired, encouraged and moving forward.