Photos from Recent Four Selvedge Workshop

We had a wonderful group who met yesterday at my studio for the four selvedge workshop that Pat Williams and I were presenting.  There were five of us squeezed into my small studio house but we all fit into our own places just fine.  Six were enrolled but one person, unfortunately, had a death in the family and wasn't able to join us.

Pat and I have both worked with four selvedge method of set up for tapestry weaving for several months now.  We've both learned the process through watching Susan Maffei's demonstration on the DVD, Woven Tapestry Techniques, and also by reading her articles about the method on the Brennan-Maffei website.

I spent a day with Pat earlier in the week so that we could do final preparations for the workshop... these first few photos are about that:

Pat's worktable with some of our examples laid out

Pat completes a four selvedge piece (the black warp is the supplemental warp, not the tapestry warp).

Pat's pulling out the supplemental warp remains from the small tapestry...

... and she's using Susan's alternative finish method to end the piece.

Next, are a few photos from the workshop.  The day began with a demonstration of the process, then each person worked with their own loom to set up a 1" wide sample, at 6 ends per inch.  The height of the piece was up to them but we suggested that they make it 4 or 5" tall.

Gail and Ann Lynn set up their looms

Everyone wanted to be together to work, so once the looms were set up we all squeezed into my front room for doing the weaving of the sample.

Rosemary and Gail 

L to R: Ann Lynn, Sidsel, Genie, Gail, Rosemary

L to R: Ann Lynn, Pat, Gail (Rosemary behind Gail)

L to R:  Ann Lynn, Pat, Rosemary, Gail, Sidsel, Genie

Sidsel and Rosemary

The first piece was completed before noon and we had a quick sandwich from a local shop.  After our lunch break everyone took off the first sample and rewarp the loom.  Eight ends per inch was the next challenge everyone tried and some warped a bit wider.  Almost everyone was able to rewarp to take home for completion and one finished a second 1" wide piece before the end of the workshop at 5 p.m.

Pat and I hope everyone will be able to now continue to use this method.  It's a wonderful way to eliminate the warp ends on small pieces.  And, just like any skill, the ease with which one uses it develops through practice (practice, practice, practice...!)

And, Pat and I are considering another one day workshop together, possibly in about six months, to be held next at Pat's studio.  We'll announce details of schedule and cost in the future--but if anyone's interested, please let us know.  That will help us with planning.

Our next confirmed teaching date is coming up in less than two weeks, a two day and one evening class at Sutherland Handweaving Studio in Asheville, NC.  The class is filled with 15 participants and Karen Donde is collecting waiting list names.  Possibly we'll be scheduling another class at Sutherland in 2012.