Classes photo of students analyzing weave

Swedish Classics

Builds on the techniques taught in Vävstuga Basics and has a similar format.

Instructor: Becky Ashenden

Prerequisites: Vävstuga Basics (Why does everyone need Basics?)

Max enrollment: 8

Course fee: $750 (includes all instruction and studio time, course handouts, lunch Mon–Fri)

Materials fee: $75

Room & board: $300 (includes lodging Sun–Thu evenings, breakfast Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Thu)

For more detail: See also costs & logistics, food & accommodations

Days offered: Five-day session, Monday–Friday

Schedule: Studio open 7:30 am – 9:00 pm, instruction time 9 am – 9 pm (except Friday, which ends at 5 pm)

Dates offered: (2012) January 23–27, March 12–16, November 5–9 (class full; waiting list only)

A review of dressing the loom plus an in-depth study of several classic weave structures commonly found in traditional Swedish handwoven textiles make this class the logical next step after Vavstuga Basics. Students will gain agility using multiple shuttles and develop a deeper understanding of our broad assortment of weaving yarns. The daily classroom sessions will provide drafting practice, designing methods, as well as a project sheet for each project. Students will go home with a greatly enhanced feeling of confidence in all aspects of their weaving.

In this five-day class, day 1 will be spent threading, sleying and tying up the treadles on warps that have been beamed ahead of time. Each student will be encouraged to wind a warp to take home, insuring a warp winding review. We will beam a single ply linen warp as a group on Friday. Students can take turns beaming with the trapeze on this warp to hone their skills.

Tuesday through Friday are weaving days, offering a comprehensive review of skills taught in Vävstuga Basics as well as new experiences, such as handling multiple shuttles, taming a single ply linen warp, finding your way with 10 treadles, and exploring our many beautiful wool, cotton and linen yarns.

Daily drafting classes will include the structures of satin, multi-shaft twill, monksbelt and rosepath. Designing methods for monksbelt and rosepath will be presented early in the week in order to give students the opportunity to weave their own patterns later in the week. Students will learn how to determine sett for different yarns and structures, as well as learn how to make a beautiful hem on their linens. One class session will be devoted to making a yarn sample card for students to take home with them for future reference.

Each student may complete five projects in five days:

Current projects are pictured below. See also our Past projects for more sources of inspiration.

Current projects, 2012

linen tablecloth

satin damask

monksbelt

linen warp,
wool or linen weft

twill yardage

rosepath