A monthly mini-newsletter from Becky. If you'd like to receive these announcements automatically by email, you can subscribe to the vavstuga-announce mailing list.
May 2008
Lark Leonard, who taught a wonderful straw ornament workshop for us last year, will join us again to teach a class in making a small woven birch bark basket in the Scandinavian tradition. The class will take place Sunday, June 29, 10 AM - 5 PM, and will cost $50. Class size is limited, so contact us soon so as not to miss this opportunity.
Our Swedish Heirlooms class May 12-16 and our Weavers Choice class June 2-6 are filling with some wonderful weavers. There is still a chance for you to join them if you can squeeze it into your schedule.
Becky has been busy this spring doing the final edits on her translation of The Swedish Weaving Book (Väv Boken), which should appear in print later this summer.
Becky is also working on the final details of a new DVD, featuring streamlined basic weaving instruction on the new Julia loom from Glimakra. It is the instructional DVD that will come with the new looms, but it will also be of great use to anyone as an instructional tool for easy and readily accessible warping techniques using tools that require minimal investment.
We're adding another new class to our schedule: Traditional Swedish Rosepath, offered July 28-29. These stunning weft-faced techniques are simple to do and only require four shafts.
March/April 2008
Due to overflow from our winter classes, we have added a Vävstuga Basics class to the schedule April 14-18. We do still have some openings that week, so let us know if you are interested, and tell your friends.
One more scheduling change: Our fall Weavers Choice class will be moving to the week of October 20-24.
Vävstuga will host some special workshops during the summer months of June and July. In the planning stages are a day-long course to make a small Swedish style birch bark woven basket, a two-day Latvian mittens class using our wonderful wool yarns, and a woven backpack basket class. We will send more information as plans progress. Do let us know if any of these interest you, as these workshops will accommodate only a small number of students.
My friend Gisela Von Weisz is offering a very interesting class in Sweden next summer. I wish I could go, but maybe some of you can instead!
| 5-day workshop in Sweden, June 2009 |
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What: 5-day workshop in Shaftswitching with Gisela von Weisz. When: June 8-12, 2009 Where: At Hemse Folkhögskola (adult education school), on the island of Gotland, Sweden's largest island, situated in the Baltic Sea. Equipment: There are 7 countermarch looms, 8 other looms and a few other small looms. A lot of different yarns are for sale; if you choose to use rags, you will have to bring your own. Projects: Samples for carpets, upholstery, tablecloth, and clothing. All warps will be wound, but not beamed, threaded, etc. Techniques: Weft-faced compound tabby (taqueté), weft-faced compound twill (samit), and if there is time, liseré. (Corduroy is a liseré). Class size: Minimum 12 participants, maximum 14. Costs: Room prices are per person per day. All include full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee breaks morning and afternoon, and an evening sandwich. Prices below are for summer 2008 at current exchange rates; next year's costs will be decided in August 2008.
The school has a bus that can take us on excursions at an extra cost. The bus will fetch you at the ferry or airport. We can stay 1 or 2 extra nights afterward for sightseeing. Gotland has a lot to offer, interesting craftspeople and a beautiful city, Visby, and interesting nature. For more information: Gisela von Weisz, giselavonweisz@telia.com |
February 2008
The new pricelist is now online. You'll see updated prices throughout our Store. Our new shipping policy provides simple and cost-effective flat-rate shipping for all purchases, and FREE SHIPPING for orders totalling over $300!
We have added a Vävstuga Basics class to our schedule April 14-18. (This will replace the Swedish Rug Techniques class previously scheduled at this time.)
I recently came home from a wonderful trip to Sweden. I had the pleasure of visiting with Doris Wicklund and her husband Jean in Kiruna, which lies above the Arctic Circle. She is the author of four wonderful weaving books, including Det Gamla Linneskåpet: Från tuskaft till damast (The Old Linen Closet: From plain weave to damask) and En Annan Bild av Lappland (Another picture of Lappland). I have been translating her second book, Old Swedish Weavings from North to South, and this was a chance for us to meet in person. We had a delightful time getting to know each other. The amount and quality of her weaving is simply astounding!
January 2008
Our mini-movie this month is Julia, the little red loom from Glimakra. The introductory price for the new loom is $595 for the two-shaft version. I have been working with the designers and manufacturers over the last several months to fine-tune this darling little loom for optimal comfort and function. It has easily produced a four-shaft rag rug in Rosepath, as well as a six-shaft twill and a six-shaft block weave. If you put your order in right away we can be sure that Glimakra will make enough of them in their first manufacturing run.
We also have two new yarns to offer this month. Brage yarn from Borgs is a 7/2 sport weight wool yarn with more twist and a tighter ply than the Tuna blanket wool. It is excellent for pattern floats and tapestry techniques. It comes in 100 g skeins of 350 meters and has lots of beautiful colors. Borgs Boucle is wonderful for towels with a cottolin warp! We have brought in the whole line; take a look.
Our substantial price increase is imminent but has not quite happened yet, so you still have a chance for a few more weeks at our current prices for equipment and yarns.
Our new class, Weaver's Choice, is holding its first session January 21-25. We have a great group, but there are still a few slots left in case any of you are interested. This class is open to first-timers with us.