Ms Emma Designs and Toronto Weaving School Collaboration

 Last year, Sofia Verna from the reknowned Ms Emma Designs, befriended me on Facebook. She lives in Italy most of the year, and her daughter Paula, runs the store at 543 College Street in Toronto

 Telephone + 416 323 8800 Fax + 416 323 0112  http://msemmadesigns.it/

 Sofia asked to join me in doing the 2012 One of a Kind Show. She took scraps of my handwoven fabrics that I had been collecting for years and thought that maybe one day I would make bags of them.....but instead they found themselves incorporated into these cool and funky garments.

 What has emerged from this association is a number of other opportunities. The first of these is that she is featuring the handwoven and knit scarves made by students enrolled with the Toronto Weaving School. If you are interested in selling your scarves through this venue, give them to Kate Kitchen, who kindly offered to manage the arrangement. Secondly, Sofia will also create a custom  one of a kind garment with your own handwoven fabrics. You can friend her on Facebook ....her name is Sofia Verna, or email her at vernasofia@gmail.com.

 Scarves my Mimma Draga on her knitters loom.

Erin Lewis is offering her Wearable Media course at OCADU:
https://continuingstudies.ocad.ca/class_details.jsp?offeringId=185&show_past=false
There is one segment on weaving, which will involve the use of fibre optics and leds in a sample made during class. Other areas focus on sewing, felting, and machine-knitting electronic circuits.

She is also offering a one night workshop at InterAccess in Toronto http://interaccess.eventbrite.ca/. Contact her if you have any questions at erin@erinlewis.ca

 

 Over 20 years ago, before I started teaching weaving through the Toronto District School Board Continuing Education program, the previous instructor, Cara Perry, who now lives in New Zealand, had the students do a round robin of overshot patterned squares. They were then supposed to be assembled into a coverlet, like a quilt. It was a true labour of love for the participants. This set of squares were done by Ann Martini, who in turn donated them to us recently and Marion Kirkwood won them in a fundraising draw for the class, and made them into bags. Truly beautiful and a fellow student, Phyllis,  bought one immediately!

Ann Harrison, an instructor with Parks and Recreation, said she will work with weavers and their handwoven fabrics as part of a introductory course on sewing. However, you are perfectly welcome to do any kind of sewing project you want and have Ann assist you. This is the official description of the course she is offering: This course will lead participants through the basic process of constructing a simple garment from a commercial pattern. They will learn to make simple alterations to the pattern, cut the fabric, and sew the garment. Students may choose, in collaboration with the instructor, their level of difficulty. Materials required: sewing machine with zigzag stitch, in good working order, sewing kit (scissors, pins, needles, fabric weights, marking tools, tape measure, etc. Students will be purchasing their own patterns and material (or providing their own handwoven fabric) after in-class discussion. To register go to: https://efun.toronto.ca/torontofun/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp

Course Code 2080325 Thursday 1-4 pm Jan. 10 - Feb. 28
2080326 Thursday 6:30 - 9:30 Jan. 10 - Feb. 28

 Earlier this year Kathy Fletcher went to Wales to visit with her sister. She brought back a couple of lovely woven cushions. http://www.melintregwynt.co.uk/ The hangtag was wonderful. Inside it featured the signatures/names of each person who contributed to the making of the item.

 

Grace Holmes used her sampler as a scarf!

  Looking for something  weaving related to do this holiday season? Check out this exhibition -

Natural Resources: Textiles and Material Translation Textile Museum of Canada

http://www.textilemuseum.ca/apps/index.cfm?page=exhibition.detail&exhId=338
on until January 6 2013.

Is one of your New Years Resolutions to get more creative? Check out these classes at
http://karma-creative.ca/programs/classes-workshops/

Lopi coverlet woven by Renata Linder.

Remember

[] to reclaim any containers you left behind at our last class Christmas buffet.

[] that you can  purchase all your weaving supplies and equipment and yarns from the tapestry line / Line Dufour. Louet looms, Ashford knitters loom, knitters looms accessories, tapestry looms, Leclerc Looms and much more.

Scarves woven by Marion Kirkwood with Footloose space dyed yarn.

May you enjoy the little surprises of the season and I hope that 2013 will find you blessed with abundant kindness, love, friendship,  health and of course.....weaving time!
Line