Thursday, November 26, 2015

Creating Your own Designs in Weaving



We welcome our new students to the Toronto Weaving School. Another group of super keen, super smart and enthusiastic weavers will be joining our ranks, keeping the passion of more experienced weavers ignited!  

A new students's first project is always the most exciting and this is Carmai Seto's first tapestry. She based it on a design from one of our tapestry books and really made it her own. Creating the variety of lines was challenging. We are looking forward to seeing what Carmai will create next. 

Colour gamp tea towels in 4/8 cotton by Jane Tucker
On any given day, when you come into the weaving class, it may not look like much is going on, but suddenly, projects emerge - beautiful, satisfying and inspiring others. Though there is often waves of quiet and calm, industry is turning its wheels. 

Log cabin blanket in 2 ply Lemieux yarn (Canadian), fulled. Woven and designed by Wendy Szpindel. 

A few weeks ago, Rachel Miller, Professor and Head of Textiles at Sheridan College, invited me to give a presentation to her students on my work as a Textile Artist and give a workshop in how to create your own designs in weaving. To see their textiles programming go to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Sheridan-Textiles-Program-279413128748618/ and/or their website http://sheridantextiles.com/


Recently, Toronto Weaving School acquired an new 8 shaft Leclerc Compact Loom. It is a pretty thing to us weavers! I love the size and how it folds so sweetly into a small space, allowing a weaver to get maximum  use in a small space. It's weaving width is 24". You can purchase these looms through me.


As students in the class become more experienced in weaving, they are looking to create more complex textiles and having an 8 shaft loom enables them to explore, such as the scarf shown below. I am excited to see how returning students are really growing in their experience and daring to take on greater technical challenges with my support, assistance and guidance. I am even more delighted when I see them take their own tentative steps forward in creating their own designs, (though sometimes that happens accidentally,) and graduating from copying the designs in books and magazines. Progress and growth in weaving is slow, and not instantaneous. It flows in an organic way, in harmony with the process of weaving itself.
Toshiko Shindo, tencel scarf , turned twill pattern
 I have many lessons prepared for students if they wish to  learn to create their own designs. There are several approaches, all equally commendable.
Carla Duncan, deflected doubleweave scaves woven with 18/2 merino, 8 shaft pattern. Pattern from Handwoven. 
KNITTERS LOOM CORNER
Karen Bota preparing the warp for tea towels with 4/8 cotton on her knitters loom! 

Jane Tucker, knitters loom scarf design

I have included this mohair scarf as a good project for a knitters loom. Its fast and easy to do. For people in the class, their is an assortment of mohair as well as novelty eyelash and ribbon yarn, which are 50% off. 
If you purchase your knitters loom through me, you receive a $50 gift certificate for any knitting and novelty yarn in the class. 

Wendy Haydn, twill variation wool scarf.

Repp weave (also called Ripsmatta) rug by Jane Richmond. 4/8 cotton and hand knitted filler

SELLING WEAVING AND WEAVING FOR SALE

Of note to some of you, Craft Ontario has a pop up Christmas shop happening from November 5 to December 24 2015. Their location is at 990 Queen Street West , Toronto. Perhaps you want to purchase some Christmas presents there. A 'graduate' from Toronto Weaving School is participating and selling her knitters loom scarves. That means you can too! Join Craft Ontario and you too can sell your scarves next year at this pop up shop! https://www.craftontario.com/

The One of a Kind Show is on from November 26 to December 6. You will also discover several weavers there. http://oneofakindshow.com/toronto/index.php.

Ginette Robert, 2/8 tencel and 18/2 merino scarf in an undulating twill. 
This picture doesn't do Ginette's scarf any justice. It is luxurious to feel, and very elegant. The weave structure and combination of materials make it light, yet warm. 

CALL FOR ENTRY
Tapestry Unlimited 11th international, Unjuried Small Format Tapestry Exhibition
Deadline: January 31, 2016 {ONLINE} or {RECEIVE}


Tapestry Unlimited
11th international, unjuried small format tapestry exhibition
American Tapestry Alliance
Milwaukee Public Library, Central Branch
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
July 26 – August 11, 2016

Tapestry Unlimited is open to all tapestry weavers. We invite entries not only from artists who work within more traditional definitions of tapestry, but also those whose work expands upon the core principles of the medium as it explores new techniques and processes. Multimedia work is welcome as along as the primary technique is tapestry.

The tapestry may not exceed 10″ x 10″ x 1″ deep (25cm x 25cm x 2.5cm).
Artists may submit only one piece.
Group challenges and mentoring pairs are encouraged.
Work must be original, executed by the entrant, of recent completion and not shown in a prior ATA show.

Entry Fee and Payment
$40.00 (US Dollars) The entry fee includes a catalog & the cost of return shipping (no insurance).

Download Entry Form: americantapestryalliance.org/Tapestry-Unlimited-entry-form.pdf

Complete details available on website: americantapestryalliance.org/small-format-non-juried-exhibition

Questions? Email the Exhibition Chair, Janna Maria Vallee: janna@vancouveryarn.com

USED LOOMS FOR SALE


8 Shaft Folding Table Loom For Sale, used (brand new worth over $1500)
Louet W40 - 8 shaft 40 cm(16 inches),
if interested please contact barbaikman@sympatico.ca
Includes stand, 2 reeds 30/10 and 40/12
price $750
EXHIBITIONS
Mariette Rousseau-Vermette
tapestries
Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides (MACL).28 novembre 2015 au 14 février 2016 http://www.lemirabel.ca/culture/2015/11/21/l-oeuvre-de-mariette-rousseau-vermette-et-claude-vermette-celebr.html
                    OTHER RELATED TEXTILE EVENTS





Thursday, October 1, 2015

Glad to be back!

Susan Henderson. 18/2 merino scarf woven on an 8 shaft loom
It is with great enthusiasm and relief, that we are back at the weaving classes! Many of the registrants did lots of weaving over the summer and I am featuring their projects here. I am very proud of what they managed to accomplish. 

Susan's Husband Mario, is happy to model his scarf!

Andrew Winter. Tea Towels woven with 2/8 cotton. Slight variations on each. 

Carla Duncan. Linen tea towel. 

Carla Duncan. Linen tea towel sample. 
Carla is one of the few students that actually took my advice of sampling first before doing a project! Kudos to you Carla!

Leslie Wynn. Reclaimed Footstool cover with cushion woven with Harrisville yarn. 

Just before classes resumed the Niagara Guild of Weavers and Spinners asked me to provide a program for them for a weekend. On the first night, I gave a talk about my work as a textile artist. On the second day, I gave them a Theo Moorman workshop. Theo Moorman is a weaving technique that is in some ways similar to a tapestry technique, but woven like fabric. 
Theo Moorman technique scarf by Line Dufour, and featured in Handwoven magazine.

The Niagara Guild of Weavers and Spinners is located in Welland and it is housed in its local museum, a happy marriage indeed! They have a great workspace. In nearby Jordan, not only can you find fine dining, but a great fibre store called the Fibre Garden https://www.fibregarden.ca/. Make sure to check it out when you are there!
On the last day of the workshop, the participants contributed to the Fate, Destiny and Self Determination international tapestry installation. So far, 304 shapes have been contributed by 186 people from 20 countries. 







Friday, August 21, 2015

"Over and Under....A Thrill for a Lifetime" quote by Sarah Swett


Its been a wonderful summer as far as weaving goes. I took a group of six students (Barbara Aikman, Julia Pelenyi, Wendy Hayden, Sanya Lasica, Alena Melas and Susan Mellor) to the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio in Forence for a one week workshop where we studied historical jacquard woven textiles for a week. For half a day we would be studying and the other half of the day we would visit a musuem associated with woven textiles in some way. For instance, at the Uffizi, we were given a guided tour of some of the paintings that features jacquard woven garments.

This summer I (and Debbie Harris) also took a 4 day workshop with  tapestry weaver Sarah Swett. It re-invigorated my tapestry practice and I am eager to get back to weaving the ideas I have for my tapestries. I took this workshop because it happened to coincide with my being in Denver Colorado to set up the exhibition of Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination: an International Tapestry Exhibition at Regis University at the invitation of Aneesha Parrone and I thought it too great an opportunity to pass up. Rebecca Mezoff also took this workshop and it was a delight to meet her. To read more about this workshop go the link below where you will also find Sarah's website/blog.  to: http://tapestryline.blogspot.ca/2015/08/a-thrill-for-lifetime.html


Another great thing happened this summer as well. The Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination installation was featured in the Fiber Art Now magazine.



Can it be true that it is already time to think about registering for weaving classes? Alas it is! This usually means summer is approaching it's finale for the year! Please go here to register for the weaving class of your choice: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/AdultLearners/Learn4Life.aspx

Weft faced rug weaving sample woven by Jutta Polomski in a workshop taken with Tom Kniseley at the Spring Ontario Handweavers and Spinners Conference.

Industrial textiles brought to the weaving class by Hellen Skelton

Dishtowels woven by Marion Kirkwood. Instructions taken from Handwoven magazine, Atwater Bronson Lace.

Huck tablerunner by Jamileh Emdidan


CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, CLASSES
The Eastern Great Lakes Fiber Conference, October 2015. register now.  http://eglfc.org/

Material in Motion
Material in Motion
10th North American Textile Conservation Conference: November 16th – 21st, 2015
New York, New York
The tenth biennial of the North American Textile Conservation Conference(NATCC) will be held in the dynamic city of New York, November 16th to the21st, 2015, focusing on the theme: “Material in Motion.”- The keynote address will take place on the evening of November 18th atthe National Museum of American Indian (NMAI-NY).- The paper presentations, posters and exhibitors will be at the FashionInstitute of Technology (FIT) on November 19th and 20th in the Katie MurphyAmphitheatre.- Tours and workshops will take place on November 16th - 18th and the 21st.- The closing reception will be held the evening of November 20th at theMuseum of the City of New York.To register, see the list of papers, posters, workshops, and tours pleasevisit us at: www.natcconference.com
*Yadin Larochette*Principal at Larochette Textile Conservation LLC, andConservation Consultant to Tru Vue for Latin America5257 1/2 Village Green, Los Angeles, CA 90016Tel: (310) 808-7979
The Town of Richmond Hill Textile Workshops and Classes:
Weaving for Beginners #1
Weaving has a reputation for promoting serenity and a sense of accomplishment. Anyone can learn to weave in this program. You can weave a cloth table runner using a loom. An experienced instructor will guide you through the weaving process and loom setup. Elements of design will be discussed which you can apply to create one-of-a-kind items! A $10 materials fee will be collected at the first class. All equipment and materials are provided. The seniors' discount does not apply; the full fee is required.
Tues. /Thurs.: September 22, 24, 29, Oct. 1     $114.00                      Course Code: 563919

Weaving for Beginners #2
Are you a weaver ready to take on more complex projects? This program will teach you how to weave a cloth sampler by exploring a a variety of weave structures. Colour will be used as an element of design. The Level 1 course or some weaving experience is required. A $10 materials fee will be collected at the first class. All equipment and materials are provided. The seniors' discount does not apply; the full fee is required.
Fri. Oct.2, 9 - 7pm - 9:30pm                       $180.50                        Course Code: 563918                      
Sat. Oct. 3, 10 - 9am- 4pm     

Introduction to Spinning 
Learn how to turn fibre into yarn! This program will teach you how to spin using a hand spindle and a spinning wheel. A brief introduction to the history of spinning, types of fibre, fibre preparation, and carding wool is included. Participants with operating spinning wheels are welcome to bring them. Previous experience is not required. A materials fee of $15 will be collected at the first class. The seniors' discount does not apply; the full fee is required.
Tues. Oct. 6, 13          7 pm -9:30 pm            $47.50                      Course Code:  563916

Tapestry Kilim Weaving 
With their vivid colors and attractive designs, kilims (flat woven tapestry) are fascinating to study and create!  In this hands-on workshop, you can learn this traditional folk art technique and take the looms home to continue working on projects. A $25 materials fee for the loom and yarns will be collected at the beginning of the course.  The seniors' discount does not apply; the full fee is required.
Tues. /Thurs.: Nov 3, 5, 10, 12    7pm -9 pm        $76.00                         Course Code: 563917              

REGISTRATION BEGINS THURSDAY AUGUST 20, 2015 for Richmond Hill residents and Thursday August 27, 2015 for non-residents
Registrants have the option of registering online, by telephone or in person  at any Community Centre or Pool. Registration forms are available at RichmondHill.ca/RecGuide or at your local community centre.
• Online: RichmondHill.ca/eRegBy Phone: 905-771-8870     • Fax: 905-771-2481
• Mail your completed Registration Form to: Community Services Department, Town of     Richmond Hill    225 East Beaver Creek Road, Richmond Hill, On  L4B 3P4
*Customers need a Client Barcode and an Account PIN to register by Internet or phone. If you do not have this information, call 905-771-8870 during regular business hours
All workshops & classes take place @ Burr House Craft Gallery & Tea Room 528 Carrville Road, Richmond Hill


WEAVING AROUND THE WORLD
Jane Tucker sends this link - an Arts & Culture Tour of South Africa she took in April 2016.
http://www.africanthreads.ca/textiles/

Ro Omrow sends this very interesting link to a video of women using weaving to defy violence in the Philippines. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/06/defying-violence-weaving-philippines-150627201726164.html

You can browse the British Museum for textiles and weaving at https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx

Friday, July 24, 2015

The Woven Path: Inge Dam

THE WOVEN PATH: Inge Dam   by Line Dufour
Runic Symbols Inge Dam. Handwoven, tablet woven embellishments, hand dyed, sewn. - original design.
 Photo credit: Inge Dam

Earliest samples of tablet or card weaving were discovered in the fifth century BC, or early Iron Age Europe, and historically they have usually been used as trim at the edges of garments, woven as narrow strips, and usually with elaborate motifs. Tablets are individual cards – most square, with holes at each corner. Each hole is threaded with a warp thread. The more cards are threaded, the more elaborate your motif can be. The fundamental operating principle is to turn the tablets in a certain sequence and direction, which lifts selected sets of threads in the warp, giving you your pattern. Today, Inge Dam has become a world renknowned expert in tablet weaving.

Her quiet and unobtrusive demeanor is such a contrast to the extravagant and spectacular garments and fabrics she creates. The word extravagant in late Middle English is derived from two latin words. In Medieval Latin, extravagari is a latin verb meaning to ‘diverge greatly’. Extra in latin means ‘outside’ and vagari means ‘wander’. Inge’s refined results from her loom make it evident that she has spent many hours wandering creatively with great skill. Beneath what looks like riotous colour and spectacular garments, are rigourous self control and discipline. Though it is true few people would have the time to dedicate as much time  to their weaving practice as Inge has done, she has nonetheless always taken her weaving very seriously.
Purple Waves, Inge Dam. Handwoven, tablet woven embellishments, hand dyed. Photo credit: Inge Dam. 

Though Inge seems shy, quiet spoken, reserved, modest, humble, and introverted, these qualities are her greatest assets, and the springboard of her successes, for without them, she would not have honed her self-discipline nor developed the reservoir of knowledge and experience she has acquired over the years. To add to these qualities, she has incredible focus, determination and tenacity, required not only for the precision required of her weaving practice, but a consistent and dedicated practice. Above all, she doesn’t let these characteristics stop her from having an incredible amount of initiative, which takes even more courage than for someone who is outgoing. She takes full responsibility and action in promoting her weaving and herself as a teacher. She seeks out opportunities to exhibit her weaving, enters call for entries, and writes articles. Though she finds teaching requires that she go outside her comfort level, she puts all that aside and teaches workshops all over North America and is now in great demand. People appreciate not only her expertise in her tablet weaving, dyeing,  fabric weaving, and garment construction, but enjoy her gentle, thoughtful and polite manner. She finds teaching rewarding because workshop participants appreciate and value her labour intensive techniques in a world where garments are often made to be discarded, rather than prized gems that one could be proud of and cherish.
Ocean Voyageur, Inge Dam. Handwoven, tablet woven embellishments, hand dyed. Photo credit: Inge Dam

Inge first attempted weaving in1982 with Edna Blackburn in Caledon East, an icon of weaving in Ontario. It took Inge a while to make weaving a habitual practice while she was raising her children, but in 1986 she decided to commit herself to obtaining her OHS Master Weaver Certification, which at the time was offered at Georgian College. Three semesters in an academic year made for a very rigourous and demanding weaving schedule. From 1990-92 she worked on her in-depth study to obtain her Master Weavers designation. She researched iron age textiles from Denmark 500 BC to 800 AD, inspired from the book Ancient Danish Textiles from Boggs and Burials: A Comparative Study of Costume and Iron Age Textile by Margaret Hald, which she had picked up  in a Danish museum shop.  Many of the textiles she saw were large pieces of fabric with tablet borders which is how she started creating her tablet borders and  inserts. The key technical innovation Inge brought to this technique, was to simultaneously do the card weaving strips while weaving the fabric, where traditionally they were done separately.

In the 1990s, Inge did some production weaving for a designer called Marilyn Blumer which lasted a year or two, weaving up to 45 yards of fur strips.  Since then, she has become more of ‘one of’ weaver and what I like to call, a weaver’s weaver. Inspiration is derived from several sources. She often looks through magazines and books, and takes many workshops from other people to keep her own creative juices flowing. The motifs for her card weaving are often inspired by Peruvian iconography as well as words and letters.  Inge dyes the warp herself using Procion MX dyes, often using silk, tencel and/or mercerized cotton. She selects a weave structure which she modifies. The weaving of the pattern is computerized which frees her up to concentrate on manipulating the tablets. With the inclusion of card weaving, the weaving process is slowed down considerably. She thinks it makes the weaving process more interesting and  keeps her engaged in a mindful way. The number of cards used varies for each yardage and she has used up to 66 cards per band in a fabric. Some fabrics have as many as 4 and up to 6 bands. Each yardage, usually about 5 yards, takes about ¾ of a year to complete. Once a yardage is completed, she submits it for a call for entry at Convergence, where they have often been exhibited and have received numerous awards. When they return from exhibition, she’ll move on to the next step of the process, creating a garment. The design for the garment comes after she has created the yardage and she has no idea what she’ll create with it when she starts out. The garment construction and design process is intuitive. She uses pre-existing patterns making adjustments and modifications and does all the sewing.
Inge at her loom. Photo credit: Inge Dam. 
In my mind, what distinguishes a professional weaver from an amateur, is one who takes her/him self and work seriously, and it’s not so much about how much weaving product one sells. Though she hasn’t sold any of her garments, she makes money because of them indirectly, for instance, by giving workshops, and doing trunk and fashion shows for weaving guilds. She also has an etsy shop where she sells smaller cost items. She has had a part time job doing income tax which allow her to weave for her fulfillment, growth and enjoyment rather than succumb to the pressures of production weaving and selling,  This approach enabled her to slowly build her inventory and reputation for her technical and creative endeavours. In addition, over the last 20 years, she has been writing articles on weaving for various publications, culminating in her most recent endeavour, a book entitled Tablet Woven Accents for Designer Fabrics: Contemporary Uses for Ancient Techniques on incorporating tablet weaving into yardage.  This book is available for sale from her website: www.ingedam.net. Inge does what she needs to do to promote herself, and what she is selling is her knowledge  about  and skill in, a specialized technical area of weaving, through her many workshops, exhibitions of her work, articles she writes, and now the book she has written.  She makes it clear that she could not have done this kind of precious work if she had had to have a full time job.

When she is not teaching workshops, Inge spends her days in her studio weaving, dyeing, and and/or creating a garment. Her time at the loom and in the studio is a sanctuary. Her work space is also modest, reserved, and humble. No wonder it’s such a surprise when you see her exuberant use of colour and the lavish and extravagant garments she creates. She talks quietly but her work speaks volumes. She often and easily sits at the loom from 8am to dinner time, preceded by a walk outdoors and stopping for lunch. She likes long uninterrupted periods of time at the loom and the ‘flow’ that happens as a result of such focused activity.  Though she is sparse and frugal with her words, she is effusive, dedicated and passionate in her weaving practice. She enjoys the solitude that her practice requires and the sense of autonomy that it imparts. Her weaving is deliberate, slow, meticulous, precise and requires that she pay attention to each weft and be exacting in every detail.

It was an honour and privilege to see Inge Dam’s woven yardage and garments when I interviewed her. Had Inge had other circumstances, she may have been a painter and artist -  for she is certainly a great colourist . Each yardage is a canvas. Each garment, a work of art. All the joy that weaving gives her, is transmitted in the fruits of her labours.  Each yardage and garment is a celebration conveying her happiness through her vibrant use of colour, which in turn, leaves one feeling completely in awe!

Inge Dam will be giving a 4 day workshop organized by the Toronto Weaving School at Burr House in Richmond Hill, August 10-13 2015. Please contact Line Dufour at linedufour.tapestry@gmail.com

© Line Dufour. All rights reserved. 

This article is part of ongoing series entitled The Woven Path. It features a person that uses weaving in their practice. Line teaches weaving at the Toronto Weaving School and is a practicing textile artist, currently exploring marrying new and unrelated technologies with weaving. 
She launched an international tapestry project entitled Fate, Destiny and Self Determination/Le Sort, Le Destin et L`Auto-Determination, co-created by 181 people from 19 countries. You can view the progress of the installation as well as view exhibitions, and the submissions received. on its Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fate-Destiny-and-Self-Determination-An-international-tapestry-project/194385150700425. The project is ongoing and you can still contribute to it by contacting linedufour.tapestry@hotmail.com

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

TABLET WEAVING WITH INGE DAM


CARD WOVEN EMBELLISHMED  FABRIC WEAVING 
with Inge Dam
August 10-13 2015

 Inge Dam is known for her meticulously crafted and artistically hand dyed woven yardages with card woven embellishment inserts,  from which she creates luxurious  garments . She has garnered many awards for her weaving and has taught extensively, in particular throughout the United States, including for many Convergence conferences, organized by the Handweavers Guild of America. She has recently authored a book on her techniques, Tablet-Woven Accents for Designer Fabrics Contemporary Uses for Ancient Techniques which you can purchase from her at any time.


Through her studies of ancient textiles Inge became fascinated with the concept of weaving tablet woven borders jointly with a piece of fabric on the loom. This technique was used on many of the ancient garments she  studied. Students will be introduced to this type of weaving through a brief introduction to its history and hands on practice. They will set up a loom with a simple weave structure and learn how to make a tablet warp and how to arrange it beside the fabric warp so the border and the fabric can be woven together using only one shuttle, rather than attached separately. The students will also be taught how to avoid tension problems between the border warp and the fabric warp and how to accommodate for the differences in the take up of the two weaves. A simple tablet weaving technique will be employed and the students will learn how to add embellishments to the tablet woven border, such as tassels, twining, beads at the edges and on the surface, braiding overlay, wrapped warp ends, loops, Ghiordes knots, and brocading.


Level of expertise : participants should know how to weave plain weave and 4-shaft straight twill.
Location: Burr House, 530 Carville Road, Richmond Hill
Time: 10am – 4pm
Maximum: 12
RSVP by July 31 2015
Cost: $350 plus $2 material fee

This workshop is a great opportunity to study with someone who is an internationally respected weaver which you should take advantage of. To take her courses in the US would cost you 10 times as much, what with the exchange rates, accommodation and transportation!

Direct questions to Line Dufour   linedufour.tapestry@gmail.com

 [] Send Cheque for $350 to Line Dufour,
25 Beckett Ave, Holland Landing L9N 1E6. t

WORKSHOP: A VARIETY OF DYES AND DYE TECHNIQUES


August 17-21 2015 Burr House, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

Students will be introduced to a variety of warp painting techniques and media using fabric paints, markers, Fibre Reactive dyes  and acid dyes.

An assortment of dye application methods will be demonstrated and practiced. Technical information regarding the mixing of dyes will also be discussed. Students will learn the basic procedures on Low Water Immersion, (LWI) with fibre reactive dyes. Students will learn to mix the dyes, and learn about chemical water, soda ash, batching and the necessity of safety precautions when using dyes. You will have the opportunity to also dye wool .


A limit of 15 lbs of yarn can be dyed. No other articles such as existing clothing are permitted except on the last day if we don’t want to waste remaining dye baths.  You will also be able to practice shibori techniques off loom either with a plain weave scarf that you have woven, otherwise there will be pre-woven silk scarves available for purchase either during or before the workshop. If you have yarn that is 100% polyester, this can also be dyed.

Maximum of 10 people.
$350.

Contact Line Dufour at linedufour.tapestry@gmail.com for more details.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Weave Structures


Marion Kirkwood
The  baby blankets were adapted from a pattern by Kathleen Farling called "A new look at threading M's and  O's" in Handwovern magazine, May/June 2010.They were done in 2/8 cotton.

There are many reasons we are drawn to weaving. For some, the loom itself has cast a sort of spell on us and we are forever at its whim, led on by its intriguing process. For others, colour and texture of the fibres marry themselves well with their weaving forays. Experienced weavers learn to fall under the spell of the ritual of preparing the loom for the project (called dressing the loom), a long and drawn out process.  Others still are mesmerized by pattern. If you've been weaving for any great length of time, you are already very familiar with tabby and twills, and have discovered by now that there is a vast array of patterns and structures, some with the weirdest names that one wonders who dreamed them up!

Andrew Winter found this online....a cardboard weaving loom! Where there is a will there is a way. 

Like Barley Corn, Huck, Bronson Lace,  M's and O's, Monk's Belt,  Damask, Satin, Taquete, Overshot, Crackle Weave, Summer and Winter,  Goose Eye, Repp Weave,  Doubleweave,    and these are only the tip of the iceberg. Where does one start to learn about all of them and get a sense of what they are and what you would use them for? 
Toshiko Shindo, 2/8 cotton placemats with Brooks Bouquet embellishment

One of the most basic books that gives you a somewhat dated description of many of the North American woven patterns, are described in the Handweavers Pattern Book by Marguerite Davison. There isn't really one definitive book on weave structures. Information I've gathered bit by bit, connecting the dots, through various strategies. One is simply by looking at Handwoven magazines and their projects. They clearly state what the weave structure is, along with the draft. I find that looking at how the threading is ordered, a good clue in determining what the weave structure is. The Weavers Companion gives  short concise descriptions and diagrams of various weave structures as well. Nowadays, it seems a new book comes out each week on just one individual weave structure. For instance,  a number have been published on Crackle Weave. Compiling  a  glossary of each weave structure with a definitions as you gain more experience in weaving, will help to reduce your confusion. Make it a point to try a different weave structure for each project you do. It's an experiential way of really learning what the weave structure is about, and its distinguishing characteristics. You can also learn about the different weave structures through the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners correspondence courses, which are inexpensive, though the materials required can get pricey. The Guild of Canadian Weavers is also another option . http://thegcw.ca/

Peter Harris, Kashmir weaving 

As we near the end of the weaving classes at Toronto Weaving School, a number of new developments. Toronto Weaving School is looking for a new location and a donation of space with lots of light would be ideal, if the universe can be so generous. I am also announcing that I am offering Skype weaving help assistance , as many of you feel you will go into withdrawal between the end of classes and next September. It's $60. for 60 minutes. You use up your minutes as you look....dispersed over the course of whatever length of time you need. Just to let you know though, I won't be available until July, as I'm off for Italy at the end of the session. 


WEAVING HAPPENINGS



Weave / We Are A Part of the Fabric, funded by Toronto and Ontario arts council is a project exploring Connectedness through the fibre arts. The FibreWebs Collective (Barb Aikman, Patricia Phelan, Peter Lakin and Raz Rotem) and Hair Artist Tanya Turton, collaborated with SKETCH Working Arts (an art organization serving youth on the margins) and Supporting Our Youth (SOY, at the Sherbourne Health Centre). Together we created a program offering LGBTQ2I youth the opportunity to explore the fibre arts (hair braiding, knitting, hooking, felting, weaving and spinning) and inspire new and better connections with one-self and with the community.
http://sketch.ca/weave-project-engages-youth-global-tradition-fibre-arts/#.VO6AdsaRk7A
http://sketch.ca/weave-project-invites-public-hook/#.VO6AxsaRk7A

Museum for Textiles - Textile Garage Sale
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=8239d203275f20ac4c9994bcf&id=86ae716d80&e=15600efaec

WEAVING TIPS
Louise Granahan sent this link along describing how to cut tshirts and fabrics so that it forms a continuous weft. Practical when you want to weave rag rugs and other kinds of rugs that feature a thick weft like repp weave rugs. We featured this tip last year but Louise discovered another source for it:
http://laughingpurplegoldfish.blogspot.ca/2008/06/no-join-method-of-cutting-fabric-strips.html

COURSES, WORKSHOPS,CONFERENCES
Natural Dye Printing at Sheridan College
https://caps.sheridancollege.ca/products/TXTL78002__NaturalDyePrinting.aspx

Alternative Methods of Dyeing: Rust Dyeing, Eco Printing, and Botanical Transfer
https://caps.sheridancollege.ca/products/TXTL78003__AlternativeMethodsIntroductionToRustdyeingEcoprintingAndBotanicalTransferprints.aspx

Handweavers of America Biannual Conference and doznes of workshops
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=e0549b65-acf9-4308-bfe4-afba2a61c2b3&c=6d09b6f0-35db-11e3-9c90-d4ae5275b1a5&ch=6dcc91c0-35db-11e3-9de2-d4ae5275b1a5

The Versatility of Fibre, Newfoundland Canada
October 14-18 2015
5 days of workshops and conference
http://www.fibreartsnl.ca/

Ontario Handweavers and Spinners, May 2015
http://panoply2015.ca/

Friday, May 1, 2015

Revitalizing Weaving Experiences

Historical velvet loom at the Fondazione Lisio, Florence, Italy. 

At the beginning of June, I will be off with a half dozen students, to take a one week workshop on historical jacquard weaving in Florence, Italy at the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio. Included in our workshop will be guided museum visits to see paintings that feature Renaissance jacquard woven fabrics, as well as other related historical artifacts. We will  learn about damasks, gros de tour, lisere effects, brocaded velvets, voided velvets, and many other weave structures as well as learning different ways of notating these complex weaves.  We will experience weaving  on a jacquard loom with the existing set up. I had already been there two years ago, but was so excited by what I saw there, that I had to let others experience this rare and privileged experience. Not just anyone can go, which makes it all the more a cherished event to look forward to. I'll be posting pictures of our excursions and textiles on the Toronto Weaving School Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toronto-Weaving-School/133004460075933 as well as writing about it on my blog over the next several months.  If you think you would like to come next time a trip is planned, please contact me and I will put you on the list. 


By the 12th century, Florence had become an important silk production centre, by the 15th, the Guild of Wool Merchants had become a powerful force that shaped the artistic and architectural direction of Florence, by commissioning for example, the Dome or “Duomo” of Santa Maria del Fiore by Brunelleschi. By the end of the century, The Guild of Silk Makers was the largest and most powerful corporation in the city of Florence because of the economic policies established by the Medici, favoring Florentine silk manufacturing.  

During this time Florence established a reputation for weaving silk also. There were at least 8 to 10 weave structures that weavers could specialize in. Each master weaver owned at least 3 looms, and sometimes up to 5. His wife and children also participated in the production of woven silk garments. Remuneration was based on the complexity of weaves. Women mainly wove taffetas (silk plain weave) and satins and were paid 5-8 piccioli per arms length. Brocaded velvets were woven exclusively by men and were paid 8 lire, while those who wove flattened boucle velvets were paid 22-25 soldi per arms length. My stay at the Fondazione Lisio for one week made me see how physically exerting it is to weave figured and voided velvets which made me understand why men had to weave them. 


Due to this rich textile heritage, Giuseppe Lisio (1870-1943) decided to produce luxury silk fabrics, inspired by historical textiles, documents and notations, books,  as well as from many Renaissance paintings/painters: painters like Botticelli, Cimabue, Ghirlandaio, Masaccio , Bronzino, Signorelli among others. These artists rendered the textiles so realistically that it’s clear to see  whoever commissioned these paintings took great pride in the textiles depicted, which conveyed their status and importance. I saw many of these paintings when I visited the Uffizi and a number of paintings really impressed me with the attention to detail  in portraying the fabrics: Bronzino’s Portrait of Grand Duchess Eleanore of Toledo with Son Giovanni, 1545 and, Botticelli’s Primavera.  There are many more paintings there to dazzle the textile enthusiast. 
  
Eleonore of Toledo with Son Giovanni, 1545, Bronzino. 
Photo credit: scan from the book Merchants, Princes and Painters: Silk Fabrics in Italian and Northern Paintings 1300-1550. Lisa Monnas.

Jacquard looms did not arrive in Florence until 1824, while in Lyon, by 1825, statistics show that they had 4200 jacquard looms in use. Giuseppe Lisio had these magnificent draw looms built according to Renaissance specifications and plans with the addition of a jacquard device. Over the years he had several stores that sold the fabrics he produced, and presently one remains open  in Rome. Commissions for liturgical vestments, from all over the world as well as the Vatican, movie and theatre costumes, upholstery, drapery, and wall coverings , fashion designers such as Versace, Valentino, Gucci and Fendi have been and are part of the Lisio repertoire. Movies such as The Agony and the Ecstasy with Charles Heston and Rex Harrison, The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (below) and more recently, The Pirates of the Carribean with Johnny Depp, have used fabrics from Lisio or commissioned fabrics from them. 

On the right, detail of the gown Elizabeth Taylor is wearing for the movie, The Taming of the Shrew. 

In 1971 Fidalma Lisio, Giuseppe’s daughter, formed the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, after purchasing the property it presently sits on, about a half hour from downtown Florence.  It took on an educational role: to teach and promote the manufacturing of art fabrics and various hand weaving techniques; to research and to collaborate on research with other individuals, groups and institutions such as museums, and universities; to organize conferences, exhibitions, shows; and to grant scholarships and awards for research as it relates to the Fondazione’s activities. Fondazione Lisio continues to take on commissions, while amateurs and professionals from all over the world come to study jacquard textile production. 

Bibliography
The Art of of Silk: A History of Silk Manufacturing in Tuscany . Daniella Degli’Innocenti, Mattia Zupo. 
One Hundred Years of Lisio Fabrics: 1906-2006. Paola Marabelli  and Serena Venturi. 
Merchants, Princes and Painters: Silk Fabrics in Italian and Northern Paintings 1300-1550. Lisa Monnas. 
© Line Dufour 2015


CALL FOR ENTRIES
Fiber Art Now


MAGAZINES THAT FEATURE WEAVING

Fiber Art Now http://fiberartnow.net/
In this current issue, a lot of tapestry weaving is featured (and often is). The international tapestry installation, Fate, Destiny and Self Determination/le sort, le destin et l'auto-determination, will be in the summer issue of this magazine. 

Fibre Focus
Quarterly magazine published the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners
comes with membership ($55 annually)

Handwoven


Textiles  
Talks. Presentations. Workshops. Exhibitions.

Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles/Centre de Textiles Contemporain de Montreal, 5800 rue St Dennis
Can't make it to Lisio but still want to learn about jacquard weaving (among other things)? Sign up for a one week workshop (in English)  taking place over the next couple of months. The main difference is that in these courses you learn the programming for jacquard weaving.  It is a cathedral of looms and exciting to see the weaving space filled with so many different kinds of looms. http://www.textiles-mtl.com/en/classes-de-maitre/

Ontario College of Art and Design University
Be sure to check out the fibre art at this year end exhibition of student work THIS WEEKEND ONLY.  Ask where the textile department is situated ( or do they call it material arts? ).....there will be some fibre related art or work that references fibre practices and techniques throughout the premises. 
http://www2.ocadu.ca/event/6451/ocad-universitys-100th-graduate-exhibition-gradex


Royal Ontario Museum
Fran Gurwitz let us know about this: 
Textiles are a vibrant expression of Mexico's enduring cultural legacy. Continually evolving, they combine remarkable technical skill with exquisite artistry, and reflect the diversity and achievements of Mexico's many civilizations over thousands of years. Curator Chloë Sayer, the world’s foremost expert on Mexican textiles will take us on a whirlwind tour of this fascinating and beautiful country, as seen through its stunning and varied costumes.
¡Viva México! Clothing and Culture opens at in the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume on May 9, 2015.
This event includes a post-event reception.
Speaker
Chloë Sayer is a freelance specialist in Mexican art and culture. In 2010 and 2012 she was the Veronika Gervers Research Fellow in Textiles and Costume History at the ROM; now she is a Research Associate with the Textiles section of the ROM's Department of World Cultures. She has made ethnographic collections for the British Museum, and has worked on television documentaries for the UK's Channel 4 and the BBC. Her many books include Arts and Crafts of Mexico (1990), Textiles from Mexico (2002), and Fiesta: Days of the Dead and Other Mexican Festivals(2009). She has also written Mexico: Clothing & Culture to accompany the current exhibition.
http://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/viva-mexico-clothing-and-culture

Museum for Textiles, Toronto
The Textile Museum of Canada is pleased to present Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol from May 2 to October 4, 2015. This acclaimed exhibition offers a fascinating overview of textile design by some of the world’s most celebrated artists including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Sonia Delaunay, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, and Alexander Calder. With over 200 printed works on fabric, fashion and accessories – many on public display for the first time – Artist Textiles brings to Canadian audiences work representing the breadth of art movements such as Fauvism, Cubism, Constructivism, Modernism, Surrealism and Pop Art, as well as the work of leading fashion designers and textile manufacturers.

Highlighting the artists’ use of textiles as a medium for combining art and mass production, the exhibition shines new light on creative practice across the twentieth century in Europe and North America. “Artist Textiles tells us so much about the breadth of artists’ intention and imagination, even for those we think we know quite well,” says TMC Executive Director Shauna McCabe. “That names such as Picasso, Matisse and Warhol produced such sophisticated designs for use in everyday life suggests that their professional worlds were much more varied than one might expect. Clearly, the intersection of art and design has consistently engaged artists – modern to conceptual to contemporary.”

Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol is circulated by the Fashion and Textile Museum, London, UK and is on view at the TMC May 2 – October 4, 2015. The Textile Museum of Canada is located in downtown Toronto (55 Centre Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2H5) and is open daily 11-5 pm, Wed 11-8 pm. Visit www.textilemuseum.ca for more information on all of our exhibitions and programs.


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Chair caning (weaving for furniture) with Donna Kim at Edge of Your Seat. Go to the link below to find out when classes will be happening 
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=6cabba50e96aa5ed24a3c303f&id=f7b6bf8eb2&e=8dfe32aed3
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Slow Fiber Studios Presents:
Jiro Yonezawa
Bamboo Sculptural Artisan from Japan
Various Dates: July 25th - August 22, 2015
Join us in welcoming Jiro Yonezawa by attending a series of lectures, workshops and exhibitions at our World Shibori Network headquarters and the Slow Fiber Studios Workshop Space in Berkeley, CA this July and August. 

Jiro Yonezawa has been a bamboo sculptural artisan for 35 years. He completed his training at Oita Prefectural Beppu Industrial Art Research Institute in Japan and apprenticed with Ono Makakatsu. He has had numerous solo exhibitions and has shown in exhibitions in the United States, Japan, and Europe, such as SOFA New York and SOFA Chicago.

This May he will be awarded a special prize (tokusho) from the Japan Contemporary Craft Exhibition (Nippon Shinkogeiten), held in Tokyo. His work has been selected twice for the prestigious Japan Nitten National Fine Arts Exhibit, and is in many public and private collections. From 1998-2008 Jiro lived in the United States, he now resides and works in his hometown in southern Japan. For more info about this event - https://www.robly.com/archive?id=ed4db32b4216dc938f4ef42e970a6dc4

FINAL NOTE
In the past few years I have had the privilege of teaching weaving to some very distinguished artists and art teachers (in my estimation), for example, Derek Sullivan http://jessicabradleyinc.com/artist/derek-sullivan,


and more recently, Phillippe Blanchard, also a full time professor at OCADU. 
His sister has a goat farm in the outaouis region and produces cashmere yarn from goats, among other things. Here is a link: