Scarf woven by Line Dufour
The spring weaving class session has started and the excitement and vitality among the students is energizing and stimulating as most are eager to undertake their respective projects or get them done before the spring session is over. Many, including myself, have had our share of weaving disasters ....and we have been happily sharing our mishaps. When I was sharing mine with Sandi Nemenyi a little while ago, she said that Cara Perry, the previous weaving instructor before me, used to say that you are a beginner with each new project. One way one could avoid that is using the same fibre all the time and making the same thing over and over again. Most of us don't want to do that.
The Community Threads tapestries continue and I am glad to report that enthusiasm is not waning in my absence. I visit them in Alliston once a month to discuss and assist in whatever way I can. Linda said they were deciding to create new designs and cartoons and she sent me some photos of some of the new possibilities as well as how much weaving they have accomplished thus far. They are choosing new designs and will be creating new cartoons to replace some of the preliminary cartoons. We are pleased that Jackie has done a wonderful job of weaving the section depicting the Fletcher monument, who are the founders of Alliston. A photo of their home is also included and was one of the first homes in Alliston. A plaque explains the history of the home. Included are photos of St.John's United Church in New Tecumseth.
A new tapestry adventure entered my life this week. An antique dealer named Richard came by with a historical verdure Flemish tapestry that is at least 300 years old. He has asked me to restore parts of it and to have it hang better than it does. I’ve selected a team of weavers to help me do some of the restoration work.
Our 8 week Painted Warp workshop is exciting and stimulating. We invited a guest co-instructor, Barbara Hilts, who is a renowned and talented silk painter and artist. We prepared warps to be dyed using mostly tencel, and some bamboo. We created our first low immersion dyed warp last Wednesday. This week we learned more about how to put colours together, sources of inspiration, and went over some technical details and preparations. Next week we look forward to doing some gradation dyeing on our warps.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was invited to the Pomegranate Guild in Toronto. I received this email from Rikki, person who hosted me:
Dear Line, What a lovely post you wrote in your blog! I am so impressed with the extensive research you made about the significance of the pomegranate! Very impressed! Your description of the meeting was very sweet. You truly captured the essence of our group. Your hostess, btw, is the president of the guild, and she was very happy to extend a warm welcome to you. As I told you I really love your work. Your choice of colours is magical. But more than that the colours and the designs come from a deep well of emotions and imagery that transcend verbal interpretation. And this is what I and the rest of the group responded to. You very rightly wrote that the fit was wonderful. When people of true faith come together, it doesn't mean that they have the same acts of observance, what matters is that they live true spiritual lives. You taught us a great deal that night. Not only about weaving and overcoming hard times, but also about listening to the voices of our creativity and following our hearts. We all felt the resonance of your words, and were inspired to continue in whatever art we do."Love and respect was palpable in this room: love of people, love of textiles, love of art and creativity."How very perceptive of you to capture our essence. Congratulations about having your work appear on a cover of a book! I am sure that it will give a lot of pleasure to many people for a very long time. It was a real pleasure to meet you and see your amazing work! Rikki.
Toronto Weaving School Summer program
The summer one week kasuri/ikat courses are full, although the July 9-13 week can take a couple of more registrants. Cost is $250 payable immediately. The Designing for Tapestry has only 3 registrants so far. We need more registrants if this course is to run. For more details go to:
http://weavingworkshops.blogspot.ca/ or email me. We are already planning our Summer 2013 courses. We will be happy to receive your suggestions, and we are inviting submissions to teach. Please contact me to know more details.
Photo: scarf by Debbie Harris in shadow weave.
Buy, Sell, trade, donate, give, looking for......
http://www.sistering.org is always looking for donations for weaving, knitting, sewing. Contact them to know more details.
We need dry cleaner clear bags.
Toronto Weaving School needs more more table looms (donate, or buy)
For sale: a drum carder pictured below. Best offer. Address enquiries to me.
Events, Websites and Resources to check out.
• Susan Abrams is asking us to attend the Textile Museum of Canada’s ‘Garage Sale’ in May. The link gives you more details.
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8239d203275f20ac4c9994bcf&id=1cda020df9&e=15600efaec
• A tapestry blog worth checking out:
http://www.debbieherd.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/australian-tapestry-workshop-masters-of.html
• Michele Dubois sends this along:
Creativ Festival - Spring 2012 (April 27-28):
http://www.csnf.com/s12_index.html
2. 14th Annual Toronto Knitter's Frolic (April 28-29):
http://www.downtownknitcollective.ca/dkc_frolic.html . While on the subject of knitting, check out Arlene Williams own knitting website....a new weaver to our class -
http://webhome.idirect.com/~quanah/.
• Fran Gurwitz informs me of this exhibit at the Design Exchange:
www.dx.org/index.cfm?pagePath=Exhibitions/Current_Exhibitions&id=19195
• Anne Vagi sent how to create easy to do patterned Easter eggs:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/16f3Kj/www.ourbestbites.com/2012/03/silk-dyed-eggs-aka-tie-dyed/
• An email from Kenny Dalsheimer, the director of the following movie sent this email:
We are happy to announce that "A Weaverly Path: The Tapestry Life of Silvia Heyden" is available for purchase on our website. We have DVD and Blu ray versions of the film for Home Use, Non-Profits/Weavers Guilds, and Universities/Institutions. We also have a limited number of DVD/Book Bundles which include the film and a signed copy of Silvia's book, The Making of Modern Tapestry.
http://aweaverlypath.com/
More finished projects from the Toronto Weaving School
Scarf by Judy Hardy
Afghan by Karen Sinclair
2/16 tencel woven scarf in an 8 shaft plaited twill by Marion Kirkwood who is off to South Africa for 3 weeks.
A sweater knitted by Darlene Haywood over 20 years ago using Mano yarn. She’s kept the leftover yarn all these years and used it to make woven/felted scarves.
A rag rug by Joan McKenzie. Not sure what the socks are doing there.....maybe she knit them? To anyone sending pictures, make sure that you give me enough details and that it is well presented.
The summer was busy for me because I received a grant from the Ontario Arts council to collaborate with the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners to design and launch the weaving of 12 tapestries depicting the community of New Tecuseth. I invited this guild to join me at the opening reception of my own solo exhibtion of tapestries entitled Wholeness, and to officially launch the Community Threads tapestry project. The tapestries will be woven by guild members, visitors, guests, and members of other organizations and institutions over the coming years. When the tapestries are completed, a self guided tour brochure will assist visitors in seeing the tapestries at different venues in the municipality. The picture above shows a part of my more recent tapestries at this exhibit.
Our weaving class is definitely the 'happy place' for many of us. I couldn't resist taking this picture this week as there was a full line up of table loom weavers. From left to right, Mimma, Justine, Jane, Phyllis, Sandi, Agota and Emily at the back who just started with us this week. 
Many of the returning students completed projects over the summer. In this photo, a beautiful shawl woven by Agota Dolinay. She used 18/2 merino for warp and some very fine yarn from Habu in the weft. The pattern was one that most have overlooked and taken from The Handweavers Pattern Book (Davison). Its called Indian March and is on page 38. There is so much going on in it.
Anther finished project....this 2/8 cotton scarf in M's and O's by Mimma Draga. This is Mimma's first project and her edges are near impeccable. She is definitely a natural born weaver.
Wendy Szpindel came back eager to share her summer projects. She explored an undulating twill which we clearly see in the white piece. In the foreground, is a study of using variations with colour and treadling with the same threading. A very good study indeed. Wendy and her sister Leslie seem to be going in the direction of creating wall hangings.
This week Sandi Dunn came in wearing a Halloween outfit. I applaud her fearlessness! She is wearing a fascinator by David Dunkley who is a millner in Toronto and has a shop at 998 Bathurst Street. The business is called KC Hats. 
Gwen Tooth has recently joined our weaving class. Gwen is a practicing artist as well as administrator and teacher, and has been painting for many years. She is currently part of an exhibition opening this weekend. WOMEN IN ABSTRACTION ART EXHIBIT Beaux-Arts Brampton Art Gallery, http://www.beaux-artsbrampton.com/ 70 Main Street North, Brampton. 905-454-5677 Dates: June 21 to July 2, 2011-05-23 Reception Date: Saturday, June 25, 12 noon to 3 pm Regular Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 12 noon to 6 pm; Saturdays, 9 am to 3 pm
Kate Kitchen completed these two small tapestries of landscapes while in the weaving class. It takes little detail to convey the illusion of a recognizable scene, surprisingly enough. These were both woven at 10 epi and she used Paternayan yarn. They still take a considerable amount of time to complete eventhough they are small.
We have such an amazing group of talented people and I must say I am truly proud of what people can accomplish in this class. This is a bamboo shawl woven by Lis Bastion. To see it in reality is startling in a good way. The shawl is beautifully woven in a Diamond Twill pattern. Twills are difficult to weave well believe it or not. Your tension has to be very consistent throughout and when it isn't, it really shows. Being stressed can really wreak havoc with our weaving but Lis managed to be cool and consistent despite having a very busy and demanding work life! In addition, this is Lis' first project after her sampler. Bravo Lis! It is a remarkable accomplishment!
I apologize in advance that this is not the best photograph. Dark colours can be hard to capture, and in addition the warp and weft do not have high contrast. This was a very subtle overshot shawl using turquoise and mauve Briggs & Little yarn woven by Marion Kirkwood. It is an unusual pattern taken from the Handweavers Pattern Book.
We don't often post pictures of our weaving students and I'm not sure that people do want themselves posted on this website. This picture of Anne was taken by Ellen and she submitted it to me to post for our magazine blog for the class. This will be Anne's first project on a floor loom and when we last saw her she was looking rather disheartened and feeling a little overwhelmed by the project she choose to do: a doubleweave cape in fine yarns. A lot of threads to thread for sure! It's quickly forgotten though once you get weaving!
Barbara Brown very kindly brought in this pink suit woven by her grandmother, and the jacket is modeled here by Jutta. It was beautifully tailored and it was hard to tell that it was handmade.
