If you’ve been following my Taking Back Friday channel for some time, you’ll know that I’m quite obsessed with weaving. I love weaving. I love weaving with my own hand-dyed and handspun yarns; whatever it has been, I’ve really enjoyed weaving from the moment I first tried it. And today, I want to show you my very first handwoven project… the thing that I made at the very start when I was learning how to weave on a 4-shaft loom.
I’m passionate about trying to encourage people to try weaving because when they discover it, when they finally sit down at the loom, the comment I often hear is “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this”. But as you know, one of the big challenges to weaving is getting access to equipment or expertise – figuring out how everything works. How do you get to a piece of cloth at the end of the day? So in today’s vlog episode, I want to talk about how you can get started with weaving and all the places you can take it.
Beyond talking about weaving, I feel like the next step is being able to do it alongside you. Using the new Weaving Twills on 4-Shafts course at the School of SweetGeorgia, we have a new Weaving Study Group starting in January! If you’re interested in joining me for this study group, I really encourage you to join the School now to start looking at some of the classes already published. I’ve listed suggestions at the study group page for how to warm up and get prepared. I hope you’ll join us!
I would also love to hear from you… tell me about your own experiences with learning how to weave for the very first time. I’d love for you to share in the comments!
IN THIS EPISODE
- what I’m wearing in today’s video: I’m wearing the Veronika Cardigan design by Shannon Cook, and I knit mine using 8 skeins of our SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted in Mink.
- what I mention in today’s video: Here are links to items talked about and shown in today’s vlog…
- Some of the looms mentioned in the video are: Ashford Sample-It Rigid Heddle loom, Leclerc Dorothy 15″ 4-Shaft table loom, and the Ashford Table Loom 8-Shaft.
- The three handwoven twill blankets shown in the video were made on the Leclerc Mira II 4-Shaft Counterbalance floor loom. All blankets have the same Gist Beam Natural warp, and the weft yarns are: Gist Beam in Dandelion, Lighthouse single sock blank, and Flaxen Silk Fine in Magician. These patterns are available as part of the new Weaving Twills on 4-Shafts class.
- I first learned how to weave at Places des Arts in Coquitlam, BC. The yarn I used in my sampler was Maurice Brassard Québécoise 2-ply wool, which is a great weight for learning how to weave
- want to learn more about weaving and the fibre arts? I encourage you to come visit all of the weaving content available at the School of SweetGeorgia (SOS) for all different levels of weavers and fibre arts makers! If you are first learning to weave, start with our beginner Essential Weaving course, and also the Multishaft Weaving Basics course. If you have a rigid heddle loom, we also have a Rigid Heddle Weaving Basics course available. For new members to the School, use the code: CRAFTWITHUS to get 14-day access for only $1!
