Jan 24 2008
:Looming About:
My childhood fascination with making potholders during long car trips… my new-found love of all things fiber-y and textile-y… a deep-seated desire to simply create…All of these things contribute to my excitement about the upcoming weekend: I am going to learn how to weave!
~
The weekend workshop has been on the books for months, and tomorrow evening, my friend E and I will be going to The Mannings Handweaving School in rural Pennsylvania for a weekend of fiber education. Our class is small and very hands-on. We are staying on-site at the school’s housing and we definitely be steeped in the weaving – and the yarns. I am planning to leave extra room in the car for some “supplies” that I will be bringing home with me…
I do hope that my mind (and my hands) just click with weaving – I have a feeling that my desire to learn will just take over. When I am really into something, I spend great amounts of time researching it, and learning more about it. I did that for knitting, and I know weaving will be the same way.
[Please click for descriptions]
I have been greatly inspired by the many weavers on Flickr and on several weblogs, namely The Daily Purl, Spin | Knit, sweetgeorgia, and IndiKnits. Although I don’t have a loom yet, and have not learned all of the terminology, it appeals to me in every way. I love the functionality of woven fabric and the textural qualities. I am drawn to the simplest of patterns, and this brings me hope: maybe I can actually produce something like this soon.
This weekend is going to be fabulous. I just know it.
…when you see me again, I will be a weaver…
Have fun with your learning adventure. I have also been toying with the idea of learning to weave.
Arrrrrgggghhh…I can see the weaving rubbing off on me soon too. Soon I’m going to have to find a job that pays me more and move into a bigger apartment. :-p
Have fun with your new hobby!
BTW, I’ve nominated you for the You Make My Day award. Details over at my blog.
When is the sign-up for Project Specturm 3.0?
You’re going to love weaving. I just started myself, and just from taking a beginner class, I loved it so much that it galvanized my decision to apply to grad school for textiles. It’s so intuitive, the cloth just seems to flow from your hands. And if you happen to play the piano, the mechanics of the loom will make a ton of sense to you, because it’s very similar to how a piano is constructed! Have a fabulous time, and welcome to the world of weaving!
Have fun! I love weaving. My loom currently does not have room in the house to live. My husband says as soon as the addition is up, there will be dedicated loom space.
The set up can be difficult but the sliding of the shuttle back and forth is very soothing.
Have a wonderful time – I look forward to hearing & seeing your adventure when you return. Isn’t it amazing how simple childhood crafts can lead to adult passions? Who didn’t love the loop weaving – Artisan Dad still has a potholder from me as a coaster at work.
Ohh I am so jealous – that is the one craft I would love to do, but a loom is so out of my budget! Good on you! Have fun and tell us all about it!!!
Welcome to south-central PA! The Mannings is my LYS and I’m betting you will love it. Enjoy your visit…
I loved weaving. I loved my floor loom. I loved every part of it, even the sore forehead that would arise when I leaned my head onto the loom to warp it. Hours counting and separating, making sure that when the appropriate heddle would rise, the pattern would emerge and be lovely.
I’m jealous, and not ashamed to admit it!!! Enjoy your time, you will emerge full of excitement and wonder.
And y’know——- wondrous floor looms do come in boxes small enough to get into a car. And if not? UHaul can always rent a trailer.
that sounds like SO much fun! enjoy it! i’m envious! and of course (not that i need to request it), take LOTS of photos!!!!
oh how i envy you! more than spinning, i’ve always wished i had the opportunity to learn to weave – we have a handweavers guild here in hawaii….i’m so looking forward to an update on the workshop and seeing some of the “supplies” you acquire, and of course your handiwork! i love sweetgeorgia too!
We’ll miss you at ATS Friday night, but wow, what great fun you’ll have at The Mannings. I bought my Knitters Loom last year and it’s such a wonderful diversion from knitting. The blending of colors is so drastically different, that I forget about knitting when I’m totally engrossed in my weaving. Have fun and good luck!
OOh, enjoy! I learned to weave from my great Aunt in Wisconsin. Every time I see her loom folded up at my Aunt’s as a historical display (which we can’t touch), my hands itch to be doing Bethlehem star or something simpler.
I hope that you have a wonderful time and pick up many valuable skills along the way. Learning other skills can definitely enhance or lend a new perspective to the crafts that you’re already doing. Just don’t forget about all of your knitting patterns and stash right away, ok?
soooooooooooooo jealous.
That sounds like a fabulous weekend! I learned to weave last fall and I love it. Can’t wait to hear about your class experience.
I can’t wait to hear about it! I love the look of woven fabric, but I have not the slightest clue about weaving. I hope to learn through your learning process!!! Have fun!
The Mannings is a great place. Have fun!
Have fun and good luck!
How wonderful! Learning to weave is on my to-do list, right after learning to spin.
Oh, lucky you! I learned to weave when I was really young, about 8-9 years old. I took a course with my friend and we made some rugs and table mats. But I wish I would have the time to take it up again!
You can’t go wrong with Tom as a teacher. He’s the best. I retired from The Mannings a couple years ago but am up there a lot. I’d love to meet you. Perhaps I’ll run up Sat and have lunch with the group.
How lovely, I’m excited for you – hope it is a wonderful new craft for you
Jealous!!! That looks amazing! I used to make hundreds of those loop potholder things……
That’s so GREAT!! I’m dying to learn to weave, but being honest with myself, I know it will be a few years. I want to be a better spinner first, and a more well-rounded knitter. But it will happen, oh yes
I’m very excited for you and can’t wait to read about your class!
have fun!
Oooo! Sounds like a fun weekend! Enjoy learning all that great new stuff – I’ll bet you take to it quickly.
Ooh, I visited the Mannings a few months ago, it’s wonderful there. You’re going to have a blast. Wheels and looms and yarn everywhere. Also, many cats.
What a great weekend you will have, all that weaving sounds wonderful! Could I just pass on one of those make my day awards to you like I got on my blog? x
I’ve been seduced by the weaving bug over the past few months, and it’s definitely addictive. Enjoy!
Hi Lolly! I nominated you as one of the ten bloggers who “Make My Day”. You can check it out on my blog. Don’t feel obligated to pass it on if you don’t have time. I know you’ve already gotten a bunch of these. But that’s just because you make so many of our days.
Good luck! Weaving is a great fun and wonderful craft, I love it a lot. You may inspire me to sit at my loom again this Spring! *^v^*
Sounds wonderful! And the photos you show are amazing. I’ve got a rigid heddle loom and I’ve just started playing with it again after a long hiatus. I’m wondering why I ever stopped!
Hi! I was nominated for the “you make my day” award, and now I’m passing it on to you. The rules are as follows: “Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on.”
PS: Can’t wait to hear about how the weaving trip went!
You will make a fantastic weaver! And seriously, if you’re even half as inspiring to the weavers of the world as you are to the knitters out there, then they are lucky to have you! Can’t wait to see your creations!
Oo lucky u! I have been wanting to learn how to weave also – just got to find the money. Have fun, and can’t wait to see what you weave!
You will LOVE weaving! I learned how a year ago, to be able to weave my daughter’s tallit (prayer shawl) for her bat mitzvah this year.
I’m doing an undulating twill in silk, and it’s fab.u.lous.
Enjoy your endeavor!
Have a great time! I have been to Mannings to see exhibits and to buy yarn. I have avoided taking any courses as I have enough “hobbies” to more than take up all my time and money!!
That sounds great! Have a fantastic time.
Can’t wait to read what you have to share after your weekend away.
Oh, how cool! Have fun learning to weave! One of these days I would really like to learn to weave (and pretty much anything else that relates to the fibery arts), but I think my next fiber-related endeavor will be spinning. But I will be looking forward to seeing your forays into weaving!
…how exciting!
How exciting – hope you have a wonderful time! There is nothing so wonderful as learning something new – I feel about knitting the way you feel about weaving. Good luck – hope it is everything you want it to be and more!
I love it! Wish I had room in my little apartment for a loom. Have fun.
Yay! Does this mean we’ll get weaving content too?! I’ve been so interested in weaving lately, and I’m excited to see what you do with your newfound skill.
I gave you a “You Make My Day” award on my blog!
You can get a button there so that you can pass it on to others who make your day.
You make my day!
I’m looking forward to seeing what you will be doing in the wonderful world o’ weaving. Enjoy your time!
I hope you are having an amazing time and the weaving is steeping in through your very pores.
I hope the weekend was a lot of fun! My grandmother, a knitter, also learned to weave and had a ginormous loom (she could weave fabric up to 4 feet across). She made such wonderful things. I would watch her weave when I was young and spending a week with her in the summer. She never let me watch her thread the loom with the warp yarn as she said that activity often led her to use words she didn’t want her grand-daughter hearing. So, if you find threading the warp threads a bit fussy, don’t be too concerned.
how exciting! I hope your weekend was fun, and I am sure a loom is in your near future.
Can’t wait to see the results of your weekend class. I’m sure, like everything you do, they’ll be beautiful. I love the results of weaving, but the equipment is so space consuming! Plus, I think my husband will leave me if I pick up another hobby
Lovely pictures – I’m very jealous.
How do you get your pictures to come up as a mosaic-like big image??? It looks fabulous.
so much gorgeous weaving inspiration in this mosaic!! this is has been something i’ve wanted to learn for a long time too. i still kick myself for not taking a loom class when i could have done it in undergraduate… the only reason i didn’t sign up was that the class was at 8am!! sigh… i want to go back and just shake my lazy 20-year-old self!!
can’t wait to see what you create. xo
Isn’t sweetgeorgia divine?! I’m dreadfully behind on blog reading, but I was so excited to stumble onto this one. I’m so glad you’re learning to weave. I expect to learn tons from you.
xoxo