Beginning Inkle Weaving
Beginner
Required Skills:
None
Class Length:
Full Day
Class Times:
Friday, 9 am to 12 pm
Friday, 2 pm to 5 pm
The inkle loom is a simple tool for weaving useful everyday items. In this workshop, students will learn the techniques and artistry of inkle weaving from someone with over 4 decades as an exclusive inkle loom weaver. Students will have the opportunity to look at samples and graphic aids to learn how to use elements of color theory and pattern design to create endless variations on their own. They will also learn two methods of creating patterns using a free online tool and a chart-paper method. They will then warp and weave the designs they create or ones supplied by the instructor. Students will learn tips for warping, making heddles, fixing mistakes, starting and stopping, and keeping selvages straight. They will also learn how to temporarily remove and replace the warp, as well as how to cut the final project off the loom and handle it when it is complete.
Registration Fees:
For FTWG Members: $170
For all others: $200
Materials Fee:
$5
Materials Fee Includes:
Handouts
Registration Fees are paid when you register to attend the FTWG Conference. Materials fees are paid directly to the instructor at the beginning of class. You should plan to pay the materials fee in cash.
- Inkle loom
- 30 heddles to fit the loom
- 6" to 8" belt shuttle
- Sharp scissors
- Note-taking materials
At the age of seventeen, Annie MacHale first discovered the inkle loom, sparking a lifelong love affair. She built her first loom in 1976 with the help of her dad and a library book. Since then she’s woven miles of bands including over 1,100 guitar straps. She loves to play with color and pattern and finds the inkle loom a very satisfying way to do this. Annie is known to many through her blog, ASpinnerWeaver.com. The popularity of her patterns shared there has led to the 2019 publication of a book, “In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design Inspiration for Inkle Weavers”. This was followed by another book in 2021, “Three-Color Pickup for Inkle Weavers: A Modern Look at an Ancient Baltic-Style Technique” in which she shares a rare, older Lithuanian technique that has fallen out of use.
These photos were provided by the instructor to demonstrate the experience of taking this class.
