The photo above, taken by Dale Wilson, shows some of the samples woven by the St Louis guild during their workshop in February, 2000.

Weave pictures without tapestry or inlay, using 8 or more shafts. Start with a profile draft and block substitution, then add shadings, fine lines, and details, then work on developing longer designs. Weave a logo, a name, an animal, or place graphics on fabric for clothing. Summer and winter threadings can be used for lace weaves, rugs, turned drafts, woven on opposites, as polychrome, and taquete. An on-loom workshop for 8 or more shafts, each weaver stays at her own loom. Weavers need to bring graph paper and pencil or a computer. I will bring my laptop and I need a data projector to use for demonstrations. Instruction will cover several weaving techniques and also designing for special projects. 3 days only

3. Opposites Attract

4. Advance!

Explore a nifty technique for producing long but easily remembered sequences, great for threadings and/or treadlings. Blocks and curves in many weaves can advance or descend. These blocks usually overlap, giving soft edges to lines of design. Explore advancing: twills, overshot, point twills, network drafted sequences, crackle, and echo weave. Blocks can advance by many steps or just a few, with varied effects. These threadings work with many tie-ups and treadlings to make large-scale drafts with very big design potential. Intermediate to advanced level; work at your own loom. Teaching is at the 8-shaft level; some workshop looms may have 4 but treadling options are more limited with only 4 shafts. Looms with more than 8 are welcomed. 3 days, or 2 with fewer structures.

5. Design with Textures

Flowing curves add movement to woven designs. Compare several different techniques for weaving three-dimensional fabrics with the added challenge of creating curves in the design. Your samples will include cloth with decorative ridges on one face, with puffy designs on the front and back, and puffs with flat fabric on the reverse. Make stretchy fabrics with the desired amount of elasticity, and inelastic fabrics with raised or fuzzy design areas. My emphasis is on forms of double weave and stitched double cloth. Intermediate through very advanced level. Workshop looms with 8 or more shafts, for shared use. 3 to 5 days. Materials fee: $5.00 (for special weft yarns)

6. The Big Overshot 2 or 3-day, on-loom

Overshot is a familiar traditional weave associated with sweet patterns. What happens when this twill-based structure meets all the new concepts coming from twills? Advancing overshot is one way to make large-scale designs without increasing the length of the floats. Explore the advantages of overshot and give an old friend a new place to grow. We will use new, decidedly nontraditional threadings with many different tie-up and treadling options. Overshot threadings are great for collapse fabrics, loom-controlled shibori, velveteen, deflected double weave, honeycomb,lace, and swivel. For intermediate to advanced weavers using 8 or more shafts at home, this workshop can accept some 4-shaft looms. Work at your own loom.

7. Creative Drafting with FiberworksPCW

Learn the basics of this powerful weaving software. I have been using it since 1990 and can show you the easiest way to get started, plus lots of short-cuts. A computer classroom in a school or college or workplace is ideal for this workshop. Each participant should have a computer, and I need a data projector for my laptop. This can be a 2-day or 3-day workshop. I also teach a 1-day workshop, Introduction to FiberworksPCW, and a 1-day Power with FiberworksPCW on power tricks and tips for FiberworksPCW. I offer individual tutoring with FiberworksPCW and also with WeavePoint, exchanging drafts with students on the Internet while talking by phone or Skype or email, for $30 per hour.

8. Catch the Curve

Network drafting is a powerful tool for weavers. I have my own way of explaining and using this great tool for making all sorts of designs without long floats. Starting with 8-shaft twills, the theory will be extended to 4-shaft twills and 6, 12, 16, and more shafts. Network drafting is great for double weave, satin, point twills, laces, and other structures. Learn the relationship between advancing twills and network drafting. My approach is particularly good for looms with treadles. Lectures alternate with time for weaving. The 4-shaft material is fascinating but not all techniques will work with 4. Participant should have an interest in using 8 or more shafts. Workshop looms need at least 4 shafts, preferably 6 or more; stay at your own loom. Level is intermediate through very advanced: you need to know how to read and write a draft. The 2-day version omits some of the material from the 3-day version but can be arranged.

9. Loom-Controlled Imagery 3-day, on-loom

Weave images without pick-up, inlay, or a Jacquard loom. Compare different weave structures to see how the interlacement compliments the image. Explore the difference between warp-faced images, weft-faced, or balanced weaves. Work with profile drafts and add details and shading. Weave words, motifs, and landscapes. Combine woven imagery with painted or printed warps or wefts. Samples will help you explore summer and winter, polychrome tied weaves, taquete, swivel, turned versions of each of these techniques,and also imagery with network drafted twills. 3-day workshop, Advanced-intermediate through very advanced. Looms must have at least 8 shafts, and the drafts are for table, dobby, or computer-assisted looms. Laptop may be substituted for loom if you are comfortable using your weaving software, and shared computer-assisted looms are good.