Weaving, spinning and Historical Interpretation
The winter/spring classes at the Fiber Loft have been posted! Here’s a shortened version with just the spinning and weaving classes that I’m teaching.
I’m also teach a drop spindle class at the 5 March Fiber Day at the Wayland Farmer’s Market. If you’d like to sign up for that, you can do so here.
Private lessons are always available, either in person or on Zoom! Contact me if you’re interested.
What’s new? I’ve been teaching classes on Zoom and have recently joined the ranks of YouTubers!
It’s so nice to be back to teaching after these months of separation. I’ve really missed it! I’ve been teaching beginning and advanced beginning weaving classes as well as some specialized topics. The beginning and advanced beginning classes are 5 sessions, 2 hours each. We cover a different step of the weaving process in each session, and students complete that step as homework. Project planning, drafting, tips & tricks, weaving equipment and finishing techniques are also covered, at the appropriate level.
Teaching on Zoom has its own challenges, but that’s part of the fun. Teaching from my own studio means I have all my own tools right at hand. I do the exercises along with my students using a mix of live demos, videos, show & tell and lecture based instruction. Connecting my phone as well as my computer camera to the Zoom session enables me to show different views to focus on the action.
My students also often connect their phones so they can show me their looms and what they are doing. Sometimes it gets pretty funny trying to describe what I want them to do. “Pick up that thread, the one to the left of your index finger. No, the other thread…”
That’s where some of the video shorts come in handy. These “weaving shorts” demonstrate some of the small steps in the weaving process, and students can go back and watch them after class as many times as they need to.
My YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/PennyLacroix for those who want to delve deeper. The videos are simple, but hopefully helpful. I’ve been adding them as I recognize the need in my classes and intend to keep adding more. Suggestions for future videos are welcome!
In addition to some standard classes through The Fiber Loft, I recently taught a morning workshop for the Weavers’ Guild of Boston on how to create a doubleweave V-shaped shawl with no sewing. I mixed videos, interactive worksheets and live instruction to keep participants engaged.
It was alot of work to put together, but the folks I worked with in the Guild were extremely helpful, and we were able to present a high quality workshop on Zoom. A year ago, who would have thought this would be our normal now? So many new challenges and new opportunities. I’m loving it!
The summer classes at The Fiber Loft have been posted! I’ve got some spinning and weaving classes scheduled.
In addition, if there’s a class you’d like to take but don’t see it scheduled, call the shop and give them your name. When we have enough people interested , well schedule it at everyone’s convenience. We have a couple people already interested in a great wheel class.
Here’s a little video from my last beginning weaving class, when Kendra pulled her sampler off the loom – a happy moment!
Last Sunday I taught a spinning class at The Fiber Loft. Usually I have a 3- person minimum, but I had made an exception, and I’m so glad I did! Chris and Meredith and I had a delightful afternoon. Chris is a fiber artist, focusing on knitting, dyeing and quilting, and was looking to expand his repertoire to spinning. Meredith was looking to learn about the meditative benefits of spinning. With just 2 students, I was able to tailor the class to their interests. We used an Ashford wheel and a Schacht, and tried out the new Majacraft wheel at the shop. The Ashford and Majacraft were ones I had tried out on my January trip to New Zealand, and I was eager to have students use them. It was enriching afternoon for all of us!
A couple weeks ago, I gave a talk for the Reading Antiquarian Society, which owns and manages the Parker Tavern in Reading, Mass. Thanks to my good friend Eric Workman for taking the pictures!
In preparation for the talk, I researched various textile tools in their collections and put together a presentation that would be interesting to the general public and helpful to volunteers at the historic house when they are giving tours.
The talk covered a great wheel, a flax wheel, niddy-noddies, wool cards, a hetchel and a couple of textiles as well. I was able to find information on the origins of some of the tools and some of the people involved. In addition, I was able to show them how many of the tools are used, to give volunteer docents a better idea of how to interpret the objects for visitors.
This is one of the textiles in the collection. It’s a needlepoint sampler made by Sarah Ewer Burleigh. The words read, “Surviveing friends when this you see; Mourn for your sins and not for me.” And, “In the midst of mirth, Remember death.” Through some online research, I was able to find out that despite Sarah’s dark view of the world, she grew up, married, had 6 children, and lived to the age of 78. Was it simply customs of the period that compelled her to use these sayings?
The 12-15 hours I spent preparing for this talk were well spent and very interesting to me. Attendees were engaged and asked some excellent questions. The room at the Reading senior center was well-equipped, with a TV with an HDMI port that we could connect to a computer with my presentation. I hope to be able to more presentations like this in the future!
Tomorrow (Sunday 3/3) is the drop spindle workshop at the Wayland Farmers Market Fiber Day. It runs 1-3. Details and signup are here.
Next Sunday 3/10, we’re adding a drop spindle class at the Fiber Loft, 12-3. Call the shop at 978-456-8669 to sign up.
Also, we’re adding another Beginning Weaving class at the Fiber Loft the first 2 Wednesdays of April. Details are here. This is a “being-a- friend” class! The first person plays full price and can bring a friend along for $20 more. You work together to make a sampler.
Check out the winter classes at the Fiber Loft! I’m offering a variety of spinning and weaving classes as well as a series for kids during February vacation week.
We already have some interest in a great wheel class. If you want to be included, contact the Fiber Loft to get on the list. It will be scheduled at the convenience of all.
