Tapestry Weaving of Feathers and Etc.

Feathers – Beginner or Advanced

This class is all about the doing, weaving and creating your own personal style of woven feathers.

Feathers have numerous meanings to different people and cultures. This workshop is not meant to be an exploration of philosophy, culture, or religion, but rather an acknowledgement of the tapestry skills, techniques and the design elements involved to create a woven feather.

This class is intended for tapestry weavers that have a basic knowledge of how to warp a tapestry loom as well as soumak (architectural and vertical), twining and related line techniques. Students are encouraged to take my soumack class if these techniques are unfamiliar.

This tapestry weaving class is focused on technique. Usage and design will be discussed, but this is basically a sampler class to introduce you to the techniques required to weave a feather. An advanced class on feathers can be taken after this course, which includes usage of design and drawing with vertical soumack and twining.

You will learn the anatomy of feathers and how to tapestry weave a feather sampler. Questions will be entertained on anything within the tapestry. There are five basic shapes of feathers we will explore. Colours used to weave the feather will represent what we choose to see and weave.  This workshop is all about the doing – the weaving and creating your own personal style of weaving feathers.

No actual feathers will be used, purchased, or exploited.  Photographs of feathers and the internet will be used for designing purposes. Be aware that borrowing feather designs will be highly discouraged. In some cases I may lend a feather design and/or outline.

Sign up for the Feathers and Etc class!

This class can be taken in person, at my studio in Albany, Oregon (if you are fully immunized against COVID-19), or online via Zoom.

The class will consist of six, 2-hour lessons. The sessions will be one-on-one and designed specifically for you and your skill level. We will discuss where you are in your weaving journey and determine reasonable objectives and a goal specific to your skills, for the class. The end product will likely be a sampler of two different feathers.

Cost for this class $350.00 (U.S. dollars) and can be made directly to the PayPal account betweenandetc@comcast.net. Email-betweenandetc@comcast.net or call 541-917-3251 to determine our class start date and time schedule that works for both of us.

My time zone is Pacific Standard time. I am more than willing to adjust the schedule of zoom classes to what works for both of us. Working in the middle of the night is tiring for both the instructor(me) and the student. So we can work out the timing, so it sort of works for both of us.

Materials needed:

1. 1. Loom with tensioning device
   2. Loom capable of setting up a warp of 8-10 inches wide or 20.32cm -25.4 cm.
   3. 12/6 or 12/9 cotton seine twine for warp or an equivalent sized wool warp.
   4. Loom warped to 10 ends per inch (2.5cm) if there is a problem with warping the loom or you have never warped a small loom, we can discuss this, and it may add a bit more time or an extra tutoring session.
   5. Weft yarns that can be used in a bundle of 4-5. This is open to discussion as to what is available to you, as well.
   6. Email or mailing address for handouts and slide presentations as class materials.
   7. Black sharpie marker to mark the warps.
   8. You may want to have bobbins or bones.
   9. There is lexicon of weaving terms available at Tapestry Lexicon – Between and Etc. It is something I have been working on for years. It is as accurate as I can make it and has many languages and words. Feel free to use it and also to ask me to include new words or correct misspellings.
   10. Cartoon paper or vellum or whatever is easily available. For more advanced classes you may need drawing supplies.
   11. Scissors
   12. Awl short-palm awl about 2-3 inches long (5.08 cm-7.6cm). Not an ice pick which is really too long.
   13. Tapestry beater with a bit of weight. Not a comb or grattoir.
   14. A curved needle and a heavy-duty sewing thread.

Nasty Girls Unite Before it’s Too Late

First Place at ATB 13 (2021)