As part of our yearly schedule we welcome guest instructors to host classes in their own speciality. Many of these instructors got their start by coming to classes at the Marshfield School of Weaving and we welcome them as a link in the chain of keeping the knowledge transmitted at MSW alive. Please contact us by email about our sliding scale and scholarship options @ info@weaverscroft.net.
Classes
Beginning Weaving
taught by Kate Smith
This class is designed to introduce the new student to hand weaving in the traditional manner as taught by Norman Kennedy and Kate Smith. The week long session will guide the student through the process of designing a simple project, making a warp, dressing the loom and weaving the cloth.
No previous experience is required, but the class is also appropriate for novice weavers who would like to increase their knowledge of the basics and hone their skills at the loom.
Dates:
February 24 -28, 2025
March 10 - 14, 2025
May 12 - 16, 2025
June 16 - 20, 2025
July 7 - 11, 2025
August 5 - 9, 2025
October 13 - 17, 2025
December 8 - 12, 2025
Cost: $750 plus materials
Spinning, Dyeing & Weaving a Full Sized Scottish Wedding Blanket
taught by Kate Smith and the Weaver's Croft Staff
The Scottish Wedding Blanket is a traditional piece of a wedding dowry in the Scottish culture and this was the first design that Norman taught his students to weave back when he started the school in the 1970s. This class will start with spinning the warp on a great wheel using Vermont made pencil roving and then card and spin the weft on a treadle wheel using local fleece. We will then dye the stripe yarn with a traditional indigo fermentation vat. The blanket will then be woven in two panels which will be sewn together to make a full sized blanket and fulled in a traditional Scottish waulking.
Dates: ​​​
May 5 - 30, 2025
​​​​​Cost: $2,000 plus materials​
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taught by Rosemary Wexler
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In this 5 day session, each student will design and weave an original sample, and by incorporating inlay and clasped weft we will further expand our creative expression "between the lines" of a plain weave grid.
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The beginning days of the session will be spent warping and dressing the loom with the base plain weave canvas upon which the inlays will be placed, as well as designing and understanding the overshot patterns and their placement on the sample. (During the design process, we will also briefly cover computer drafting for those interested.)
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There will be a selection of yarns available at the studio to complete your sample.
Date: August 11 - 15, 2025
Cost: $600 for the 5 day class
Weaving Between the Lines: Overshot Inlay
Flax Intensive
taught by Andrea Myklebust
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Flax Processing & Spinning
In this three day class we will explore all aspects of traditional flax production, from seed selection and cultivation, to harvesting, dew-retting and water-retting, and flax dressing using hand tools. Students will have opportunities to do hands-on processing work with raw and retted flax straw, using a flax brake, scutching board and hackles to dress flax into tow and line ready for spinning into linen. Working with both hand spindles and spinning wheels, we will learn how to dress a distaff and use it in spinning line flax. Students will have plenty of samples to take home at the end of the workshop, and a packet of textile flax seed to plant in their own gardens next spring.
Date: August 15 - 17, 2025
Cost: $450 for the 3 day class
taught by Rosemary Wexler and Nelly Detra
The Jewish prayer shawl, or tallit, is the traditional garment worn by Jews during religious observance. The only specifications given in the Torah for this garment are that it should have four corners to hold the “tzitzit” or fringes. This gives the Jewish weaver a broad range of artistic options when designing a tallit. In this class each student will design and weave their own tallit, atarah and corners. We will wind up the class by tying the tzitzit together, and discuss how we can express our own vision of Jewish observance through the mitzvah of crafting and wearing tzitzit.
Date: September 8 - 12, 2025
Cost: $600 plus materials
Weaving a Tallit.
Summer Days Melon
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All levels | 9” x 14” x 10” varies | $80 Materials Fee
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Using unpeeled willow, students will chose two prepared and dried hoops. The hoops are attached with God’s Eye weaving. Ribs are added progressively into the weaving. This is a fun basket and shaping is on an individual basis for your own unique creation.
Dates: September 20 - 21, 2025
10am to 4.30pm. A list of simple supplies to bring to class will be provided upon registration.
Cost: $150/day plus materials fee paid to instructor.
Willow Baskets
​taught by Bonnie Gale
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Zarzo
Intermediate | 16” x 16” x 15” varies | $85 Materials Fee
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A large round willow basket of Spanish origin with a distinctive style! The tray form was originally used by cheese makers for draining cheeses. Ten thick, long rods are set up vertically parallel in four groups. Thinner rods are used to weave horizontally to create a defined “base”, in four sets of twelve rods. Weavers from either end of the base are woven around in turn to create the distinctive style of the basket. The original stakes are brought up and across each other to create the handle. The basket is finished with two Japanese Eye rosettes.
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taught by Rosemary Wexler
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Imagine a warm, soft rug with strong squares of color... that you made! This class, centered on a simple technique for making reversible weft-faced rugs, is suitable for beginner and more experienced weavers alike. Receiving guidance through the entire process, students will weave a rug in either a checkerboard or windowpane pattern. We'll unlock creative design possibilities that expand this structure, showcasing the power of color and pickup work. By the end of the week, you'll have an understanding of profile drafts, ski shuttle usage, rug finishing, as well as a beautiful usable textile.
Date: September 22 - 26, 2025
Cost: $750 plus materials
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Weft Faced Rugs
taught by Andrea Myklebust
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In this class, we will learn how the warp-weighted loom works and will weave a small (approximately 24” x 36”) weft-faced project inspired by Sami grene blankets. We will use a three-post warping frame and rigid heddle to make a warp with a heading band, select and hang weights and learn about their role in the weaving process, and dress the loom for plain weave with a single heddle bar and knitted heddles. We will wind weft bobbins, and weave with sword beater and pin beater. The class includes some exploration of the history and preservation of the warp-weighted loom in the ancient North Atlantic. We will discuss building a loom of your own, and learn a variety of tactics for finding or making loom weights. No prior weaving experience is necessary for this class. Students who wish to weave with their handspun yarns are welcome to do so; please reach out ahead of time to discuss yarn specifications with the instructor.
Experienced students are also welcome to choose from additional woven projects; rya/varafell, krokbragd, tapestry, twill, balanced weaves with handspun singles, and weaving wide projects on the warp-weighted loom.
Date: October 6 - 10, 2025
Cost: $750 plus materials
Weaving on the Warp-weighted Loom - Level 1 & 2
​Date: October 13 - 17, 2025
Cost: $750 plus materials
taught by Dosia Sanford
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In this five day class students will learn how to design, warp, and weave a wool runner or two small rugs. Looking at different styles and examples of warp faced weaving we will discuss the different possible ways to weave one warp. There will be a heavy focus on design and warping so come ready to enjoy the process! Some previous weaving experience is necessary, but the project can be adjusted for those with less experience.
$750 materials not included
Introduction to Warp Faced Rugs
Special Projects
Special Projects is an opportunity to take time out of one's busy life and to sit back down at the loom again. They are designed to allow former students and experienced weavers to take advantage of the Weaver's Croft Studio space to come and weave with Kate on hand to answer questions when they arise and to fine tune their weaving skills. Students can come to weave for their own enjoyment and join fellow classmates and friends for a week of slow weaving and relaxation. Some looms can already be warped and there may also be a theme to the week based on a project choice - see our Course Catalog for possibilities.​
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Enrollment is limited to four students per session.
​Dates:
January 20 - 24, 2025
March 17 - 21, 2025
June 23 - 27, 2025
July 21 - 25, 2025
August 5 - 9, 25 - 29, 2025
September 15 - 19, 2025
November 10 - 14, 2025
Cost: $600 plus materials
Independent Study & Artist in Residence
This program is for students who have enough previous weaving experience to work independently and who would like to dive deeper into their area of interest. This is an opportunity for extended use of the diverse array of equipment at Weaver's Croft, and a chance to work side by side with other committed weavers and textile artists. The studio contains eight early hand looms, two 8 - 10 S counter balance looms, two 30 S Dobby looms, and a new 3 season dye studio. During certain months of the independent study a guest artist in residence will be available to teach their special interest.
Dates: Artist in Residence
January 6 - 31, 2025
February 3 - 28, 2025
March 10 - 28, 2025
May 5 - 30, 2025 Dosia Sanford - Warp Painting/Silk
June 9 - 27, 2025
July 1 - 31, 2025 Lisa Deshaies - Linen
August 4 - 29, 2025
September 1 - 30, 2025 Rosemary Wexler - Overshot Inlay
October 6 - 31, 2025
November 3 - 21, 2025
Fee: $1500 / 4 weeks
Lodging at Lone Rock Farm available
Sign up for a month of Independent Study
Policies
The Weaver's Croft studio is available for weavers to use for their special projects, for scheduled guest instructor classes and for research and study. Dates and fees for these activities are described in each of the individual activity pages. Payments may be made through the online cart, or by personal check.
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The studio is open for working from 8am to 8pm, Monday through Friday. Weekend Workshops days and times are outlined for each session in its description.
In order to ensure that the studio space and equipment are ready for the limited number of places that are available, we depend on advanced planning. However, if you are unable to attend, a 100% refund is available up to 60 days before the session. A 75% refund will be issued for cancellation up to 30 days before. Cancelations within 30 days are non-refundable.
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Payment plans and limited need-based scholarships are available. Please contact us via email for more details.