Study Groups
The Weavers Croft is happy to announce three new study groups which will offer participants a chance to be involved with their chosen subject matter on a monthly or bi-monthly schedule which can be attended either in person or online. Conversation with ones peers can be very stimulating and encouraging and the sharing of research can be beneficial to all.
Books:
2/11/24 Craeft by Alexander Langlands
4/7/24 The Craftsman by Richard Sennett
6/9/24 News From Nowhere and Other Writings by William Morris
8/11/24 Why We Make Things and Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman by Peter Korn
9/15/24 Fewer, Better Things: The Hidden Wisdom of Objects by Glen Adamson
11/10/24 The Nature and Art of Workmanship by David Pye
The group will meet on the above dates by Zoom for a lively discussion. Time: 6 - 8 pm.
Cost is on a sliding scale - $10 - 25
Book Club
led by Rebecca Ranta
“Against a rising tide of automation and increasing digital complexity, we are becoming further divorced from the very thing that defines us: we are makers, crafters of things.”
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In his book Craeft, Alexander Langlands calls us to remember why we should bother to engage with the laborious processes of making things by hand. This question of why is what this study group will be exploring. Through reading works written by leading craft philosophers we will endeavor to explore the meaning of craftsmanship and why it may matter more now than ever before.
Warp-weighted Looms
led by Andrea Myklebust
Join us for a dive into topics related to the warp-weighted loom! This group is for anyone interested in learning more about this ancient tool- students and researchers, textile history enthusiasts and re-enactors, and new and experienced warp weighted loom practitioners. Our goal is to create community, provide inspiration, and share useful technical information about the warp-weighted loom in this series of online presentations and conversations. Facilitated by Andrea Myklebust, each month’s session explores different aspects of using this ancient tool, or will feature a guest presenter.
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Session 1: 3/27,2024 Introduction to the warp-weighted loom
Session 2: 4/24/2024 Warp and weights
Session 3: 5/29/2024 Experimental pile textiles of ancient Mesopotamia Guest presenter - Elizabeth Clancy.
Session 4: 6/26/2024 Spinning for the warp-weighted loom Guest presenter -Becka Ranta.
Session 5: 7/31/2024 Looms Big and Small
Guest presenter - Melba Granlund.
Session 6: 8/28/2024 Antique warp-weighted loom textiles of Norway Guest presenter -Katherine Larson.
Session 7: 9/25/2024 Futures for the warp weighted loom
Click on the Button above for more details of the sessions.
7:00-8:30 pm
Cost: $25 per session; $125 all Sessions
Glazed & Figured Calimanco
led by Kate Smith
When I acquired the Anders Berch Tals Textil book in the 1990's I immediately fell in love with the calimanco fabrics shown there. I spent the next 15 years looking at samples in museums, reading whatever I could find written on the subject and actually reproducing as accurately as possible some of the Anders Berch designs. Along with this research into calimancos I then moved into the whole world of embossed and calandered fabrics resulting in a whole new arena of Eaton Hill Textile fabric offerings. I am now ready to return to these areas of research - especially as I never cracked the code of how to make a truly glazed fabric - and I welcome those who also share this fascination with those amazing fabrics. Let me know if you would be interested in sharing this topic with me!