Workshops in Weaving and Dyeing

I have enjoyed traveling and teaching workshops all over the country for over a decade. At this time I am not scheduling additional workshops as I plan to semi-retire in 2024. I will continue to teach in my local community at the Natural Fiber Fair and the Ink People Center for the Arts, and occasionally at other venues. I am truly grateful to the fiber arts community for their support.

Weaving

Weaving in a Parallel Universe(2-3 days)

Explore a Parallel Universe of possibilities in weaving! Parallel threadings are incredibly versatile and can be used to weave a variety of structures including echo weave twills and jin (turned taquete). Create vibrant colorways, iridescence, and echoes by using four colors in the warp. Weave samples on your own loom, study drafts and learn how to create a parallel threading and to use network drafting. Add the power of parallel threadings to your weaving repertoire.

Secrets of Shadow Weave(2 or more days)

Alternate colors in the warp and weft to create fascinating designs! Warp up your loom for a pattern on 4, 6, or 8 shafts. Learn about color-and-weave effects, color combinations, and how to produce iridescence in shadow weave fabrics. You'll also learn how to read and write shadow weave drafts. Create samples in a round robin, and weave off the rest at home to make a scarf or runner.

From Rags to Rugs(3 to 5 days)

Rag rugs are fun and easy. You can weave one even if you've never woven before! Choose a simple plain weave rug, or a block design if you are more advanced. This workshop can be done in 3 days with pre-warped looms or as a 5 day beginning weaving class with warping instruction.

Classic blue and white overshot fabric on a loom with shuttles.

Overshot (3 days)

The overshot weave is a favorite of handweavers. Choose a draft and weave complex designs on only four shafts! We can weave round-robin style or create runners and towels with this versatile weave. Learn basic block theory, some different treadling variations and how to create a name draft in overshot. This is for weavers who have already taken Beginning Weaving or who know how to warp a loom.

Inkle weaving belts and straps on simple loom in Linda Hartshorn's workshop

Intro to Inkle Weaving(3 or more hours)

An inkle loom is a simple, easy to use loom for making bands and straps. Choose your favorite colors in shiny cottons, set up the loom and weave a beautiful belt. Learn to create patterning by varying the color order of the yarns. Take home a pattern for a stylin' shopping bag you can make with your handwoven inkle bands.

Weaving/Dyeing

Weave colorful ikat by designing with stripes and tie dyeing warp yarn

Inspiration for Ikat Design(3 hours to 2 days)

Design a warp for a lovely scarf inspired by the fabrics of Guatemala! We'll use the color wheel, mathematical formulas, yarn wrapping, and a few other tricks to plan a striped ikat warp. Learn how to tie the ikat, and dye it with procion dyes. In the two day version we will wind our warps in shiny colorful cottons on the warping board. Learn an easy way to shift the warp on the loom to create designs. Weave the warp at home in your choice of twill or plain weave.

Warp Painting for Weavers(3 hours or longer)

Painted warps add a whole new dimension to your weaving, and they are so much fun to weave on! Paint a warp with fiber reactive dyes. Learn how to sett a warp emphasis fabric, and how to use warp painting in combination with various weave structures. Your painted warp can be taken home to weave, or woven in a longer workshop.

Woven Shibori(3 or more days)

Tie and dye your own unique patterned fabrics! Woven shibori fabric has extra threads woven in that are pulled up to gather the fabric before dyeing. Learn to layer different natural dyes to create various color effects. We will explore overdyeing, discharge, resists, and pleating with our fabrics and get fascinating results.

Fabrics can be woven prior to the workshop and the workshop will focus on the dyeing processes.

Dyeing

Skeins of yarn natural dyed in a rainbow of colors

Natural Colors to Dye For(3 hours to 3 days)

Create a spectrum of color on wool yarn or silk fabric with dyes from plants, minerals, and an insect. We will use traditional dye materials such as madder, Brazilwood, indigo and cochineal. We can also explore dyeing with fresh wild plants. With more time, we can dye more colors.

The mordants that fix the dyes to the fiber (alum, tannin, and iron) are safe to use and give a wide range of fast and beautiful colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and a beautiful black are all possible with natural dyes.

Organic indigo vats in jars made with fruit and henna as reducing agents

Organic Indigo (1-3 days)

Discover the Organic Indigo Vat, a way of indigo dyeing that uses fruits and other natural substances to dye beautiful natural blues. Developed by Michel Garcia, the “1 2 3” method works faster than fermentation and does not require the use of chemicals. In our workshop we will create several different vats and dye fabric samples and yarns. In a longer workshop We can do some resist techniques as well. Learn how to replenish and keep an indigo vat going. Take a mini vat in a jar home with you!

Indigo Shibori(2 to 3 days)

Indigo has unique properties that make it ideal for resist dyeing. Shibori is the Japanese art of stitching, tying, binding, and clamping cloth to create resists. Prepare the indigo vat and dye your prepared fabrics. Open them to reveal beautiful dyed patterns! Learn the Japanese shibori techniques of kumo, itajime, and arashi. Use indigo alone for traditional blue and white, or in combination with other natural dyes for wonderful color effects.

Skeins of yarn dyed shades of blue and green with indigo and natural dyes

Indigo for Blues and Greens(3 or more hours)

Indigo, nature's true blue, is an essential component of making greens with natural dyes. Prepare the indigo vat, and dye yarns and fabrics. Watch the fibers turn from yellow-green to blue in your hands! Learn how to combine indigo blue with natural yellows to make amazing green shades. Take home the yarns and fabrics you have dyed and a recipe to start your own indigo vat.

Silk scarves handpainted and stamped with natural dyes

Silk Painting and Stamping with Natural Dye Extracts(3 or more hours)

Handpaint and embellish two silk scarves with brilliant colors from plants, minerals, and an insect! Discover how to use natural dyes for surface design in a fun, hands-on workshop. We will make natural dye paints from extracts, and thicken them for stamping designs onto fabric. Take the scarves home to rinse out after they have cured. This workshop is an enjoyable introduction to natural dyes, perfect for all ages and levels of experience.