Cotton yarn comes in so many styles; shiny mercerized pearl cotton, nubby novelties, soft chenille, and fat mop cotton. Much of the weaving done by the “average” weaver starts with cotton yarn.
This workshop will illustrate the tremendous range of beautiful fabrics that can be woven starting with commonly available cotton yarns. Instruction will include basic information on cotton fibers, as well as combining cotton with other fibers. Project planning will include sett, shrinkage and weave structure appropriate for various cotton yarns. This is a “round-robin” style workshop, and each participant will weave eight to ten different samples. The samples will use smooth, shiny, pearl cotton in a variety of sizes, sett and structures; unmercerized cotton yarn; several cotton, cotton/rayon, or cotton/linen novelty yarns; and a couple of “What would happen if…” combinations of wool and cotton and mohair and cotton. The emphasis of the workshop is on designing fabric using readily available cotton yarns as a base on which to build.
This workshop is intended for beginning to intermediate weavers (those who can warp the loom from written instructions and who understand basic drafting). Participants will come with looms pre-warped. A $25 per participant lab fee will cover a binder for samples, notes and about 40 pages of handouts.
Leader: Mary Berent
Duration: 3 Days
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Student supplies to bring: 4 to 8 shaft table or floor loom warped according to instructions and ready to weave; weft yarn for that loom, shuttle(s) for that loom, basic weaving equipment (threading hook, scissors, tapestry needle, paper and pencil for note taking, masking tape)
Materials Fee: $25