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Signature Blocks

Three-day workshop

Description for Publicity:

Enjoy a new approach to block weave design by combining one part block weave structure, plus one part quirky design, plus one part coded message to equal the fun of block name drafting.  Block name drafting allows weavers to commemorate special individuals or events by encoding names or phrases to create woven motifs without the presence of actual letters (and without those pesky incidental threads).  Learn the mechanics of block name drafting as they pertain to overshot and other block weave structures, and satisfy that urge for sentimentality with sophistication.  You will learn to develop your own block name drafts, and design and begin a project.

Note:

This is not a round-robin workshop, and students likely will not have time to complete full projects in the workshop.  They will have the option of weaving only a sample of their name draft rather than beginning a full project.

Day One:

    I.    Lecture

                A.  The code grids

                B.  Profile drafts using a code grid

                C.  Review of the overshot structure     

                D.  Applying overshot block threadings to a profile draft

    II.   Exercise:  developing a personal profile draft and overshot name draft

    III.  Starting a personal name draft project

Day Two:

    I.    Lecture

                A.  Color:  another name draft option

                B.  Color profile draft

                C.  Other block-weave structures suitable for name-drafting     

    II.   Exercise:  developing a color name draft    

    III.  Continue a personal block name draft project 

Day Three:

    I.    Summary lecture

    II.  “Color Game” exercise

    III.  Continue with project

Level of expertise:  Intermediate to advanced;  basic knowledge of the overshot weave structure is necessary

Maximum number of students: 15

Students need: 4 or 8-shaft loom; enough yarn (10/2 and 5/2 pearl cotton) for designed overshot project; necessary warping and weaving equipment; colored pencils; 8/inch or larger graph paper; two cardboard strips for wrappings; four different colors of embroidery floss; $30 materials fee includes workshop folder, personal name draft, and “Color Game”

Optional and certainly not necessary: laptop with weaving program

Room requirements: A well-lit room large enough to accommodate students’ looms and warping equipment; a seating area and tables so students can take notes during lectures, electrical outlets

To be provided for the teacher: Two large tables, chalk board and chalk, or white board and markers

Teacher provides: Workshop handouts, one “Color Game” per student, examples for viewing. I will provide at least one name draft per student, so I will need to know their full names at least two weeks ahead of the workshop.

Contact Barbara for further details and fee information.