Summer of Tapestry 2026 is ready for registration. This is the fifth year I’ve taught this class and every year it is my favorite. I think that is because this practice of weaving quick things from something that caught my eye has been so beneficial to my life. Seeing people all over the world join in and share their experiences and woven renditions of their adventures is heartening and makes me feel like I’m part of a global fiber community. I call this practice sketch tapestry.
The rest of this post is about this practice and the course. If you’re ready to join, just click the button below!
There is more information about the course including more photos and reviews on my website here: https://rebeccamezoff.com/summer-of-tapestry.*
The video below is the trailer for the course this year. If you’re getting this blog via email, you can watch the video on YouTube HERE.
What is sketch tapestry?
One of my sketch tapestries from Petrified Forest NP.
In 2016 I had a month-long artist residency at Petrified Forest National Park. I have always been taken by the tapestry diary practice I first learned about from Tommye Scanlin.** Other people have done marvelous diaries using fiber media. I’ve never taken up the practice of weaving on a tapestry diary every day, but I do love to do it for a set period of time.
In the Petrified Forest NP residency I wanted to do a lot of exploring of the park and then weave a tiny tapestry each day about something I saw. It was not hard to do in that situation because there was no internet and no one else in the park after closing at 5 pm (yes, they gave me a key to the gate in case I had to get out).
That experience of spending time thinking about something I observed that day while weaving about it stuck with me and I have utilized the practice in blocks of time since then.
Sketch tapestry is my name for this process. For me, it involves three steps. You might evolve the practice to fit your own needs.
Go for a wander. Look around, experience something interesting. Pay attention.
Make some notes about it. I love using watercolor and a sketchbook to make some color notes and maybe drawings. I also write a bit about what I was observing.
Weave a simple piece inspired by that thing I observed.
The class: Summer of Tapestry 2026
I started teaching a class about this sketch tapestry process in 2022. This will be the fifth year of running it and every year feels like an adventure. Of course the content is different every year, but the adventure is also because of the participants in the class. People from all over the world come together to share their stories and what they wove about their experiences. Many people take the class over and over again.
Each year there are new prompts (weaving suggestions) to get you started on your summer fun. This year’s prompts are a secret until they roll out, but they are broad enough to allow many interpretations yet narrow enough to help you find a subject.
My intention in this class is to help you leave the “rules” of tapestry weaving behind and allow this medium to be a fun expression of yourself in a creative way. The goal isn’t a beautiful set of tapestries, but a reveling in the process of making something meaningful. The world is a busy and stressful place, and making art is a fantastic way to keep ourselves sane and connected to each other.
There is more information, FAQs, and reviews on my website here: https://rebeccamezoff.com/summer-of-tapestry.
Rebecca’s color warm-up from 2025; Claret cup cactus
*I offered a free mini-course last week if you want to dip your toes into this practice but aren’t sure you’re ready for the full course yet. I hope you join us for the whole course, but please do try the mini-course if you’re not sure! https://rebeccamezoff.com/blog/2026/5/7/weaving-the-colors-of-our-experiences-a-free-mini-course. That post also has a lot of photos of my own sketch tapestries if you need more examples.
**Tommye Scanlin wrote a wonderful book called Marking Time with Fabric and Thread which looks at fiber diaries including some tapestry work (mine is included—thanks Tommye!). I reviewed that book on my blog HERE.