Let's do this thing

Christmas is over.
Even Santa thinks so.

I got home yesterday from a great two week vacation. I spent a lot of time with these people...
Four goofballs pulling a sled with two tiny urchins. The sled was made for me when I was a baby in Alaska. Needless to say, it is old.
Marshmallow sculptures were made though it should be noted that Emily roasted hers over a candle and made tiny smores.
Stella. She has a tongue problem.
I can still hear, "My bad Rashad!" and "I know, right?" echoing through my head courtesy of this one-year-old. A snappy come-back is absolutely necessary with four older siblings.
New Mexico was freezing and Mississippi was warm and rainy. There were bubble machines in the vet clinic and cats in the chimney. MRSA barbie made an appearance next to Princess Elsa from Frozen (times two) and the family quarrels were kept to a low hum. We played board games and ate too much processed cheese food. It was great.

I've got the post-vacation blues today. The house is full of half-unpacked bags and the Christmas lights just aren't as cheery. I knitted about 30 of those little wine cork trees either because I missed my loom or I was trying to stay awake through the 7th episode in a row of Pretty Little Liars. Either way.

Online tapestry weaving class: all the information you need!

Learn tapestry weaving in a supported environment online from home

Does the art of tapestry weaving fascinate you but you're just not sure where to start?

Do you enjoy collaborative workshop environments but find when you get home you don't weave again until the next workshop comes along?

Do you get frustrated by not understanding why your edges are drawing in, your fell line is as wavy as the Atlantic in a hurricane, you can see those white dots of warp peeking through, or you have big ridges in your fabric?

Are you fond of attending intimate workshops with the opportunity to ask questions, receive personal feedback, and time to work through your ideas?

Do you love tapestry weaving but find yourself stuck with just how to express your visual ideas?

If so, you may be an ideal candidate for my online tapestry techniques course, Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry.

I understand where you're coming from...

For years I struggled to put together the bits of knowledge I had gleaned from various sources. My learning was fragmented and came from occasional workshops and the few existing tapestry texts, many of which contradict each other. I longed for some solid guidance.

I was fortunate to be invited to apprentice with James Koehler, the late master tapestry artist from Santa Fe. The regular, scheduled practice of tapestry in his studio allowed me to build my skills in an environment that offered frequent feedback and constant incentive to keep working and learning.

I have built this online class with that model in mind. I teach many in-person workshops and love meeting students in a face-to-face context. But I find that when they go home they often have many questions and when the next workshop is six months away, they often put the loom on a shelf.
Your course has motivated me to actually weave in a way that none of the books I have bought over the years have done. It is well-organized and filled with important and inspiring information.
                                                             — Nancy Nordquist, Woodlands, TX

How did this program come about?

As I watched tapestry students come to my workshops with the work on the loom from whatever the last workshop they took was, I realized there had to be a better way to learn tapestry weaving.

I wanted to create a learning environment more like what I experienced as James Koehler's apprentice... one that extended over a good chunk of time with consistent feedback and the ability to ask questions at any time.
I really don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun learning how to weave. Rebecca is always right there to answer our questions and discuss any problem we might have and she will keep at it until we get it. I love this format, not only because I can sit at my loom any time night or day, but I don’t feel like I’m holding others up like in a workshop.                                                                                        — Michele Dixon, Seguin, TX

Does it work?

Yes! Here is one video of student work. Many of these students had never woven tapestry before and some of them had no experience with fiber at all. There are more videos linked at the bottom of this page for the curious.

What does Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry include?

  1. Printable PDF handouts with exercise instructions, diagrams for the techniques, photographic examples, and design ideas to try
  2. Extensive video teaching. All techniques are demonstrated, often more than once
  3. Troubleshooting: videos and handouts explain common problems you might encounter and demonstrate how to fix or avoid them
  4. Discussion with fellow students all over the world helps clarify potential problems and solutions as well and share more general understanding of tapestry practice 
  5. Continued bonus material throughout the class created by me in response to your particular questions. (This feature is not included in the Self-Directed version of the course.)
  6. Feedback: the opportunity to submit photos of your progress, problems as you have them, and questions
    From these photos I am also able to give you feedback on something you may not see as a problem yet and show you how to fix it before it becomes obvious and frustrating. And most importantly, you will get feedback about what you are doing that is successful. (This feature not included in the Self-Directed version.)
  7. Invitation to a secret Facebook group where students in the program and those who have graduated can continue to connect over a virtual cup of tea.
The pieces that are being woven during this class are a great source of inspiration.                             — Barbara DiTrani, North Bend, WA

Who this course is for

  • people who have never woven tapestry before--if you can get your loom out of the box, I can help you from there
  • people who have some knowledge of tapestry but need a structured review of foundational principles and encouragement to design their own work
  • people who want to learn tapestry techniques and are committed to practicing. The best outcomes are to students who can commit a few hours a week to study and weaving or who can block out larger chunks of time at some point during the course.
  • people who benefit from a structured outline of learning activities to achieve their own unique outcomes
  • people who want to give themselves the gift of time to learn a wonderful fiber skill

Who this course is NOT for

  • people who do not have the necessary computer systems or knowledge to access the course (see technical specifications below or contact me for more information)
  • people who do not want feedback about their work. It is my job to teach and I will do it. (Hint: In this case, the Self-Directed version might be for you.)
  • people who don't appreciate my silly sense of humor. It comes out in the videos, though primarily in the outtakes at the end. If you can't put up with my upbeat, cheerful humor, this course isn't for you. THIS video has an outtake at the end that is an example of this silliness.
  • I have been accused of being a cheerleader, though I was the geeky clarinet player in the marching band and have never owned pom poms. I am not going to say to you, "Your selvedges are crap, fix them." I will say, "You seem to be struggling with keeping your selvedges straight. Here are some things to try to improve that. Let me know what works!" If you are looking for the same kind of teaching you got from your scary high school physics teacher, this isn't the course for you.

Technical specifications for the course

This course is hosted in an online platform called Pathwright. It is designed as a linear path that steps you through the learning process one piece at a time. There is an overall menu that you can return to at any time to skip backwards or forwards as necessary.

It is largely video-based. If you pay for your internet services by the gigabyte, this course is not for you (unless you don't mind paying). You can turn off the HD feature of the videos, but they still use a lot of streamed data. If you are able to view standard YouTube videos, you will be fine.

This course does work on iPads and is compatible with Mac or PC. It does not work on mobile phones. 

Browsers: Safari does not work well though most features work on iPad. Pathwright recommends Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, both of which are great browsers and are free to download. If you don't understand what I just said, this course is not for you.

My only hesitation about taking this class was my lack of intuitiveness when it comes to technology. Technology things that seem obvious to younger people are never obvious to me. I found the Pathwright platform to be simple and easy to use.   
                                                                                     — Vicky Standley, Georgia

Here are a few results you can expect from taking this course

  • understanding of basic and some intermediate tapestry techniques
  • how to use weaving equipment including looms, yarn, and hand tools
  • examples from the work of tapestry weavers past and present to illustrate the concepts you are learning
  • suggested readings about design and the practice of tapestry
  • introduction to design especially in regard to what is weaveable
  • increased confidence in your tapestry weaving skills
  • samplers from each of the three parts which you create as you practice the techniques
  • completed small format tapestries from each of the three parts
  • connections with new tapestry weavers all over the world and the opportunity to continue those interactions after the course is over

The Options and The Investment

There are three ways you can take this course:
  1. All-Three-In-One

    With this option you get all the material in one class. The course is divided into three parts, but they are all available to you from the first day. You can work through it at your own pace and I will meet you wherever you are in the curriculum for teaching and troubleshooting. You also have the advantage of being able to skip ahead to videos presented later in the course. This class lasts six months. The price is $595.
     
  2. Parts 1, 2, 3

    You can take each of the three parts separately, registering for each as you're ready. The course is designed to be taken with the three parts in sequence and with that in mind, you have six months of access to Part 1, five months for Part 2, and four months for Part 3 with all three parts ending on the same date. It is completely acceptable to take Parts 2 or 3 at a later date when you are ready. The price is $220 for each part.
     
  3. Self-Directed

    This is the same class as the All-Three-In-One course but with no teaching or discussion from me. You won't get the bonuses I make in response to individual questions and you won't be able to submit images for feedback. Some people learn very well this way however, so if this sounds right to you, this might be your option. The price is $395.
 
I am always a little budget conscious, so I paused to consider the price. I also wondered if I would have the time to keep up with the class as a working mother of two small children. However, I now think the price was well worth it and really actually a bargain for all the value I got out of it.                                                      — Julie, Orinda, CA

Where, What, and When

 

All-Three-In-One: Starts January 5th, 2015. Registration with preliminary information available right now.

Part 1: This class is currently open and because I made a big goof on the dates, it goes until June 30th, 2015. Register and start today!

Part 2: Starts January 5th, 2015. Registration with preliminary information available right now.

Part 3: Starts February 11, 2015. Registration with preliminary information available now.

Self-Directed: Starts January 5th, 2015. Registration with preliminary information available right now.

Matrix of dates for all classes is on the online learning page of my website.

I will be offering these courses at most twice a year. Reserve your space today. The next opportunity will be in September of 2015.

 

Refund Policy
I believe in the efficacy of my course. If, after the class starts, you find it is not for you, I will refund your investment, no questions asked. You have seven days from the start of the class to make this decision. I do not give refunds after that seven day period has passed.

Space in these classes is limited! Reserve your spot now.

The link below will take you to the registration page on the Pathwright platform. From there, you can use your credit card to register through Stripe.com (works like PayPal) and have instant access to the preliminary information for the course.

REGISTER: Click Here


If you have problems with registration, please don't hesitate to contact me HERE.

 

What happens after you register?

The dates posted in the Pathwright program will look like the class has already started. This is because I have to set the start date when I open the class for registration to give you access to preliminary information in the course. The rest of the material opens on the start date given for the class. When you try to access the material before the class starts, you'll see the page greyed out and a clock timer counting down to the moment the class opens. Like this!

As soon as you register you can go to the Pathwright class platform and view the preliminary information. There are videos about tools and materials you'll need and how to navigate the platform. There are also some PDFs with more detailed information and some welcome information about the program.

There are instructions about how to warp your loom once the class starts. If you don't have enough time to get all necessary materials before the start date of the class, that is just fine. You have enough time to order and receive supplies and still finish the class.

I love teaching and have enjoyed all the wonderful students I have met in this course so far. I hope to meet you online soon!

All my best,



FAQ

Do I get access to the course forever?

No. I designed these courses to mimic an experience of working with a teacher over a period of time--six months in this case. I want you to focus on the material and work through it for a fairly short amount of time, building a consistent weaving practice.

This course was not designed as reference material. It is an experience somewhat like a college course (but without the grades!) from which you will learn enough to weave your own expressive art. Also, I can't guarantee I will offer this course "forever". There will be new courses that take its place and I can't promise maintenance of this one beyond the schedule on my website.

This class has been akin to an art college course; I have learned more than I could have imagined.       — Liz Johnson, Freeport, ME

I can't picture how the course works. Can you give me a better understanding of what I will be doing?


The trailer video below as well as THIS video show you the Pathwright program and give you a good idea of what the activities in the course are like. There is a list of more links at the very bottom of the page.

Does the class work on a set schedule?

 

No. The material for the entire class for which you are registered will be available from the first day. You may work through it as quickly or as slowly as you wish. Of course if you are registered for Part 1, you won't be able to access Part 2 until you register and the class starts. The All-Three-In-one and Self-Directed options give you all the material at one time.

What have students who have taken the class already said about it?

I have a long list of student reviews on THIS page of my website as well as multiple videos of their work.

I like how you continued to update the videos or handouts in response to specific questions people had and also posted other people’s ideas. It makes the class feel like a “real” class rather than a virtual one. Your prompt feedback is also extremely valuable and made me feel like I was in a class.                                     — Julie, Orinda, CA 
 

What if the world crashes down around my ears and I am not able to complete the course in the six months?

Let's hope this doesn't happen, but if it does, I offer a crazy, unbelievable discount on the second registration for a course you've paid for once. If something major happens and you don't have time to access the course, you can register for 75% off the initial price at another time.

I am not very good at "coloring within the lines". Do I have to do things your way?

No. My goal is to provide experience with basic tapestry structure and technique and encourage you to build your tapestry practice in whatever way suits you. I weave from the back on a Harrisville rug loom, but the class demonstrations are woven on a Mirrix because it is easier for you to see. I present ways to weave both from the back and the front and you can choose which is best for you. I also present opinions of other tapestry artists in regard to technique and encourage you to experiment with different methods depending on what materials are available to you and what your interests are.

Do you offer a DVD version of the course? I live off the grid and don't have fast enough internet to stream video.

No. Right now this course is designed for this particular online format. That isn't to say I won't offer it on DVDs eventually, but it isn't available now.

I have another question and I didn't hear you address it...

Please email me! I love answering any and all questions. Just don't ask me what the meaning of life is. CONTACT ME HERE.

The course video trailer

This short video gives you an idea of what the course will be like with some glimpses of the Pathwright program.

Need more information? Here are some further links.

Click here to register


This information is available on my website HERE.

The best of 2014: My most popular blog posts this year

On the last day of 2014, here are some of the blog posts that people read the most this year. I'm not saying they were the best posts because some of those were cleverly disguised under headlines that did not sparkle and you did not read them. Click on the post title to see the full post.

 The posts about tapestry tools and methods

 A Dozen Gift Ideas for Tapestry Weavers
This was a list of some of my favorite tapestry things. I hope Santa made good use of the list this Christmas.

Tapestry Looms: what do you use?
You were very interested in this post about tapestry looms. I have the follow-up post in progress with all of your responses. Stay tuned!
Making yellow into blue. Color Gradation in yarn.
I taught my Color Gradation Techniques for Tapestry class several times this year. The first time was in my Santa Fe studio to a great group of students largely from the Pacific Northwest. There are many photos in this post of the wonderful things they did.
Weft Tension: how to control the amount of weft used in tapestry weaving
This is a post I use a lot when teaching. Weft tension is one of the biggest problems people have when weaving tapestry. This post gives you some ideas of how to fix it. Need more? My online class addresses weft tension throughout.


The posts about famous tapestry weavers and their methods

 Jean Pierre Larochette, Yael Lurie and The Tree of Lives
I finally met Jean Pierre and Yael this year. I heard them speak about their new book and of course bought a copy. I enjoyed it thoroughly and it gave me a perspective on contemporary tapestry weaving in the USA that I didn't have before.
American Tapestry Biennial 10, San Diego
As one of the co-chairs for ATB10, I wasn't going to miss the opening in San Diego. This post has a video tour of the show and many photos of the tapestries.
Anna Kocherovsky, Wishing Well
Desert Horizons with Joan Baxter
I had the good fortune of taking a class with Joan Baxter at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico this year. The week was one of the best of the year.
James Koehler's Tapestry process... the last video
This post has a video made in 2010 not long before James died. It shows his process and you get a little flavor for what his studio is like.

 Posts from my head... and these aren't even crazy pants

Warp and Weft enters a time warp... Timeline for all classes extended. A lot.
There have been a handfull of posts about the online class this year, but this is the one you all read. Probably because you were excited I extended the time-frame for the course. I designed each of the three parts to be done in about a month, but that length of time proved insufficient for many people. So I made the course 6 months long (except where I make mistakes like the current Part 1 class--it has been open since October and still has 6 months left--so sign up now!)
Yes we do need to tell people what we do is worthwhile. All of us.
This one is about believing in ourselves as artists and craft makers. I wrote it after hearing The Yarn Harlot, aka Stephanie Pearl McPhee, speak in Loveland. I laughed so hard I blew snot... plus Stephanie had this important message to share.

 Wherein Rebecca gets an article published in Fiber Art Now... and goes a little nuts with the yarn
My article in Fiber Art Now came out about the same time I had to wind about a million balls of yarn for my Convergence classes. This one might be crazy pants... Yarn in a baby swimming pool. But the Yarn Mania video is a lot of fun.

Crushing the butterfly
I love Ann Patchett's writing. In her book of essays, This is the story of a happy marriage, she talks about what it is like to make art. I think we can all relate.


Still in Providence... A couple tapestry shows
I spent a great deal of my summer preparing for Convergence and then teaching. I wrote quite a few blog posts while in Providence. This is the last one. About the time I wrote this I thought, "I'll never do this again. I'm too tired." But with the blessing of time and memory loss, I can now say I'll go back.
Louise Martin, Looking Out. This was my favorite piece in the Untitled/Unjuried ATA show
 

Handmade holiday

There was a lot of knitting this holiday. For whatever reason, my brain kicks into knitting obsession around the end of November every year and I churn out some small project in multiples. This year there were several. I will admit that I have trouble with big knitting projects. I can happily plan and execute a very large tapestry and never lose my mojo, but actually finishing a knitted sweater is like climbing Mt. Everest. I have a bin under my bed with THREE sweaters that are completely knitted and just need to be blocked and sewn together. They have been there for years. No, small is the right size for me.

It started with the tiny trees. I ran out of wine corks (amazingly), but between my mother, sister, and sister-in-law, I now have enough corks for years to come. A forest is what I'm going for here (and to use up the bags of odds and ends of knitting yarn clogging my closet).
You can make some yourself. The pattern is by Julie Tarsha and you can find it on her blog HERE.

There were some knitted stars for my niece's Christmas tree. (Pattern is Stjarna by Karolina Eckerdal.)

Then there were the fingerless mittens. Thus far I have made five pair. I am out of yarn, so I might be done. The pattern is Super Bulky Fingerless Mittens by Spider Laurence.

And the baby hat and leg warmers...
There is another pair of leggings in process for another niece, but I didn't quite get enough knitting time on the drive across the country to pull them out.
I also put the Zoom Loom to good use making blankets for my 2-year-old niece's little people. I had to sew some together because "their feet are so cold". The only photographic evidence of these blankets seems to be this photo where the baby is wearing one on her head. The wool stuck nicely to her wispy hair. And yes, that is Santa Claus in the background putting together a new workbench for the older niece on Christmas Eve.
My Aunt Mary Lou loves to make dolls, and this one appeared under my mother's pint-sized Christmas tree for a couple little girls. Lulu is a marvel of details. She has a tattoo on her back that says Merry Christmas 2014 and an embroidered heart on her chest. My aunt knows her way around a sewing machine.
And I received a wonderful quilt from an old friend commemorating my dog Cassy who died about a year ago. Kristi knew Cassy when she was a young dog and she gathered photos of her and sewed this quilt.
A better handmade holiday has never been had. Bring on the fiber, it is only 360 days until Christmas.

How to make a Harriet Tidball Christmas (thanks to grandma)

I have a whole stack of my grandmother's Harriet Tidball monographs. I am no longer a fabric/yardage type of weaver, but I hang onto these partly because they were grandma's and partly because, well, I can't get rid of old, interesting things.
My grandmother did a little decorating for Christmas and the most notable ornaments were long twisted things made by using a thick narrow warp and weaving metal rods in decreasing lengths as weft. When off the loom, the whole thing can be twisted and it stays. Grandma Marian would then decorate the rods with glitter glue and sequins and then twist them. They were hung all over her house every Christmas (along with the beautiful glass tree ornaments from Europe into which she had scratched my grandfather's social security number in case they were stolen--that Grandma Marian is really something).

Today while flipping through the Tidball monograph, I realized that the pattern for this decoration came from this very publication. Tidball instructs making tiny 4-inch decorative trees, probably to hang as a real Christmas tree decoration.

You can see by my grandmother's annotation on the photo of the small trees what she thought of them.
Yet I can tell you she loved the large version of these which are essentially made the same way.

Her trees were a couple feet high and hung from the florescent light banks in their living room (light for weaving!). Unfortunately I can't locate a photo of these crazy beauties.

Here are the instructions in case you want to make your own. If you try it, will you send me a photo? The first page is to make the small ones my grandmother thought were awful. The second gives you an idea how to make the larger twisted variety.

The monograph, should you have it on a shelf somewhere, also has some lovely ideas for making woven Christmas cards. Maybe one day when I have a little down time I'll give that a whirl. I'm sure I can find a free loom somewhere around here for that project.

Merry Christmas Handweavers!!

Update  12/24/14: A excavation expedition was mounted to my parents basement and one of Marian's decorations was uncovered. We didn't discover any of the twisty trees, but this one was hanging over her fireplace every Christmas for many years.
  
Source: Tidball, H. 1963. Merry Christmas, Handweavers, Shuttle Craft Monograph Ten, 21-22.

The best day in Boulder I've ever had. The Schacht Spindle Company.

I am a bit of a big fiber geek. Yesterday was a red letter day. I visited the Schacht Spindle Company in Boulder. There is nothing better than going to see the factory where your fiber tools are made. If you're not familiar with Schacht (and if you're a weaver from the USA I'd be shocked if you weren't), they make excellent wooden weaving and spinning tools. Their factory was like a little tour through Santa's workshop. I could have stayed all day watching wonderful things being made.

I was met at the door by the amazing Denise Renee Grace who is in charge of sales and customer service. She gave us a wonderful tour and at the end of it I had a fantastic conversation with the owners of the company, Barry Schacht and Jane Patrick. I heard about the origins of the company in the late 60's and the evolution of it to its present day success as a weaving and spinning tool manufacturing company. And all the while I was distracted by an exquisite Sarah Swett tapestry on the wall of their conference room. It was a commission that tells the story of the beginning of their company. If you go, ask Barry to tell you the story about the peace symbol in the tapestry. Worth the trip.

The place is a virtual warren of Santa's helpers. There are clearly some incredibly skilled people working there. The sheer variety of parts being made and finished was astounding.

 

This is a computer numerical control router. They use these machines to cut most of their parts. Then the parts go through various extensive sanding and staining processes before being assembled.







I wish I had taken photos of the process to make this wheel. It is the wheel from a Matchless spinning wheel. The Matchless is a gorgeous piece of equipment and seeing how this wheel was made was impressive.

I own a Schacht Ladybug spinning wheel. I told Denise what year I bought it and she told me who made it. The actual craftsman who put it together. That is the kind of company it is.

This is where the Wolf line of looms are made. Mighty Wolf, Baby Wolf, Wolf Pup. This one is a Baby Wolf just assembled. I have seen many of these looms in my workshops and they do quite well for tapestry. (So those of you who have one in the corner, give tapestry a go!)


And of course, the granddaddy of all looms, the Cranbrook countermarche loom has been made by Schacht for almost two decades now. There is no need for me to say that this baby is a fantastic choice for a tapestry loom.

Remember in my dozen gift ideas for tapestry weavers blog post where I linked a few umbrella swifts? Forget about them. This is the best swift I've ever seen. It is going straight on my studio list for 2015. It moves so smoothly with so little encouragement and it has a revolution counter. It will clamp to a table with a lip and that is saying something. I considered trying to smuggle one out, but I was pretty sure Denise would notice.

Jane Patrick is a fiber artist with many books and instructional DVDs to her name. Here is an intriguing book she wrote about rigid heddle weaving. After (sadly) leaving Schacht, I went to see the Boulder Handweavers Guild's juried show and saw a beautiful piece of Jane's. I was thrilled to meet her in person.

I left with a new toy. I bought a book about Pin Loom weaving a few months ago for various reasons, but didn't have a loom. I was going to make one, but then this one fell into my hands. Whoot!

Someone had a lot of fun making Christmas decorations on this loom.

And, to make the story even better, the company has chickens. If you work there, you can sign up for a week to feed them and you get to take the eggs home. They even have a community garden.
Their blog is excellent. Go visit it for more information about the company but also all kinds of projects. Their Spinzilla team blew my mind and I don't even spin (yet. January. It is planned. The legendary Maggie Casey has a class and she said I could bring my Schacht Ladybug.).
Chickens. In the parking lot.