That sign with your name on it in the airport greeting area.

You know that thing when you come up the impossibly long escalators at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport? The one where you've just told yourself thirty times not to look behind you because it is a long way down and you're not sure the 100 people behind you on the escalator are going to appreciate you toppling them all like Dominoes (but you can't hold on because of GERMS!)? That thing where someone is standing there with a sign with your name on it waiting just for you and you are so relieved because managing two carry-ons and two suitcases big enough to fit small children in is always more adventure than you want after a three hour flight? I didn't either until my last trip. It made me feel kinda great in that rather self-conscious way. I mean, who gets a greeted with a sign upon arrival? Unless of course you're returning from a tour of duty for the armed forces or you've just had a new baby or something. Those people totally deserve it.
(Thanks for the sign Molly. Next time I'm taking a picture to prove it happened!)

Today I was updating the Reviews page on my website. This is the place I put the kind words people send me about my online courses. The comments make me feel kind of like that sign at the airport. I mean, I work really very hard at making my courses the very best I can, but still... the review page is a little embarrassing. The comments are wonderful and they keep me working hard at new content and at updating the current courses as I improve my video and technical skills. There are so many comments that I now have to rotate the ones I leave up. I have enjoyed teaching these online courses every single day. And I have learned more than I will admit to so much from all of my amazing students.

If you want to see some of the great things they have said about my current two online courses, Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry and Color Gradation Techniques for Tapestry, you can find the good stuff here:

http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/reviews/

Thanks to everyone who has contributed and for being willing to share your work in the videos I make. The variety of work that comes out of these classes astounds me. And that is what makes me get up in the morning. Well, that and the fact that no one really probably needs more than 10 hours of sleep a night.

Once my brain clears, I have had my green smoothie and a cup of tea, and I have a little sit-down at the loom myself, I am curious to see what new marvels these students will have created and sent me photos of. They never disappoint! In fact one of them was just accepted to the American Tapestry Biennial 11. I am in no way taking credit for that one. She was always awesome. But still. Pretty cool.

Thanks to all of you!

If you're interested in either of my online courses, you can find more information here:

http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/online-learning/

Look for the links at the top of that page for even more information about each class.

I just opened some new classes for 2016 and they are waiting for new ideas and energy.
I'll see you online!

Warp it up! Monday is the day.

Tomorrow, September 14th, is another course start for me. I love those days. I have had people signing up for a few months with questions here and there. But this week is the week I really get to meet the new group of students. I am always astounded by the diversity of participants from all areas of the USA and all over the world.

This class is Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry. It is a beginning-level tapestry techniques course meant for people who have never woven anything before. But I have found that a huge percentage of my students are people who have woven a fair bit of tapestry. They just never felt comfortable with what they learned in books and didn't have the extended experience of learning from one teacher to cement the concepts. That is what this course aims to do. I present the fundamentals of weaving tapestry and then I let you ask me all the questions you want. There are videos of me teaching and accompanying handouts about each technique. There are also resources to other tapestry traditions including videos of other tapestry weavers working. But the key to the whole thing is that you get to work on the material over a long period of time at a pace that works for you. You can take as long as you want actually, though it takes most people 3-6 months to complete the course working a few hours a week.

So tomorrow at noon EST, the course content opens. The first few weeks for me tend to be all about looms and yarn choices and the struggle of warping appropriately for tapestry. The frustration of getting that first header correct is pretty universal, but everyone gets it. Eventually (and sometimes it takes two tries) everyone gets it.

If you're interested in the course, there are still openings. You can start with the All-Three-In-One version that has all the material in one large course, or you can take it in three parts. There is also a self-directed version which costs a fair bit less but doesn't come with any help from me. I will take registrations at any time, but starting with the group is a lot of fun!

More information is available on my website here: http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/online-learning/
There are reviews here: http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/reviews/
And an in-depth look at the course here: http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/warp-and-weft-learning-the-structure-of-tapestry

I revel in the challenges of teaching online. I have learned so much! Just this weekend I was emailing two different students in the UK and the Netherlands to locate weft yarn sources for them. Who knew I would be so interested in what tapestry yarns you can buy in London? (or Delft, or Bangkok, or Christchurch, or Texas for that matter?)

With gratitude for all the wonders brought to me from tapestry people all over the world,
Rebecca

Here are a few photos of past student work, both samplers and practice pieces. Enjoy!

Front and back of the same sampler. I weave from the back but encourage you to weave the way that works best for you.

Curves and angles

Work from Part 2 of the course

I love this final practice piece.

More curves

Practice with hatching and joins. Great color work also!

I love these stripes. One could weave just stripes for the rest of your life and never grow tired I think.

Another practice piece with many different techniques.

Why yes you CAN use a floor loom for this course. This is the countermarche loom of a student from Germany.

You'll learn how troubleshoot problems such as these waves. Other common problems are uneven warp spacing, tension issues, uneven selvedges, and difficulties keeping your butterflies in the correct sheds.

Join us!

Which online tapestry class is right for me?

The world of tapestry is exciting. There are many great teachers out there and lots of choices.

There aren't so many choices thus far in online learning however. If you are considering one of my beginning online tapestry courses, this decision tree may help answer some of those questions for you. And as always, contact me for more clarification.

The Self-Directed, Part 1, and All-Three-In-One are all versions of my beginning tapestry techniques course, Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry. Intro to Tapestry and The Mobile Tapestry Weaver are currently only offered as in-person classes but they will be online before too long.

If you click the image, it will open in an even bigger window which is easier to read.

This graph only applies to my beginning classes. I will be opening my Color Gradation Techniques for Tapestry class online in August of 2015 and for that you should have some experience with tapestry weaving (for instance, have taken my Warp and Weft class).

I want to put in a little plug here for the Self-Directed version of this course. If you are the kind of person who loves online classes that don't have direct teacher interaction, this version might be just perfect for you. You do miss out on the interaction with fellow students and feedback from me, but that isn't necessary for everyone. And now that my classes are any-time access, you can start the Self-Directed class on the same day you register. No waiting.

The next set of Warp and Weft classes that are timed start May 11th. Registration is open now with videos and PDFs you have access to right away to help with materials and tools. See this page of my website for registration links, reviews, and pricing.
http://www.rebeccamezoff.com/online-learning/

Exciting news about online tapestry classes: Any-time access

My online classes are moving to any-time access. That means you can use the material for as long as I'm teaching online.

I teach tapestry because I love it. Both the tapestry weaving and the teaching. Almost a year ago I launched my online tapestry course, Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry. I want to thank all of my dedicated students over the past year who wove such wonderful things and who were patient with me as I learned an incredible amount about technology, shooting and editing video, and how to structure these classes. I do absolutely everything you see myself.

For a long time I was very resistant to the idea of "forever" access to my classes for various reasons. And I thought it would be better to offer a course that actually ended as an incentive for students to make some time each week to do the work. I still believe that last part, but I have warmed up to the idea of "forever" access considerably.

As it turns out, all of you have very busy lives away from your looms. Asking you to finish an intensive class in six months was a tall order and your discomfort with this time restriction was palpable.  

So all of my online classes are now open for access as long as I am teaching online. Though I can't make any concrete promises about how long I'll be on the planet, I hope to be doing this job for many decades and as long as I'm teaching, you can access your course. I will be answering questions in each class for six months but access to everything else in the class including past answers and discussion with fellow students will continue indefinitely.

I have opened registration for the next set of Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry classes which start May 11th.

These are the classes starting in May:
All-Three-In-One
Part 1
Part 3

The next Part 2 starts August 3rd and registration for the current Part 2 is still open.

Self-Directed classes have moved to any-time access with any-time start dates. If you want to take the Self-Directed class which is the same material without feedback from me, you can register and start all the material today.

Why there are specific start dates for classes
I will continue offering these long courses with specific start dates (unless you take self-directed). I  value the interaction that develops among a class of students and having everyone start at about the same time is what allows this to happen. Contributing to a community of people interested in tapestry is the most important goal of my teaching and so I structure the classes in a way that will facilitate this. Ongoing discussion and sharing is also available to students through a private Facebook page.

And everyone needs a vacation now and then!

UPDATE 4/30/15: Unfortunately the backpacking trip described below has been cancelled. I will be going to the mountains this summer, but for shorter periods of time. So I will be available to answer your questions. And if I'll be on the top of a mountain for a few extra days, I'll let you know ahead of time.

 It has been several years since I took a vacation from the internet. I am an avid backpacker and so this summer I am going to go on an extended trip. I will largely unavailable for feedback for 4-5 weeks starting most likely in late June. I wrote more about this decision in yesterday's blog post.

So from the start date of my hike I will be mostly unavailable to answer your questions. You can still ask them and I will be taking a few resupply days where I will answer anything that seems urgent. And since the trail is about 500 miles long, I am pretty sure if you met me at a trailhead with a cold Pepsi and a gluten free salad, I'd answer any question you had.

So to make it up to those of you who are dying to sign up for the May classes, I will be extending that six month window where I answer questions to eight months for this registration. You'll have me answering your questions until January 11th, 2016 (except for those days I'll be walking those 500 miles). Of course the material will remain open "forever".


There is an extensive FAQ page on my website HERE which may answer further questions. Please feel free to CONTACT me for clarification.

I am working on a new online class, Color Gradation Techniques for Tapestry, and will have information about a start date in a few weeks.

Registration is open for Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry. Click HERE for more information and a link to register.
And if you want to make sure to get all my updates about online classes and workshops as well as information I only share with people in email, sign up for my newsletter HERE.

Just waiting for the snow to melt for some outside weaving time...