Introduction to Rug Weaving

Registration will open on Gist’s website on 8/15/25

This class is all about learning to use rug-weight yarn to make textiles using tapestry techniques.

We’re using Gist Yarn’s Dwella for the projects in this class. We’ll start small with table-top textiles that are 12 inches wide. But when you’re finished with the course you will have the skills to make larger rugs for the floor if you’re so inclined!

The course is offered through Gist Yarn. The materials come in a kit which includes the course, five colors (seven balls) of Dwella rug-weight yarn, and a cone of cotton seine twine tapestry warp.

Who is this course for?

I’ve designed this course to be accessible to fabric or shaft weavers who don’t have any experience with tapestry as well as tapestry weavers who are in the intermediate-beginner level of learning or beyond. I teach basic tapestry techniques and concepts but I don’t go over how to warp your loom. I’m assuming you’ve woven something before on your equipment and can manage warping yourself. (I have other courses with that information if you need it!)

Course content

The online class will teach you

• Basic tapestry concepts like meet and separate, weft tension, and sett

• Tapestry techniques such as splicing, angles, curves, and eccentric outlines

• What sorts of looms will work for rugs and tapestry and which ones are best left to other kinds of weaving

• I’ll walk you through two different projects. You can weave them exactly as I show you or you can modify them in any way you’d like including switching which colors you use where.

• Finishing steps including making the braided edge you see in the photos

• Throughout, we’ll tackle common problems people have with managing selvedges, warp spacing, and anything else that comes up for you individually. I answer your questions right in the class whenever you have them.

• There are downloadable PDFs detailing all the information given in the videos.

• There is also a great community of learners in the class who you can interact with and learn from.

You can preview a step in the class and see an outline of the class before you purchase.

1. The Welcome video step is open to anyone to preview. Find that on my course platform Pathwright HERE.

2. If you go to THIS page of the course, you’ll see a bit of text in the middle of the page that says PREVIEW. Click that to see all the steps in the course to get a better idea of what it contains.

Pricing

Final pricing is coming on 8/15/25

After purchasing, Gist will send your box along with an emailed PDF which will have a link to give you access to the online class. Watch for that PDF to have immediate access to the class after you purchase. The yarn will be along as soon as the mail can get it to you!

More about Dwella and the yarn you’ll receive

Dwella is a yarn that Gist has been working on for a couple years. I’ve been priviledge to be able to test it during this time and I’m thrilled with the resulting yarn. It is beautifully reflective and it weaves well using tapestry techniques.

The Dwella colors are based on the Array tapestry wool line Gist makes. They have 24 colors of Dwella currently. If you’re an Array user, you’ll recognize the colors in the photo below as being Marigold 1, Cinnamon 2, Natural, Ocean 1, and Ocean 3. Gist has renamed the colors in the Dwella line. They are Potter (Cinnamon 2), Chanterelle (Marigold 1), Natural, Marina (Ocean 1), and Patina (Ocean 3).

You’ll get two balls of Potter and two balls of Marina in your kit. You’ll receive one ball each of Chanterelle, Natural, and Patina for seven balls total. You’ll also get a tube of Brassard’s cotton seine twine warp in the #6 size. This warp will work on a floor loom in a 12 dent reed. We are going to weave these projects at 6 epi.

The projects

We’re going to weave two table-top projects that are 12 inches wide. You’ll have enough yarn in your kit to weave both of them with enough left over for further experimenting.

The projects will teach you how to make angles and curves. In the first project we’ll weave line by line and create angles with a suggested triangle in the negative space (see the project in brown in the photos). In the second project we’ll learn to build up shapes and create curves. We’ll then outline those curves for a striking pattern (see the project in blue-green in the photos).

And after you’ve finished weaving the projects, we’ll learn to finish them so they lay flat on your table and wear well for years of use.

FAQ

There are extensive FAQs on my website HERE if you don’t see your question below.

How do I find my class?

My classes are hosted on a platform called Pathwright. Bookmark this link or remember you can always find it on my website under FAQ (tapestryweaving.com). https://rebeccamezoff.pathwright.com/library/ From that link after signing in, either go to the menu top left and click Home to see your courses or navigate to the Introduction to Rug Weaving class.

I don’t see my class when I go to Pathwright!

You will get a link to get into the course in a PDF from Gist right after you purchase the class. Make sure that you have gone to that link and clicked it. That will take you to my online course platform where you’ll either need to make an account if you’ve never taken a class from me before, or it will add the course to your Pathwright account.

The most frequent problem if you don’t see your class in Pathwright is that you are using two different emails. If you already own some of my classes, try a different email and see if the class is there. If you can’t find it, please email support@rebeccamezoff.com for assistance.

How long do I have access to the class?

You have access to this class for as long as you want it. There is no end date, so you can come back to it months or years from now for reference or to weave another set of projects.

Where do I sign up?

This class is sold through Gist Yarn. The registration buttons on this page will bring you to their website to register.

What materials and tools do I need?

I review this in depth in the class, but here is a basic list:

• a loom suitable for tapestry. You can do this class on a shafted floor loom or on a frame-type tapestry loom. It will work best if the loom has tensioning ability. The projects are 12 inches wide by 12 or 16 inches long and you’ll need a loom that can accommodate this and still give you a shed.

• If you’re using a shafted floor loom, you’ll need either a 6 or a 12 dent reed for it. On a Mirrix I used a 12 dent coil and warped every other dent (Mirrix doesn’t make a 6 dent coil).

• a tapestry fork or beater. I suggest the Schacht Duet if you don’t have a tapestry fork already.

• measuring tape or ruler, tapestry or yarn needle, permanent marker

• If your loom doesn’t have a shedding device, a shed stick or batten appropriate to the size projects we’re doing (the Schacht 9 inch weaving stick for example).

Can I use a rigid heddle or table loom for these projects?

Yes to both with some cautions. Rigid heddle looms can work well for tapestry or they can be really challenging. If you have a RH loom with four beams on it, two on each end, then you’re probably going to have a good enough tension for tapestry. If you have the sort of RH loom that only has two beams that turn to take up the warp and cloth, then you are going to struggle with tensioning.

Table looms generally work well if they can hold a high tension. Louet table looms mostly are great. Other table looms will likely work. The distance between the front beam and the beater and heddles is very short in a table loom so you’ll have to advance your warp a lot. The main concern is whether you can get the warp quite tight.

Can I download the videos?

None of the videos in my online classes are downloadable so you’ll need an internet connection to watch them. The extensive PDFs are downloadable along with the cartoons and project plans.

Can I get an ATA discount for this class?

Because this class is sold by Gist and not by me, the American Tapestry Alliance member discount code will not work.