2010 – Weaving for the Home

20 11 2009

This year, I’m focusing on weaving for the home in the studio. We will have some specialty classes that will focus on giving your home an updated, very custom look. In Jan of 2010, we will be weaving Roman Shades. Students will weave panels for beautiful window dressings, and we will line them and turn them into Roman Shades. What great window treatments for weavers to have, don’tcha think?

How ’bout some feedback on this idea?

C





Learn to Weave in a Weekend 12/12/09

19 11 2009

Don’t forget the Learn to Weave in a Weekend workshop coming up in just a few weeks. It’s in the far west end of Richmond, VA. We work almost non-stop from 9-9 on Sat (break from 4-6:30) and… well, here are the details:

This class is an opportunity for busy people to completely immerse themselves in weaving for three days. It’s a great kick-off to joining the ongoing weaving classes, or to begin a personal journey of weaving at home on one’s own equipment. Students will have choices of fibers yarns and projects to choose from. Project recommendations will be made by the instructor to assist each individual to accomplish their own goals in the allotted time. The entire process of weaving on the floor loom is covered. Students learn how to plan the project, measure the yarn, dress the floor loom, weave off the project, and what the appropriate finishing techniques are for their project. The class is inspiring, motivating, challenging, fulfilling, and peaceful. Class meets from 9-4 on Saturday, from 6:30 – 9:00 Saturday evening, and from 1-4 on Sunday. Out-of-town students will find lodging is very close to the studioMaterials fee of $30 payable to the instructor the first night of class.

You can register using the Workshop registration form in the box.net box to the right…. over there—>

We get a lot done and it’s a great intro for anyone thinking they may join in the monthly classes. If you have questions, e-mail me. Hope to see you there.

PS: one of my students has her work up on the Glenfiddichwool.com site. Check out her weaving here: http://www.glenfiddichwool.com/store/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=15

Cherri

maidensweaver@earthlink.net





loom for sale

19 11 2009

I have an 8 shaft, used Leclerc Compact 24 for sale. It has worked well for me for 5 years, and has woven pieces that have been shown in several Virginia art centers.  The loom is an X frame loom, making it easy to dress because it can be partially folded to bring the heddles closer to you, and the heddle eyes closer to eye level.  The loom comes with lea sticks, a raddle, and a boat shuttle. It has a tension brake, jack shaft lifting mechanisms, 10 treadles and is made of maple. It’s in very good condition and is currently in use. It’s great for new or experienced weavers. It can weave single thickness fabrics of 24″ wide, and it can weave up to about 46″ double weave!

It has been used as a teaching loom, as well as a loom for my own personal use. It has wheels to increase it’s portability, and it will fit into a station wagon easily! Selling price is $1000.The 8 shaft loom, is the one in the foreground.  The loom is in Richmond, VA





Studio goings-on and what I’m Thankful for

19 11 2009

Beauty in the studio. Well, I’m down to a bare-bones weaving enrollment right now, and a more than a little thankful. Sometimes, the studio gets to be business, instead of friends and I never like that. Currently, one loved student is on a series of vacations (HI Betsy, we love and miss you!), one is weaving a tapestry, one is experimenting both in the studio and at home. I’ve got a commission going on a loom, a blue/green scarf being woven off another, and am setting up a loom at a friend’s house, so I can weave there over Thanksgiving.

Here are some pictures of the work:

alpaca silk scarf in teal and royal

I’m thankful for our marine friends who are returning/have returned safely from deployments, for my family, for my friends and students(you are my friends), for enough work to keep my head above water, a great studio, plenty of wonderful equipment and now, for some opportunities to use my equipment in service to God through helping others.

Life is good!





Finally, some pictures of the Learn to Weave in a WEekend class

11 11 2009

I don’t think I’ve already posted these, but here are two pictures of the same scarf. It’s from the Learn to WEave in a Weekend class. This was a really pretty scarf, and the lady in the pic is me, not the weaver. The weaver is the one who shot the pictures. It’s probably a lesson about plying the fringes.  Don’t you love the scarf?  She did a great job.





Busy, Busy days

11 11 2009

I can’t keep up! The studio is constantly busy. I’m working on a tallit commission right now, and need to get it done within the next couple of weeks. I’m also finishing up the blue and teal alpaca/silk scarf, and a couple of tapestry/rug warps.Sorry I haven’t posted pics in such a while. That should be an indication to you of how busy it is.  The show ,”Unsighted, the Tactility of Textiles” closed on Sunday, and I’ve got to go pick it up and it will travel.

In the studio, we have a couple students working on tapestries, and one doing a twill sampler as placemats, one doing a textured scarf, another working on some placemats to felt, and another on a chenille shawl. The sewing students are abundant also.

Some of you know I’ve been looking for a “ministry”, or  way of using my gifts and talents to give back/glorify God, and a friend who is very generous is making clothes for children in need. It sounds like something I really want to do, so I’m going to open the studio to volunteers once a month to make clothes for kids in need. This is for kids who don’t have clothes. I’m not talking about kids who want more clothes, but kids who really need a new set of clothes because they haven’t got clothing that isn’t falling apart. My friend is doing it for a mission in Kenya. Maybe I can jump on that effort? If you want to get involved with this, contact me, and I’ll let you know the first work day. It’s my hope to have 3 people cutting out, 4-6 people sewing and 2 others to keep us going (maybe pinning, etc) we would be doing girl clothes one odd months: Jan,Mar,May,July,Sept,Nov. and Boys clothes on even Months: alternate.

Cherri





Crazy fun Week

6 11 2009

It’s been a crazy fun week this week. One student just had a ball on Tues. She fell in love with one of my looms, and just had to have one. We spent the next 24 hours scouring the nation for one, and found it fairly close to home on Wed. We chatted back and forth with the seller, and on Wed, my friend bought a loom. (actually, it’s “another” loom, but she doesn’t or may not yet realize she has been infected with LAS, and I don’t want her to know that I’ve passed on this horrrriiiiibbbbbllllleeee illness to her…shhshshshsh)

My friend, the loom buyer and one of my traveling companions to the Grand Canyon, is also having an open house this weekend, and we want the studio to look it’s best, and have warps on as many looms as possible, so I’ve been warping her Glimakra Ideal-like ancient loom. I’m almost finished, and I hope to share photos of the beautiful warp with you. Tomorrow, I’ll finish threading the heddles, sley the reed, tie the warp on, then do all the counter-marche steps to finish setting up. Then I’ll re-assemble the Macomber 12 shaft loom, and hopefully, get a warp on it. The Leclerc Colonial may just be the nudist in the bunch, as I don’t think I can dress all 3 looms before the open house. I love the studio, and enjoy spending time there. She has 5 or 6 dogs, and one of them always likes to keep my company in the studio.

When you combine all that with 3 new sewing students, many returning sewing students, 75 yards of fabric purchased 10 for myself, and a valance class, it’s just been way to much fun for real life.

More later, when I can add pics.

C





Learn to Weave in a Weekend

1 11 2009

Wow, again, it’s such a blessing to teach. There are 4 students in this Learn to Weave in A Weekend class and each student is eager, attentive, responsive and creative. The work is technically and aesthetically lovely. We had a long day yesterday, with 9.5 hours of instruction. The weavings are generally about half way complete, and our 3 hour class today is just right to complete each piece.

Each student chose to do a scarf. They are all out of washable merino wool. The color combinations are earthy for the most part, and reminiscent of woods and sky and mushrooms. Check back later and see if pictures have been added;0)

Don’t forget, I have a Learn to Weave in a Weekend – Rigid Heddle Workshop coming up Nov 21 & 22. Registration closes Nov 12, so download your registration form from the box.net box to the right, and  sign up now. You might also want to drop me a line to let me know to expect your registration.





Returning to the Studio – Wed. 10/28/09

25 10 2009

Ahhh, we are almost home! We have been on the road since last Sunday at the crack of daylight, traveling to Grand Canyon with all kinds of fun stops along our journey. We found ourselves ‘Standing on a Corner on Winslow, Arizona” just yesterday, gettin’ our kicks on Route 66 the same day! We visited the Grand Canyon, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, toured the Celestial Seasonings plant, and Schacht Spindle and Loom Company in Boulder, and much more.  It has been an awesome trip. We traveled 700+ miles today, and will do the same tomorrow, finishing our trip on Tues…. a day early….. with a little over 600 miles (WHEW!).  Total miles have not been calculated, but it looks like 4000+ miles for the 8 days.

Don’t ask me how few I drove;0)

I’m looking forward to being back in the studio with you all on Wed. and then Thurs and with the folks in the Learn to Weave in a Weekend class on Sat. and Sunday. I still have an opening in the weaving class this weekend, and a couple of spaces in the Wed. night weaving classes beginning in Nov. Hope you will join us in my weaving and fiber arts studio in Richmond, VA.

C





Vacation

19 10 2009

Hi everyone. For the next 9 days, there won’t be any posts about my exhibition, Unsighted, at the Cultural art center at glen allen, weaving classes, spinning classes, or felting classes in Richmond, VA. Instead, I’ll be on vacation.

Two girlfriends and I are crossing the US from Virginia to the Grand Canyon in an RV. You can track our progress at:

http://troisami.wordpress.com

come see our progress, encourage us and enjoy.

C