Successful handwoven clothing requires matching cloth characteristics and properties with the performance needs of a particular garment, whether it is loose-fitting, tailored, warm, or light and breezy. This workshop provides guidelines for designing, planning, weaving, and finishing cloth appropriate for different garments, with hands-on weaving of potential clothing samples in a modified round-robin format. The class will examine the different samples and discuss how best to use or revise them for different clothing.
You will bring pre-warped looms with one of four different drafts. Each draft will specify materials, allowing you to make color choices. During the workshop, you will weave multiple samples of each of the four drafts, staying at one loom for the length of a half-day session. The workshop is not about sewing garments, but sewing requirements that influence cloth design will be explained.
Enrollment Status
Open
Experience Level
Intermediate
Maximum Class Size
16
Materials Fee
$8 covers fabric swatches for design exercise, commercial and handwoven. Some in-class handouts. Digital handouts will be sent prior to workshop for printing by participants.
Student Supplies
Warped 4 or 8-shaft loom
2 boat shuttles,1 stick shuttle
Bobbin winder
Hooks, T-pins, scissors, measuring tape, tapestry needle, tags to ID samples, masking tape, Fray-check
Printed pictures of several different garment styles from magazines or ads
Homework
Warp a loom using a draft and instructions sent in advance.
Photo
Instructor
Karen Donde
Instructor Bio
Karen Donde weaves wearables and home textiles for exhibit and teaches beginning-advanced weaving, in-person and online. She has taught around the country at a variety of conferences. She also teaches privately at her home studio. She is a graduate of Haywood Community College’s fiber program. She also writes for and about weavers, including articles in Handwoven, Little Looms, Complex Weavers Journal, and Heddlecraft®.
