AGWSD Summer School Part Two

The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Summer School, part two

Th second workshop built on the skills acquired on the first.  Four new students arrived to take the place of four who booked only for the first workshop.



The double slotted heddle works well on a rigid heddle loom.

On the final day, there was a display of student work. I wish that I had taken more photographs, but I was so engrossed in the teaching that I kept forgetting to take out my camera.

Part of the display.

Barbara took many lovely pictures of the woven bands.  Here is a selection.






The woven bands were pinned up on the wall.  Each band told the story of the week.  From first hesitant beginnings and wobbly edges to neat crisp patterns by the end.

The students worked very hard and gained the skills to carry on their interest in this lovely craft.

The band on the left has a decorative tassel typical of Lithuanian bands.

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Two Sami zig zag plaits and
 a decorative figure on the end of one band.

The band lock is very useful.

Some bookmarks and samples

Thank you Barbara for sharing these lovely photographs.

In addition to being a class member, Barbara was also the class prefect.  Every morning she would read out the notices from the office about the arrangements for the day. It was an entertaining start to every day.

Thank you again.

Party Like It’s 1955

Finally, the evening entertainment 1950's style, Elvis and rock and roll. 

A parade of the 1950's costumes: circular skirts and frilly petticoats.

Moreton Morrell Hall

On Sunday morning, I wandered around the grounds. Moreton Morrell Hall was built in 1906 in the style of William and Anne.  Unfortunately, there was a fire some years ago and some of the main hall cannot be used.  A previous Summer School had been held in the Hall itself.  Now, there is a general air of neglect around the once beautiful gardens..

Moreton Morrell Hall

The walls and seats are broken

The neglected lily pond. 

The back of the Hall.

The view across the lawn and across the surrounding countryside
 should be magnificent but is now blocked by trees. 

The abandoned and overgrown terrace

This pretty fountain is surrounded by green lifeless pond..

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The nymph is being transformed like Daphne into a bush.

I had a wonderful week.  The students were all enthusiastic and interested, although I had over-prepared and taken far too many activities for them to try. I am already looking forward to the next summer school - perhaps as a student after seeing the activities on offer in other classrooms.

Susan J Foulkes September 2015

AGWSD Summer School Part One

AGWSD Summer School 16th to 23rd August 2015,
at the
Moreton Morrell campus, UK

Cotswold Court

Finally Summer School is here.  I seem to be taking a lot of things for the two workshops that I am running but I wanted to be certain that I had everything that I might need for the week. Every box is labelled and lists made and checked.  There are 250 students attending Summer School and there are many lovely and interesting workshops to choose: weaving, spinning, basketry, ply-split braiding, design and dyeing

Cotswold Court is at the centre of the classrooms for the workshops.  Time stood still for the week whilst we were there.  It was always 5 to 6.

I arrived early to set up my room.  Fourteen students using backstraps take up a lot of space. I had also brought along many woven samples, some bought in the countries around the Baltic.

The clasroom

The theme for the patterns is knots and meanders.  I had produced a booklet of designs for the students to try.

The workshop booklet

The first 2.5 day workshop was for beginners.  Everyone could go at their own pace. The 13 pattern slot Sunna double slotted heddle was used.  All the patterns in the booklet are for 13 pattern threads.

The Sunna double slotted heddle on a loom.

I provided the double slotted heddles ready threaded so that everyone could start weaving straight away. It is important to ensure that the heddle is level and that all the warp threads are at the same tension.  Some students found it easier to work whilst sitting on the floor.  This gives a much better angle for the warp. Some students attached themselves to the window catch which brought the warp up to a good angle for weaving. A couple of students wanted to use their rigid heddle loom.  This also gives a very good weaving position. Posture is very important.  When concentrating it is easy to forget to move occasionally.  Every half hour or so, I would get the class to stretch or stand up and move around.

 A lovely wavy pattern

An interesting variation 

Asymmetrical patterns are harder for beginners and it is easy to make a mistake.  However, this made a lovely variation.

When the first warp was finished, the students had the opportunity to make a warp and thread the heddle.  All useful skills when weaving at home.

Threading the heddle using the cross sticks.

The whole class worked very hard.  We started at nine in the morning and finished at five and some students even went back in the evening.

Workshop one: the whole class at work.

The band lock is veryuseful for keeping the tension of the band and is easy to release.
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The band lock

|The double slotted heddle and curved Gehpa shuttle.

Using a standard heddle.

We had been advised to bring a cushion to Summer School.  Steve was very industrious and made his own cushion cover from inkle bands he had woven. Everyone was very impressed!

A lovely combination of woven bands, woven together and then stitched.

Using the window catch to make a good weaving position.

Some students attached themselves to the window catch which also gave a good working angle.

Other activities included making decorative tassels and plaiting the loose warp ends.  Four Sami plaits were tried.

The zig zag plait

My information display.

Evening Activities

There were also many evening activities in the Construction Hall, including making party frocks and skirts.

The Association is celebrating its 60th birthday so a party was planned for the final evening with a 1950's theme. I made a fascinator to go with my 1950,s outfit.

Designing a fascinator is helped by a glass of wine (or beer).

My fascinator is in progress with the red and blue feathers.

There was very little time for the tutors to see other classes.  However, the Cocoons to Cloth workshop with Jane Deane was of particular interest for most people.  Here a few silk worms were busy eating and eventually spinning, whilst the rest of the class produced their own spun thread.

Munching leaves.

Soon one of the silkworms had spun a cocoon.

Cosily tucked up in a leaf.

The first three days passed very quickly.  On Wednesday afternoon visits to nearby attractions had been arranged.  I had the opportunity to go around some of the other classrooms to see work in progress.

Susan J Foulkes August 2015