Saturday, February 25, 2012

Twilling Around, Part 1

Jason Collingwood’s twill rug workshop was AWESOME!

Three whole days of weaving. Lecture twice a day, more than 30 samples to explore, good food and snacks, hours and hours of weaving, and fun fellow weavers. The workshop fee included the warp and weft, a notebook, together with food and drink for the long weekend.

Look at the beautiful selection of custom-dyed weft yarns we got to choose from.

26 looms were all threaded in straight twill with identical warp. We more than filled that room. I show the looms without people in these pictures because it would have been incomprehensible otherwise.

We hit the ground running as soon as Jason started his lecture. He is an expert at his craft and also quite charming. He conveyed the information in an organized and logical progression. Although I must admit that after hearing different combinations of “ABABABBBABABAB” for three days straight, my brain nearly refused to function.

Jason said that if we students had woven a placemat and table runner then we had more weaving experience than he did. Because he has only ever woven rugs. I have woven other things. But I could never in a million years put myself anywhere near his class of experience in weaving. His skill and knowledge is amazing.

Jason is the first person in my experience to talk about weaving as a job. He never mentioned a love of weaving. The lecture and workshop circuit, combined with his custom weaving work, is his job and living. This was the first time I thought about weaving not as a hobby, but as someone’s profession. It was eye-opening. Textiles are an enjoyable hobby for me. I dream of making a living working in textiles. It never occurred to me that my love of textiles might wane when/if it becomes a full-time job.

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