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© HGWSD January 2012

Registered Charity Number: SC040388

Weaving Workshop with Mary Carol Souness

14/15 November

Mary Carol took over this workshop at very short notice; not easy as she had to cater not only for differing levels of experience but two types of loom as well! However she rose to the occasion and gave us a most enjoyable weekend.

Some instructions were sent out beforehand so that participants could come prepared thus saving time on the first day. The people working on Rigid Heddle looms were given the option of doing either Leno, a way of twisting the warp threads to produce an open, lacy weave or Transparent Weaving. The latter could either be woven with fine threads to give a net curtain effect or thick yarns creating a bolder pattern.

Those of us with 4 shaft looms were going to try a weave known as the Theo Moorman Technique. This is a way of creating a pattern weave which sits on top of a background weave, the pattern being held in place by a fine, almost invisible, thread. Mary Carol told us a quick way to make our warps then left us to carry on with that and tying up our looms while she attended to the others, getting them started in  their chosen technique. Day one was mainly spent in preparing our looms and becoming comfortable with the weaving.

Weaving workshop November 2009

By day two everyone was feeling more confident and the weaving grew more quickly. It was fascinating to walk around the room and see the different weaves taking shape. They ranged from delicate lacy weaves to those using thicker yarns to create inlay patterns. The people with 4 shafts were experimenting with a variety of designs. Throughout the day Mary Carol was on hand to give much needed advice and encouragement.

It was a stimulating and challenging workshop and we all left having learnt something new and inspired to continue what we had started.

Thanks, once again, to Mary Carol for stepping in at such short notice and working so hard to give us a really good weekend.

Lydia Moralee