Stella Tapestry with Purple Center

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FUNKY FIBER ARTS
RAG RUGS and BEYOND
WEAVE THE DOUBLES WITH RAGS
WEAVING WEARABLES WITH RAGS
GORGEOUS RAG GARMENTS
MOA BOA
CROCHET and KNIT WITH RAGS
WORK THICKER IT'S QUICKER
CHENILLE SHENANIGANS
HANDWOVEN SACHETS
STAMP IN! STAMP OUT!
THE MAGIC OF COLOR
FIBER ARTS FOR KIDS
CREATIVITY OR H0W TO BE AN ARTIST

FUNKY FIBER ARTS
Fun for Funky Junkies

Suggested Projects Focus will be on having fun, learning stuff, and making friends. Artists will name their pieces, discuss design and color, and help one another.

RAG RUGS and BEYOND
Weave rag samples on Round Robin looms

Infinite design possibilities abound for the innovative weaver beyond the simple Hit and Miss and Crossbars rag rug. Sample several, including Meet and Separate tapestry, Log Cabin, Nantucket Hit and Miss, pattern weaves, and the Doubles: Binding, Corduroy, Seed, and two layers, using beautiful new fabrics and multicolored warps. We will cover the basics: recycling fabrics and preparation of rags, modifying looms for rag weaving, good rag weaving techniques, finishing, and care and maintenance. A rag rug can be a work of art; and the instructor will focus on color, design and beaut)c Rag clothing, handbags, pillows, placemats, and tapestries are other areas you may wish to investigate. See many slides and a zillion woven samples for inspiration.

WEAVE THE DOUBLES WITH RAGS
Double your pleasure, double your fun

Try Double Corduroy, Double Seed, Double Binding, or Double Layers with rags (strips cut from gorgeous new fabrics) and multi colored warp. These patterns are especially wonderful woven with rags — for rugs, table runners, placemats, pifiows, and purses. We will focus on color and gimmicks and tricks for successful rag weaving. See demonstrations, slides, and zillions of woven samples. Finish a small rug or project of similar size or weave Round Robin and try everything.

WEAVING WEARABLES WITH RAGS
From the ridiculous to the sublime

Weave samples for sublime wearables. Learn a variety of techniques for cutting fabric into strips for weft — on the straight and on the bias — and for joining strips for weaving. Try different fabrics, including solid and print cotton and cotton blends, rayon challis, wool and wool blends, and other favorites, such as silk dresses, cashmere sweaters, leather, and fur. Combine them with different yams in the warp and weft — practical for daytime to flash for parties. Try knitting and crocheting with rag strips. You may elect to weave a scarf or two rather than samples. See many slides and samples for inspiration.

GORGEOUS RAG GARMENTS
Weaving easy wearables with fabric strips

Discover the elegance, drape, and design potential of garments using the rag technique and luxurious fibers and fabrics. Weave one or more scarves using fabric strips combined with yarn — rayon or cotton chenille, pearl cotton, or 10/2 cotton.You may prefer to weave samples using a variety of techniques. Learn the quickest way to make bias-cut fabric strips. Design a rag-woven garment that needs simple or no sewing and make a muslin or old-sheet mock-up to weave and finish at home. Discussions will focus on creativity; how to experiment with rags; inspiration, design, and color; as well as practical topics, such as making warps, dressing looms, sewing and finishing seams and cut edges, and good weaving.

MOA BOA
More fun with the boa

The fabulous Twenties boa is back. Weave a fabric and yarn or yarn only giant boa or teeny weeny boa. Learn all the tricks for designing a glamorous boa, for bias-cutting rayon or cotton fabric, setting up the loom, and weaving a wacky boa. Boas are snake- shaped neck pieces which can be outrageously naughty and attention-attracting or quite charming and everyday. Weave one or weave samples. Instructions will be sent ahead for warping a small loom.

CROCHET and KNIT WITH RAGS
Practice frugality plus creativity

Have fun and explore new/old ways to create rugs, chair seats, hats, sweaters, baskets, and parts of garments using new or recycled fabric strips. Color and design, preparation of rags, joining methods, how to shape, and simple crochet and knitting will be covered. Students will see samples, pictures, and slides for inspiration,go over techniques, and start a project in class. Focus will be on pushing the limits of creativity using simple materials, equipment, and techniques.

WORK THICKER IT'S QUICKER
Knitting and Crocheting with thick stuff

Try working with fuzzy mohair yarn, soft cotton chenille, and straight-cut and bias-cut fabric strips. See lots of wonderful samples. Make some of your own informative little samples, then design and begin a hat, a small rug, a purse, or a scarf. Bring any big knitting needles or crochet hooks you own. Share tools and borrow tools, learn and play. Instructor will bring tools to borrow, yarns, fabric to cut into strips, and illustrated handouts.

CHENILLE SHENANIGANS
Weaving easy wearables with chenille yarns

Weave with shimmering, sumptuous rayon chenille in sensuous colors. Create a scarf, a ruana, a cocoon, a bog coat, a hat, a purse, a shawl, a lap robe — any fashion that requires minimal sewing. Chenille (means caterpillar in French) is a favorite fiber of the fashion industry these days and no wonder. It's caressing, comforting, and comes in flattering, heavenly colors. Fabric woven of chenille drapes beautifully and looks and feels glamorous. We will focus on color management and the special handling required for chenille. You can plan a simple wearable or accessory, make a taped mock-up or miniature, weave the piece, and do any finishing and sewing at home (after discussion in class.) See lots of samples from Johanna's chenille wearables and throws.

HANDWOVEN SACHETS
Not as easy as you think!

Learn lots of gimmicks and tricks for making these wonderful little gifts look great and keep their innards inside. Use you own handwovens — leftovers or new yardage — to make the sachets, fill them with lavender or balsam, and stamp and embellish them if you wish. Rayon or cotton chenille woven in plaids makes beautiful cloth for sachets, especially if you add novelty yarns and metallics to the weft. Bring at least a one foot square piece to make a sample. Bring more fabric if you want to make several.

STAMP IN! STAMP OUT!
Embellish great handwoven fabric

Stamp with fabric paints, which are easily heat set, on your own T shirts or cotton knit clothing, on handwoven samples of all kinds, and finally on your own handwoven fabrics or finished fashions. Make your own stamps with potatoes, plexiglass and hot glue, string, and kitchen tools, or use giant chunky stamps from the instructor's huge collection. Conceal goof-ups or stains and prolong the life of your favorite outfits. Stamping is also fun and a wonderful way to get creative and make wearable art. Instructor will bring paints, stamps, and materials to make stamps. See samples, learn techniques, make stamps, stamp a lot.

THE MAGIC OF COLOR
Getting closer to color

Become informed about the magic of color, not only in theory but in practice, by collecting pictures, fabric swatches, paint chips, photos, postcards, etc.: by keeping a color journal; by doing color mood sketches to music and poetry (with pastels, markers, pencils): by naming and describing colors; by digging up color memories; by making yarn wrappings; by cutting and pasting color collages; and by weaving some little samples. You will combine some of the elements of your color studies and add beads to create a charming pin to wear. The class will attempt to give you a heightened awareness of color around you as well as your own feelings about color.

FIBER ARTS FOR KIDS
Fiber projects to teach to or do with kids

Age-appropriate fiber projects for kids: tapestries, 4H and backstrap weaving, friendship bracelets, twisty belts with pom poms, finger weaving, finger knitting, God's Eyes, and the Indian Dream Catchers are some of the options. Johanna has been teaching fiber arts to kids for about 30 years and has many kid-friendly projects to try. See samples of all of them.

CREATIVITY OR H0W TO BE AN ARTIST
Stalking the elusive elegant solution

Hear and talk about creativity, experience it, understand it a little better, and be prepared to be more creative in you life and in your weaving. We will ponder these questions: What is creativity? How do you get it and keep it? How do you nurture it and make it grow? How do you empower the artist within? You will hear thoughts from and about many artists and creative people who have arrived at their own answers to these questions and their methods for living a creative life. You will try some activities to help you experience your own creativity and make a plan for being more consciously creative in your life and work.