Drawlooms & Their Kin
Instructor: Becky Ashenden
Prerequisites: some weaving experience expected; please inquire
Max enrollment: 8
Course fee: $850 (includes all instruction and studio time, course handouts, lunch Mon–Fri)
Materials fee: $35+ (we weigh the woven projects and charge by the ounce)
Room & board: $300 (includes lodging Sun–Thu evenings, breakfast Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Thu)
For more detail: See also costs & logistics, food & accommodations
Days offered: Five-day session, Monday–Friday
Dates offered: (2010) March 1–5, March 8–12 (both classes full; waiting list only)
Intricate patterns, damask, weavings with multiple designs on one warp — these are only a few of the possibilities with a drawloom. If you have ever wanted to be able to weave what you draw or weave pictures or designs that change with every repeat, drawloom weaving will open that world to you.
Drawlooms were developed in China around the same time as the silk industry, and this ancient technique was modified over the years to become one of the most appreciated and desirable techniques for linen, though it is also very adaptable for any other fiber. Come extend your loom, extend your mind, and join us for a five-day journey into the world of damask and drawloom weaving.
Drawlooms are used for damask, but not only for damask. Damask is a self-patterned weave with warp- and weft-dominant areas used to make patterns. The secret to this patterning lies in two sets of heddles: a set of pattern heddles and a set of ground heddles. The weights of the pattern heddles chime with weaving, making drawloom weaving a mesmerizing experience.
This class emphasizes technique, theory, and design. There are two primary draw systems for the drawloom. The shaft draw system allows for pattern repeats across the width of the weaving, while the single-unit draw system gives maximum flexibility in patterning. You will learn in detail the differences and similarities between these two methods. We will also explore related techniques such as sword damask, which is damask patterning done on a regular loom, and opphämta and smålandsväv.
Monday begins with setting up the drawloom while learning the new vocabulary of this technique. You will learn to thread two kinds of pattern heddles, regular and "mallions," and learn about weighting the pattern heddles with weights called "lingoes." The ground pattern will be threaded with special long-eye heddles, which allow the pattern warp to function independently.
Tuesday we will delve into the inner workings of the various drawloom systems. You will learn to divide the warp into pattern units, both onto pattern shafts and into "single units." The intriguing mystery of the smålandsväv tie-up will be revealed, as well as a special way to tie up the treadles for damask using a countermarch with only one set of lamms.
Wednesday through Friday will be spend weaving. Each student will weave samples of a shaft draw damask, a single unit damask, opphämta with a shaft draw system, sword damask, and smålandsväv.
