Akron Area Arts League

I had a great time yesterday at my second Akron Area Arts League class. Teacher, Brenda, is demonstrating a different art every Wednesday from 10a- noon at the Rochester Public Library. Last week was print making. We burnished and drew on styrofoam, we drew on Duraloc and transferred onto cards, and we learned to paint on plastic bags and transfer.  All very fun, doable at home, and something I haven't done since 8th grade!

Yesterday, though, was fun with yarn.  I just can't help it -- I love me some wool. Brenda told us she would present weaving, so I showed up with some of my early, bulky handspun.  I don't really have enough of any one color for a knitted project, and I hoped it would be perfect for weaving.

Brenda was amazing and brought examples that she taught in her elementary classes of weaving on paper plates, cool whip containers, and cardboard. We started out weaving on a 4.5" thick cardboard square. She had marked two opposite sides with seventeen 1/4" marks. We cut those, and warped the "loom" with #3 crochet thread. Then, using a long, plastic needle she had purchased at United Artists Supply, we tabby wove and beat the draw with a plastic fork! Quite fun!

I decided to try intertwining two colors half way through the weft, and ended up making a grey mountain on a deep blue background. It will be a mug rug, and I hope to needle felt a sun on there, as well.

Our second project was to be made on a larger loom. Brenda had made this from doubled, thick cardboard stuck through with bamboo, barbecue skewers. We warped the loom on one side only, put in a dowel to make a shed, used a notched ruler as a heddle, and a paint stick to help lift the warp strings… and away we went! I asked, right away, how to do Swedish rya weaving. Pretty fun! Now, I have to finish the second project before next Wednesday, so she can show me how to remove it from the loom.

Next week, watercolor! Until then, I will continue to work on four articles and four knit and crochet patterns for others, not to mention my own classes and pattern writing.