Paper Weaving Workshop with Bea Grob - May 6, 7 and 8 2013

Woven Paper Tote

Waffle weave Paper warp and weft

Our Guild decided on a Paper Weaving workshop this spring and we invited Bea Grob, who is a friend of one of our guild members, to come and teach us how to create household items out of paper.

Our weavers and Bea in the front right row

Bea traveled from Switzerland to teach this workshop. We rented the Marsin Retreat Center from the Keweenaw Land Trust to hold our workshop. It is located just out of Houghton off of Canal Road down the Red Brick Road.
To our delight the Center worked out great for our group of 13 weavers and Bea.

Bea Grob instructing us on making a Paper warp.

We prepared our looms ahead under the instructions Bea provided. She warped some of the looms with Paper warps the day before the workshop. This turned out to be very helpful for some of the beginning weavers we had in attendance. Some came the day before when she was warping to assist Bea. 

Lunch break at Marsin

The majority of our weavers arrived on Monday morning all bringing a dish to pass for our lunch. So we had lots of food for lunch and we could enjoy our lunch break in the sun on the deck or the screen porch.

We first learned how to make paper flower Roses to fill the time we were not at a loom. It turned out there was not too much time to make rose flowers as we were quite busy weaving on all the looms.

Bea demonstrated preparing a paper warp and warping the last loom so we could see some of her tricks. The workshop was a round robin so we each got to weave on all 14 looms. Some were easier than others to weave so there was a nice variety for all levels of weavers.

Leslie's tapestry loom was a joy to weave on even tying Rya Knots

Leslie’s tapestry loom was warped to create a circular wreath the technique was Rya Knots…. I have to say there was not a lot of interest in tying Rya Knots after they spent a few minutes tying the knots. I really thought it was relaxing and the loom was a real gem. I spent a couple of hours that evening tying knots. By the end of the workshop I found more weavers coming back and tying knots also.

Debra’s loom had a cotton warp that was woven with strips of paper and soft chenille yarn when removed from the loom it will create a basket.Eve warped her loom with cottolin and it was woven with a narrow plied paper yarn in a winter and summer pattern. A very interesting woven cloth resulted.  This fabric could be used for placemats or other household items.

The window blind warp on Lynn's loom

Some of the looms were warped with various weights of paper yarn which created a see through fabric used for table decorations, room dividers or window blinds. Lynn’s loom had the window blind warp was a spaced tencel or cotton warp woven with paper which was a favorite of the group. 
 Jean warped her loom with white cottolin and we were able to weave with a flat translucent paper and inlay our designs into the white square. 

A couple of looms Eileen’s and Melissa’s were warped with rug warp and woven with fabric Poppana or quilt strips and a very heavy plied paper yarn. This created a thick woven rug for use on the floor or hot pads. This was a very nice woven cloth and very popular in Europe.

Carol had a small cricket loom she warped with 4 ply cotton and we wove with paper yarn and cotton to create coasters. She had some beautiful colors on the loom and we added our own choice of medium weight yarn.

Melissa weaving so fast you can see the motion

The loom warped with the tea candle holder was a very popular. Although it was on a rigid heddle loom all of the weavers were excited about weaving this candle holder….. Melissa was really

Tea light

having a great time weaving these long rya knots on the rigid heddle loom. It was interesting how they liked this project but not the wreath since both involved Rya Knots. This one was 2 inches wide and not 24 inches of Rya Knots per row as the paper wreath.

My loom was warped with 20/2 cotton pink and lime green stripes. Weaving it with a fine antique

paper yarn and finishing it will create a scarf that is pink on one side and lime green on the other side. This is a form of collapse weave.

Bonny trying out one of the looms

Bonny a new weaver was so happy to participate in this weaving workshop. I think she will buy a new loom and be a lifelong weaver Bonny will be a great addition to our Guild.

Our next meeting will be May 20 at Noon at Gloria Dei church in Hancock, Michigan. Please join us to wish Eric a great send off to Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. Where he will be studying for his Masters Degree in Wood science and Engineering. 
For our July meeting we are thinking of having a yarn and equipment sale and exchange so check out your stash and join us in July.

June will bring the Mary Sue Fenner workshop and trunk show. For those of you who have signed up the class starts at 9:30 am to 4:30 June 3, 4 and 5. I was in Green Bay and got a preview of the new jackets Mary Sue will share with our group. You are in for a real treat. She has a variety of materials from quilt fabric with flannel lining to woven wool garments with embellished elements such as a blue zipper for piping on a collar.

There is still room in Mary Sue Workshop if you are interested, the cost is going down with more commitment.