Spinning and weaving in Richmond,va

I have been advertising my spinning and weaving classes on several online venues, trying to boost enrollment at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. We have pretty good response to the "learn to weave in a weekend", but are still waiting for enrollment to increase for the regular and ongoing weaving class. It meets on Thursday nights, right here in Richmond, VA. We meet from 6:30 - 9:00. I have room for 8 students. I think I'm offering 4 or 5 sessions of it this spring, so you could actually learn a great deal just this spring alone. You don't have to have your own loom. Floor looms are provided by the art center. There is also plenty of open studio time, so you can come in outside of class and do various steps outside of class, so you can maximize your instructional time. No previous experience is necessary. If you can't make it, you can e-mail me, as I frequently have openings at one of my own studios for private lessons, or in one of my studio classes (Wed. nights, or Sunday afternoons).
I sell looms, spinning wheels, fiber for spinning, and yarn for your projects in class. If you are looking for someone to do loom repair, or spinning wheel repair, I do that and sell parts.
The looms I carry are Louet, Leclerc, and whatever used Looms I might have for sale at any given time. Currently, I have a 12 harness mechanical dobby loom by AVL that is for sale. You can e-mail me about that if you are interested. I also have a horizontal warping mill/reel for sale. It's a floor model, but folded up, it fits behind a door.

Spinning yarns from the spinning wheel

This class started tonight at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. It is a small group - 3 students. Two people came in with their own wheels, and the third's is coming from Louet in a week or so. One student is a returning student. She is doing well with her spinning, but not finding time enough, as she is in a masters program right now. The other two are very new, but both have tried drop spindling.
As usual, the new spinners didn't feel adept at what they were doing, but both were doing quite well by the end of the class. The one with her own wheel spent some portion of class working on the center's wheel. When I got a chance, I checked out her wheel, got it going, and she switched to her own wheel, and had great success with is. I suspect both students will return with a
voracious desire to spin more.
It is fun teaching the fiber arts and my life is very fulfilled at the moment. Take care, and I'll be back.
Cherri

handwoven kippah

Here is a picture of the kippa (yamulke) I am currently working on to go with the G. handspun and handwoven tallit.

v. Tallit in progress

Here is are a couple of pictures of one of the tallitot I am working on right now. From this day, I have 9 days to finish this tallit.
Simultaneously, I am weaving two at Roseneath, with similar due dates. Busy, Busy, Busy. I will try to post daily, but with this much work, It doesn't always happen.
C

current tallit commission

Hi, Life is very busy with 2 tallitot commissions due within the next month. Here are pics of the warps I'm measuring out. The color of this one is Straw. It's tencel. It's just great. The stripes will be olive and merlot, and rose.
Cherri

More on Summer Events and Activities

In addiiton to the June Summer Sewing Class, I have been working on several tallit commissions. One is a handspun, handwoven superwash merino tallit, and the other is a honey colored tencel tallit with very victorian colors. Here is a pic of one of the tallit warps. Our son, the marine, and his buddies have been home many weekends, and I've been teaching at Bay School of the Arts. We are working on expanding their fiber program to include regular weaving classes, and to really promote my fiber classes there. Let's see If I can post a couple of pics of our first weaving class down there. We had a two day 'Beginning Weaving" class this past week, using rigid heddle looms. In that process, I discovered that 75% of the class had their own looms, and they wanted something ongoing. Another 'regular' at the center came in, and said that he is interested in a weaving class also. So it looks like we may be off to a fair start.

Life Buzzes by

Oh my, I haven't written in a month! Things have been busy. Here are some pictures of a sewing class I did in my Roseneath studio. It was a kids summer class, and we will be doing it again.

Learn to Weave in a Week

Monday, a new class begins at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. It is my Learn to Weave in a Week class. We will meet mornings M-F and dress the looms, and weave off a nice project. If you are interested, check out my classes in the list of fiber classes for adults at http://www.visarts.org
I am also teaching kids to embroider, weave, tie-dye, and spin yarn. So you can enjoy the fiber arts, and sign your tween or teen to do the same.
If you are looking for sewing classes, I have a class upcoming June 18 from 1-4 pm at my own studio at Roseneath. This is for students 11-16. Bring your own machine, or use mine. e-mail me for more information.
maidensweaver@earthlink.net
Spots are still available at the Glen Allen studio for weavers. We meet on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 - 4 pm.
I accept spinning students during this time also. It is a group class, so you will also meet other weavers and spinners.
If you don't see what you are looking for, you can e-mail me, or check out my website at
http://cherrihankins.com

silver linings

Just a not on hidden blessings. I accepted a commission months ago for a hand-spun, hand-woven project. I have done thousands of yards of spinning merino yarn, and dressing the loom with thousands of yards of warp, only to discover an error half way into the project. Not a problem, I found a use for the fabric, that would still work toward part of the same commission, cut the error off the loom and proceeded to wet finish. Much to my surprise, after years of dyeing fibers, I finally did one that bled!!! I had indigo bleed into all my lovely handspun, handwoven white weaving, and did everything within my power to restore the work to it's natural state. It never happened. I am stuck with this chambray blue weaving that is no larger than a lap blanket. What to do. I dried the fabric and pressed, as a matter of doing things right. And guess what. I fell in love. It is merino after all. It is sooo soft and I never weave for myself, so here is this amazing little gift. It is wonderful, and I have plenty of time to replace the work that was messed up, and you know what! I learned something in the process! Isn't that what we are supposed to do in life? Learn from our mistakes. No matter how experienced you get, don't forget to take care of the details.
Let me say that again:
"No matter how experienced you get, don't forget to take care of the details"
Take care, and learn something from your mistakes today. Give yourself a gift, and take a bad situation, and turn it into a blessing for someone.
Cherri

Amazing Fun!

Wow! It sure has been fun around here lately. We had a great dye workshop, several wonderful classes, and have finished a number of pieces including chiengora, and handspun silk. My son moved the futon out of the studio at Roseneath, and we have gotten 2 additional students there. There is currently a waiting list for that studio. I have openings for the Glen Allen studio, though.
Last Saturday, I taught a Tie-dye workshop at Bay School in Mathews, Va and this coming Saturday, I have a fiber arts dye workshop at the Cultural Arts center at Glen Allen. If you are interested in joining that, please visit their website.
There is also an upcoming drop spindling workshop the first Sat. in June.
I am also finishing up a tallit, and negotiating a new one. I'm having so much fun. Hopefully, you are too.
Stay in touch.I will post pictures of some of the latest work.

Pictures of the Purses, Pouches and Pocketbooks class

As you know, I taught a felting class in Mathews, Virginia on making handfelted purses.
The class was offered as a parent/child class and it was largely teens/tweens and their moms and grandmoms.
We had a lot of fun and the felted results were good. Plus, we all got to work together to produce fun and lovely things.
Have a look at the pics.
Cherri

Current Happenings

Hi, Have you been looking for a new post? Things have been really busy lately. The classes at Bay Schol have been great. I taught one on rug felting, and another felting class on Purses, pouches, and pocketbooks. We have also had several classes at the new studio. It's going well.
I'll try to post pictures, once I get my new camera figured out. I'm having some problems getting my new HP camera to interface with my computer.
I have a dye workshop coming up the first Saturday in May.
We will be dyeing wool and protein yarns from 10 am - noon. At noon, we will be dyeing cotton and other cellulose yarns and at 2 pm, we will be dyeing wool/protein rovings. If you are interested in vat dyeing (all one color), contact me in advance.

Each 2 hour session is $20.00, and you will need to bring your own yarn, or purchase yarn here. You are more likely to get what you want, if you reserve your yarn when you book your space in the workshop.

Also available, are private lessons in spinning yarn with the drop spindle, or spinning wheel, weaving, and felting. You can also book a group lesson for yourself and friends or family. I have great workshops in felting rugs; felting purses, pouches and pocketbooks; and hat felting; Can't wait to hear from you!
Cherri

First class at the new studio in Glen Allen

Well, Sunday was fun. We had a small start for the new class at Glen Allen. One person is weaving double weave. Another is just beginning a rag runner for her bay window, and the third is warping a tapestry loom. We had several folks drop in, and are looking forward to a couple more people joining us in a week or two.
Please let me know if you are interested.
Cherri

My weaving

This is one of my handwoven and handspun tallitot. It is a tencel warp, with a handspun, lace weight singles as weft. The singles is south african fine wool.
Cherri

Learn to weave in a weekend

We have an upcoming class to Learn to Weave in a Weekend.
It will be held at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.
Here is the class description:
This is an intense weekend of weaving. Students will dress their looms with mohair yarn and weave off a warm, sensual mohair shawl in a weekend workshop. We will begin with an evening of measuring out our warp. Returning Saturday morning, we will wind the warp onto the loom, and pull through the heddles and reed, preparing for Sunday, the culmination of the weekend, as we weave off a beautiful, lofty mohair shawl.

Materials fee of $30.00 for mohair yarn.....or students provide their own.

Tuition: $100 ($85 members)
Materials fee: $30

Sections:

Cherri Hankins
1 Weekend
March 16 – March 18
10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Friday, March 16 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 17 10:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 18 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

If you are interested in learning to weave, please contact the visual arts center at http://www.visarts.org
You can also register at 804.353.0094

Learn to Weave in a Weekend!

Oh, I can't wait for the upcoming "Learn to Weave in a Weekend" class. It is March 16. I love this class, because I get to meet a new group of folks interested in weaving. These folks get what is usually their first experience with the loom. Once they get this initial experience, they are ready to either go forward into a long term weaving and fiber arts endeavor, or to realize that they really don't want to ursue weaving and or spinning. Usually, it's the former.
Here's the way the class goes:
Friday night, we plan your project, and measure out the warp. Then we put in the ties that preserve the cross, and the choke ties. If we have a small class, we then insert lease sticks, and attach the warp to the loom. If the class is large, we may leave that for day 2.
Saturday, we tie the warp to the loom, and spread the warp in the raddle, wind the warp on, and then begin pulling warp threads through the heddles. The afternoon will wind up with sleying the reed, tie on the warp and weave in the header.. We will pick this up tomorrow.
Sunday afternnon, we will weave off your project, and discuss what your plans are for continueing on your weaving journey.

If you are interested, please visit the Visarts.org site.
Cherri

Mental Meanderings and much catching up

Gosh, there is so much to mention since last I wrote.
First, let me fill you in on my son. He finished boot camp on time. He is now a marine. Right now, he is doing more training where they prepare him for peace keeping missions. After that, he may go somewhere else for training, and he might go to off to do the job he has trained for. May God protect him.

Next, I am moving entirely off the old mediablog, which is now ilaugh.com. The comics were just too crude for me, and the tone of the site just doesn't reflect my own philosophy, or sense of humor. You can find me here now. I hat to leave the old entries unarchived, but don't know how to bring them over. It's like throwing away mementos of our past.

And....I have now opened another teaching studio. I wasn't able to obtain another studio at Roseneath, but have struck a bargain with someone for space in Glen Allen, Virginia. As a result, weaving and spinning classes are offered through that studio now, as well as through the Roseneath studio. It became necessary because my Roseneath students all bought their own looms, and wanted to continue our affiliation as student/teacher, but on their own loom. So their looms are in my studio and I have my looms at Glen Allen for new students. It is my hope to get a more permanent location in Glen Allen within the next year, and I will be able to take-on students wishing to bring looms with them in that area also.

The weaving and spinning classes in Glen Allen are currently being held on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 - 4:00. Weaving and spinning are taught at the same time, but Weaving classes start one week before Spinning. This gives my weaving/spinning students the opportunity to get to know each other, and potentially find someone that they would like to pair up with for handspun/handwoven projects, or sheep-to-shawls. I currently have several looms which are not committed, and can register you for a weaving class beginning in March. If you are interested, please call the cultural arts center at Glen Allen, or visit them on the web at http://www.artsglenallen.com

We have a lot of fun and are very oriented toward building a sense of community around our interest in the fiber arts. Additionally, I will be teaching felting and dyeing workshops. Please e-mail me for more information.