More on the local alpacas

Teri got back with me about all the fun things Fireweed Alpacas is involved with in the near future. Here is a list of some of the upcoming fun:

State Fair of Virginia
Saturday, September 27 9 am – 9 pm

National Alpaca OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, September 28, 12 pm – 5 pm
2280 Camelback Road
Maidens, VA 23012
(804) 556-2526
fireweed@boone.net
www.fireweed-alpacas.com

4th Annual Taste of Goochland
Tuesday, October 14
5 – 8 pm
Boy Scouts of America
1723 Maidens Road (this is actually on our property! See you there)

Teri is having the open house in Maidens, and it’s a great opportunity to see the alpacas in their home environment. The “Taste of Goochland” is an opportunity to come out and see what Goochland County has to offer. It’s a large # of Goochland businesses reaching out to the community to introduce themselves. It was great last year. Fireweed Alpacas did participate and drew a great deal of attention with their crias and adult alpacas. There is much more information coming from Fireweed, and an opportunity that my local fiber friends will LOVE! We can participate with shearing day, and earn fiber to boot.

Stay tuned.

Cherri

Learn to Weave in a Weekend Results

As I try to learn Wordpress, I am humbled by my own naivete. I have uploaded the pictures from the Learn to Weave in a Weekend class to my Flickr account (maidensweaver), and have done the administrative stuff for flickr to share them, but am to brain tired to figure out the rest tonight.
I'll upload a few pics here, and my impression at the end of the class....just for you. Then, if you want to see the rest of the pics, you can check out flickr, until I rest, and educate myself.
We began Friday night with 2.5 hours of class. The students received a vocab list, a syllabus and a tour of the building. We talked about each student's expectations for the class, and their goals regarding weaving in general. One lady owns a loom.
Once I knew their needs, I could determine my role in this. We planned their projects, determining epi, warp length, etc and made a guide string. The lady with a loom has a warping board, so she learned on our board, instead of using the warping mills. Then we tied the warp with choke ties, and ties that preserve the cross, inserted lea sticks, and ties the lea sticks to the loom. That ended Friday for most of us. One student began winding on, and she threaded the heddles completely on Friday night.
Saturday, we had 6 hours, so those who weren't threading heddles began. So on Sat, we threaded heddles, and sleyed the reed until about 2 pm, then we began weaving.
The students wove, under my supervision until 4pm, and then the days class was over, and I had to leave. They used the remaining hour that the art center was open for open studio time.
Sunday, they finished weaving off their pieces, and some hem-stitched, others ties fringes, etc.
One student made a 8" change in her weaving right in the center. That meant that as she approached the end of her weaving she came up short. Not wanting to disappoint, I attempted to help her get min. waste by extending the back apron rod so it came to within an inch of the heddles, and we removed her reed from the beater. Well, it worked. We had to have another student lifting and really pushing down certain harnesses, but the student was able to achieve a balance of the symmetery of her piece. I learned there is such a thing as zero-waste weaving!
You will see this in the flickr photos.
Here you will see a tapestry wall hanging in rag and yarn, a tapestry rag rug, and 2 basic, plain weave rag rugs. I enjoyed these students. They were very focused and positive to work with.
Thanks for a fun weekend.
Cherri

Learn to Weave in a Weekend

OH, what a fun class. I have 4 students with enthusiasm and a very positive attitude.
This group of students has flown through the process of dressing the loom, and are now inserting weft to weave off their projects. One is doing a rag rug, and two of the others are doing rag runners while the 4th is doing a wall hanging incorporating rag, charged yarn, balanced yarn, and other inclusions. I also had a make-up class today with the student I would be neglecting tomorrow due to being in the WiaW class.
She is making unbelievable progress. On day one, she almost completely dressed her loom. She came in during lunch this week, and completed threading heddles, and today (lesson 2), she sleyed the reed, tied onto the front of the loom, inserted header, and began weaving. She is doing a fairly simple rag piece using t-shirts.
I am truly blessed to be their teacher. Life is Grand.
Check out the pics. Don't forget that I will be using Wordpress to parallel this blog until I know whether I like it, then I will be (sniff) shutting this one down for the other.
My username at wordpress is Rivercityweaving
Bye for now, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Cherri

Summer Challenge

Sorry not to post for a week. I've issued a summer challenge to my students, and will do the same to you. It's for the weavers. It's just to get you planning your projects, and to inspire you to think of ways to use color and the interconnectivity of color and your draft. The challenge is as follows:
Let's get the creative juices flowing with something to stretch your
imagination. Looking at your draft....assuming it's 4 harness, I want
you to choose 4 colors. color 1 is a shade or tint of color 2. Color
2 is a pure color (primary- it doesn't really have to be the primary,
but not mauve, or some other secondary or tertiary color). Color 3 is
the compliment of color 2 on the color wheel, and color 4 is a neutral
(black, white or grey).
Now for the hard part.

The dominant will be whatever color you put on the harness that
appears most in your draft.
So if your draft is 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,3,1,2,1, whatever color you put on
harness #1 would be the dominant color. Whatever you put on 4 will be
the diminutive color. Each color has a specific harness.
So all threads on harness #1 will be the same color, on harness #2
will all be the same, etc. You get to choose your pattern, but no
straight twills!

Are you in?
Cherri

spinning from the fleece

I also wanted to post some pics of the yarn produced from spinning directly from a raw fleece. I don't pull locks, and tease them, or anything. It's just drafted directly from the fresh fleece. This has been navajo plied, which you can see in the close-up of the lovely loop-d-loop produced by this method. Yes, this loose, furry, textured yarn is what I was looking for, and I rejoice in every moment I spend producing it.

What are the kids classes I'm offering?

This is for those of you who have asked what classes I'm offering for youth this summer.

The Visual Art Center of Richmond got theirs up on the website early, so some of them are already full, but here they are:
July 14-18
9 am - noon Weaving (this is on the floor loom) for ages 9-12
12:45 - 3:45 Tie-dye ages 9-12

July 21 - 25
9 am - noon Felting (making felt from wool; not knit and shrink) ages 9-12
12:45 - 3:45 Weaving (floor loom class) ages 10-13

Aug 4 - 8
9 am - noon Felting (making felt from wool, not knit and shrink) ages
12:45 - 3:45 Weaving (floor loom class) ages 10-13
If you would like to contact the Visual Arts Center about registering for a class, please call 804.353.0094

At the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, the classes have just gone onto the web, so you may find openings here. The class offerings and dates are different also.

July 28 - Aug 1
9 am - noon Tie-dye ages: 9-12
1 pm - 4 pm Felting (making felt from wool; not knit and shrink) 9-12 years

Aug 11 - 15
9 am - noon Tapestry weaving with a twist ( students will learn tapestry weaving)9-12
1 - 4 pm Gettin’ Stitchy We will sew and embroider projects the kids choose 9-12

If you want to register for classes at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, call 804.261-2782

just a couple more

Here is my fav, and another.

Amazing workshop!

What a great time!!!! This was one of those perfect days, in which I enjoyed the workshop, and the students as much as the students did. These 3 ladies are so full of joy and fun that they filled the studio with it.
All 3 ladies got their projects on the looms quickly and without any problems. Hazel was working with chiengora yarn that she spun from her dog's fur. It is a very clean white and turned out to be a nice warp. She really seemed to have found exactly what she wanted from the loom and the workshop. She is also an accomplished painter.

Cyndee got her loom dressed with a fine linen, which is a little inflexible, but it is really working for her. She crossed the first inch or two with alpaca and it feels soft and nurturing.

Helen dressed her loom with a 20/2 mercerized cotton warp in a sort of ruby red. She is interested in doing some fine tapestry work. She is a cool lady, strong in her faith which encourages me, also! She did the most tapestry work today, working on some interlocking and some slit tapestry.

Don't forget that I'm starting a Tues morning weaving group at roseneath rd, and have an opening now. We will meet from 10 am - 12:30 am, right in the fan district of Richmond, va. Hope you will join us.
Cherri

Openings in Thurs night weaving class

There are still openings in the Thursday evening class at the Visual Art Center of Richmond, also.
That would be the Art Center formerly known as The Hand Workshop. 1812 W. Main St.
You can review classes at http://www.visarts.org
Hope to see you tonight for the first night of class. If you have questions, e-mail me at maidensweaver@earthlink.net
Cherri

Weave in a Weekend - Finished work

Glen Allen work and Felting workshop

Here are pics of some of the work going on at Glen Allen. The multi-color, highly textured piece is a set of place mats that I am weaving. The taupe and burgundy is Nancy's. She has done 2 or 3 scarves out of that, and these pics are just to show how pretty the weave and fiber are. She is weaving off the loom waste. The fiber is tencel.
The chenille piece is also taupe, and has beads woven in. This is Julie's work.
She is truly a 'natural' fiber artist.



Tomorrow I have a hatfelting workshop at The Visual Art Center of Richmond. I'll try to remember to take the camera and upload pics afterward. It's a busy weekend, so I may not get it done until sometime during the week.
Take care.

Cherri

Learn to weave in a weekend class

Some of you have been looking for a quick opportunity to try weaving. The Visual Art Center of Richmond is offering that opportunity. On January 25, I will be teaching a weaving intensive at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. You have the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in 3 days of weaving. Friday night, we will work from 6:30 - 9:00 pm measuring out our yarn to put on the loom. On Saturday morning, from 10-12:30, we will wind the yarn onto the loom, and pull the threads through the heddles. In the afternoon, we will finish pulling through heddles, and sley the reed, tie onto the loom and begin weaving these beautiful mohair shawls which we will finish on Sunday afternoon.
I have openings in this class, if you would like to join us. It's a wonderful refresher course for you if you just haven't woven in a while. If you are new to weaving, and want yet another opportunity to set up and weave under the instruction of a teacher before working on your own at home, or you just want to know if weaving is something you might want to pursue deeper, this is a good opportunity for you.
The class is designed for mohair shawls because they weave up quickly. I hope to see you there.
If you are not local, there are many lodging opportunities in the area. We are very close to VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University), and the thriving heart of Richmond, Virginia. Come join the fun and be a part of a vital weaving community.
Cherri

Student work and "What's on your loom"

Hi,
Well, there are several new students at the Glen Allen location. I knew I had 2 new students coming in yesterday, so I brought in a new loom, Had one of the current students bring in her own loom, where she had been using one of mine, and felt that we were set to go. Well, as luck would have it, we had 3 students come in! There was a last minute registration and I am full beyond capacity! The good news is that usually students don't get on the loom the first night of class. They usually plan their project, measure warp, tie the choke ties, and the ties that preserve the cross and insert lea sticks. Week 2, we go to the loom. What a lifesaver that is! Now I have a week to find another loom. Of course, I could just weave madly and get my work off the loom I'm using.....hey, that's a great idea. She can have my loom. How long do you think it will take me to weave 13 yards? Guess we'll find out.

Here are a few pictures of what's in the works. Margaret has the white on dark brown warp. That's at Roseneath. She is making pillows. The orange and pink on dark brown is Kelly's. She is making pillows also. The fiesta colors is Rebecca's linen huck table runner. It's an inspired piece. Rebecca is a very accomplished weaver. Let's see, the grey and black reversing twill is Lisa's. Do all Lisa's make wonderful weavers, and if I change my name, will it make me a better weaver? Hahahaha.
Uhm, let's see, where was I? Oh yes. the beautiful black and blue piece is a scarf that Erika is making. She is working on a sampler, using p.13 of Marguerite Davison's pattern book. This is only Erika's 3rd weaving. Isn't she doing well? I'm so proud of her;0)

Well, I'll post pics of my stuff in a few minutes.
Cherri

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.

make a hat with a friend as a holiday gift!

Did you know you can buy a 3-4 person hat or rug felting workshop as a holiday gift? Here is how it works. You buy 3 or 4 gift hatfelting certificates for the amount of the workshop ($85.00 ea) and I print them out. You then confer with the recipients of the gifts, and book a date to take the class together. It's loads of fun. You lay out your design, and felt up your hat. Then you block and shape the hats as we all try different shapes and styles, laughing and playing together in this fun workshop. It's always a great time!
These workshops are from 10 am - 4 pm. Can be booked on a Saturday or weekday.
Dates are currently open for Dec. and Jan., for friends to gather and make hats. We do these in Goochland at my home, where we have access to all of my materials and supplies, instead of the limited supply I can bring to traveling workshops. Join me!
Here are a couple of fun hats from my workshops.

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

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

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.

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.