Upcoming Workshops
Sulawesi Tablet Weaving
by John Mullarkey
Come learn a tablet weaving technique that hails from Indonesia! Bands created on the island of Sulawesi have beautiful patterning and color interactions. You'll learn how to weave these bands, as well as how to design your own patterns for them. Sulawesi-style tablet weaving is similar in structure to double-faced weave and similar in patterning to diagonal weaves. This technique will expand your horizons of what's possible with tablet weaving.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
YARN (for Sulawesi workshop)
NOTES FROM THE INSTRUCTOR
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club
Cost: $65 per class for members, $85 per class for nonmembers
*$2 online fee is added to cover credit card fees.
by John Mullarkey
Come learn a tablet weaving technique that hails from Indonesia! Bands created on the island of Sulawesi have beautiful patterning and color interactions. You'll learn how to weave these bands, as well as how to design your own patterns for them. Sulawesi-style tablet weaving is similar in structure to double-faced weave and similar in patterning to diagonal weaves. This technique will expand your horizons of what's possible with tablet weaving.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Full-sized inkle loom with open side
- Twenty 4-hole cards
- Belt shuttle
- Scissors
YARN (for Sulawesi workshop)
- Balls or cones of 5/2, 8/2, or 10/2 mercerized or unmercerized cotton or #10 crochet thread in light, medium, and dark colors—1 ball of light, 2 balls of the same medium color, and 1 ball of dark, at least ½ ounce each.
NOTES FROM THE INSTRUCTOR
- There will not be time in class to wind off yarn, so please come prepared with three balls or cones of yarn. Full-size inkle looms required, small -sized looms (such as Inklettes) will not work for this technique.
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club
Cost: $65 per class for members, $85 per class for nonmembers
*$2 online fee is added to cover credit card fees.
Anglo-Saxon Tablet Weaving
by John Mullarkey
Come learn how Anglo-Saxons wove with tablets more than a thousand years ago. Bands originating in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. were woven using this very specific technique, which differs from the way we weave with tablets today. Although it's similar to threaded-in patterns in the way tablets are set up, the weaving produces a thicker, stronger--and reversible--band that is perfect for bag straps or belts. You'll learn to set up your tablets and then you'll weave a band using this technique. If you're a tablet weaver, you'll want to add this style to your repertoire.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
YARN (for Anglo-Saxon workshop)
NOTES FROM THE INSTRUCTOR
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026 from 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club
Cost: $65 per class for members, $85 per class for nonmembers
*$2 online fee is added to cover credit card fees.
by John Mullarkey
Come learn how Anglo-Saxons wove with tablets more than a thousand years ago. Bands originating in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. were woven using this very specific technique, which differs from the way we weave with tablets today. Although it's similar to threaded-in patterns in the way tablets are set up, the weaving produces a thicker, stronger--and reversible--band that is perfect for bag straps or belts. You'll learn to set up your tablets and then you'll weave a band using this technique. If you're a tablet weaver, you'll want to add this style to your repertoire.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Full-sized inkle loom with open side
- Twenty 4-hole cards
- Belt shuttle
- Scissors
YARN (for Anglo-Saxon workshop)
- Three balls or cones of 5/2, 8/2, or 10/2 mercerized or unmercerized cotton, or #10 crochet thread in three different colors, at least ½ ounce each.
NOTES FROM THE INSTRUCTOR
- There will not be time in class to wind off yarn, so please come prepared with three balls or cones of yarn. Full-size inkle looms required, small -sized looms (such as Inklettes) will not work for this technique.
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026 from 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club
Cost: $65 per class for members, $85 per class for nonmembers
*$2 online fee is added to cover credit card fees.
Past Workshops
Inkle Loom Round Shoelaces/Cords
Kathy Hammock hosted a workshop on weaving round shoelaces and cords on an inkle loom.
Kathy Hammock hosted a workshop on weaving round shoelaces and cords on an inkle loom.
Four Shafts Aren't Complex? Au Contraire!
Robyn Spady presented her seminar Four Shafts Aren't Complex? Au Contraire! which included topics such as turning a draft to reduce the number of shafts, reducing pattern lines, combining twill and basket weave, types of weaves, overshot and double-faced weft twill.
Robyn Spady presented her seminar Four Shafts Aren't Complex? Au Contraire! which included topics such as turning a draft to reduce the number of shafts, reducing pattern lines, combining twill and basket weave, types of weaves, overshot and double-faced weft twill.
Ice Dyeing
Brenda Schilling from Alton, IL hosted a workshop on ice dyeing at Jubilee Farm on October 8th, 2024.
Brenda Schilling from Alton, IL hosted a workshop on ice dyeing at Jubilee Farm on October 8th, 2024.
Annie MacHale returned for two more workshops in June 2024!
Baltic Weaving
Description: Baltic-style pickup is a simple technique to learn but has vast possibilities for creating exciting patterns on a woven band. We will look at examples to learn the many variations which are possible using the Baltic-style pickup technique, explore simple pickup patterns as well as pick and drop patterns, learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. Annie has stated that this type of weaving requires a heavier yarn than the 3/2, 5/2 or carpet warp. The Omega Sinfonia is a good yarn and if she knows, she can order this at $6.00 per skein.
3-Color Pickup on the Inkle Loom
Description: 3-Color Pickup is a more complex version of Baltic pickup. We will look at examples, discuss variations, learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. Annie did say that this type of weaving does require a thicker yarn than the 3/2, 5/2 or carpet warp that was used in her previous classes. She prefers the Omega Sinfonia yarn, and she can order your yarn for that day at $6.00 per skein (to be paid to Annie).
Nancy Crampton presented a workshop on Weaving Bands on a Shaft Loom in September 2023.
Description: Love weaving weft-faced bands? Use your table or floor loom to weave bands more quickly and easily. Translate many cardweaving patterns to four-shaft point-twill threadings and adapt krokbragd patterns to weave bands. Participants will bring an unthreaded four-shaft floor or table loom and small amounts of 3/2 perl cotton in various colors. During the workshop wind a warp and weave highly patterned weft-face bands. Participants will design their own patterns, wind the warp and weave a band. Discussion will include hints for successful threading and beaming closely sett yarns and making good color choices.
Annie McHale Presented two workshops for us in July 2023:
Color & Design, Set up & Weave
Description: We will look at hundreds of examples and discuss what makes a good design, discuss color theory, look at yarn choices, experiment with color selection tools, make an off-loom preview, chart patterns on paper or with an online tool. Students will then use the patterns that they create to set up the looms. We will discuss tips and tricks for ease of warping, how to produce even bands with straight selvedges, how to finish a band and a bit of problem-solving.
Horizontal Bar Background Pickup on the Inkle Loom
Description: The horizontal bar background pickup technique is commonly used in cultures of the Central and South American countries as well as Native Americans of the Navajo and Pueblo tribes. We will look at examples to learn the many variations which are possible using the horizontal bar pickup technique, explore simple pickup patterns as well as pick and drop patterns using one or both colors. Learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. As time allows and depending on student aptitude and interest we will also learn how to weave letters using the same warp.
We had a wonderful time learning from Annie and are very grateful she could come to Springfield!
Below you can look at some of the bands woven by participants:
Baltic Weaving
Description: Baltic-style pickup is a simple technique to learn but has vast possibilities for creating exciting patterns on a woven band. We will look at examples to learn the many variations which are possible using the Baltic-style pickup technique, explore simple pickup patterns as well as pick and drop patterns, learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. Annie has stated that this type of weaving requires a heavier yarn than the 3/2, 5/2 or carpet warp. The Omega Sinfonia is a good yarn and if she knows, she can order this at $6.00 per skein.
3-Color Pickup on the Inkle Loom
Description: 3-Color Pickup is a more complex version of Baltic pickup. We will look at examples, discuss variations, learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. Annie did say that this type of weaving does require a thicker yarn than the 3/2, 5/2 or carpet warp that was used in her previous classes. She prefers the Omega Sinfonia yarn, and she can order your yarn for that day at $6.00 per skein (to be paid to Annie).
Nancy Crampton presented a workshop on Weaving Bands on a Shaft Loom in September 2023.
Description: Love weaving weft-faced bands? Use your table or floor loom to weave bands more quickly and easily. Translate many cardweaving patterns to four-shaft point-twill threadings and adapt krokbragd patterns to weave bands. Participants will bring an unthreaded four-shaft floor or table loom and small amounts of 3/2 perl cotton in various colors. During the workshop wind a warp and weave highly patterned weft-face bands. Participants will design their own patterns, wind the warp and weave a band. Discussion will include hints for successful threading and beaming closely sett yarns and making good color choices.
Annie McHale Presented two workshops for us in July 2023:
Color & Design, Set up & Weave
Description: We will look at hundreds of examples and discuss what makes a good design, discuss color theory, look at yarn choices, experiment with color selection tools, make an off-loom preview, chart patterns on paper or with an online tool. Students will then use the patterns that they create to set up the looms. We will discuss tips and tricks for ease of warping, how to produce even bands with straight selvedges, how to finish a band and a bit of problem-solving.
Horizontal Bar Background Pickup on the Inkle Loom
Description: The horizontal bar background pickup technique is commonly used in cultures of the Central and South American countries as well as Native Americans of the Navajo and Pueblo tribes. We will look at examples to learn the many variations which are possible using the horizontal bar pickup technique, explore simple pickup patterns as well as pick and drop patterns using one or both colors. Learn to read and create charts for the designs. Students will set up their looms and weave a sampler of patterns. As time allows and depending on student aptitude and interest we will also learn how to weave letters using the same warp.
We had a wonderful time learning from Annie and are very grateful she could come to Springfield!
Below you can look at some of the bands woven by participants:
