Griffin Dyeworks

Weaving | Dyeing | Fiber Arts | Braiding | Spinning | Textile Archaeology | Everything Else

Weaving

Make a shallow basket or tray. This is different then the deep baskets as it has a separate bottom and you need to build the sides up instead of filling in with the melon basket. This basket will take more patience.

Materials the students should bring: Rose clippers, towel, ruler or tape measure

You will be working with wet stuff.

Learn to Speed Warp your loom, rotate the cards and try various patterns. Great class for someone who has never tried card weaving, but wants to try! Advanced students can learn how to do Double Faced Warp Weaving, and write words with string!

Materials the students should bring: Bring 25+ cards (4 hole), scissors, an inkle or card weaving loom, a shuttle, and yarn (2 spools of a base color and 2 spools of a contrasting color)

* These items may be for sale by the retreat merchants.

On Friday we’ll weave the header band, and start knitting the heddles. On Saturday we’ll finish the heddles, tie on the weights and get started weaving. This will be a continuous, drop-in class. Two people can work on the loom at a time.

This class will show how archaeological textiles can be recreated on a riigid heddle loom using multi rigid heddle techniques. Participants will have a chance to weave several different documented weave patterns dating from the Roman to Viking Ages.

Materials the students should bring: Notebook, writing implement, ruler, scissors.

Dyeing

Starting with basic use of both natural and commercial dyes, we will move on to discovering how to tie-dye, sew designs in, create crushed shibori, brushed-on space-dyed yarn, and whatever else anyone can come up with. Experience level: Beginners welcome: any age may participate if old enough to obey orders.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Bring waterproof aprons, shoes that can get dripped on, something to tie back hair. If they wish to try more dyeing, bring T-shirts (at least 50-50 cotton blend), natural fiber to dye (NO heavy fabric, fleece in the grease or bluejeans), natural yarns.

NOTE: Dye pots will always be on so any experiments started can be completed at participant’s leisure. Always check with the instructors to make sure what color(s) will be available at any given time. Use of dyepots depends on listening to or reading the instructions and safety rules.

Dyeing unmordanted wool or silk with lichens—other than purple. Learn the identification of dye yielding lichens, and responsible gathering of lichens for dyes. Some previous dye experience helpful

Materials the students should bring: Protective gloves. Note taking materials

Dyeing un-mordanted wool or silk yarn with lichens prepared by ammonia fermentation method. Learn changing color by changing the pH. Discussion of lichen dyes and responsible gathering of lichens for use as dyestuffs. Previous dye experience helpful, but not necessary.

*The yarn has to simmer for an hour in the dyebath, then cool in the bath for 24 hours. Then it’s removed to a colander to drain and rest for another 24 (if possible). These final steps will only take a few minutes on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Materials the students should bring: Protective gloves. Note taking materials

By folding, twisting and securing, we will tye dye with bright colors and great designs. You can be more or less complex - Everyone is successful!

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: a 100% cotton item - i.e. T-shirt, underwear, socks, scarf, etc. Please no giant items (tablecloths, etc.).

Batik is an ancient art involving drawing designs on fabric with hit wax, dying the cloth and then removing the wax by hours of tedious ironing or use of dangerous solvents. With safe-to-use cold was, we will hand-draw or stamp designs on fabric with no heat involved. Stamps, woodblocks, kitchen tools and other methods of creating a design will be used. Once the wax has set, the fabric will be dyed with commercial dyes. When the wax is washed out with soap, the permanent design will appear.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Any stamps or wood blocks or other pattern making items they would like to share. More light-weight natural fabric if desired: silk, cotton, linen. No denim or hard twill fabric.

A child friendly class! This is a class that can be worked on all weekend, but the first hour is absolutely necessary.

Fiber Arts

If you know the basics of Tunisian Crochet, come and learn this sister technique, otherwise known as crocheknit, crochet-on-the-double, double-ended Tunisian crochet, or just plain cro-hook! Using a long, double-ended Tunisian crochet hook, you will learn the basics of cro-hooking to create a beautiful, reversible fabric with two completely different yarns. Easy, fast and fun!

Materials the students should bring: 2 balls of yarn: 1 thick and 1 one thin, each a different color and texture.

Students will learn the ONE stitch that is used in this ancient type of lace. The lace is based on the net stitch made with needle and thread and can be used on Veils, Shawls, and household linens.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Scissors and something to put a lace edging on.

A child friendly class

Knit a beaded bookmark to learn the basics of knitting with beads. This is not a beginning knitting class; we will be knitting with Size 3 needles, using only the knit stitch. We will also be using the long tail cast on, it’s a plus if students know that ahead of time, but it will taught in class.

Learn the basic stitch and structure to make tatted lace. All materials supplied at no cost. Tatting is a bit tricky; while no experience is needed, patience and a string friendly attitude is helpful.

CLASS FEE: $0 (Tunisian hooks will be on sale for $28 and Encyclopedia of Tunisian Crochet for $25)

Create beautiful scarves, ponchos, pillows and purses quickly using a long, Tunisian crochet hook! Similar to knitting and crocheting, Tunisian crochet is fast, easy, meditative and fun. If you already know how to chain and do single crochet, you will learn how to Tunisian crochet in just minutes!

Materials the students should bring:1-2 balls of worsted weight, plain, one-color yarn.

Braiding

Braiding is a fun, period method of cord-making! Every ancient culture used twisting, braiding and knotting of fiber to make yarn, cording, rope and to trim fabric. The Vikings used a braid as straps for their embroidered aprons as well as other purposes. You will learn this technique to make a 4 strand cord very quickly. We will also work on advanced techniques using more people to create more complex braids. You can take the handout home and teach it to your kids, school, guild, etc.

Child friendly class!

Fingerloop Braiding allows one person or several to braid strings to make narrow wares, like shoelaces. Several extant manuscripts of the 15th and 16th centuries describe the method, but it appears that it has been done for hundreds of years before that. Results can be used for buttonholes, laces and trim.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Everything will be provided, but if you have string you want to try, bring it. Also a card to store results on.

Beyond Fill The Gap braiding. Learn how to braid a flat cord, useful for trim, ribbon, bracelets, shoe laces, and more.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Kumihimo cards and weights if they have them.

Spinning

Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fell into a deep sleep. And we have the Great Walking Wheel just like the one she did it on! Our Civil War Era wheel is available for you to try the Long Draw technique of wool spinning. We will show you how to 'dance' with the walking wheel and spin just like in the middle ages woodcuts.

Materials the students should bring: Skill of spinning on a spinning wheel

Are you having trouble with your spinning wheel? Does it squeak, rub or wobble? Are you fighting with it to get a nice thread? Need a spinning refresher? This class will help you fix up your wheel and learn how to keep it in tip top shape. We can also work with you to improve your spinning and spiff up your plying and consistency. You can also learn reeling off your wheel into a skein, setting the twist and preparing your handspun for the dye pots.

Materials the students should bring: Spinning wheel and any tools they have for it.

Learn how to reel silk from the cocoon and how to spin it off a hankie.

Textile Archaeology

This will be a slide presentation of archaeological textiles from museums in Europe and the British Islands. As Barb will have just returned from Denmark and England, there will be some new additions to this presentation (from last year’s presentation).

Everything Else

Learn to carve and print a small woodblock in 2 sessions. Woodblocks, tools and source material will be provided. Attend either or both sessions.

Inks are messy. Clean up with soap and water.

Learn the basics of taking a glass rod, melting it using a torch and then wrapping the molten glass around a rod to make a bead.

This is a fast, easy and utterly addictive craft! Use wire, beads, crimps and jeweler’s pliers to create beautiful stitch markers for your knitting and other string crafts. You will make the first beaded stitch marker in 10 – 15 minutes. You’ll get faster as you learn how to handle the crimping pliers. Stitch markers can be made while waiting for the dye pots to boil or during a discussion. Make several as gifts for yourself or your favorite knitter. Alternatively use your beautiful beaded design for gift charms, zipper pulls, funky personal bling, book markers, favors or whatever else you can think up!

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Beads to use if you wish, but there will be beads to use in class, bring pliers or plain needle-nose pliers if you have them handy.

CLASS DESCRIPTION: Learn to use a flat lap to grind and polish a cab to use as in jewelry or to be attached to clothing. This will be a good activity for those rare birds who do not want to do fiber related arts for a while during the weekend. Instructor will be bring a flat lap, grinding, sanding, and polishing discs, a trim saw, and slabs of jaspers and agates to work on. She'll sit with people as they start working to make sure they are not a hazard to themselves or others, but once they get the idea of what needs to be done. They can work at their own pace.

MATERIALS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: Students can use their own rocks if they wish.

A child friendly class with parental supervision.