Using hand-dyed yarns and fabric scraps from the Silk Weaving Studio, instructor Anne Montgomery will guide you to express yourself through stitching and creating a piece of work that speaks to you. This is a chance for you to meditatively stitch or learn new embroidery stitches and run wild with a miniature crazy quilt. No previous sewing experience is required, just enthusiasm and curiosity!
Sanjo silks are beautifully hand dyed and silk shines so stitches glow and dance across the fabric. We will be playing with different thicknesses of silk and silk mixes, and bits and bobs from the studio, plus other embellishments supplied by Anne. You will leave with a small decorative piece that can be attached to a canvas or framed…or perhaps made into a pincushion or tiny bag.
Anne has worked with textiles in one form or another for over 40 years and her textiles have been exhibited in Canada and the States. She has taught weaving, embroidery, hand sewing and other art forms at elementary schools and to people of all ages through public workshops.
The minimum class size is 5 and the maximum is 8 to allow for personalized attention. The cost is $60.00 and all materials are supplied, including a little bag of yarns and fabric scraps (value $15) to take home. You may bring your own scissors and needles if you would like, and an embroidery hoop if you prefer to use one.
REGISTRATION OPENS: March 22, 9am Register throughEVENTBRITE REGISTRATION CLOSES: April 19, 2024 5pm
CANCELLATIONS We strive to create a well thought out and engaging experience for students within an intimate setting. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide refunds under any circumstances due to the time and preparation required in advance of the event. The event is fully transferable, and we’re happy to accommodate a friend or family member to come in your place. Please contact sanjosilk@gmail.com if you need to arrange for an alternate attendee.
COMMUNICATION When you register, please provide an email address that you monitor regularly, to check for updates.
FLIGHTS OF FANCY: ERI SILK with Kim Mckenna
May 4, 2024, in conjunction with The Silk Weaving Studio’s “Eri Explorations” exhibit, Kim McKenna will be presenting an informative slide show on the eri silkworm along with demos on how to spin eri silk on a spinning wheel, supported spindle and a top whorl/drop spindle. Thousands of years ago, in what is now northeast India, the Tibeto-Burman peoples developed techniques which are still used today to rear, spin and weave eri silk. At that time in history, eri silk was reared and used for the most part to produce everyday clothing. Historically, eri fibre had a matte lustre and a hand that felt more like cotton than silk. Today after the great strides in research and technology, and in particular the Japanese slivering technique, Sanjo Silks is able to obtain an eri silk with a beautiful pearlescent lustre that feels more like a silk/cotton blend than cotton alone.
Your registration fee includes a curated box of eri silk and tea; from Sanjo silk and O5 Tea, respectively.
One of the highlights of the silks in this kit is 100 grams of eri silk handpainted by Diana Sanderson. Kim will share her tips for colour management and yarn design to give you ideas for your own handpainted eri handspun adventure.
Come see what’s brewing and join us for a cup of tea and a morning steeped in eri silk. This event will be held May 4, 2024 at the beautiful and inspiring Silk Weaving Studio (next to the Sandbar courtyard) on Granville Island from 9:30 - 11:30 AM.
The maximum number of participants:12
REGISTRATION OPENS: January 10,2024 9am Register through EVENTBRITE
REGISTRATION CLOSES: April 15, 2024 5pm
MATERIALS The $96 registration fee includes a Sanjo Eri Silk Kit (retail cost $55) containing 100 grams of eri silk (handpainted by Diana Sanderson), 25 grams of the traditional matte eri silk (42-026), 25 grams of lustrous white eri (40-025), an eri cocoon, a 20% discount coupon for fibre and yarn purchases at the Silk Weaving Studio on May 4, 2024, two 15 gram sampler packages of O5 Tea, and a QR code for a 15% discount on your next purchase of 05 Tea.
In May the Silk Weaving Studio launches a new product, a line of beautifully turned top whorl spindles, by woodturner Ed Pretty. The light weight spindles have been specially designed for spinning silk. So be sure to check them out while you are at the Studio.
CANCELLATIONS We strive to create a well thought out and engaging experience for students within an intimate setting. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide refunds under any circumstances due to the time and preparation required in advance of the event. The event is fully transferable, and we’re happy to accommodate a friend or family member to come in your place. Please contact sanjosilk@gmail.com if you need to arrange for an alternate attendee.
COMMUNICATION When you register, please provide an email address that you monitor regularly, to check for updates.
Introduction to Rigid Heddle Loom Weaving
April 25, May 2 & 9, 2024. 6:30-9:00pm This course will take you from being a non-weaver to being a weaver. It will introduce you to 2 types of weaving on a super portable Knitter’s Loom, a type of rigid heddle loom. - Balanced, flat weaving – used for wearables, table linens, etc.- -Textural work – suitable for decorative wall hangings and art You’ll get a bag full of interesting yarns to use as weft in your work, as well as beautiful Sanjo Silk 50% Silk 50% Merino Wool 12/3 (#10-056 ) for your warps. You’ll become knowledgeable about the loom, the materials, and the basic technique of weaving; how to put the warp on, and take the finished work off; how to introduce texture to your work. You’ll learn what you need to know in order to proceed to weaving wearable pieces, table linens or tea towels. You’ll also learn techniques for creating a textural decorative piece. And you’ll know the differences in how to approach these 2 types of weaving. Join the fun, be part of a real-live class, be inspired by the creativity of your classmates, and become a weaver! The class will be held at the beautiful and inspiring Silk Weaving Studio (in the Sandbar courtyard on Granville Island) Maximum class size is 5 to allow for lots of personal attention. $295, includes most of the materials you’ll need, and the at-home use of the loom for the course and sometime after. (to be announced)
When you register please use an email that you monitor regularly in order to see any updates on the class.
Level 2 Course: Colour and Weave Scarf
January 10, 17 and 24 2024, 6:30-8:30pm SOLD OUT! This level two course is designed to get you comfortable weaving on a rigid heddle loom and teach you the steps and gain confidence to design your own projects. Over three sessions, our instructor Paige Gratland, will lead the group through warping and weaving on the Ashford Knitter’s Loom, a portable rigid heddle loom, to create a scarf using colour & weave techniques. Colour and Weave is an approach to plain weave that alternates colours in the warp and weft (often using high contrast dark and light tones) to produce pattern and optical effects.
Topics will include: -how to choose colour and fiber for your project, calculate yarn and setts and keep records -how to warp the loom with more than one colour and weave with two shuttles or sticks. -how to create seamless colour changes and create even selvedges -hemstitching and other finishing techniques
We will be working with a Sanjo Silk/Merino blend (#10-056 ) and Sanjo Silk Noil Tweed (#30-011) (combination used in photos) though we can explore some colour substitutions in class.
Skills Required: Familiarity warping and weaving on a rigid heddle loom Introduction to Rigid Heddle Weaving course an asset.
Paige Gratland is an artist, filmmaker and one of our studio production weavers. She completed Level Two of the Master Weaver Program at Olds College and is working on her level three. Her woven work has been exhibited as gallery installations, large-scale public artworks for the City of Vancouver and City of Richmond and a socially engaged public artwork that taught over 300 participants how to weave. The class will be held at the beautiful and inspiring Silk Weaving Studio (in the Sandbar courtyard on Granville Island) Minimum class size is 3 and Maximum class size is 5 to allow for personalized attention and feedback. $300, includes most of the materials you’ll need, and the at-home use of the loom for 3 weeks. The looms come with two stick shuttles, if you have two boat shuttles and bobbins please feel free to bring them with you to use.
CANCELLATIONS We strive to create a well thought out and engaging experience for students within an intimate setting. Unfortunately, we are not able to refund workshops under any circumstances due to the time and preparation required in advance of the workshops. Workshops are fully transferable, and we’re happy to accommodate a friend or family member to come in your place. Please contact sanjosilk@gmail.com if you need to arrange for an alternate attendee.
Cancellation policy for all classes:
Eventbrite fees are non-refundable. Class fees are non-refundable unless class is cancelled. In the event of unforeseen instructor absence all efforts will be made to re-schedule missed classes. If for some reason you are unable to attend the course, you may send someone else in your place. Please contact us at sanjosilk at gmail dot com
PLEASE CONTACT US AT SILKWEAVEDIANA@GMAIL.COM TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT FUTURE CLASSES
We are a dealer for Ashford looms and accessories. We offer 10% discount on Ashford orders over $400. Please enquire.