Weaving workshop with Melissa Johnson
Weaving with Handspun
March 12,13, 19, and 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m
2 day or 4 day option (same affordable price)
at The Putney School
Sponsor: River Spinners -
riverspinners@gmail.comInstructors:
Melissa Johnson
Melissa moved to southern Vermont from Istanbul in 1973 and graduated from The Putney School in 1977. She learned to weave at the Putney School from Libby Mills, one of the Green Mountain Spinney founders, and now teaches Textile and Fiber Arts as a member of the Putney School faculty. She attended the University of Vermont, Goddard College and apprenticed to Trudy Walker, a production weaver, before beginning her career as a weaver and knitwear designer. Melissa has been working with the Green Mountain Spinnery since the beginning in 1981.
She teaches workshops on weaving, knitting, and natural and synthetic dyeing to all skill levels and multiple topics simultaneously all the while being supportive, helpful, gracious, and as lovely as possible. Melissa is a designer, dyer, and color consultant, and creates custom textiles on commission. During the summer of 2013, she and a group from Putney School brought looms and yarn to Kigali, Rwanda. They set up a weaving studio and taught 12 disadvantaged Rwandans to weave. The Rwandan weavers have now formed a co-operative and are producing scarves for sale to support themselves and their families. Melissa continues to visit the Rwandan weavers and is surely saving up yarns and planning her next visit.
Melissa is a lifelong member of the River Spinners.
For more information on Melissa check out these links.
FYI most of the information above was shamelessly stolen from these sources.
http://www.spinnery.com/index.php/2012/05/meet-the-dyer-melissa-johnsonhttp://summer.putneyschool.org/adultstudio/fiber-artshttp://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_25435794/weaving-sustainable-futureMinimum requirements:
Desire to weave.
What to bring:
Your own handspun yarns are not a requirement but suggested due to the topic.
Rigid heddles are fine, but we encourage the use of floor looms at The Putney School.
Lunch and snacks.
Pricing:
$60 (members only event due to the 10 participant limit)
Cost to become a member $20 (just $10 youth through 21) New members will only have option of taking class if there are any openings
Nominal material fee should you desire to use yarn from the weaving studio. Paid by weight at the event. Very affordable.
The studio is open from start of class to end of last day – we will need to be off looms by the last day.
Business meeting will be held during one of the days - date will be determined after we have a better idea of what day will have the most attendance. All are welcome join business meeting voting is a member privilege.
Scholarships:
A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Please only request if the cost is preventative for you to attend. Scholarship recipients will have all but $5 of class fee waived.
Registration:
Registration in advance is required as space is limited to 10 people. If you are planning to attend please register by February 19 so that we can have a better idea what day do hold the business meeting and if any outside advertising will be required in the end. Checks should be made out to River Spinners, please send checks to our treasurer, River Spinners, c/o Leslie Markey, PO Box 91, East Dover VT 05341-0091, PayPal option is also available. Space is only reserved when payment is received. Detailed directions will follow with confirmation upon receipt of payment.
Refund Policy:
100% refund prior to February 29; 50% March 1 - 5; 0% March 6 and after unless your seat is filled.
Please fill out this form for each participant.