We’re taking a break from workshops this year, but plan to resume in 2023. Sign up for our mailing list for a heads up when we update our calendar.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
Rigid Heddle School gives you an introduction to rigid heddle weaving, from warping your loom, to exploring color with plain weave and texture with handspun, to expanding the possibilities of your simple loom with the pattern stick.
The rigid heddle loom is simple to warp, portable, and a natural for handspinners and knitters. Use it to showcase your handspun or burn through your stash of commercial yarn and/or fiber. It’s a marvelous, flexible loom.
Teacher: Classes will be taught by Linda Stanfill, spinner, weaver, and fiber artist with 20 years of fiber teaching experience.
The workshop fee includes EVERYTHING–-2 FULL days of classes, supplies, equipment use, your room, meals & snacks & a great goodie bag.
Handspun and commercial warp, commercial weft
RIGID HEDDLE SCHOOL FAQ
What experience do I need? This workshop is geared toward beginners, so whether you’re a complete novice, a beginner, or you’re just rusty and want a refresher, you’ll get a great sampling of skills and techniques.
What do I bring? Most importantly, bring yourself & a love of fiber. All of your supplies are included.
You can bring your own loom, buy one at a discount as part of your enrollment, or use one of ours. If you bring your own loom or buy one from us before classs, you’ll get a free pattern stick!
Optional: Bring an interesting handspun to work with.
Hanspun warp and commercial weft plain weave
Which airport should I use? Kansas City, MO (airport code MCI) if you want to take the shuttle. If you’re planning to rent a car, you can also try Wichita (just over 2 hours) or Oklahoma City (about 4 hrs). Current shuttle information is on registration page.
Note: Several regional lines service MCI, so if you’re not finding good rates, check Spirit (buy your checked bag/s with your ticket; you’ll pay 4x as much at the airport), Frontier, Southwest, Midwest, etc. They’re not always listed on expedia, etc.
Can I come early? If you’re enrolled just in Rigid Heddle School, you may be able to check in after 5pm the night before for an additional $60, which includes your dinner and breakfast. See options on registration page.
What’s up with the shuttle? Details and times to use as a guideline are listed on the registration page.
How far is Harveyville? About 2 hours from Kansas City or the Kansas City International Airport, an hour from Lawrence or Manhattan, 40 minutes from Topeka.
If you’re driving from farther way, please use our directions to double check, as GPS/Google maps/Mapquest may try to route you down rough or impassable dirt roads.
ROOM OPTIONS
STANDARD DOUBLE ROOM This is the default Rigid Heddle School room included in your tuition, a shared double in a large former classroom. These rooms have two or three double or queen sized beds. You may choose your roommate, or we can assign. If you have more than three in your group but don’t want to share a group room or you all want the larger beds, we can give you adjacent rooms, or reconfigure rooms with up to 4 full/queen beds.
PRIVATE ROOM: Just little old you. These are usually smaller rooms with doubles or queens.
BYOL BONUS Bring your own loom (or order one with enrollment) and get a free pattern stick to take home with you!
Handspun plain weave
FACILITY (MORE INFO & PHOTOS HERE)
ROOMS Most of the guest rooms are large (average 700-900sf) former classrooms charming schoolroom details (chalkboards, maps) and tons of natural light. Private rooms are typically cozier (former offices and teachers’ lounges). All of our beds have new, quality mattresses, cotton linens, and down blankets or comforters (cotton blankets instead on request).
BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS are shared (the original school facilities). Towels and washcloths are provided.
MASSAGE On-site massage is available by appointment from massage therapist and teacher Cindy Jones. She has experience in a variety of modalities, from Swedish to pain management to prenatal massage.
MEALS
BREAKFAST is continental, so come early to chat and knit, or sneak back to your room with coffee and a little something if you’re not a morning person. Breakfast includes coffee and tea, fruit, cold cereal, yogurt, pastries, toast, etc.
LUNCH and DINNER are family style. As always, you’re free to enjoy the group or fix a plate and skip out, if you’d prefer a little solitude.
SNACKS (chips, popcorn, cookies, candy, fruit, etc.) and leftovers are available free around the clock.
SPECIAL DIETS We can accommodate vegetarians at no extra charge. Very specialized/exclusive diets (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan) are available at an extra charge, or you’re welcome to bring your own food.
If you’re bringing your own special snacks or beverages, you may keep them in one of the group fridges.
Two-color pattern stick patterns created on the rigid heddle loom
TENTATIVE PROGRAM
MONDAY
New arrivals check in at 9. We’ll start on Monday by warping our looms. We’ll use smooth commercial wool yarn in contrasting colors of your choice (we’ll contact you in advance for your color choices). The plain wool yarn will allow us to focus (both figuratively and literally) on technique and build basic skills.
Plain weave doesn’t have to be plain! We’ll explore the many possibilities of color and pattern, using our 2-color warp to produce 6 different patterns using only plain weave and 2 colors.
TUESDAY
Late Monday or early Tuesday, we’ll move on to pattern stick to form even more more patterns, including float patterns and lacy effects!
Just before lunch, we’ll warp our looms with handspun to explore texture in plain weave, and we’ll play with different free form texture and beating techniques.
Besides formal demonstrations and regular class time, we’ll have lots of free-ranging weaving after hours. Linda is a night owl, so she’ll be available to help into the evenings, after dinner. Feel free to bring your wheel or use one of ours if you want to create special yarns to incorporate into your weaving.
(Students may check out after class Tuesday or relax and stay overnight for Wednesday morning checkout.)
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday morning, we’ll have breakfast, then say our goodbyes and head out with our new felted goodies. Folks planning to take the shuttle should book flights that leave at noon or later.
Mop yarn warp, merino/alpaca roving weft
Need a loom?
You can use one of ours, or buy a discounted loom as part of your enrollment. If you buy a loom when you enroll, you’ll receive a 20% discount on your choice of Ashford rigid heddle loom and accessories (options here).
About Linda
Artist Statement
After I received my Bachelors degree in sculpture, I became interested in incorporation various fibers with my clay, stone and metal sculptures, so I took a semester-long class on fibers. It introduced me to spinning, weaving and felting, and I was hooked. Quickly my work became more about the fiber than any other material. This started my 37-year journey in fibers. Along the way, I started teaching friends and children the joys of spinning and weaving and I explored different looms and weaving types. I now teach weaving through the Potwin Fiber Artisans in Topeka, Kansas, do demonstrations in the area and I am working on a book on Rigid Heddle Weaving.