I continue to attend weaving classes at the Chicago Weaving School, which in turn continues to grow and prosper.  Founder and Instructor Natalie Boyett conceived yet another excellent idea called WeaveSpa – single weaving classes with a pre-dressed loom or packages of lessons for very reasonable prices.  It’s a great way for people to dip a toe into the weaving world without having to take an expensive and time-consuming plunge.  (It’s also a great way to get hooked on the weaving addiction, but that’s beside the point…) 

The first WeaveSpa is February 2, 2011.  Check it out on Facebook.

As for what the heck I’m weaving, I’m weaving a Quesquemitl!

Say huh?

A Quesquemitl!

Nope, doesn’t make sense to me either, other than it’s a Mestizo shawl thingie.  It’s pretty cool.  Here’s a pic:

The schematic on the left is the drawing of what you weave:  it’s a long rectangle with fringe on the ends.  I think I might add some clear crystal beads to the ends of fringe and macrame them in some fashion; we’ll see.  I don’t have to decide that til next week. 

Why next week?   BECAUSE I’M NEARLY DONE!!!  I’m so excited.  Here is a picture of the loom I’m using; you can see the fabric in the front wound around the beam and the threads on the back with the knots sticking out – those knots are the end of the warp!  That means I only have a few more inches that I can weave before I’m all finished!

And since a friend of mine asked me about what the school is like, and I realized I haven’t posted any pictures, here are some views of the school.

‘My’ loom is in the back on the left.  In the foreground on the left is another floor loom, and the yellow threads are the warp of what will be a blanket.  The bookshelves are the weaving library, and the odd shapes on the right are, in the foreground, my jacket over a chair and behind that my classmate’s coat hanging on the corner stantion of a giant floor loom.

The left is the back of that same enormous floor loom, then the back door that leads to the other room of the school, a long hallway and the all-important restroom.  What you can’t see is there’s a little bit on the right where there’s a sink and more shelves with looms.  In the foreground on the right is the castle of another loom; what you’re looking at are the levers that control the harnesses.

This is looking toward the front of the school.  The center table is the main worktable, and looks different each time I come depending which students will be working.  When not in use, those table looms go on shelves.  On the left is a floor loom with a blue warp; beyond it are three more floor looms and a large wooden contraption for winding lengths of warp threads.  It’s got a name but I can’t call it to mind at the moment.

It’s a fun shop, full of electric and creative energy.  The students are just as interesting as the instructor; I’ve really enjoyed the time I spend here and look forward to many more days weaving here.