Adult Weekend Workshops

Fingerweaving Workshops

Since 2004, Carol James has been delivering intensive weekend fingerweaving workshops for groups. They are ideal for cultural organizations, historic sites and fiber art guilds whose members are looking to learn the basics of fingerweaving. Over the course of one weekend, Carol will come to your site and deliver eighteen hours of instruction. The package includes a copy of Carol's instructional book for each participant as well as the materials for five practice pieces. Carol will cover set-up of new pieces, the most common mistakes and how they could be corrected and avoided, as well as finishing techniques.

Schedule of events

Fingerweaving Friday Evening (two hours)

Carol will briefly introduce herself and fingerweaving. For the introductory activity, the group is split into pairs. Each pair will create a simple four strand braid which will later be used in fingerweaving process. Using the beginner fingerweaving method, the participants will learn how to weave a basic friendship bracelet. In the meantime, Carol will cover the most common mistakes and how they should be corrected. Near the end, Carol will cover how to set up for other types of samples. A signup sheet will be posted for Saturday morning's individual lessons.

Saturday Morning (four hours)

The group will be encouraged to practice the beginner method on a new piece. Meanwhile, Carol will hold one-on-one, twenty to thirty minute sessions with each participant in turn. These lessons will cover the advanced method. Each participant will be taught how to hold the threads, how to move them from hand to hand, how to use a "safety belt" and how to find a dropped shed.

Saturday Afternoon (four hours)

The participants will be given lots of time for supervised weaving practice. Carol will demonstrate how to create a vertical stripe pattern and a sawtooth pattern. Carol with then go over a few more common mistakes and how to correct them. If the group has not made a sufficient number of mistakes, then she will then make some herself for the purpose of demonstration. Finally, Carol will explain to the group how to set up a fingerweaving project from scratch.

Sunday (eight hours)

Once again, the participants will have a chance to fingerweave while receiving instruction from Carol. The participants will have the opportunity to learn a four-coloured chevron pattern as well as a simple arrowhead pattern. Carol will also demonstrate how to go about changing patterns within a piece and will give a brief overview of pattern compatibility.

Sprang Workshops

Half-day Workshop

The half-day workshop introduces interlinking. Students begin with a small free-end braiding project, making a bookmark or bracelet. Students then move to work on a figure-8 warp to make a drawstring bag.

Full Day Workshop

The full-day workshop contains all the material from the half-day workshop, anticipating that most students will finish their drawstring bag. There should be time to explore the set-up of a new project. Time and interest permitting, some surface designs may also be explored.

Two Day Workshop

The two-day workshop includes all of the above. On the second day of the workshop we explore circular warp (pg36-39). This amazing technique allows the creation of a piece of cloth that is twice the length of the frame.

Other Important Information

Groups interested in these workshops should contact Carol James in order to book a weekend. Bookings should be made well in advance. Please note that the number of participants should be between four and ten. Cost per person for a workshop in the Winnipeg area is $80.00 and includes all materials. These workshops are designed to be delivered to adults. Those looking for fingerweaving workshops for children should visit the School Workshops page.