National Museum of the American Coverlet
 322 S. Juliana St
Bedford, PA 15522

814-623-1588
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Beginning Spinning with Wool

2012 Dates to be announced --

This class is ideal for the absolute beginner as well as for frustrated wheel spinners.  We will begin with drop spindle spinning with ready-to-use wool and move on to using a Saxony-type spinning wheel.  There will be special focus on adjusting the spinning wheel.  Also covered will be wool preparation, dealing with all that yarn, and plying methods.  This will be a full day!

Class requirements:  A working Saxony-type spinning wheel (low wheel).**  Drop spindles will be available for use during class.  Students may bring their own drop spindles and wool. 

A limited number of drop spindle kits and wool roving in white, gray, black and some colors will be available for purchase.

  • Hours:  9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. (one-hour lunch break on your own)
  • Fee includes a full day of lessons and discussion, plus morning snacks.
  • Museum members:  $60 plus materials (about $15)
  • Non-members:  $75 plus materials (about $15)

**Note:  If you do not have a spinning wheel, give us advance notice so we may work to provide one for you.

Instructor:  Caroline Winslow
Caroline Winslow is an artist and a textile fanatic. She has been weaving since 1966, spinning fibers since 1974, and teaching textile arts since 1979. She taught high school art and art history for 22 years, and during that time developed a textile program that is still being used eight years after she retired.Her interests and expertise range across a variety of techniques, styles, and materials.  (spinning cotton, wool, flax, dog hair. llama and alpaca, silk, and contemporary rayon-types-lycocel, soy silk, bamboo and corn fibers; using walking wheel, saxony-type wheel, drop spindles, support spindles and charkha; weaving commercial and hand-spun yarns; making spindles from found objects)
   
She has demonstrated spinning and weaving at schools, colleges and universities, and at local, regional and national craft venues and has taught classes and private lessons.  Her special interests are cotton spinning, "color-and-weave" weaving, and miniature quiltmaking using vintage and antique fabrics.

Introduction to Natural Dyes

2012 Dates to be announced --

A basic introduction to natural dyes on natural fibers, this hands-on class will cover a brief history of natural dyes.  Topics will include safety (‘natural’ is not the same as ‘safe’), preparation, use and disposal of dye materials, record keeping, and how different mordants affect the dyes. 

Students will dye and take home samples of cotton, wool and silk yarns, using madder, cochineal, osage orange, weld, indigo, walnuts and other dyes to achieve a vibrant range of colors.  Throughout the process, there will be discussion of terminology, characteristics of various fibers, lightfastness, mordants and mordanting, and lots more.
A list of suggested reading will be provided.

  • Hours:  8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days (one-hour lunch break on your own)
  • Class size is limited to 10 students.
  • Fee includes two days of lessons and discussion, plus morning snacks both days.
  • Museum members:  $140 plus materials (about $25)
  • Non-members:  $160 plus materials (about $25)

Instructor:  Mara Riley

Learn to Weave


Beginning Weaving

       Advanced Beginning Weaving
2012 dates to be announced.

 

Introduction to Rug Hooking

2012 Dates to be announced --

This hands-on introductory rug hooking class will explore the origins, development, purpose and importance of rug hooking from the 18th century to the 20th century.  Students will learn about process and techniques while producing a complete project.

Several examples of hooked rugs will be shown and discussed.  Topics will include a historical overview and a study of primitive rug hooking, including types and components, color and balance, and basic terms.

Students will learn about identifying the various elements, comparing the similarities and differences between contemporary and antique hooked rugs.  Discussion will include how rugs can be both objects of everyday use as well as artistic expression. 

Students should bring a small pair of scissors.  All other materials will be supplied in class, and a list of suggested reading will be provided.

  • Hours:  8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days (one-hour lunch break on your own)
  • Class size is limited to 6 students.
  • Fee includes two days of lessons and discussion, plus morning snacks both days.
  • Museum members:  $125 plus materials (about $40)
  • Non-members:  $140 plus materials (about $40)

Instructor:  Rebecca Calderwood

 

Call the Museum for information and registration: 814.623.1588