Newsletter from the Rhode Island Weaving Center
Volume 3, September 2022

Fall Classes

With this hot, dry summer coming to an end, we are gearing up to start our fall courses.  This fall we will continue to offer our traditional courses:

• Beginning and Continuing Beginning Weaving

• Beginning and Continuing Tapestry Weaving

• Beginning and Continuing Rigid Heddle Weaving

• Band Weaving (Inkle)

There are still a few spaces left in the rigid heddle and band weaving classes that start later in September, so please register soon.  The Beginning Tapestry class is already full for the September start, but there is space available in the class that starts later this fall.  The Beginning Weaving and Continuing Beginning Weaving classes are ready to start on September 6th.

We do have a new addition to our classes – we will be offering a Knitting Class for the first time this fall.  We have had many requests to offer this class.  Luckily we have a great teacher to lead the class – Gretchen White.  Many of you know Gretchen from the Weavers Guild of Rhode Island and have seen that she always has a knitting project in hand!  We are structuring the first course so that anyone can take it – from beginners who simply want to learn how to knit to advanced knitters who want to learn techniques such as Fair Isle Colorwork.

 
For a full description and registration, please see our website. 

New Knitting Class

Our Studio

The studio continues to expand with two new 8-shaft looms donated since the last newsletter.  We now have a total of 12 looms available.  We had 6 studio weavers this summer weaving away in our beautiful air-conditioned space!  There are 3 weavers joining the studio this fall. Our goal is to have 15 studio weavers continuously weaving, and to have approximately 20 looms available so that each studio weaver has plenty of loom options.

The RIWC has studio space where you can rent a loom for your personal use.  In addition to using our looms, you can weave with other weavers, sharing ideas and solving problems together. The space is bright and open as we expanded into the whole top floor of the Kenyon Building. 

Our Library

Thanks to the help of several volunteers, the Library is ready for use.  We have organized our many books and the shelves are labeled for easy use.  We also culled through all of the magazine donations and created one complete set of all of the weaving magazines and journals.  If you would like to borrow a specific book or journal, please send us an email and we are happy to share it with you if we have it.

Fundraising in November

We will be fundraising this fall in November on Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving.  As you know, the RIWC is a non-profit organization and all of the money we take in goes to paying rent and utilities, purchasing equipment and supplies, and compensating our instructors.  Last year, our first year, we did not break even but stayed afloat because of your donations.  Our goal is to be fully self-supported by the end of our third year as we acquire more looms and thus increase our classroom and studio capacity.  Until then, we are reliant on our supporters for donations to keep this endeavor alive.  More details to follow – but know that we will be reaching out again soon!  Thank you.

Would you like to declutter your weaving space?

If so, we have a wish list! We are currently seeking these items for donation.

• 3/2 Mercerized Cotton Yarn

• 5/2 Mercerized Cotton Yarn

• Harrisville weaving yarn, Highland Weight.  End of cones are great

• 12/6 or 12/9 seine warp

• Swedish Bobbin Winder

• Tapestry bobbins

• 36” 8 shaft looms

• 24” 4 shaft Harrisville or Dorset looms

• A Handweaver’s Pattern Book - Marguerite Davison

• Handweaver’s Pattern Directory - Anne Dixon

Please contact the RIWC if you can help. Thank You.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested. We expect to send out newsletters every other month. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, please click here.

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