8-SHAFT Summer and Winter by Janet Philips – March  8, 15 and 21 2025 (2-4pm)

The aim of the course is to teach weavers the design possibilities of 8-shaft Summer  and Winter Weave Structure.  

It is suitable for all weavers who are confident with making a warp and dressing their  own loom. 

There will be three sessions of approximately 2 hours each, one week apart.

• Janet will be available to answer questions via email throughout the course. 
• A ‘Padlet’ will be set up for everyone to share photographs of their weaving.
• A recording of each session will be taken and posted on Janet’s website. 
• Only paid -up students of the course may watch these videos. 

Requirements 

• An empty 8 shaft loom with a weaving width of at least 16” and ready for a  warp to be put onto it. Ideally, an 8-shaft table loom, but a floor loom will be fine. 
• A copy of “Exploring Woven Fabrics” by Janet Phillips 
• Graph paper 
• Pencil 
• Eraser 
• Ruler 
• Calculator 
• Two coloured pencils

YARN REQUIREMENTS: 

• You will be weaving a finished sample blanket/gamp approximately 12” wide and  2 yards long. There will be approximately 240 ends in your warp.  
• A suitable warp and weft yarn would be 8/2 cotton, sett at 16epi, in one colour. You will therefore need approximately 6 oz (1200 yards) for warp and weft combined.  
• You may choose a different yarn than this if you wish.  
• The warp sett should always be a low Plain Weave sett. 

In addition, you will need a yarn for the PATTERN WEFT. This can be almost any yarn  you have in your stash. Traditionally it is a yarn slightly thicker than you warp yarn, but  we will be experimenting with yarn weight, so almost anything in your stash – thick or  thin – will be suitable. You will not need very much of each of these yarns.  

Session 1  

• Learn the weave construction and determine a warping plan and a threading  plan to weave a three-sectioned sample blanket. 
• Hands on practical exercises will be done together. 
• Students will have a week to make a warp and thread their looms. • Students will be able to email their designs and warping plans for Janet to check  if they wish. 

Session 2

 

• Learn how to construct a lifting plan and then a tie-up and treadling plan to  weave different designs. 
• Discuss the variations in weft patterns and yarn quality that can be used. • Hands on practical exercises will be done together. 

Session 3

• Students will come together to discuss outcomes of weaving the sample  blanket. 
• Exploration of Turned Taquete and Supplimentary Warp weave structures. • Looking at the Padlet of photographs together.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• It is important that all participants actually attend the live lessons.  • There will be hands-on worksheets that we will do together so it is important that  Janet can actually speak to everyone, answer questions and ensure that everyone  understands the design process.  
• Before each session Janet will email everyone worksheets that they must print out  to work on during the course. 
• The Zoom link will be emailed to each participant one hour before each Session.

BIO: Textile Designer, Hand weaver, Weaving Tutor and Author

I studied industrial textile design at the Scottish College of Textiles, graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in 1972.  After working in industry for three years I bought a 16-shaft Dobby loom and built up a career as a commission weaver, designing and weaving functional fabrics for private clients. 

I taught a one-day, weekly community education class in Oxford from 1987 – 2004.  In 2009 I stopped my commission weaving work and now focus on teaching weaving and weave design from my own studio in Somerset, UK.

I have written three books on weave design:

• The Weavers Book of Fabric Design – published 1983
• Designing Woven Fabrics – published 2008, reprinted in 2009 and 2015
• Exploring Woven Fabrics – published 2020