Workshops and Talks

A number of workshops and talks are available to book for groups and practical workshops are limited to 12 places.

Workshops arranged by third party venues have direct links to buy tickets. Initial enquiries about booking a workshop or illustrated talk should be made via the contact form.

 

Sounding Out Colour and Texture - the interpretation of sound through tapestry weaving.

 

Introduction

Sound and Weave workshopIf you listen to critics and others working in the world of music, you will often hear them using language that could, if you came in on the middle of a conversation, lead you to think that they were talking about something quite different - something more visual and tactile.

The language used to describe music / sound is very similar to that used to describe other media - media that involves colour, texture, pattern, shape, form and rhythm. We use these words in tapestry weaving to describe what we are doing, how and why we are doing it, what it is about . . . and we ‘feel’ these words as we handle the materials, structures and techniques we work with.

The starting point for this workshop is to play some sounds / music and ask the question;

“If you could see and touch that sound, what would it feel like and what colour(s) would it be? Try exploring the words you could use to describe those sounds.”

The second question is;

“What materials, yarns, techniques or patterns could you use to interpret or represent those sounds?”

One day workshop

As a one day workshop, the focus is on experimentation with different materials alongside an investigation of what sound is and the ways in which it is described - primarily colour and texture. A finished tapestry is not the aim of the workshop. Instead, the aim is to use quick and easy ways of working with weave as the main structure and different materials as the main content.

Please contact Alastair to arrange this workshop for your group.

Five Day Course

This longer course allows the opportunity to investigate sound more deeply. Sound recording and review will be carried out, and the visual patterns sounds make, examined.

Designs will be developed for tapestry weaving that interpret different elements of sound. The course will also provide the technical expertise Alastair can offer in the techniques of tapestry weaving and issues arising with tension control in different designs, particularly when different materials and techniques are used.

£450 / £1,000 plus travel, accommodation and materials used. Participants: up to 12 adults.

NB This course can be run over a long weekend (4 days) or as a series of one day workshops over 5 weeks.

  • If run over four days, workshop times will be extended to either 8 Am - 6 PM or include 2 hours each evening.

 

 

Having Fun with Tapestry Weaving - a one day workshop to relieve tension.

 

Tension is everything in tapestry weaving . . . unless you decide to concentrate on other things, like having fun with different materials and techniques.  This workshop will look at the basics of tapestry weaving and will show you how to warp up a frame, start off, cast on and off, create shapes, finish. It will also prompt the use of materials other than yarn and demonstrate the flexibility and scope of tapestry weaving. 

Please contact Alastair to arrange this workshop for your group.

£450 plus travel and materials used. Participants:  up to 12 adults and children.

 

 

Stressing the Tension - a weekend workshop

 

This workshop is aimed at achieving better tension control in tapestry weaving, but don’t worry, enjoyment is still the name of the game!

The aim of this workshop is to produce a high quality sampler tapestry by completing a number of exercises geared towards good tension control. These pieces can be very attractive in themselves but the purpose of the workshop is to give the participants an understanding of some of the issues of tension control in different design circumstances and with different yarns.

Cotton warp thread plus a mixture of Swedish wool and rug wool can be provided. You may also bring your own yarns.

Please contact Alastair to arrange this workshop for your group.

£700 plus travel and materials used - overnight accommodation may be required. Participants:  up to 12 adults.