Knotted Weaving with Jo McDonald

Description

Sat 18 Nov (10am – 4pm) & Sun 19 Nov (11am – 4pm)

This 2-day weaving workshop concentrates on exploring the ‘Knotted technique’ within a tapestry structure. Weavers will work on the ‘wrong-side’ of the tapestry – i.e. with the back facing you. After warping-up, the loom is turned around, as is the design, and we’ll build up a series of half-hitch knots/ double soumaks in rows and blocks. The knots are like a series of ‘building blocks’, like pixel squares, similar to Minecraft and QR codes, or cross stitch patterns.Knots can be tied from both the front and the back, creating a variety of surface texture. We will draw / trace out a cartoon on paper, which is transferred onto acetate. The acetate is then turned over, in order to reverse the design.

This technique lends itself to building up shapes, without having to consider the usual ‘over/under’ sequence across passes and weft relays. We encourage you to bring your own source material for inspiration, bring along a selection of images that interest you, paying attention to pattern, colour, texture, etc. This technique can be widely used for a wide range tapestry designs, and is ideal for exploring geometric shapes, linear designs and lettering.

There will be a range of materials on offer, such as cottons, wools, linens and unusual yarns for experimental weft blending. If you’d like to use a particular material you have you are welcome to bring it along.

OUTCOMES

• Measure out and warp up a simple frame loom
• Work with multiple weft bundles
• Explore surface pattern and texture through using the knotting technique, from the both the front and back of the tapestry
• Translate designs and images into tapestry, by selecting key areas from source material

This skill building workshop is suitable for crafters of all abilities – from complete beginners to those looking to add new skills to their repertoire or refine their existing weaving knowledge. We will begin with basic techniques and move on to more advanced methods as we all get up to speed. We strive to create a friendly and relaxed learning environment, where every learner can work at their own pace.

Your Tutor

Jo McDonald is a Scottish Visual Artist, who lives and teaches in Edinburgh. She has been teaching weaving workshops for many years throughout the UK. She offers regular tapestry weaving courses in central Edinburgh for all levels of ability, from beginners to the more advanced, as well as one-to-one sessions.

Jo graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a first class BA (Hons) and MFA in Tapestry. She was short-listed for The Cordis Trust Prize for Tapestry (2015 and 2021), received two Hope Scott Trust Awards (2019 and 2013), granted a Creative Scotland Professional Development Award (2013), and won the Milly and Benno Schotz Award for best work by a young sculptor at the Royal Glasgow Institute in 2012. She has work held in Apex International Hotels in London, Amateras Foundation in Bulgaria, University of Aberdeen in Scotland and The Gallery of Szombathelyi in Hungary, as well as in private collections in UK, France, USA and South Africa.

• All tools and materials are included in the course cost, but you are welcome to bring along your own fibres to weave with if you wish
• Tea and coffee are provided but participants should bring their own lunch and utensils
• All of our classes are suitable for over 16s, younger crafters may be accommodated if accompanied by a participating adult but please contact us before booking
• If the workshop you were looking at is fully booked drop us an email and we’ll add you to the waiting list.
• You can pay for this course in two instalments, a non-refundable 50% deposit will be taken at the time of booking and you will be invoiced for the remaining balance three weeks in advance of your workshop.