Weaving on a 4-shaft Loom for Absolute Beginners with Anne Choi

Designed for beginners, this workshop promises to demystify the art of multi-shaft weaving. We will explore the full process of turning yarn into fabric from planning a project, winding a warp, warping the loom, reading a draft, and weaving good cloth. We will learn on vintage 4-shaft Structo looms, which are complete table looms, in miniature. By the end of the workshop, each new weaver will have their own sampler of structures including various twills, rib, and basket weave to take home.

Introductory level. No experience required.

All equipment, supplies, and materials will be provided, but for their own comfort, participants may bring their own scissors and portable lights such as headlamps or battery-operated reading lights. For an optional fun share-and-learn experience, students are encouraged to bring an example of weaving from their cultural heritage. We will display these pieces in the classroom with pride for inspiration.

Anne Choi is a fiber artist raising a small flock of Shetland sheep in Bedminster, NJ. She teaches weaving, spinning, and dyeing for regional fiber arts guilds, museums, and fiber festivals. Her workshops center the global heritage of textile handicrafts that precede colonization, and honor the cultural legacy of traditional artisans. Her teaching focuses on the use of natural, biodegradable materials and using ecologically sustainable practices. Anne is the founder and executive director of NJ Fibershed, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to nurturing a diverse and equitable community of fiber producers and crafters interested in sustainable textile arts. Through public programs and events, NJ Fibershed provides connections and support in particular for current and aspiring first-generation farmers within New Jersey.