I rarely get the opportunity to write a newsy letter from Thistle Hill Weavers, but 2025 has found me at the computer in the office ready to get started on the New Year.
I also hardly ever get to introduce the crew here at Thistle Hill Weavers: Raina Roe, Dan Myrick, Holly Oakley, Crystal Wack, Lisbeth Ruggeri, and Betty Muscarella. The crew here is really the heart and soul of Thistle Hill Weavers and although often less visible than I am, they are the weavers and finishers who get the job done.
We have some interesting projects ahead of us this year in addition to the upholstery fabrics for our long time clients we are working on two projects for Hyde Hall – George Clarke’s bed hangings and Anne’s bed hangings and carpet.
We are finishing up the silk damask for the Fulford House in Canada and some private client damasks for window treatments.
I will be teaching a few workshops this year here at the mill, and at Kilts Farm in Stone Arabia, New York, and Historic Eastfield Village in Nassau, New York.
But the BIG NEWS for those of you interested in textile history is this year’s Textile History Forum to be held August 1, 2 and 3 in Marshfield VT at Kate Smith’s Weavers Croft.
We have invited Michael Nix from England to be our keynote speaker this year. Michael’s book on Norwich Textiles: A Global Study 1750 to 1840. is helpful to understanding the production of worsted cloths that were so much a part of the 18th and 19th century.
Workshops and classes in 2025
Design and Drafting Patterns for Handweavers
February 15th and 16th
9:30-4:00
This is class for hand weavers who want to understand weave structure and pattern formulas.
This is not a weaving workshop, instead, we will be drafting patterns and weave structures on graph paper and computers. Understanding of how the intersection of threads work to form useful structures allows us to create our own patterns and textiles that serve both as beautiful fabrics but also meet our needs for drape and durability. The goal of this class is for students to be able to design their own patterns using weave formulas rather than printed drafts..
A bibliography will be sent ahead of the class. Lunch is included. Class is limited to six students. $125
Historic Textile Workshop: Reading Historic Weaver’s Drafts and Examining Historic Textiles
March 22nd and 23rd
This is a hands on work shop, a combination of reading and interpreting the weaving recipes left by fancy weavers and vernacular weavers and examining historic coverlets woven using these drafts.
There are so many different short hand methods of recording threading and treadling patterns. We will look at styles that became the backbone of American hand weaving in the colonial revival and styles that are unusual.
Lunch is included. Class is limited to 10 students. $125
Spin, Span, Spun at Historic Eastfield Village
June 14th and 15th
Spinning Straw into Gold or Spinning on traditional spinning wheels.
Do you own a traditional spinning wheel?
This workshop is geared to folks who are already familiar with spinning but want to improve their knowledge of traditional spinning techniques and the care of traditional wheels.
Saturday we will work on treadle and flyer wheels (low wheels, flax wheels). We will get your spinning wheel running if it needs some work and we will break, and heckle flax and dress distaffs for spinning linen.
Sunday we will work with walking wheels (great wheels, wool wheels) and spin wool and cotton.
We will look at different accelerating heads that were available in the 19th century.
Previous spinning knowledge is preferred as we will not have enough time to be able to teach beginning spinning. However, if you have a wheel but don’t know how it works and want to get your wheel in good condition please join us.
This workshop will be held at Historic Eastfield Village, Nassau NY
Bring Your Spinning Wheels – Opening Day at Kilts Farm, Stone Arabia, NY
MAY 18th
Calling all spinners, traditional and modern…come spin for the day at Kilts Farm.
Join me and enjoy showing the public the variety of our wheels in motion.
