Tag: WorkShops

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September 2017 Newsletter

 

Workshop Registration 2018

We are so grateful to all our students who travel from far and wide to attend workshops here at JST.

I’d love nothing more than to have the opportunity to teach everyone of you one-to-one but there are more of you than me!

We cannot accommodate everyone at our in-house workshops – even our wait lists are very long – so we’re going to be transitioning our curriculum to the online guild, starting with Colour and Design in 2018.

Last year I made a commitment to 100 students to run them through the entire curriculum of 5 workshops, one workshop per year. I am honouring this commitment so won’t be opening registration for in-house workshops to the public.

The next Online Guild episode

The next Online Guild episode, “Episode 9: Making a Mohair Blankie….. Yes!”, will be available on October 12.

If you haven’t yet taken the plunge, here are the features of joining the Online Guild:

Join The Online Guild

Online Guild Index completed

Our very wonderful Ginette has methodically created an index for all the Online Guild episodes released so far. If you’re already a member you’ll find it an invaluable aid. If you’re not a member yet then it’ll whet your appetite!

Download the JST Online Guild Index – episodes 1 through 7

Knit City Sep 30 – Oct 1, 2017

Knit City is coming up fast. We will be bringing a lovely booth, full of goodies for weavers and knitters.

If you want to pre-order and collect at Knit City, order on our website as normal but at the checkout make sure to click on the checkbox next to “Ship to a different address” and enter our address (142 Richard Flack Rd, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 1N4, Canada). Then select “Local Pickup” and you won’t have to pay that pesky shipping charge. Don’t forget to add in the “Order notes” that you want to collect at Knit City, otherwise your order items will remain sat in our office, gently weeping.

Knit City, Sep 30 – Oct 1, 2017

http://knitsocial.ca/

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JST November Newsletter

jst-maple

This beautiful Japanese Maple is what I see when I come home from the studio every afternoon. I wait for this time of year so I can see it in all its glory.

Autumn is my favourite time of the year, right after Spring. In the Spring, spring is my favourite time of year, right after fall…go figure.

I guess I can hardly wait to get out in the garden in the Spring and then I can hardly wait for it to wind down in the Fall. I love these two polar seasons.

We have had one heck of a year in the garden and it is really nice to put it all to bed. The freezers are full, the garlic is in, winter brassicas are in fine form and now we can just sit back and eat :^) How good is that!

Update on Registration for 2017

Registration Day was a tad hectic….it was a record year….every seat was taken in 2 1/2 hours. Wait lists are nicely filling up. If you were unable to get your spot, please, please, please make sure you are on the wait list. We take people from the wait list every year….after all, life isn’t perfect, stuff happens and we get cancellations.

Shelves are Stocked

Knit City was a blast last month, it was great seeing so many old friends in our booth in Vancouver. You took your jobs seriously and we were pretty depleted at the end.

Fresh inventory has been arriving everyday for the past few weeks. Our shelves are stocked and overflowing ready to fill all your weaving needs this fall.

Christmas is coming kids so you better get at. Cheryl has been hanging out around her dye pots a lot lately and our silk wall is looking pretty delicious.

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Win 1 cone of every colour of 2/8 cotton – $580.00 Value!

Get automatically entered for every order you make at https://janestaffordtextiles.com

Contest starts today and ends December 21, 2016.

Imagine the possibilities if you had all these colours in your stash!

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20% OFF All Euroflax Linen Until Nov 15!

Available in 28 colors. Whether weaving or knitting, Euroflax linen creates exquisite, elegant textiles.

Click Here to Shop Euroflax Linen Now

Website Update!

We are still fine tuning our new website and we love your input…it has helped so much. Thank You.

For all our friends south of the border we have added a feature that shows you the US price as soon as you view the site.

Items are put in your cart in the US price and when you check out you will see the CDN Prices as we have to process in Canadian $, but your credit card company automatically does the exchange on your statement.

Our next newsletter will be out in a few weeks with news about new products and great ideas.

Happy Halloween,

Jane

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JST September Newsletter

Hello Lovelies,

It is that time of year again….the time when we start to talk about registration for the upcoming workshop season in 2017.

We will open workshop registration on October 12th at 9 am. Registrations will be taken over the phone only at (250) 537-9468.

A New Year a New Format

There are big changes in store for weavers at JST in 2017.

For many years I have wanted to teach my workshops in sequence. I have wanted to work with a group of weavers for an extended period of time.  To offer workshops that build on previous workshops and therefore build weaving knowledge on a strong foundation.

I have been asked repeatedly if I would ever offer my workshops with a home study component that would allow the weaver to stay focused and work on a series of assignments that would cement the knowledge gained in the workshop…..

So we’re doing it.

This means….you have to take the workshops in order.  If you have never taken Colour and Design then you have to take it first.  If you have taken Colour and Design then you can take Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave 1.

In 2017 I am offering 7 runs of Colour and Design and 3 runs of the 2nd workshop, Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave I.   In 2018 we will offer 4 C&D,  3 of PW 1 and 3 of PW 2,  and in 2019 I will add Twills on 4 into the mix and after that Units Blocks and Profiles.  It is a long term plan to shift my teaching to sequential learning.  We will also be offering mini workshops online starting in 2018.

With every one of these workshops you can also have the optional extended home study component which will run for 6 months after your workshop.   We will provide participants who sign up for this option with an online forum where we can all continue to share and learn together and I will provide assignments that will help you solidify what you have learned in the workshop.

What do you get from Colour and Design?  You get a tool box that helps you make decisions.  Decisions about choosing the proper sett…based on the type of cloth you are trying to create, the cloth that you envision. You will learn to think about your weaving as a canvas.  We learn about division of space and about creating great colour combinations that are inspired from nature.  You also hone your weaving technique in this workshop.  It is important to learn good solid weaving technique, to have great selvedges, to be able to weave with ease and without hurting our bodies.   These are the things you learn in Colour and Design….it is often referred to as a life changing workshop.  I hear those words again and again and I truly believe that learning about Sett, Colour and Design is the first thing a weaver needs to learn to set them on a life course for independent thinking and creativity in regards to woven cloth.  It gives weavers the necessary knowledge to make decisions with CONFIDENCE.

What do you get from Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave 1?  You get a bigger tool box in regards to technique and sett.  We learn to look at our reed as a design tool by exploring weft faced fabrics and warp faced fabrics.  We learn about cramming and denting and supplementary warp and we overlay all these ideas on the systems we learned about in Colour and Design.  We learn that a good weaver is able to adapt their technique to suit different weaving situations and yarns.  We learn to weave linen with confidence and without fear.  It is a powerful 2nd step in the programme.

So…….  here are the dates that these workshops will be offered.

January 9-13th – C&D
February 27- March 3rd – C&D
April 3 to 7th – C&D
May 1-5th – C&D
May 29-June 2nd – C&D
July 24-28th – C&D
August 14-18th – C&D
September 11-15th – Plain Weave 1
October 16-20th – Plain Weave 1
November 4-10th – Plain Weave 1

Farm Stay Update

For the past 8 years Grant and I have opened our home to provide Farm Stay to all of our students.  Unfortunately we are no longer able to do this as we have had endless problems with water this year and we are quite certain this will not change in the near future.  Randy up at Green Acres Resort is willing to set aside cabins for our students.  Rosemary has opened her own little kitchen right in the heart of town and you will have several opportunities to drop into Rosemary’s and pick up picnic dinners, deserts, etc.   All accommodations at Green Acres do have kitchens so you can prepare your own meals if you choose.  There are also many other wonderful places to stay on Salt Spring and we have a list on our website.  In years past we have always picked our students up at the ferry and brought them home….well…we will still offer this service but we’ll take you to Green Acres instead with a stop at Rosemary’s wonderful shop called “Yum” or the grocery store.   If you stay elsewhere you will have to bring (or rent) your own vehicle.

Tuition Fees.  The workshop itself is $850.00.  This includes all materials, binder, sketchbook, pre-warped looms and a delicious lunch each day plus snacks, tea and coffee.  You also get a 10% discount on all yarns purchased at the workshop.

Optional Extended Programme: 6 months of mentoring and 6 assignments $150.00.  Mentoring will happen through a private online forum with scheduled postings.  (You do not have to commit to this right now, we will review it all at the end of the workshop and if you think it is right for you….then you can commit then).  This option is meant to be fun, exciting and stimulating, NO STRESS is allowed.

We will open workshop registration on October 12th at 9 am. Registrations will be taken over the phone only at (250) 537-9468.

A $350.00 deposit will be required and the balance will be due 60 days prior to the workshop start date.  All fees are in CDN $’s.

Thanks for reading this rather long letter…but I needed to fill you in on a whole lot of stuff.
Hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer.

Cheers,

Jane

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JST’s August Newsletter

Back to the  Loom

We have had a busy summer here at JST, as many of you who participated in the myriad of workshops will know. In this newsletter, we want to share with you the stunning results of those workshops and some of the projects that have kept us busy. With summer winding down, no doubt many of you already have a list of fall weaving projects running through your head. Here is some inspiration, new patterns for fall, and very important information if you have been considering the purchase of a loom….

Considering a Louet Loom Purchase?

We have been holding our prices steady despite the decline in the Canadian dollar, but we can’t do it for much longer and I doubt our suppliers can either. If you are thinking about purchasing a new Louet Loom, I would recommend that you do it before September 15, 2015. I can guarantee the present Canadian prices until then, but I am not sure if they will hold after that. All loom orders will need to be prepaid. Shipping by the end of October, in time for Christmas. To discuss a loom purchase call us at (250) 537-9468 or email or order online.

New Tea Towel Kits!

We are introducing two new tea towel kits just in time for fall! Tea towels are a great way to play with colour and design. These kits offer you a basis to begin experimenting and creating your own unique towels. The towel to the left was designed by Kathy Ready and Arlene Kohut from Victoria. They designed this wonderful Huck towel after their Lacy Places workshop here this spring. Thanks for sharing your pattern ladies!

The second is plain weave in organic and regular cotton, a beautiful zinger for your kitchen. Mixing organic cotton with regular cotton is a great way to begin supporting yarns that are respectful of the earth and the farmers that grow them, while still maintaining a wider range of colours and reducing the cost. To purchase these patterns & material, please visit our store.

10 New Colours for the JST Hotline of Hand-Dyed Yarns!

We are adding 10 new colours to our Hotline this fall. Cheryl, who does all the hand-dying for JST, has been hard at work getting the new colours ready. They will be officially unveiled at Knit City … Stop by and visit our booth!

 

Summer Retreats … Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave Even Further, Maiwa’s Natural Dyeing, & Deluxe Weavers

There has been so much happening at the JST studio, its hard to keep track of it all. So many amazing creative students have been through our doors. Here is a peek at some of the workshops…

We began the summer with two retreats, Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave Even Further. For those of you who have taken the first Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave, this workshop took it to a whole new level, beginning the exploration of double weaves and collapsible fabrics. It is phenomenal what can be done! Forget complexity, plain weave is stunning. 4 shafts can inspire a lifetime of weaving.

 

 

At the end of August, we hosted Charllotte Kwon of Maiwa, her daughter Sophena, and Linda Spence for a 4-day workshop on Natural Dying. We had a full house, with 16 students at the JST studio from far and wide!

 

Finally, we are finishing the summer with our popular Deluxe Weavers’ Retreat. Students spend 6 days creating stunning mohair blankets, silk and zephyr scarves, cashmere scarves, linen tea towels, and soft Monte Cristo baby blankets.

It’s Almost Time to Register for 2016 Retreats

On October 13th, we will be announcing the retreats for 2016 and opening registration. Watch you inbox for our next email with all the details or keep an eye on the schedule on our website.

Don’t forget that we offer FREE SHIPPING on yarn orders over $200.

Thinking about placing a large order? Ask about our group and guild discounts.

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

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JST’s Spring Newsletter

Last Minute Vacancy: Lacey Places Workshop

April 13 -17, 2015
JST, Salt Spring Island

A last minute spot in Jane’s Lacey Places workshop has come available! If you want to explore the world of lace weaves, now is your chance! Visit our website to read the course description. Farm stay is available at JST. Contact us by email or phone (250) 537-9468 to register.

Fibreswest

March 13 and 14, 2015
Cloverdale Exhibition Hall
9am-5pm

Come and visit us at this year’s Fibreswest, now just over a week away! We will be bringing a large selection of fibres, including our own hand-dyed hotline of Alpaca, Silk, and Mohair, but we cannot bring everything… So if you have your heart set on a particular product, please let us know so that we can pack it for you!

For those of you looking for an inspirational boost, on Saturday afternoon Jane will be giving a mini-lecture on colour selection.

For more information on  Fibreswest visit: http://www.fibreswest.com/

Pieces: Celebrating Textiles

March 27-19, 2015
Florence Filberg Center
Comox, BC

If you’re from Vancouver Island, you may want to consider heading to the Celebrating Textile conference in Comox. Explore the relationships between local history, cloth making, natural materials, stitch narratives, global textiles and what is in your closet. Mingle with and celebrate the vast talents of makers and artisans from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The gala opening on Friday night features the acclaimed Charllotte Kwon of the Maiwa Foundation, Vancouver, speaking on “Slow Clothes.” .

Project Planning 101

May 28
JST, Salt Spring Island
9am-4pm
Workshop at JST, Salt Spring, BC — Does weaving math drive you to drink? Come detox with Jane. We will look at warp and weft calculations, planning yardage requirements, configuring warp ends for a given draft and basic draft reading. Don’t be scared … we’ll simplify the process.

Honing your Basic Weaving Skills

May 29
JST, Salt Spring Island
9am-4pm

Just two spaces left in this workshop! Visit our website for more information.

The Natural Dye Workshop with Charllotte Kwon Approaches….

 July 27-30, 2015
JST, Salt Spring Island

And we still have a few more spaces… Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the secrets of natural dying!

Don’t forget that we offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $200.

Group Discounts

If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%. So why not band together with all your guild members or weaver friends and do group orders. You’ll save, save, save.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

 

Happy Spring from JST!

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January 2015 Newsletter

The First Newsletter of 2015!

The New Year has brought a flurry of change and activity to JST. As we begin to prepare for the first Colour and Design workshop, we want to pause and update you on some of the upcoming events and recent changes.

Now is a Great Time to Shop in Canada!

The exchange rate is currently at 20% in favour of our friends from the US! All the prices on JST’s online store are shown in Canadian $, so imagine taking 20% off with no tax!

Price Changes at JST

This is something that we have avoided doing at JST the last couple years, but our frequent shoppers will notice that we have made a few adjustments this January, not too many but they were definitely necessary.

Honing Your  Basic Weaving Skills, May 29th 9am-4:30pm, JST on Salt Spring, $110 inc. lunch

Do you dread dressing your loom? Do you have trouble with tension and selvedges? Then come spend a day and learn to take control! Become a dominatrix in your own studio! Warping back-to-front, selvedges, bobbin-winding techniques, shuttle-throwing, proper posture and other tidbits are just some of the things we will cover.

Fibreswest

It’s almost that time of year again! On March 13 and 14, 2015, from 9:30 am to 5pm, Fibreswest will be in full swing at the Cloverdale Exhibition Hall. JST will be hosting a fabulous booth, overflowing with magnificent colours (see the picture below from last year!). Among other items, our own hand-dyed hotline of Alpaca, Silk, and Mohair will be for sale, so please come have a look. We are looking forward to meeting friends, old and new! On Saturday afternoon, Jane will be giving a mini-lecture on her source of inspiration guides her colour selection.

Pinterest and Instagram: Join the Fun!

JST has joined both the Pinterest and Instagram online communities! Do swing by our new pages and see the gorgeous new photos uploaded weekly. We appreciate the time you take to send us comments and feedback as the sites are developed.

Greatest Hits from Jane’s Help Line

The site that just keeps on growing as weavers ask questions …  is now an extensive database available for free to weavers everywhere! Without yarn sales at JST the site could not exist, so please consider supporting us the way we support you. The helpline gets more than 200 visitors each day!

The topics below receive the greatest number of hits:

1) Designing Your Cloth

2) Planning Projects

3) Thoughts on Good Selvedges

Weaving for Diabetes

This is a fascinating story that was passed onto JST by a fellow weavers in Powell River. We now share it with you! To see the full article visit Weavers Turn Silk into Diabetes Test Strips.

 

Don’t forget that we offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $200.

 

Group Discounts

If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%. So why not band together with all your guild members or weaver friends and do group orders. You’ll save, save, save.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Hope this finds you well. Keep your chin up, Spring is just around the corner!

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In Celebration of Weavers’ Work

Workshop Updates

Registration for 2015 retreats has been very brisk. We do have a few spots left, so if you are thinking about it you may want to check out the schedule page.

In the last newsletter, there was an error in the link to Charllotte Kwon’s Natural Dye Workshop next July. We are happy to announce that there are many spots available. Don’t miss this opportunity to study with one of the world’s natural dye experts.

Do you know that JST has created a Hot Line of 32 hand-dyed colours on 8 different yarns?

 

The colour way we created was designed to provide gentle movement around the colour wheel, exploring the richness of each hue. The yarns can be used by knitters or weavers and we are happy to inspire you with a few projects.

These simple elegant fingerless gloves are knit with our 3-ply Alpaca in Salt Spring Sky. One skein makes one pair. The pattern is from The Knitting Experience: Book 2 The Purl Stitch by Sally Melville.

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Mary Pendergast of Seattle knit this sweet little cap in Cuddles, our Alpaca wool blend. This yarn is so aptly named it couldn’t be softer. The colour is chocolate cherry. Order a skein of Cuddles and we’ll throw in the pattern.

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Heavenly Hand-Dyed Roving

Cheryl Huseby is the co-creator and dyer of JST’s Hot Line of Hand-Dyed Yarns. In her spare time, she produces a line of sprinkle-dyed rovings, which she calls “Essence”. The fibre is an exquisite blend of 80% Blue-Faced Leicester and 20% Silk and is available in 1/2 pound bags for $48. Here is a link for your shopping convenience.

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In Celebration of Weavers’s Work

Our students and customers are constantly sharing their wonderful creations with us and we thought we would pass on the inspiration.
Arlene Kohut and Kathy Ready of Victoria dropped in this summer and brought along some of their wonderful work.

Arlene’s towel was woven in linen and had a classic antique feel to it. Her borders were beautiful and the brown and blue blended so nicely.

Kathy’s towels were like sunshine hanging on the line! Kathy used the same colours in both warps. This method of sharing colours between projects allows for the creation of collections with colour being the common theme.

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Sharon Broadley created this award-winning throw in 4/8 cotton and plain weave log cabin. She took away best in show from the Saanich Fall Fair.

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In the previous newsletter, I spoke about pairing 2/8 organic cotton with 2/20 silk. Ginnette Bourdages of Langley took the message to heart, and created this stunning scarf sett at 18 epi and woven and 18 ppi in twill. I know you may think that it is too open, but you cannot deny the result. The hand and drape are exquisite. Ginnette used 2/8 Organic Cotton Coal with 2/20 Grantius Green Silk.

 

Michelle Moore of Vancouver wove this wonderful shetland wool blankie for her mother, who loves everything she weaves. The colours worked very well together. She used Iris, Tundra, Midnight Blue and Cream in Harrisville Shetland sett at 10 epi and 10 ppi.

I want to thank these weavers for sending me pictures of their work. All of these pieces were their own original designs. Bravo! Well Done!

Don’t forget that we offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $200.

Group Discounts

If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%. So why not band together with all your guild members or weaver friends and do group orders. You’ll save, save, save.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Remember the Helpline.  We are always there for you.

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Workshop Schedule 2015

2015 Workshop Schedules

 

It’s that time of year again when we put together our offerings for the new year.

Check out the 2015 schedule here.

We have also updated our Cancellation Policy here.

We have one more offering for 2014

Fiberworks PCW Workshop with Bob Keates

November 24-25, 2014
9am-4pm
Cost: $250, includes lunch

If you have Fiberworks PCW or are thinking about purchasing a weaving software program, here is your chance to learn from the co-creator of Fiberworks, Bob Keates. If you already understand the basics of weaving drafts, Fiberworks is a weaving program for Mac or Windows that will liberate your creative instincts, giving you a variety of aids that simplify the design process. Participants who do not currently have Fiberworks will be provided with a demo version of the program for use during the class.

We will cover the basics of drafting threading, tieup and treadling, and how to use color and variable thread thickness to help visualize your end result. We will look at the features of the program that help speed up the drafting process.  We will examine the theory of profile drafts and how to use block substitution to turn a design layout into reality by adding different weave structures.

Attention Jane Loom Owners

Louet is now providing deeper rollers to correct the problem of the harness cords popping out of the existing rollers. Please drop me an email with your full mailing address and I will pass it on to Louet and they will send you new rollers.

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This newsletter has been short and sweet, but we promise our next newsletter will be full of juicy tidbits.

I have been saving photos of fabulous work sent in by students and customers and we’ll share some of them with you. I also wanted to leave you with this lovely image below. During one of the retreats, I gave a slide show on India and showed how beautiful designs are drawn in rice flour in front of entrance ways -the most beautiful welcome mats you’ve ever seen. On the last day of class, I came to the studio and they had drawn me a welcome mat using rice flour. I must say, I felt much love.

 

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Summer on Salt Spring

June 2014

Workshop Availability

We have just had several spots open up in Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave for the June 30th to July 4th run. Farm Stay is also available.   I know that isn’t very far away but if you’ve wanted to take this workshop now is the time because we will not be offering Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave again until 2016.    There are new workshops on the horizon for 2015.  We also have 2 spots in Terrific Twills Sept 8-12 and 2 for Terrific Twills Sept 29-Oct 3rd.

Maiwa treasures now available on Salt Spring at JST

Travelling to India always leaves me wanting more.  We are committed to assisting Maiwa continue their amazing work in India by stocking a small but lovely collection of their inventory.  We have carpets and leather bags from Jawaja,  beautiful scarves from the cooperative Women Weave and Ajhrak table clothes and bed covers from the Kutch Desert.  If you are coming to a workshop prepare to be dazzled.  If you need a special gift hopefully you’ll think of us.

Another story from India

I am absolutely blown away by the block printers of India.  I had no idea about the work that goes into printing a piece of fabric and I really don’t think many artisans in the west truly understand how much work is involved.  Precision work, remarkable hand-eye coordination, repetition, speed…..these artisans have such skilled hands it is hard to imagine without seeing.

 

In Rajasthan  A thick slip is made from mud with a high clay content.  It is then printed directly onto fabric to create a patterned resist.  Then the fabric is dyed and dried in the sun.  The mud resist is removed by washing, then it is resisted again with additional pattern, dyed,  dried,  and washed. Resisted again, dyed, washed ……get the picture!   So much work involved to put pattern onto one length of cloth.

 

 

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Easy Summer Weaving

Everyone loves our boucle tea towel kit.  Each kit comes with 5 cones of boucle cotton and enough 4/8 cotton to weave hems on 6 thirsty towels.  We have put together  several colour ways that will make any dishwasher or kitchen happy.  Heck you could even take these towels to the bathroom to dry off.    Check them out here.

Don’t forget about our Group Discounts

If you’re a member of a guild, have a group of weaver friends or are just a prolific weaver yourself, remember our discount policy on yarn orders.  If you purchase $200 or more of yarn we will pay your shipping costs.  If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Remember the Helpline.  We are always there for you.

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Spring is Here

Fibres West is coming!

And the beautiful JST booth will be there with all of your favourite yarns and accessories.

Fibres West will be held on Friday March 21 and Saturday March 22 from 9:30 – 6 at the Cloverdale Exhibition Park Grounds.  Click here for more details and driving directions.

We are bringing a double booth full of exquisite yarns and equipment – but we can’t bring everything.  We will happily pack up specific orders if you get in touch with us by Tuesday March 18.  We don’t want anyone to be disappointed.  A great opportunity to save on shipping.

See you soon!

Some Extra Special Deals

We have two great items that we’re offering at 2013 prices:

We have one Jane 40 for $995.  Current price is now $1200 so you’ll save $205!  Brand spankin’ new, still in the box.

 

 

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We also have one Schacht Ladybug left. The 2014 price has just gone up to $715 and we have this last one available for $595.  An excellent deal!

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Current Prices

A little note to all our Canadian customers.  As we’ve watched the Canadian dollar slide, we have also watched many of our costs rise. WE ARE NOT RAISING YARN PRICES FOR 2014.  This also means that shopping in Canada is a better deal for our customers south of the border.  If you’ve been thinking of ordering from us, now’s the time.

Great News on the Organic Cotton Front

All of the cotton in our COTTOLIN is now ORGANIC!

This wonderful yarn is 60% Organic Cotton/40% Linen.  The colours are fabulous, the texture is wonderful and it makes excellent cloth.  The price will stay at $12 for 100g.

And, you can now get all of our 100% organic cotton on 1 kilo cones.

At $88 per kilo cone, this is a fantastic price.  100g cones are $11.  Not only will you get the satisfaction of weaving with a wonderful yarn, but you will also be contributing to the health of our little planet.

India.

Oh my, where to begin.2 1/2 weeks ago I returned from India and I’m desperately trying to stay between the two worlds.This trip was just as amazing as my first and I feel so blessed to have been able to go back again.

During the trip we experienced temperatures as high as 37C, 98F riding camels through the desert … phew … then I flew home to…..12″ of fresh snow…..and now two weeks later the frogs are croaking like mad and the crocuses are popping out of the ground.

 

 

During my month away we visited many villages of artisans.  Dyers, weavers, block printers, block carvers and bell makers.  It is the people of India that move me the most.  It is those artisans, what they create, how they live and where they live that pull at my heart.  I can hardly wait to go back again.

 

One of the first villages I went back to was Jawaja, a small village out in the desert in Rajasthan.Charllotte Kwon and the Maiwa Foundation have been working with this village for approx. 20 years.It is a village of leather workers and weavers.The weavers as always, steal my heart.This trip I brought them a table loom so that they could try samples of Summer and Winter weave structure for weft faced rugs.

 

It is difficult for them to take a loom out of production to try new things, hence the table loom. They were very excited with many members of the village in attendance for this little table loom’s unveiling.  I was able to bring along a binder of rug ideas to share keeping in mind that they don’t get to leave their village and see what is happening with weavers elsewhere in the world.  They were challenged and delighted to have other weaving considerations presented to them.  Maiwa sells Jawaja’s carpets and leather goods online at this link.

Workshops

One spot left in Colour & Design, April 7 – 11.  Colour & Design will not be offered again until 2015.

 

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Join us to rejuvenate and re-inspire your creative journey.  Jane shares her design process with the group to help you become a confident weaver capable of bringing your own ideas to life!

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Pushing the Boundaries of Plainweave, June 30 – July 4.  One spot available.

Pushing the Boundaries of Plainweave, July 28 – August 1.  Two spots available.

Happy Trails to Charlotte!

Our little Charlotte heads off into the wild blue yonder this coming April.  She’s driving down the west coast in search of fun and adventure ~ in the weaving world, out in nature, through dance and good food.  She’ll be going all the way down through Washington, Oregon and California to Mexico, into Central America and possibly even South America.  If you’ve got any tips about your favourite places or if you’d like to have her drop in and visit for a night or two (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), you can send her an email at pei_sagebush@yahoo.ca.   We’re sure going to miss her around here…..it has been a great 4 years!

 

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