WASOON 2016 Threads on the Rocks

 Workshops

We offer three half day sessions of workshops, two during the day Saturday and one on Sunday morning. For each session choose your top three of what interests you from the list below.  Some workshops form a double session running all day Saturday, or starting Saturday afternoon and continuing Sunday morning. 
Any material fees are to be paid directly to the workshop leaders, so simply bring this money with you to the conference.  If there are special requirements, such as how to set up your loom, or what you need to bring, we'll be in touch with that information later.

 SATURDAY MORNING - half day workshops

 7. Weaving the Alphabet on 8 Shafts – Ralph Johnston

Weave the entire alphabet, on 8 harnesses with just 10 treadles using an innovative treadling technique that creates additional possibilities from a skeleton tie-up! Some understanding of weaving drafting and designing is advised. $10 fee for detailed notes.

 8. Drafting and Design in Weaving - Susi Reinick

Learn the relationship between threading, tie-up, treadling and drawdown. Concepts of blocks, profile drafts, block substitution, skeleton tie-ups, turned drafts and blended drafts will be explained. Exercises include designing original patterns. Suitable for beginner weavers. $3 material fee.

 9. Beginner Spindle Spinning– Elizabeth LeBlanc

Learn how to spin on a top whorl drop spindle – the portable, inexpensive way to spin! Understand the physics behind spun yarn, how to draft a cloud of fleece into stringy goodness, how to ply your newly spun yarn, and more! No experience needed. Students to bring a drop spindle and 100 g. of prepared wool fibre.

10. Polwarth: Elegance and Versatility – Linda Noble

Explore the techniques and yarn possibilities for spinning Polwarth wool, a fine beautiful fibre with a lovely natural sheen. Some hand spinning experience required. $15 material fee. Students to bring hand cards and a spinning wheel.

 SATURDAY AFTERNOON - half day workshops

11. Colour From the Rocks – Lichen Dyeing  – Beth Jackson

Beth will discuss lichen dyeing in general and two or three northern Ontario lichens in particular. You will dye a small wool sample using supplied lichen dye bath, with time for questions and a look at helpful books. No experience necessary. $5 material fee.

 12. Colour Blending – Linda Noble

A hands on exploration of colour blending using Merino or Corriedale top using various techniques. A spectrum of coloured fibres and interesting accent fibres is provided for students to let their creative side fly! Suitable for beginner spinners and anyone wanting to explore colour. $15 material fee. Bring hand cards, spinning wheel or drop spindle.

 SATURDAY AFTERNOON andSUNDAY MORNING workshops

13. Ceintures Fléchées – Pauline Newlands

Explore the weaving technique of authentic fléché, a finger manipulated weave where warp ends are used as weft to make a band that is the same on both sides. A colourful warp will be supplied ready to weave two patterns: a chevron and a "tête de flèche" (arrow head). $10 material fee.

14. Shadow Weave Sampler- Susi Reinick

Students will be given a threading in advance to dress their looms. In class they will weave many different patterns with provided treadlings. A short explanation of the characteristics and how to design original patterns: good basics of this very versatile weaving technique.Suitable for beginner and intermediate weavers - you should be able to dress loom and follow basic weaving instructions. $15 material fee. Students will need a 4-shaft loom.

 SUNDAY MORNING - half day workshops

15. Finishing Touches - Russ Mason -- NOW FULL -- Waiting list only

Add distinctive finishing touches to your hand woven articles with hand manipulated yarns. Explore a dozen simple braiding, twisting, knotting, looping and weaving techniques to enhance your woven articles. Come away with new skills or refresh your old ones. Suitable for any experience level; manual dexterity a benefit. $10 material fee.

16. Finding the Courage to Cut – Rosalynn Heuer

Practical guidance on the dos and don’ts of successfully designing, cutting, and sewing various garments from hand woven material, with suggestions for using up leftovers. Bring along a languishing piece of weaving, a shawl, tablecloth, throw, etc. and we’ll brainstorm ideas to transform it into something unique. Some sewing experience is required.

17. Krokbragd – Liz Bivens -- NOW FULL -- Waiting list only

Krokbragd, meaning “crooked path” in Norwegian, is a 3 shaft weft-faced weave with a plain weave-like front and short floats on the back. It creates a multitude of design possibilities with coloured wefts. Students should bring a portable 4 shaft loom, dressed to specifications, ready to weave.

18. Understanding Your Wheel: Beginner Spinning – Elizabeth LeBlanc NOW FULL -- Waiting list only

Thinking of buying a spinning wheel or want to understand how your spinning wheel works, and how to spin the yarn you want? Learn wheel mechanics and how to draft and spin the perfect yarn for your project, from bulky singles to plied lace-weight. Bring a spinning wheel and 100 g of roving or top.

19. Fabulous Fat Fibre Necklaces – Beverly Barlow

A fun workshop creating a one-of-a-kind necklace where it’s almost impossible to make mistakes! Novelty spinning is often avoided as difficult to use in projects, but this workshop teaches novelty with application and may jumpstart your embellishment creativity! Suitable for beginner to advanced spinners. $5 material fee. Bring a spinning wheel, including a bulky spinner if you have one.

20. Fibre Connections - Pat Marcotte

Investigate the source of different fibres which make clothing. Learn about mohair and how it is processed into yarn. Work with fibres available from local fibre producers, such as mohair, alpaca, llama, and angora, and more exotic fibres like qiviut and dog. Spinning experience required. Material fee $10. Bring spinning wheel or drop spindle.

21. Colour Mix-up for Dyers – Kim Boaro

Dye the colour you choose, not the colour that chooses you. Create a small dye sample card using Procion MX dyes and cotton fabric/fiber as a foundation for learning how dyes interact. Dye safety will be emphasized. No dyeing experience required. $25 material fee.

22. Gentle Yoga and Energy Balancing  – Darlene Tindall

Be guided through gentle yoga and energy balancing routines that can stretch out tight muscles, relieve discomfort in joints, increase mental clarity and alertness, and make you generally more comfortable and content. Suitable for all shapes and abilities, all exercises are gentle and adaptable, for use on a daily or occasional basis.     

Workshop Leaders

Pauline Backer is a member of the Sudbury Weavers and Spinners Guild and the Club de tissage de Valee Est, and teaches weaving in St. Charles and Noelville. An experienced catalogne weaver, Pauline is leading the workshop, but many other catalogne weavers will be eagerly sharing their combined knowledge and experience.

Beverly Barlow is a 2014 graduate of the certificate OHS spinning program at Sir Sandford Fleming College. She started the course spinning novelty yarn and making projects for the local art gallery. Through the course she learned to fine tune her spinning, getting good marks spinning fine silk, cotton and flax, but her best achievements were in novelty, man-made and exotic fibres.  She says she loves to spin fine – but is a “fat” (i.e. heavy grist) spinner at heart.

Liz Bivens began weaving at Cambrian College, Sudbury, in 1971.  She is a Past President of the Sudbury and District Weavers and Spinners Guild as well as a Past President of the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners.  Currently she is a member of the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild.

Kim Boaro is the owner of FibreChick a fabric/fiber shop located in Powassan, Ontario.

Rosalynn Heuer, having inherited her mother's loom, was excited to join weaving enthusiasts at Ralph Johnston's studio when she and her husband retired to a lake near North Bay in 2007. With Ralph's individual instruction, she enjoyed exploring various weave structures and before long wove her first piece of fabric destined to become a garment. With a history of sewing clothes for special occasions, Rosalynn was soon cutting and sewing more hand woven fabrics. She finds it especially rewarding to create a unique piece of clothing from her own hand-dyed yarn.

Beth Jackson is a multi-media artist and weaver, received a Master Spinner and Dyer diploma from Georgian College, and many years later graduated from the same institution in Fine Arts.  She was an artist-in-residence 4 years ago at the new North Bay hospital, where she wove a tapestry with her own hand spun plant-dyed yarn, as part of the Arts Health North program that promoted art in hospitals as a positive force. A short video of Beth and her weaving the tapestry can be seen here at: www.vimeo.com/23440765

Ralph Johnston has a textile design degree from Scotland, teaches weaving at his North Bay studio and at Haliburton Summer School of the Arts.

Elizabeth LeBlanc started knitting seriously while attending university 12 years ago and seeing a friend knitting a complicated Aran sweater. Six years ago she decided knitting wasn’t enough – she wanted to make her own yarn!  With a spinning wheel, a dozen spindles, and fleeces bought at many festivals along the years, she now enjoys teaching others, sharing her passion for the fibre arts with friends and in the classroom.
A natural pedagogue, she will have you plying your own spun yarn like a novice within hours.

Margaret Gordon is an Ojibway, born and raised on the Wikwemikong Unceded Reserve on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.  She resides in Sudbury and has done birch bark work, quillwork and quilting most of her life -- traditional skills passed on to her by her dear departed mother.

Esther Grav has been weaving, spinning & dyeing since the late 70's & early 80's. She was introduced to felting in 2002 and has taken many felting classes from local and international felters. Esther is very involved in her local guilds, is the mentor for the OHS Unit 2, Colour & Design Course, and is the current President on the Ontario Handspinning Seminar Board.

Ellen Lehtela learned about birch bark basketry by watching her uncle produce birch bark baskets when she was a child.  She has woven birch bark baskets, hats, jewelry and ornaments.  She also weaves and does bobbin lace.  

Pat Marcotte developed her interest in spinning after purchasing a pair of angora goats in 1981.  The mohair from her goats proved challenging as she learned to shear, wash, and prepare it before spinning it on her Ashford wheel. Pat enjoys sharing her interests with others. She regularly offers workshops to elementary school children learning about pioneer life, and has given workshops and demonstrations at Anderson Farm Museum in Lively, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and Norfolk County Fair. Pat continues to learn as she works with fibres, and enjoys knitting the finished product.

Russ Mason has been weaving for over 40   years. A past president of OHS he has presented workshops at OHS conferences, Wasoon , Michigan League of Handweavers and at The Midwest weavers conference His search for the perfect weave and edges continues.

Dana Murphy grew up in New Mexico and loves the southwestern style of weaving. He started weaving in 2002 at Ralph Johnson's studio in North Bay. In 2012 he started exploring authentic Navajo weaving techniques, and is eager to share his knowledge of the style.

Pauline Newlands is a member of the Sudbury and District Weavers and Spinners Guild and has been weaving for twenty some years.  Being of French heritage, she learned about fléché and its place in Canadian history at a young age. Some time ago she decided to learn how to do this particular weave.

Linda Noble has been spinning for 30 years, received her Master Spinner Certificate in 2014, and is a graduate of the six year OHS Hand Spinning course.   She is a member of the Manitoulin Island Spinners and Weavers, is currently Secretary of OHS, and weaves as well as spins. She enjoys sharing her spinning knowledge with other fibre enthusiasts.

Susi Reinick is an OHS Master Weaver, who also received her diploma (with Distinction) in Fibre Arts from St. Lawrence College in 1984. Since then, Susi has taught extensively throughout the province and abroad. She currently is unit leader of several segments of the OHS Weaving Certificate Course. In her workshops Susi aims to stimulate creativity by having participants completely understand the techniques, enabling them to design their own patterns rather than following recipes.  In her own work Susi always strives for creativity and innovation, which has garnered her many awards in various exhibitions.

Darlene Tindall  is a Hatha Yoga Instructor, Energy Therapy Practitioner and Access Bars® Facilitator.  

Registration dates

Registration opened on December 15, 2015 for members of those Northern Ontario Guilds that are affiliated with WASOON.  It has been our custom when booking workshops with limited space to give priority to those who may have difficulty attending a southern conference.  Priority will only be given to those booking a full or basic conference package.

Registration opens to all January 15, 2016 for the full conference or basic conference package, withno memberships requirements.

Booking for Individual Workshops will be made available February 15, 2016, where space allows.

No refunds after May 1st.

Accommodation

Registration for the conference does not include accommodation., however a block of rooms have been set aside at the college residence on campus, and we have negotiated special rates at two local hotels:

Collège Boréal Residence  -  “WASOON” rate $65 for 2 bedroom suite -- Now full for Friday/Saturday.
Cambrian College Residence rooms have been made available at a good price which includes breakfast.
Please book by email: ddeschenes@stayrcc.com 

Clarion Hotel - (705) 674-7517    117 Elm Street, Sudbury, ON, P3C 1T3
 “WASOON” Rate:  $107.99 / standard room – 2 double beds

Radisson Hotel - (705) 675-1123  85 Ste. Anne Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 4S4
“0516WASOON” Rate:  $119 / standard room – 2 double beds

If you are interested in finding a "room mate" try our facebook page