Enjoy a week of weaving in a beautiful natural setting. Be inspired by the rich color combinations in nature and the sunsets over the water. Looms will be set up ahead of class, allowing you more time for weaving. See the magic of creating your own fabric for a project of your choice—a scarf, a runner, placemats…

This open studio class is set up for newer weavers—beginners, refreshers and those ready to explore a new weave structure or work on their own project.

During the week, you will learn and practice basic weaving skills and vocabulary. Discussions will include planning a project, reading a pattern draft, finishing techniques and how colors interact in weaving. This will be a small class with a maximum of six students. You will be weaving on a four-shaft table or floor loom. Bring your own loom or rent one from The Clearing. Geke will contact students prior to class. Weavers in the Madison, WI area can meet with Geke at her home studio if they would like assistance with planning their project and setting up their loom. Upon request, Geke will prepare a loom for beginning weavers.

Geke de Vries (pronounced Gayka de Frees)

Working with yarn and fabrics was part of Geke’s everyday life while growing up in the Netherlands. After moving to Madison, WI, Geke enrolled in several weaving classes, bought a loom and realized how much she enjoyed creating my own fabric. It is intriguing to see how color, texture, and pattern interact. Workshops and conferences have offered the opportunity to experiment with more complex patterns encouraging her to buy a 32 shaft compu-dobby loom with software to operate it. It has been a challenging and amazing adventure to weave more intricate patterns, especially on hand painted warps.

Geke is fascinated by weaving traditions in other countries where weaving is still part of local culture and everyday life. There is much to learn and enjoy about the beautifully patterned cloth woven on traditional looms. This love of textiles has taken me on tours to Central Asia, India, Mexico, Peru, Bhutan, Thailand, Laos and Morocco.

For many years Geke has been teaching weaving classes in my home studio, at Oakwood Village Retirement Community on Mineral Point Road in Madison and at The Clearing Folk School in Door County. It is gratifying to see how new weavers can learn a new skill and enjoy seeing something of beauty created by their own hands.

Level: Beginner