Learn tapestry weaving in a supported environment
online, from home

If you want to learn the art of tapestry weaving, but don’t know where to start…

If you enjoy collaborative learning environments… 

If you’re getting frustrated that your edges draw in, or there are mountains in your weaving line, or you can see white dots peeking through your weft, or you have big ridges in your fabric…

If you want personalized feedback, answers to your questions, and time to work through your weaving ideas… 

If you love tapestry weaving but get stuck bringing your ideas to life… 

Then WARP AND WEFT: LEARNING THE STRUCTURE OF TAPESTRY is the course for you.

Warp and Weft: Learning the Structure of Tapestry is a three-part class. Part 1 lays the foundation with good skills in warping, bubbling, beating, making your header, and learning some basic weaving concepts and terms. Part 2 works through making joins and angles. Part 3 moves into using curves, cartoons, design, and troubleshooting various problems in tapestry. You can also take all three parts as one class called All-Three-in-One in the course catalog.

I understand where you're coming from...

For years I struggled to put together the bits of knowledge I had gleaned from various sources. My learning was fragmented and came from occasional workshops and the few existing tapestry texts, many of which contradict each other. I longed for some solid guidance. 

I was fortunate to be invited to apprentice with James Koehler, the late master tapestry artist from Santa Fe. The regular, scheduled practice of tapestry in his studio allowed me to build my skills in an environment that offered frequent feedback and constant incentive to keep working and learning.

I have built this online class with that model in mind. I teach many in-person workshops and love meeting students in a face-to-face context. But I find that when they go home they often have many questions and when the next workshop is six months away, they often put the loom on a shelf.

How did this program come about?

As I watched tapestry students come to my workshops with the work on the loom from whatever the last workshop they took was, I realized there had to be a better way to learn tapestry weaving.

I wanted to create a learning environment more like what I experienced as James Koehler's apprentice... one that extended over a good chunk of time with consistent feedback and the ability to ask questions at any time.

What does Warp and Weft include?

• Extensive video teaching. All techniques are demonstrated, often in a couple different ways. All the videos are pre-recorded and ready for you as soon as you sign up. You can also pause, rewatch, speed up, or slow down the videos so you never miss a thing. 

• Printable PDF handouts with exercise instructions, diagrams for the techniques, photographic examples, and design ideas to try.

• Troubleshooting help: videos and handouts explain common tapestry weaving problems you might encounter and demonstrate how to fix or avoid them.

• Lively discussion with fellow students all over the world helps clarify potential problems and solutions as well and share more general understanding of tapestry practice.

• Continued bonus material throughout the class created by me in response to your particular questions.

• Personalized Feedback: the opportunity to submit photos of your progress, problems as you have them, and questions. From your photos I am also able to give you feedback on something you may not see as a problem yet and show you how to fix it before it becomes obvious and frustrating. And most importantly, you will get feedback about what you are doing that is successful. (Please note: personalized feedback is not included in the Self-Directed version of Warp & Weft.)

• (Optional) Invitation to a secret Facebook group where students in the program and those who have graduated can continue to connect over a virtual cup of tea. This is completely optional.

• Any-time access to the material for as long as you need it. You own the course and can return to it months or years from now.

What Materials do I need for Warp and Weft?

We’ll cover everything you need in the course, but here’s an overview:

• a loom suitable for tapestry weaving

• Warp yarn. I use 12/6 cotton seine twine available from Glimakra USA.

• Weft yarn. I use Harrisville Highland in the videos for this class.

• scissors

• hand tapestry fork (this is important but you can use a dinner fork in a pinch!)

• Sharpie marker for marking the warp

• measuring tape

• tapestry needle

• thread for sewing slits

You can find more information about materials I recommend for tapestry weaving here.

If you’re not quite ready to jump into Warp and Weft but you think you might want to do it, you could start with Introduction to Tapestry Weaving. Introduction to Tapestry Weaving is an easy entry class into the wonderful world of tapestry weaving. In Intro to Tapestry we cover everything you need to get started quickly and dip your toes in. In Warp and Weft we build a solid foundation for your weaving practice for years to come (while also getting to the weaving part quickly). If you want to give weaving a trial run before diving in, start with Introduction to Tapestry Weaving and keep your eye out for a chance to continue at the end of the course. 

Who this course is for

• People who have never woven tapestry before--if you can get your loom out of the box, I can help you from there.

• People who have some knowledge of tapestry but need a structured review of foundational principles and encouragement to design their own work.

• People who want to learn tapestry techniques and are committed to practicing. The best outcomes are to students who can commit a few hours a week to study and weaving or who can block out larger chunks of time to make tapestry.

• People who benefit from a structured outline of learning activities to achieve their own unique outcomes.

• People who want to give themselves the gift of time to learn a wonderful fiber skill.

Technical specifications for the course

This is a video heavy course and the videos cannot be downloaded to watch offline. Please make sure your computer or tablet or smartphone will be able to handle this course before purchasing. (Hint: if you are able to watch standard Youtube Videos or livestream Change the Shed, your computer/tablet are probably good enough). 

Browsers: Google Chrome is the recommended browser for Pathwright, however Mozilla Firefox and Safari also work well. Microsoft Edge is fine. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please update your browser to the most current version for the best viewing experience.

Here are a few results you can expect from taking this course

• understand tapestry basic and some intermediate tapestry techniques

• know how to use weaving equipment including looms, yarn, and hand tools

• see examples from the work of tapestry weavers past and present to illustrate the concepts you are learning

• have a list suggested readings about design and the practice of tapestry

• gain an introduction to design especially in regard to what is weaveable

• increased confidence in your tapestry weaving skills

• weave samplers from each of the three parts of the course which you create as you practice the techniques

• completed small format tapestries from each of the three parts of the course

• connections with new tapestry weavers all over the world and the opportunity to continue those interactions after the course is over

How the course is presented and what it costs

There are three ways you can take this course:

1. All-Three-In-One
   
   Warp & Weft All-Three-In-One is the way to go if you know you want all three parts of the course + teacher feedback. With this option you get all the material in one class. The course is divided into three parts, but they are all available to you immediately. You can work through it at your own pace and I will meet you wherever you are in the curriculum for teaching, feedback and troubleshooting. You also have the advantage of being able to skip ahead to videos presented later in the course. The price for Warp & Weft All-Three-In-One is $595.
   

2. Self-Directed
   
   If you’re a self-directed learner who doesn’t want teacher feedback on your samples, this is the version for you. The content of Warp & Weft Self-Directed is the same as the All-Three-In-One course but with no teaching or discussion from me. You won't be able to submit images for feedback or ask me questions, but some people learn very well this way. The price for Warp & Weft Self-Directed is $395.

3. Parts 1, 2, 3
   
   The curriculum for Warp & Weft is divided into three parts. If you want to enroll in Warp & Weft part by part then this version is for you. You can take each of the three parts separately, registering for each as you're ready. This option costs a little more if you take all three parts, but you get the same information and can pay for one part at a time.
   The price is $220 for each part.

If you have problems with registration, please don't hesitate to contact me HERE.

Refund Policy

Given the digital nature of this course, refunds are not available. Please ask questions or concerns before you purchase. 

Note: The vast majority of requests I have had with people wanting refunds were centered around internet access and internet speed. Please do not register for my online courses if you don't have fast enough internet to stream videos (YouTube for example).

What happens after I register?

As soon as you register you will receive an email from Pathwright with a link to the class. You can go to the Pathwright class platform and start your class. If that email goes to your spam folder and you can't find it, simply push the registration link on this page again. It takes you to the same place. Click the Sign In button on the top navigation bar and once you enter the password you created when you paid for the class, you will see your courses.

It is easy to forget how to get to the course, so remember there are links all over the FAQ pages or just bookmark this link: https://rebeccamezoff.pathwright.com/library/ 

I love teaching and have enjoyed all the wonderful students I have met in this course so far. I hope to meet you online soon!

All my best,

Does it work?

You bet it does! Here is one video of student work. Many of these students had never woven tapestry before and some of them had no experience with fiber at all. You can find more images of student work as well as their thoughts about the course on my review page.

BW Diederich wrote this blog post about her experience in Warp and Weft in 2022: https://www.bakeryslashworkshop.com/blog/back-to-basics-warp-and-weft. She talks about her own journey to tapestry and provides links and food for thought as well as a review of the course.

CAN I START WITH PART 2 OR 3 OF THE WARP AND WEFT CLASS?

I get this question a lot so wanted to take a moment to answer it in depth. 

The short answer is no. I highly discourage students from starting Warp and Weft with part 2 or 3. Most students who have started the class in the middle have had significant difficulties. Each part of Warp and Weft builds on the next. That said, the beauty of learning as an adult is you get to be in charge of your own learning destiny. If you have your heart set on starting in the middle, I will not stop you however I cannot give you extra support in class reteaching you techniques we covered in part one. 

If you’re considering starting Warp and Weft with Part 2 to save on cost, I recommend the self-directed version of the course. You can still connect with your fellow students on the course platform and in the student-only Facebook group to ask questions and find solutions together. (I also keep an eye on the self-directed class to make sure no one gets irreversibly stuck). 

If you’re an experienced weaver looking to fill a couple skill gaps, I do still encourage you to start with Part 1 so that you build a rock solid foundation for your tapestry weaving, but otherwise please review the course outline very carefully to identify the skill gaps you're trying to fill and if you’re missing any other techniques. Remember, if you have your heart set on starting in the middle, I will not stop you however I cannot give you extra support in class reteaching you techniques we covered in part one. 

Would you like to see more reviews? Check out my review page here: https://rebeccamezoff.com/reviews

If you have more questions, there are extensive FAQ pages here: https://rebeccamezoff.com/faq