Intro to Weaving: Plain Weave — Exploring the Possibilities

A 4-Week Virtual Frame Loom Weaving Course

What can you do with the simplest weaving structure?

In this four-week virtual course, we will explore plain weave—the fundamental over-one, under-one structure—and all of the possibilities that can come from it.

We will begin with the fundamentals of working on a frame loom, learning about the warp and weft, tension, edges, and basic weaving techniques. From there, we will experiment with how color, texture, scale, density, and materials can completely change the look and feel of a woven surface.

Students will explore different yarn weights, fibers, textures, and colors, as well as changing how tightly or loosely the weft is packed. We will look at how these simple changes can create openness, density, texture, pattern, and dimension. We will also consider how the same basic over-under structure appears in other forms of making, including basket weaving.

This course is about more than learning how to weave. It is about experimenting, observing, and discovering how much can be created from one simple structure.

Throughout the Course

Students will:

• Learn the fundamentals of frame loom weaving

• Experiment with plain weave and its many possibilities

• Explore color, texture, scale, and density

• Work with a variety of yarns and materials

• Learn how different materials and weaving techniques affect the surface

• Research frame loom weaving and artists working with fiber

• Share discoveries, ideas, and inspiration with the group

• Photograph and document their weaving process

• Develop a personal weaving portfolio

Make • Document • Share

Each student will receive access to a personal Google Drive folder with instructional materials and Google Slides designed to help document their process throughout the course.

Students will also contribute to a shared class research and inspiration presentation where they can discover and share artists, techniques, videos, patterns, and frame loom ideas with the group.

At the end of the course, students will participate in a virtual show and tell, sharing their finished weaving and reflecting on their process and discoveries.

Your Course Kit

Your course fee includes:

• Small frame loom

• Starter yarn for your first project

• Weaving instructions

• Weaving portfolio binder

• Clear plastic sheets and cardstock for documenting samples

• Access to digital course materials and shared research space

You will need a pair of scissors, a tapestry needle, and additional yarns and materials that you already have at home.

You don't need to buy a large collection of new materials. The goal is to experiment with colors, textures, fibers, and materials that interest you and discover how they behave within the plain weave structure.

Course Investment

Regular Registration — $225
August 25–September 5

U.S. shipping is included in the course price.

Workshop Dates

Tuesdays | 6:00–7:30 PM Central Time

September 15
September 22
September 29
October 6

Online Format

Classes will be taught live through Google Meet. Students will use Google Drive and Google Slides throughout the course to access materials, document their process, and share research and inspiration with the group.

No previous weaving experience is required.

Registration closes September 5, 10 days before the course begins, to allow time to prepare and ship your weaving kit.

The course requires minimum enrollment to run. If the minimum enrollment is not met, participants will be notified and receive a full refund.

About the Instructor

Debbie Barrett-Jones is a Kansas City-based artist, weaver, and educator whose work explores weaving as both an artistic practice and a way to create connection. She holds a BFA in Textiles/Fiber from the Kansas City Art Institute and an MFA in Textiles from the University of Kansas.

Debbie has been teaching weaving and fiber arts for many years through workshops, community programs, and higher education. She is the founder and Creative Director of Healing with Weaving, a community-based program that uses weaving to encourage creativity, connection, and hands-on making.

Through her own studio practice and teaching, Debbie encourages students to approach weaving with curiosity and experimentation, learning the fundamentals while discovering their own ways of working with color, texture, materials, and structure.