Intro to Weaving: Twill, Surface & Materials

A 4-Week Virtual Frame Loom Weaving Course

What happens when we begin to experiment with structure, materials, and surface?

In this four-week virtual course, we will explore twill, one of the fundamental structures of weaving, using a frame loom.

We will begin with the fundamentals of the twill structure, exploring the under-two, over-two pattern and how changing the sequence can create rhythm, movement, and pattern within a weaving.

From there, we will experiment with different yarn weights, fibers, textures, colors, and materials and explore how these choices can change the look and feel of the woven surface. We will also introduce surface design techniques and experiment with ways to create texture, pattern, and dimension.

This course will encourage you to look beyond traditional weaving materials. We will explore non-traditional and unexpected materials and consider how they can be incorporated into a woven structure.

This course is about more than learning a new weaving pattern. It is about experimenting, observing, and discovering what happens when structure and materials come together.

Throughout the Course

Students will:

• Learn the fundamentals of twill on a frame loom

• Experiment with under-two, over-two and variations of the structure

• Explore color, texture, scale, and density

• Experiment with different yarn weights, fibers, and materials

• Explore surface design techniques

• Experiment with non-traditional and unexpected materials

• Research frame loom weaving, artists, and experimental approaches to fiber

• Share discoveries, ideas, and inspiration with the group

• Photograph and document their weaving process

• Continue developing 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 work 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 are encouraged to experiment with materials that interest you, including non-traditional materials that can be incorporated into your weaving. You do not need to purchase a large collection of new materials.

Course Investment

Early Bird — $195
August 17–September 14

Regular Registration — $225
September 15–October 10

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

Workshop Dates

Tuesdays | 6:00–7:30 PM Central Time

October 20
October 27
November 3
November 10

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. This course can be taken on its own or as a continuation of Intro to Weaving: Plain Weave — Exploring the Possibilities.

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

Minimum enrollment is required for the course 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 as a way 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.