VHWSG Organized Workshops
Upcoming Workshops
Recent Workshops
Nuno Felt a Vest with Patti Barker – May 2025
Date/Time: May 28, 29 and 30, 2025, 9 am – 4 pm
Class Size: 12 people
Location: McTavish Academy of Art (1720 McTavish Road, North Saanich)
Costs: Class fee $300*, Materials $130*. Full payment due on registration.
Total cost: VHWSG members $430, non-members $470
Registration is now open – please complete the workshop registration form on the Guild website (directions at left).
Nuno felting is a fabric-felting technique that blends wool fibres with sheer fabric to create lightweight, textured textiles. Working in-person with award-winning felt wear designer Patti Barker, you will spend 3 days creating a vest using silk, merino and embellishments. Beginners are welcome. 
Materials will be supplied by Patti. The materials include 4 yards of silk chiffon, 8 oz of merino, embellishments, and a handout. There will be a choice of colours available. Please note, we have looked at alternate sources of silk chiffon and merino, but were unable to find a better price than Patti has given us.
See some of Patti’s work at https://www.pattibarker.com . For more information contact Christine at workshops@vhwsg.ca.
* These prices are based on the US exchange rate in mid-February 2025. If the exchange rate drops by 5% or more on May 8th, we will refund the difference.
Introduction to Weaving Structures – Apr 26 – May 24, 2025
Five Saturday afternoons – 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Maximum Number of Students: 6-8. Minimum 3
Cost: Members $210.00 Non-members $250.00
Registration is now open – please complete the workshop registration form on the Guild website (directions at left).
Teacher: Brenda Nicolson
This class will introduce students to various weave structures. Any one of these could be an in-depth class of its own, but here you will get a taste of different structures, looms and fibres. This will be a ’round robin’ class so students will work on every loom. Students will receive a warp and details for threading your loom at the studio on Day 1. The looms will be left at the studio for the duration of the class so students will be able to work on each one.
(Directions to the studio will be sent by Brenda to registrants nearer the start date of the class.)
Portable workshop looms are available from the Guild (at no charge for Guild members for the duration of the workshop) or Brenda Nicolson if you don’t have your own to bring to class.
Beginning Spinning Workshop – Spring 2025
Date: Mar 22nd, 29th and April 5th from 1:30pm to 4:00 pm
Class Size: 4-6 people
Cost: $150 for Guild members and $190 for non-Guild members.
Registration is now open – please complete the workshop registration form on the Guild website (directions at left).
Wheels may be available for the workshop; if you are a Guild member you can also rent a wheel after the workshop is over.
This workshop will get you started in the world of spinning, you’ll learn some of the terms used for wheels and fibre as well as several spinning techniques and plying. Material costs $25 paid to the instructor.
Week 1: Learn to names of all the parts on the spinning wheel, and different wheel set-ups (double drive, Scotch tension, Irish tension), learn to spin Short Forward Draft
Week 2: What does it mean to spin Worsted or Woolen? What’s the difference between batts, roving and top? What if you want to buy a fleece? What different breeds of sheep offer the spinner? Learn to spin Short Backward Draft. Practice on using combs and hand carders.
Week 3: What should you look for or look out for when purchasing a wheel? Learn to ply. Questions on what was learnt.
Theo Moorman Workshop – January 2025
The Guild is organizing a virtual workshop on the Theo Moorman weaving technique. The instructor will be Heather Winslow. The Theo Moorman technique is a variation of plain weave that allows the weaver to create a design which sits on the surface of a ground fabric. You will need a loom with four harnesses and the ability to access a Zoom presentation. The workshop is suitable for beginner to advanced weavers.
Heather Winslow will be providing instructions for pre-warping your looms. A suggested book for background review is “Weaving as an Art Form” by Theo Moorman, which the guild has in its library.
The dates of the workshop are January 4, 8 and 11, 2025, and it runs from 9 am – 12 noon, 1 – 4 pm on each of those days. We plan on recording the presentation and that will be available to registrants through January 25, 2025. Registration is limited to 20 individuals.
Registration is now open to guild members at $225 per person. On November 8 registration will also be open to non-guild members for $265 per person. Please complete the website workshop form (directions at left – select Theo Moorman Workshop). Direct any questions to president@vhwsg.ca .
Many fibre artists have begun offering online workshops. We offer a listing here of online workshops we currently know to be available.
Jane Stafford School of Weaving, Salt Spring Island – www.schoolofweaving.tv/browse
Knotty By Nature, Weaving & Felting – www.kbnfibres.ca/upcoming-events
Rebecca Mezoff, (Tapestry) – rebeccamezoff.com/online-learning
Saori Saltspring – saltspringweaving.ca/saori-classes-workshops/
Maiwa School of Textiles – maiwa.teachable.com
The Silk Weaving Studio, Granville Island – Spinning and weaving workshops – www.silkweavingstudio.com/spinning-and-weaving-lessons–looms.html
The Weavers School (Madelyn van der Hoogt) – www.weaversschool.com/
Prince George Guild – Sunday Seminars – monthly throughout 2021 – pgfibrearts.ca/seminars
Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild – chgweavers.org/workshops/
Deb Essen (weaving) – www.djehandwovens.com/teaching.html
Janet Dawson (weaving) – weavingwithjanetdawson.thinkific.com/
Tien Chiu (weaving, colour) – www.warpandweave.com/
Lunatic Fringe – Colour workshops – Double Rainbow Online Class with Jennifer Moore
Linda Hartshorn – Weaving/Dyeing workshops www.lindahartshorn.com/workshops-weaving-and-dyeing
Cally Booker (Weaving) weavingspace.co.uk/
Guilds offering workshops:
Qualicum Weavers and Spinners: qualicumweaversandspinners.blogspot.com/
Know of others offering online workshops? Please contact workshops@vhwsg.ca to have them added to this list.
Another list of workshops can be found at: heddlecraft.com/on-line-weaving-education.html
Check out workshops offered in the past few years.
Contact workshops@vhwsg.ca with your suggestions for future workshops.