I’m back from attending HGA Convergence 2016 in Milwaukee, Wi. If you have never attended, it is an experience I highly recommend. From the exhibits, speakers and classes to the vendor hall, so much inspiration. Being able to talk with weavers from all over the nation and world in one place is invaluable. HGA Convergence includes other fiber arts beyond hand weaving: felting, dyeing, spinning and others.
The vendor hall had all kinds of equipment, yarn, fiber, books and clothing. This was some of the yarn I purchased from Giovannia Imperia, Interlacements, Lone Star Loom Room, Redfish, Webs and Yarnbarn of Kansas. There were tools big and small. I tried weaving on 6 different looms including three different compu-dobby looms. This is invaluable if possibly buying a new loom in the future.
The shuttle is a Flying Dutchman made by Louet. It has 2 unique features. A bar that will lift any warp yarns that are lower in the shed, and a guide for the yarn coming off the shuttle. I had never seen one before and actually tried weaving with one in the vendor hall and knew I had to have one. Next, there are two weaving swords the top darker one made by Kessnich Looms and the other by Schacht. The small shuttle I’ll use with my Inckle loom and tablet weaving. It has one edge that is sharp to help beat in the yarn. It also was made by Kessnich looms.
I took 4 classes learning new techniques in all.
Go Big with Color and Weave Karen Donde
When a Single Harness is not Enough – Double Harness Techniques. Sara Von Tresckow
An Introduction to Natural Dying and Woven Shibori. Catharine Ellis
Rep Weave – Books,Bags, Boxes, and Beyond. Lucienne Coifman
The trick now is to apply some of what I learned.
I’m so glad you wrote about this! I’ve been intrigued about the whole conference but thought that it was over my head. I still think it probably is but, maybe by the next time it rolls arounds, I’ll be ready. Is it always in the Midwest?
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Kerry, The HGA conference is every 2 yrs. It should be announced in September where. The off year regional conferences usually take place. They often have great teachers too and can be closer to home. I encourage you to go.
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I was there too! Had a great time too!
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Did you take any classes?
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Took Joan Berner’s 3 day class on garment pattern design for handwovens = FABULOUS!!!! Were you there for the evacuation on Tuesday? Ah the adventures….
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I arrived at the Hyatt just in time for it, so I had to delay my registration. Walked down to see the ATA tapestry exhibit at the public library instead. Glad you had a good time.
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I walked to the library to see the tapestry exhibit during the downtime so we may have been ‘ships passing in the night’. We got texts at 2pm that ‘school was back in session’.
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How funny! We both wanted to use our time wisely.
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Yes…. using what you learned! I have a bad habit of taking a class and then doing nothing with it. Certainly the technique becomes part of your stored knowledge, but if you don’t try it at home, you can foregt it. (I just threw away some supplies I bought for a woven ikat technique at the last Convergence I went to decades ago.) Sounds like you had lots of fun though. I did debate going, but the classes I would have wanted to take required a threaded loom which was an impossibility for me!
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Deb, yes I can relate I bought some natural dye extracts at 2014 conf and still haven’t used. Maybe this will be the year to. I wasn’t intending on buy as much yarn ( not all shown in photo) as I did but there was this good…. Deal.
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I was only able to go to the marketplace Saturday but that was fabulous! I hope your stay here was good😊
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The first Convergence I went to I only went to the Marketplace and was overwhelmed. It was in Minneapolis, Mn, years ago. It was 15 yrs before I attended another taking classes too.
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