Frame Loom Weaving Workshop

 Last weekend I visited Dobby & Rose for a Frame Loom Weaving Workshop.  I'd come across Dobby & Rose a couple of years ago at one of the Farnham Maltings festivals and liked the idea of having a go myself.

Of course then covid came along and messed everyone's plans up.  Then early this year I was giving a gift vouchure for one of their workshops for my birthday so I finally got to have a go.

The session was run by Rebecca, in her wonderful workshop in her back garden.  I was very luck to be the only person booked and so got 1:2:1 tuition!  But even if others were booked it would have been a small group, so I'm sure it would have been just as good.

I was doing the very basic frame loom weaving, but she does offer more advanced workshop on table looms. Maybe next time.

I spent a very enjoyable morning learning how to string my loom before learning different technques from plain weaving with thinish cotton, to using merino tops to add big fluffy bobbles, and how to create other patterns.

While my first piece didn't have much thought given to it, except to learn the different technques and to keep the colours fairly similar, I've now got lots of ideas of other things I could do.

I love how flexable it is.  I can make it as wide as my frame or smaller.  I can make it as long as my frame or longer!  I can make small pieces and sew them together to make a much bigger thing.  I can use thin threads or thick yarns or more fluffy merino tops. 

And at the end of the session, I got to take my frame and my half finished work home with me, along with a selection of yarns so I could finish it.  Meaning I can try out other my ideas too.

The only real 'problem' is that knitting wool isn't suitable as it's got a bit too much stretch, I'd be better off with a cotton, which means I'm limited on how much stash busting I can do with it, as I've only got a little bit of cotton in there.  Just don't tell 'im outdoors.