WEAVERS Sheila Shanti and Emi Ito examine ikat weavings at Maine Fiberarts in Topsham.
The public is invited to attend to learn about this art form. Maine weavers Emi Ito of Bath, Susan Perrine of Woolwich, Sheila Shanti of Westbrook and Sybil Shiland of Standish will be on hand during different days to weave on looms and to answer questions. Guest weavers from throughout Maine will join this group at various times to showcase weaving techniques.
An exhibition of woven work, special looms and weavers’ tools will be displayed throughout the gallery, and The Red Studio will be turned into a working weaver’s studio.
Visitors will be able to watch a warp being made, a floor loom being warped and the weaving of cloth. Several examples of floor looms will be present — including a 36- inch Harrisville and a Japanese
Saori — and weavers will also demonstrate the use of table, rigid heddle, tapestry and inkle looms.
Weavers will show visitors how to construct a simple loom with heddles and treadles, or to create a card loom that uses only tapestry needles and cardboard to create small woven purses, belts or fabric.
Upcoming demonstrations include: “Make a Warp and Start Warping,” May 8; “Threading a Floor Loom,” May 15; “Kitchen Table Garment Design,” May 24 and June 7; “Cutting and Sewing Handwoven Fabrics,” June 14; and “Making a Simple Loom with Treadles and Heddles,” June 21.
Members of two large spinning groups — Saco Valley Fiber Artists from the Standish area and Salt Bay Treadlers from Damariscotta — will converge to work from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 16, spinning and showing off knitted and woven treasures. Visitors on that day will see a variety of spinning wheels, as well as the looms, in use.
Admission is free for all demonstrations, the exhibition and the sale.
A complete schedule of events is posted at www.mainefiberarts.org.
Maine Fiberarts gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
To learn more about the Weave-In, visit www.mainefiberarts.org or call 721-0678.
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