Rigid Heddle will meet the 14th and 28th of May from noon to 4 at the Guild House.
Some of the members ae planning a Theo Moorman project. Her technique is described below.
THEO MOORMAN TECHNIQUE on a Rigid Heddle Loom
Theo Moorman (1907-1990) was a prolific weaver from England. While figuring out how to weave pictorially without the time-consuming labor of tapestry weaving, Theo developed the technique that carries her name.
The technique is a variation of plain weave. Her innovation was to differentiate the weight of the warp threads – a heavier ground warp and a finer tie-down warp. The design on the surface of the fabric is achieved by inlaying yarns under the fine tie-down warp. To quote Syne Mitchell from her book Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom “Because the pattern weft does not contribute to the stability of the cloth, you’re free to move the pattern yarns across the face of the cloth in creative ways. It’s like painting with yarn.” Using this technique, you can weave scarves, shawls, fabric for clothing, wall hanging and pillow tops, the design possibilities are endless!
At the next meeting the Rigid Heddle Study Group will explore the Moorman technique and decide on a project and in June we will start the warping process. To weave with this method on a rigid heddle loom you will need two heddles with the same dent. The dent of the two heddles will depend on the project you decide to weave. If you have any questions, contact Kathy Myers or Dorothy Mucha.
