Demonstrations, Workshops,
Children's Programs and Weaving Lessons
Why outreach?
The New York Guild of Handweavers is a magnet for weavers and other fiber artists in the metropolitan area.
As part of its mission, NYGH works to promote wider recognition of role of handweaving in everyday life -- in
the past, present and future. We're also eager to share our enthusiasm for handweaving with the community.
The outreach team consists of experienced handweavers. Darby Downey and Terry Henley have more than fifty
years weaving experience between them, creating one-of-a-kind weave scarves, shawls, ties, towels, napkins,
tablemats, runners, wall hangings, rugs and even market bags woven from recycled plastic bags. They also
answer calls for help from weavers who are having problems with their looms.
What kinds of programs do we offer?
Live demonstrations and hands-on experiences are both effective ways to
convey the basic concepts behind handweaving. We tailor our programs to meet the needs of the audience.
We can bring floor looms, table looms, spinning wheels, drop spindles, fleece, and yarn as needed. The program can
include a demonstration of fleece preparation, spinning and dying.
Demonstrations work best for large gatherings. For smaller groups there are options that give participants the
opportunity to weave with simple equipment. For children, we like to start with a "Penny Purse" woven on a small
cardboard loom that can be taken home to use for additional projects.
Adults can begin with tablet (card) weaving; this instruction can be adapted for children ages ten and above. We
can demonstrate spinning yarn with both drop spindles and spinning wheels, and we can even start with preparing a sheep's fleece for spinning.
Complete courses in weaving on a four-shaft loom, running eight to ten two-hour sessions, also are available.
Our previous work
We have held demonstrations at the Museum of Arts & Design (formerly the American Craft Museum) and the Donnell Branch of
the New York Public Library (a children's program). We have participated in festivals at three of the sites of the Historic
House Trust of New York City: Dyckman Farmhouse Museum in upper Manhattan, King Manor Museum in Jamaica, Queens,
and the Morris-Jumel Mansion in upper Manhattan. We found and set up the loom that now resides at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum.
Fees
With rare exceptions, we do not charge for our demonstrations and hands-on activities.
However, we do charge for group and private weaving lessons that are on-going.
Contact:
Terry Henley and Darby Downey
info@nyhandweavers.org
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