Basic Rigid Heddle at CHH is da Bomb!!!

I'm a noob. I admit it. I don't know much about weaving. The one thing I do know is that I LOVE IT!!!
I'm eager to learn more. I want to know how this works. My first class was blah. A 3-hour class that spent 1 hour putting their looms together. So I was ecstatic when Contemporary Handweavers of Houston (CHH) started offering classes again after their move. I couldn't wait.

The class was an Introduction to Rigid Heddle Weaving. A 6-hour course that provided a Cricket 10-inch loom and set-up to use for a month plus yarn for your class project. Awesome! The class size was perfect. There were only 4 of us in it. So we were able to ask questions and work things out.

Our instructor, DeeDee, was the best!! She was so helpful and extremely knowledgeable.

The class was in their new location just east of downtown Houston in a renovated building with gorgeous hardwood floors. I love those loft-styled buildings. Makes me want to move down there!

We started out learning about the loom then went to work direct warping our loom with some worsted weight yarn. I have no idea how that translates into weaver talk. 3/2...8/4... but for my knitter brain it's worsted weight. LOL

We learned technique while she encouraged us to explore how the warp and the weft work together. Our warp was 6-feet-long and 7-inches-wide. I choose a beige warp then had a teal weft. I wasn't sure how they were going to work together. I'm still trying to figure out how the warp and the weft "talk" to each other.

I worked really hard on my edges. I wanted to master how to have a better and straighter edge so it wouldn't be all wonky and crooked. Though, freeform is pretty cool!!! LOL (I keep telling myself that because mine are wonky. Guess it's a Design Element!)  I did throw in a couple of stripes for good measure.

DeeDee's class was awesome. I'm definitely hooked...warped...knotted and tied up. I even signed up for the next rigid heddle class that's during the week. I'm actually going to take off a day from work to take a weaving class! How cool is that!!!

When I left CHH after our class, I went home and finished the class project. Signed up for the Rigid Heddle 2: A Plethora of PickUps. Joined the CHH guild. What can I say?! I liked it!

My finished class project was pretty short. It finished out at 5-feet-long. I gave it to my mom to see if she can make something out of it. Maybe it will be a purse or a part of a mixed media piece.

I liked knitting but I'm terribly slow at it. Enjoy crocheting but there's only so much you can do with crochet before it starts looking dated. But with weaving, I love it! It's fast. The fabric you make is wonderful! And the yarn really is the focus in your piece. I can't wait for the next rigid heddle class.

Thanks, DeeDee, for feeding a new addiction for me. You rock!! I totally enjoyed the class and I can't wait to see what else I can learn at CHH.

:D