Beginning Inkle Weaving with Annie MacHale

In this course students looked at hundreds of samples woven on an inkle loom and discussed what makes a good design, discussed color theory, looked at yarn choices, experimented with color selection tools, and charted patterns on paper or with an online design tool. Students then used the patterns that they created to set up their looms. Tips and tricks for ease of warping, producing even bands with straight selvedges, finishing a band, and a bit of problem-solving were discussed

This workshop is based on Annie’s book, In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design Inspiration for Inkle Weavers, published in March, 2019.

At the age of seventeen, Annie MacHale first discovered the inkle loom, sparking a lifelong love affair. She built her first loom in 1976 with the help of her dad and a library book. Since then she’s woven miles of bands. She loves to play with color and pattern and finds the inkle loom a very satisfying way to do this. Annie is known to many through her blog, ASpinnerWeaver.com. The popularity of her patterns shared there has led to the 2019 publication of a book, “In Celebration of Plain Weave: Color and Design Inspiration for Inkle Weavers”. This was followed by another book in 2021, “Three-Color Pickup for Inkle Weavers” in which she shares a rare, older Lithuanian technique which has fallen out of use.