Upcoming in 2025
Rigid Heddle Weaving Teacher Training
The rigid heddle loom, with its approachable design and versatility, provides an accessible introduction to weaving for students of all skill levels.
At this time, to apply for this training you MUST be either:
A current public school teacher near Española, Taos, Santa Fe, or Los Alamos
A young adult aged 18-24 interested in teaching (preference given to those affiliated with partner organizations)
Training Details
Duration: 2-day/15h training program
Group Size: 5 participant max and at least 3
Cost: paid for 15 hours
Main Skill Focus: Learning to warp and weave a rigid heddle loom in order to teach it to 5th-12th graders
Outcome: Creation of five small (7”x7”-ish) distinct sample pieces
Samples can be completed after the training
Samples will demonstrate various basic patterns and techniques achievable on the rigid heddle loom
Samples will serve as teaching tools for classroom weaving sessions
Educational Implementation
The program is specifically designed for grades 5 through 12, making weaving accessible to a wide range of students. The techniques and patterns learned during the training are carefully selected to be age-appropriate and engaging for these grade levels.
Public School Teachers receive complete weaving kits to accommodate their classrooms after:
Completing the training
Completing the sample pieces
Package includes:
Complete set of rigid heddle looms
All necessary hand tools
Supply of yarn and warp material
Instructional handbook for supplemental support
Additional benefits:
No cost to teachers or schools
Ready for immediate classroom implementation
No additional preparation or materials needed
Consultation available for integrating weaving into various subjects and local traditions
Monthly Support Group for the Rigid Heddle Loom meets the 3rd Sunday of every month at EVFAC and is free to all participants. Open to all teachers.
Youth Instructor Opportunities upon completion of training include teacher/ or teacher-assistant placement in:
Afterschool programs
Assistantships with current teachers
EVFAC annual summer camp teaching positions (June)
Past Programs & Classes
Fall 2024
Create your Own Jazzy Notebook Cover or Jazz Bag
with Peg Ickes
Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom with Peg Ickes - Using EVFAC rigid heddle looms, participants play with colors while weaving stripes, add in double threads, use pick up sticks and floats, and use the imagination to make a beautiful 7" X 16" weaving! This is an opportunity to practice plain weave, hemstitching, learn the basic concepts of weaving and looms, but also be creative and original in designing. Weavings are then transformed into a jazzy notebook cover or jazz bag (Your choice!). All instruction and supplies are provided.
photos by Peg Ickes, Patricia Romero & Kim Zitzow
Summer Camp 2024
✴︎ This program ran through the month of June, 2024.
✴︎ From 10am-4pm, Monday through Thursday, 7-14 students aged 9-15 participated in 2-3 classes per day.
✴︎ All materials were provided and healthy lunches and snacks were served at no cost to the student, aside from a $25 registration fee which was good for 1 week or up to 4.
✴︎ This program was made possible with the generous support from all of our donors and sponsors.
Weaving with Amanda Speer & Dain Daller - Students were guided through the full process of weaving on a four harness floor loom. Each student designed scarves and rugs to weave; and learned how to read a pattern, dress a loom and of course - weave!
photos by Janeen Singer
Natural Dyeing with Frances Cantor - Immersed in the world of natural dyes, students explored using locally foraged plants, kitchen scraps, eco-printing, and traditional recipes to create vibrant colors and experimented with dyeing a variety of fabrics.
photos by Janeen Singer
Screenprinting with Gel Lister - Students learned the basics of screenprinting, including designing a project, coating a screen, and printing on fabric and clothes.
photos by Gel Lister
Knitting & Spinning with Ruby Johnson - Students learned to spin yarn on a bottom whorl drop spindle. Using their spun yarn and other varieties, they acquired a basic understanding of knitting by practicing different stitches and combining them to make different fabrics and forms.
photos by Janeen Singer
Camp Teachers, Youth Interns, & Staff
WEAVING - Amanda Speer and Dain Daller of The Warp Zone dye all of their woven work, focusing primarily on Ikat dyeing and weaving. Dain and Amanda are avid full time professional weavers who learned to weave one sunny February at EVFAC in 2013. They live and work in their off-grid handmade home in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Currently Dain is our Board President and Amanda is our Media and Education Coordinator here at EVFAC.
NATURAL DYEING - Rebekah Frances Cantor is a bilingual (English/Spanish) educator specializing in place based education and the ecological arts. She holds a BA in Art History and a Masters in Education. She brings over 20 years of teaching experience serving pre-schoolers to adults. She is passionate about facilitating creative connections between her students, the arts, and the natural world. She listens deeply and incorporates a variety of teaching modalities to engage with and meet students' needs. Her work is inspired by traditional ecological knowledge and she is committed to engaging in respectful regenerative relationships.
SCREENPRINTING - Gel Lister is an interdisciplinary artist and writer engaged in performance, installation, printmaking, graphic design and the esoteric arts. They have experience working as a teaching artist through Creative Growth Art Center as well as the El Rito Elementary Art Program.
KNITTING & SPINNING - Ruby Johnson is a knitter, spinner, and Shepherd from the Pacific Northwest. They have been a knitter since they were eight, and have a passion for holistic fiber arts. Using the wool from their three Shetland sheep Ruby takes fiber through the entire process. From cleaning, prepping, and spinning; to knitting and wearing the garment. Ruby views spinning and knitting as a way to reconnect to yourself, and the earth. In a world where time is money they’re crafting is a place of peace. A place to slow down, let go of perfection, and simply create. In Ruby’s classes, students will learn the basics of knitting or spinning. Learning how to knit or spin when one is young is a skill that can carry throughout the rest of one's life. Ruby not only teaches knitting and spinning as skills but also as a practice in patience, focus, and mindfulness.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR - Kim Zitzow is an interdisciplinary artist and weaver exploring place-based ways of living through time, connecting past with present and future. Currently serving as the Director here at EVFAC, Kim is focusing on developing and implementing collaborative youth education initiatives rooted in the rich cultural and ecological context of northern New Mexico. These initiatives aim to bridge traditional practices with contemporary perspectives, ensuring that the art of weaving and other land-based crafts remain relevant and vibrant for future generations.
COLLABORATIVE INTERNS, NORTHERN YOUTH PROJECT -
Hannah Martinez (left) and Kiana Fugate joined the program through Abiquiú-based Northern Youth Project’s summer internship. This program, designed for high school students and young adults, offers valuable leadership training through partnerships with community organizations. Along with participating in NYP’s program based on growing healthy food and utilizing sustainable land practices; with us, they also engaged in a variety of art practices as well as in assisting teachers in various activities.
