Hilary Bourne was inspired to learn weaving after seeing indigo dyeing and cotton weaving in Palestine and first set up a studio in Jerusalem.

This workshop offers the opportunity to learn this traditional skill under the expert tutelage of Poppy Fuller Abbot, a contemporary weaver and TOAST New Maker whose work appears in Double Weave: Bourne and Allen's Modernist Textiles.

The workshop will take place over two days. The first day will involve indigo dyeing which will then be woven on the second day of the workshop.

The first day will offer an introduction to dyeing. You will learn the basics of plant dye extraction using native plants, as well as a natural indigo vat. In this first session Poppy will teach different resist techniques inspired by ikat and kasuri. You will create a series of samples which you may then use for the second day of the workshop.

The second day will focus on the basics of weaving on a frame loom. Poppy will teach you how to set up the loom and teach simple weaving techniques to give varied effects. Once you are confident weaving, you will create a sample piece using your naturally dyed yarns from the first day.

Image credit: TOAST & Suzie Howell