Episode 1: Teaching Others (with Judith MacKenzie)
This month we talk about the joys and practice of teaching others to weave. Joining us is Judith Mackenzie, an amazing weaver and educator. I describe a swatch using many different types of yarn in the warp, share a cautionary tale for pregnant weavers, and relate a heart-warming story of my own experiences in teaching weaving.
Reference Links (Mentioned during the show)
- Judith Mackenzie’s Web Site
- Judith’s Video (From Victorian Video/Yarn Barn)
- Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat
- WIF for Kai's Blankie (ie: swatch of the day)
- Free WIF reader
- What the heck is a WIF (Weaving Information File)?
Download Episode 1: Teaching Others
Read Transcript
posted by Syne Mitchell at 7:43 AM
37 Comments:
Hi Syne,
It looks like your enclosure for Episode 1 is pointing to a wif file and not the mp3 file. So my aggregator isn't picking it up. Could you fix it? Thanks, I can't wait to hear it :).
Linda
Yeah. Apparently the software I use to automatically generate the RSS feed (feedburner.com) picks up the first non-HTML file it finds and thinks it's the audio file. Who knew? Thanks for letting me know!
P.S. It is fixed now!
Excellent, excellent episode... You really packed in the good content. Enjoyed hearing your approach to sampling, and the swatch segment. I'd like to hear what software you use for weaving and how you use it. Also would like to hear more about your project records and what you include in them, as I'm revamping mine in an effort to be more organized and complete. Thanks for the great podcast!
I'm having problems downloading this into (onto?) my iPod. Is anyone else having problems?
My husband and I both were able to download it via iTunes and then onto our iPods.
What exactly, is going wrong? Is it in the download to iTunes, or when you try to transfer it over to your iPod?
--Syne
Linda,
Thank you for the great comments! I currently use WeaveIt Pro. I find it the most user friendly of the demos I tried and the programmer who created it is herself a weaver. How cool is that?
I'll talk more about project records on the next WeaveCast. Thanks for the idea.
All best,
--Syne
Another wonderful podcast, Syne! Great interview with Judith. As somebody said (recently) in a class of hers, "If she were teaching it, I'd take Advanced Toilet Bowl Maintenance from her."
I just love your podcasts and can't wait for the next episode. I have a Dorthy LeClerc and I tried to warp it once -- it went much the same as your first warping experience. Perhaps listening to you will encourage me to try once again!
Oh well, maybe I can get the next podcast. My husband has this web blocker and it is blocking this webcast. Unfortunately, I don't know why. There must be a certain combination of words in the rss feed.
Hello!
I'll be playing your promo this week on my show.
When my husband and I were visiting Scotland a couple of years ago he decided he would like to take up the art of weaving. He hasn't yet, but he really wants to. I might add that he has very little interest in knitting. lol
Whit
http://www.about-time.us
Nancy:
No doubt! I would too, you'd come away with great stories, a fix for your spinning wheel that hasn't worked well in years, and a clean and well-working toilet!
Julie:
Thank you so much for the kind notes. I hope you do get that Dorothy warped! You can do it!
Sandy:
Hmm, I checked the RSS feed and the only vaguely suspect words were "pregnant" and "heck" which seem pretty mild to me. Perhaps you can get your husband to crank the filtering down a notch, or give www.weavecast.com an exemption?
Whit:
Thank you so much! I've been listening to and enjoying your podcast, About Time. Love your sign-off "Time flies, but you are the pilot." Thank you for welcoming me to the fiber-podcast community.
Perhaps your husband would enjoy the show. And you could always point out that he'll want matching socks for those kilts he wants to weave. ;>
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Sandy:
Oh wait, it's possible the acronym for Weaving Information File means something entirely different in other circles. Perhaps that's triggering the blocking software. Is there any way your husband can check the "banned list" on his blocker. I'm curious whether this is the problem. (I had to delete my last post because I realized that if I put the actual acronym in my comment, she might not be able to read the comments anymore.)
This is why I'm against blockers in general. It's hard to set them to block what you don't want and allow what you do. That and the whole writer/free-speech thing.
Good luck, Sandy! I hope we can find a way for you to listen to the show. :>
--Syne
I enjoyed the whole podcast! The interview with Judith was just amazing. She seems to have a really zen kind of approach to stuff that I liked very much.
Re teaching being a learning experience for the teacher too: do you know the saying "To teach is to learn twice"? I really discovered that years ago when I was a teaching assistant in grad school.
I used to weave, but I sold my loom years ago. I still have a rigid heddle loom in the closet. You're really making me want to weave again! Thanks!
I am just about to start a class that is an Intro to 4 Harness Weaving and really enjoyed Episode 0 (just downloaded Episode 1). I've read Chandler's Learning to Weave, and am now trying to decide in what order to get her 4 Harness video and Peggy O.'s books and videos. I guess it makes sense to start with her book on winding a warp doesn't it? I've gotta do that before I can put the warp on the loom! Does that make sense?
Hello Syne, I am a new Spinner and would very much like to get into weaving. I met an old woman who has a Over head Swedish Loom For sale? The local Spinning/Weaving Lady wants to sell me a very expensive "Jack Loom" Help! What's the difference? I loved the interview with Mrs Mackenzie. I have some buffelo fiber and waited for her to explain how to spin it, she never did say... I love your show and would love to know more, About, Wheels and Looms the differences, and of course Fiber!
Thanks so much, Ines
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Hi Syne,
I love your podcast! I am a knitter, and I suspect I'm one of those that don't know they are a weaver yet.... If only there were someone close by who would let me play on their loom!!! You come across in your podcasts as though you had been born with a microphone in your hand -- truly enjoyable to knit by!!! Looking forward to the "Weaving for Knitters" episode.
Happy Trails, Deb
p.s. I joined you on your Frappr map!
I listened to your podcast on my drive to work yesterday. Today I was snowed in at home so decided to do the dreaded sample. I mean, both you and Judith said it. So I unwove my ugly weft and decided it wasn't going to be a scarf after all. Once that decision was made, the rest was easy. I tried all kinds of stuff, had a great time, more fun than any project has been. I did have to call a friend for instructions on wet finishing. Thanks for the push!
Janice:
Judith is an amazing lady, isn't she? :> "To teach is to learn twice" I like that! It so aptly describes how I feel about teaching. You are thinking about weaving? What a wonderful compliment to the show, I hope you do!
Rob:
With Peggy's books, I started with her winding a Warp book and the warping video. Both of which I found quite helpful. Debbie Chandler also has a good book and video out as well.
Anon:
A jack loom raises the shafts to create a shed using levers or jacks that pivot when you press a treadle. Swedish looms are typically either countermarche or counterbalance and can be either rising shed or both rising and sinking shed simultaneously (depending on type.) They tend to be quite sturdy and quieter, though can be a bit more complicated to tie up. The best solution is to go try out the various looms available in your area and see which works best for you and your space.
Deb:
Yay! I'm no longer alone on my Frappr map! Thank you for that and the encouraging comments. You might try asking at local yarn stores to see if there are any weavers about.
Sharon:
What a great way to spend a snow day! I'm glad you had fun sampling. Hmm, perhaps that's how I'll get rid of my next "dog warp." It's not a project gone hideously awry--it's an extended sample! :>
Did you know Ashford is coming out with "The Ashford Book of Weaving for Knitters"? It's a companion book to their new Knitter's Loom, which looks like a foldable 12" wide rigid heddle loom that comes in a colorful carrying case. There's an innovative way to market weaving to knitters!
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Janice:
Yeah, I saw an ad in Handwoven right after I announced my show. I guess a lot of us weaverly types want to reach out to knitters. I haven't looked at the book or loom yet, but it sounds like a great idea.
Hey Syne-I tried to download in itunes using your feed url and I got an error message-said feed was pointed to text file. I did a search in itues and didn't come up with a listing. Can you help?
Marianne
As a knitter who is very curious about knitting, I'm really enjoying your podcast. If you have the chance, I'd love to hear more about the types of looms out there and the pros and cons to each type.
Also, is there any chance you'll be listing yourself with iTunes? That would be really handy for those of us who use iTunes as our podcast consolidator.
Marianne:
Thank you for the tip that something's up with the feed. Argh. Don't know why it's hosed, I haven't touched it. (That's the problem with using automated tools like blogger and feedburner, they sometimes do things that are...automated.)
I WILL get this working again, even if I have to learn RSS and hand-code the feed.
I registered for a listing in the iTunes music store, but they warned me it might take a few weeks to post (I'm guessing a real, live human reviews them.)
I'm still quite new to all the technologies so it may take me a couple of days to get things sorted out.
In the meantime, you can always download the MP3s manually. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Teresa:
Welcome! I'm working on getting listed in iTunes (see text above.)
The good news is that you CAN use iTunes to subscribe to WeaveCast, in fact that's what I and 65% of my listeners do. Simply click the subscription link and choose iTunes/Yahoo from the possible selections.
The bad news is that the subscription link just inexplicably broke (see text above.)
Everyone:
Thanks for the great comments and the heads-up when things go awry. If ya'll don't tell me, I don't know.
I will get these technical issues worked out. Please bear with me as I drag myself up and over this learning curve. :>
--Syne
P.S. If any podcasting gurus are reading this and have advice, please email me at syne@weavecast.com. I ain't too proud to accept help!
Okey-day, here's a work-around that will get you subscribed in iTunes until I get the button thing fixed on the feed.
* Open iTunes
* Select podcasts from the source pane
* From the Advanced menu, choose Subscribe to Podcast
* In the text box that appears type (or cut-n-paste) the following URL (all on one line): http://feeds.feedburner.com/
WeavecastAPodcastForHandweavers
A bit hinky, but it'll get you there. (And let me know if it doesn't.)
I've got a query out to the Feedburner folks to see if anyone knows what's up.
Thanks,
--Syne
Thanks for the help with iTunes. I had only tried to search on Weave and WeaveCast, which I thought would turn up the podcast. But it probably shouldn't have surprised me that it didn't come up -- iTunes doesn't seem to have a very good podcast search engine for some reason. Anyway, the instructions you provided worked without a problem.
Hi - I just wanted to say I love the show. I'm a knitter (you're hearing that a lot, I know), and I don't know the first thing about weaving, but the show is great. I'm really excited about the upcoming "newbie" or "weaving for knitters" show. Someone in my household has always wanted to learn to weave, but we've always looked at basic beginner lap looms, which I'm guessing may not be the best approach. I need/want to know more! Keep up the great work.
Hi Syne
Love the podcast and might have a go a weaving in the future.
Weaving music, check out the following
http://www.seventhwavemusic.co.uk/home.htm
the house of the weavers. You might like it.
Teresa:
Glad it worked out. I am now listed in iTunes (yay!) so that should be solved as well.
Everybody:
The problems I'd had with feedburner turned out to be local to my machine's settings. It should be working fine. If not, let me know. :>
Amy:
Thanks for the kind words. I should have that new episode up later this week!
SockKnittingMama:
THanks for the kind words and the music leads!
Syne,
This is great! I have just downloaded Episode 1 to my ipod what a great way to enjoy the craft!
I must add that we keep a small 4 harness loom in the knit shop, also two spinning wheels. Our knitters do enjoy the textures created on the loom. Ashfords new book on weaving for kniters gives good simple ideas for texture and commercial yarns.
Leslie
List Admin the weavers list
Hello Syne,
Listened to Episode 1 as weaving inspiration...as I had to re-sley & re-pattern my loom. It really helped get past the frustration level. The music interludes are growing on me, Judith MacKenzie was a gem, and I really like the story of Madeline. I've been trying to recruit youngsters to spinning and weaving and have had some surprisingly good results. Usually by doing a demo and inviting people to try or by dressing the loom and letting friends practice with minimal supervision.
Looking forward to your next webcast.
Loved both episodes and can't wait until you cast again! I am multi-tasking: spinning, knitting and weaving. There never seems to be enough time between loads of laundry...My 8 yo daughter loves to weave. We got her a ready-made warp and got warped together...and now she is weaving with wavy edges-
Maybe another topic could be spinning for warp & weft? I am always worried to use my homespun in my weaving.
Hey Leslie,
Glad you like the show. What Weaver's List do you admin? And where pray tell is this yarn shop. Not that I, er, need any more stash, but um, you know...
Selah (my less-evil twin),
Glad the music is growing on ya. ;> Judith is great. You'd enjoy a class from her. You two have resonant thoughts.
Carrie,
Great idea! I'll add it to the list. Though I should warn you that I've already got the next 5-6 episodes planned out, so it may take a while to come up in the queue. Glad you like the show!
Everyone:
Did ya notice the new episode is up? It took a bit longer than I'd planned due to a nasty head cold and computer woes--both happily resolved now. :>
Fantastic, Syne! I was so pleased to hear your first few episodes of WeaveCast and the interview with Judith. Wonderful. I look forward to more episodes!
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