Joyce Robards 
Spencerport, New York

After a career of more than 10 years in fine arts and art education, Joyce “discovered” fiber arts while on a sabbatical leave earning her MST in Textiles from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Since then, the drive to create, the joy of teaching and the irrepressible urge to work with fibers in her hands have shaped her life of designing, producing and sharing her knowledge, unique perspectives and skills through classes, programs and workshops. She has had both woven and knitted designs published and is currectly working on a book to be self-published about the myriad ways letters and numbers can be incorporated into woven fabric. Joyce maintains a small business selling her work through a select number of NYS craft galleries and museum shops, as well as to private collectors.

When a weaver knits…the fabrics and techniques should truly complement one another! Learn the way to pick up stitches so the edge is smooth, flat, doesn’t add bulk and encloses a raw edge at the same time. Or maybe it’s more your style to perfect knitting the edge or binding separately—with or without an attached “facing” and learn to attach it “seamlessly”. You’ll discover how to create invisible self-sizing buttonholes and other closure options and how to prevent “gaposis”. This seminar will balance discussion and demonstration with actual hands-on examination and knitting of samples. It is suitable for those who sew with either handwoven or commercial fabric. Although only the basic knitting skills of cast on, knit, purl and bind off are required for full participation, the more experienced knitter or weaver will gain some new perspectives on the melding of these two techniques.

Supplies: paper; pencils; graph paper (approx. 5-6 sq. per in.); knitting needles (double pointed and/or circular needles in size range 3 to 8); yarn (whatever size/type you’re comfortable with BUT light in value and not too fuzzy); blunt yarn/tapestry needles; straight pins; scissors; crochet hooks in a variety of sizes.
Fee: $5.00 for packet of prepared fabric with which to work and specific, appropriate yarns for those fabrics.
Level: See class description above.

Bet you know your alphabet; now learn to alphacount. Discover myriad ways to encode letters and numbers in a fabric to make it unique and personally meaningful. We’ll develop “secret” messages not only in block and profile weaves such as overshot and lacey weaves, but also in “lightning twills” and color and texture systems galore. Touchy/feely weavers can even choose to design in Braille! Inscriptions, monograms, and other legible designs will also be shown and discussed as we explore both loom-controlled motifs and simple pick-up and brocade techniques.

Supplies: Note-taking materials, including paper, pencil and eraser; graph paper; scissors; tape; colored pens, pencils or markers.
Fee: None—unless students wish to purchase a self-published, spiral bound book/workbook which will include more “systems” and techniques for dealing with this topic. Price not determined at this printing—purchase entirely optional.
Level: All.

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