Heritage Crafts at the Hive: Rigid Heddle Weaving

Week 1: From fibre to Fabric |Friday 16th October | 1:30PM – 5:30PM | £60

Week 2: Colour, Pattern and Texture | Friday 23rd October | 1:30PM – 4:30PM | £49

Week 3: Using Pick Up Sticks to Create Weft Float Patterns | Friday 30th October | 1:30PM - 4:30PM | £49

Heritage Crafts at the Hive is a new year long programme, featuring a new heritage craft each month. This series of workshops and courses is celebrating Birmingham’s award of World Craft City status by the World Crafts Council in 2025. Each craft will be showcased in a display in the Hive’s Heritage Lounge, skilled craft practitioners will lead craft sessions, and an exhibition in the Gallery in May 2027 will showcase Birmingham based craftspeople.

Our Heritage Craft programme celebrates rigid heddle weaving this month. This is a simple form of hand weaving on a loom. This is a great way in for beginners to have a go at hand weaving cloth. We're offering three sessions which can be booked as stand alone sessions or together as a course. The workshops will be delivered by Jewellery Quarter based Emily Hawkins @mletextiles.co.uk, and covers warping up, colour, and yarn; pattern and texture; and floating weft techniques.

Week 1: From Fibre to Fabric, Friday 16th October, £60 duration 4 hours

Starting from warping up looms and choosing colour and yarn to do so. This includes direct to loom warping, winding the warp, threading the loom and tying on.

Looking at differences that will occur based on the yarn colour and type and what to look for when choosing a warp. Using yarn wrapping on card to look at colour ideas

Plain weave and changing colour to interact with warp colour. Finally looking at finishing and tying off. This session lasts slightly longer due to warping and fuller introduction to weaving process.

Week 2: Colour, Pattern, and Texture, £49, duration 3 hours

Starting with plain weave then introducing 3 or 4 hand manipulated structures to create colour, texture and pattern. Using own images or objects to inform patterns and create a personalised piece of cloth, using structures and ideas covered.

Week 3: Using Pick Up Sticks to Create Weft Float Patterns, £49, duration 3 hours

Starting with plain weave then introducing the use of pick up sticks with different sizes of yarns to create patterns formed of weft floats. This method can add extra dimensions to how the rigid heddle loom can be used creating interesting and more complex patterns.

Using pre made yarn or hand twisted fleece to create weft float yarn.

All materials supplied. Suitable for beginner and intermediate skill sets, 15+.

These sessions are part of our wider heritage craft programme June 2026 to May 2027, featuring a different craft each month. Follow the programme or book more events https://thehivejq.org/

Book Here:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ruskinmilltrust/2425435