Instructors and Workshops

I may be biased, but I truly believe our selection of workshops and seminars for 2027 is exceptional. While we will be sharing more detailed features and photos in the months ahead, here is an in-depth preview of the wonderful learning opportunities our skilled instructors will be presenting:

Dianne Totten

Dianne is bringing her incredible garments and textures to our gathering with four exciting classes:

●       Crimp and Create

This on-loom workshop takes fiber in an entirely new direction. You will learn to draft, weave, and crimp "crimp cloth" samples right in class, using a unique variation of woven shibori in either the warp or weft. It is a fantastic stash-buster that yields permanently crimped designs that retain their memory even when washed—perfect for making versatile, one-size-fits-all garments, scarves, and shawls that stay securely on your shoulders. You’ll see how this pleating can replace knitted ribbing on sweaters or add a knit-like texture to jacket collars.

●       Design Inlay Rag Rugs and More...

Discover how to add a distinctive, personalized touch to plain weave rag projects like rugs, table runners, wall hanging pieces, and placemats. You will piece fabric strips together into creative blocks, cut them into weft strips, and weave them. Then, using fabric paints and an inlay process, you will paint custom designs. No special artistic talent is needed since patterns can be easily traced or copied!

●       Cone to Clothing

In this engaging presentation, Dianne will walk you through her personal design process for creating one-of-a-kind handwoven garments, sharing the valuable lessons she has learned along the way. She will share sewing tips for garment construction that utilize minimal cuts to the cloth, along with finishing ideas. You will also watch a demonstration of how to stitch a perfect hem and have dedicated time to stitch your own hand-sewn hem sample in class.

●       Bags – Just for Fun

If you have precious handwoven scraps, leftover fabric, or an old garment you want to repurpose, this session is for you! Through an inspiring presentation, you will see examples of bags ranging from elegant evening purses to functional market-style totes. You'll learn construction and embellishment techniques to turn your most cherished pieces of cloth into beautiful, finished accessories.

Heather Macali

Heather will help you explore the beautiful intersection of structure and dye in two hands-on sessions:

●       Rigid Heddle Weaving + Woven Shibori:

Discover the creative flexibility of the rigid heddle loom by combining pick-up sticks with woven shibori resist techniques. On the first day, you'll warp your loom from a prepared warp bundle and learn pick-up stick structures to weave fabrics specifically designed for resist patterning. On the second day, you'll complete your weaving and apply fiber reactive dyes to reveal striking, dynamic resist patterns in your cloth.

●       Pattern in the Warp: Ikat Dyeing:

Explore the magical resist-dye method of Ikat to prepare and dye a warp that produces beautifully feathered, blurred patterns in the finished cloth. In this two-day class, you will design your own pattern for an 80-inch scarf (or select from pre-designed templates) wound at 12 ends per inch (epi). On the first day, you will wind and bind your warp; on the second day, you will complete the binding and dye the warp using acid dyes to create either solid color bundles or stunning ombré gradients. Note: This workshop focuses on the warp preparation and dyeing process; the actual weaving is not covered, and you will need a 12-dent reed to dress your loom and weave your scarf at home.

Molly Koehn

Molly's workshops invite you to explore natural materials and ancient, place-based craft techniques:

●       Foraged Fibers and Forms

This workshop explores how basketry connects us to our environment, even within heavily urbanized spaces like Texas's largest cities. You will learn about regional plant species suitable for basketry and cordage, as well as non-regional plants you can grow yourself. Molly will guide you through harvesting, processing, and preparing these fibers, and you will learn basketry techniques such as looping, cording, and twining to create several small tactile samples.

●       Whisk Brooms:

Dive into the craft of broom making in this cozy three-hour class. You will learn to bind and shape broomcorn into a beautiful, functional whisk broom, mastering traditional styles like Turkey Wings, Hen Wings, and Hawks Tails. You will also learn to weave a custom handle using basket reed and hear about Molly's experience cultivating broomcorn in the Craft Garden at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. You'll go home with at least two (and up to three!) beautifully completed brooms.

Robyn Spady

Robyn will be offering four incredible classes designed to maximize your loom's potential and expand your design toolkit:

●       Extreme Warp Makeover: Unlock the Potential of a Single Threading

If you love weaving but hate warping, this is the class for you. Pre-warp your four-shaft loom with your choice of one of three provided threadings, and prepare to perform an extreme makeover. You will discover how a single threading can be woven in a multitude of ways—from twills, laces, and overshot to swivel, corduroy, deflected weft, and double-faced weaves. Robyn will teach you the fundamentals of these structures, including star versus rose fashion, weaving on opposites, and echo treadling, showing you how to squeeze endless variety out of one warp.

●       Passementerie for Garments and Accessories

Elevate your handwoven apparel and bags with custom decorative details that add structure, polish, and unique style. This technique-rich three-hour session covers handwoven trims, braids, applied cords for hems and necklines, custom borders, and buttonhole-less closures like woven loops, frogs, toggles, and ties. You'll examine beautiful samples and leave with practical design strategies to turn finishing details into spectacular focal points.

●       In Living Color: The Power and Potential of Parallel Twills

Parallel twills require as few as four shafts but produce stunning, colorful patterns. In this three-hour class, you'll learn how parallel threadings and treadlings create beautiful echo effects. You'll explore color theory—including value, sequence, and contrast—to see how color choice completely transforms the visual depth of the draft. You'll leave with practical drafts and color-planning strategies to design your own parallel twill scarves or yardage with confidence.

●       Block Party: Designing with the Building Blocks of Weaving

Join the party in this highly creative, loom-less one-day workshop! You will learn how to demystify blocks and profile drafts, using them as blueprints to design patterns that scale beautifully. Robyn will show you how to translate profile drafts into detailed threadings, treadlings, and tie-ups, taking a deep dive into tied weaves, lace weaves, overshot, Crackle, and more. Perfect for weavers on four shafts or more who want to design with complete intention and control.

Christine Miller

Christine will lead two engaging sessions, one on strengthening your creative muscle, and one on sculptural basketry:

●       Powered-Up Practice

Deepen your creative expression and strengthen your artistic muscles in this collaborative seminar. Christine will introduce the 8 Studio Habits of Mind (Understand Community, Observe, Engage & Persist, Reflect, Stretch & Explore, Express, Develop Craft, and Envision). You will participate in collaborative discussions to see how these habits apply to your specific craft, fostering deeper inquiry and providing a framework for all your future creative projects.

●       Bias Plaited Paper Basket

Craft a beautifully textured, small bias-woven paper basket ranging from 3.5 to 5 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter. You'll use watercolor paper strips (140 lb weight) pre-painted by the instructor in a variety of vibrant colors. You'll explore several structural finishing options to complete your unique paper sculpture.

Lynn Smetko

Lynn will take you on a deep dive into a very versatile weave structure:

●       The Many Seasons of Summer & Winter

Summer and winter is incredibly shaft-efficient, making it ideal for graphic designs. In this intensive two-day workshop, you'll learn why this structure is capable of so much more than you think. Working on eight shafts or more (table looms preferred, floor looms welcome), you will explore multiple designing methods on the same threading, including monochrome (using one pattern weft in four variations), polychrome \"on opposites\" (using two pattern wefts), polychrome \"not on opposites\" (using two or three pattern wefts), blending pattern wefts, and weaving Taqueté without tabby.

Melanie D. Sanford

Melanie will lead three botanical fiber workshops designed to expand your hand-spinning horizons:

●       From Plant to Yarn: Processing and Spinning Hemp and Other Bast Fibers

In this comprehensive, full-day class, you'll dive deep into bast fibers. While the primary focus is on processing and spinning industrial hemp, you will also learn about nettle, kenaf, sugarcane, and sunn hemp. Through lectures, guided discussions, and hands-on time, you will learn how to process these stalks by hand and spin naturally grown bast plants into beautiful, strong yarn.

●       Tiny Fibers, Big Possibilities: Exploring Cotton and Other Seed-Hair Fibers

This half-day class focuses on short-staple seed bolls and pod fibers measuring two inches or less. Using cotton as the central focus, you will also examine kapok, milkweed, and fireweed. You will use a mini portable cotton gin to separate fibers from the seed, and learn drafting and preparation strategies for spinning these lightweight, silky flosses alone or in blends with supporting fibers.

●       Uncommon Plant Fibers: Spinning Hemp, Seaweed, Banana, Sisal, and Dogbane

A half-day class focused strictly on fiber handling, drafting, and yarn formation using pre-cleaned plant fibers. You'll compare and spin hemp, seaweed, banana, sisal, and dogbane, learning how these distinct plant fibers behave at the wheel or hand-spindle, what preparation methods improve their manageability, and when to spin them alone or in combination.

Make-and-Take Classes

Some new things we’re testing out at our 2027 conference are “make-and-take” classes. Open to the public, these 1.5 hour classes are geared entirely towards non-members with the hope of increasing public awareness of CHT and enticing more people to join. The make-and-take classes will take place Saturday afternoon during regular class hours. Our lineup for 2027 is:

●       Whisk Brooms taught by Molly Koehn

●       Learn to Make a Dorset Button taught by Sarah Quick

If you are bringing along a friend or partner who isn’t participating in the main conference, please encourage them to sign up for one of our make-and-takes! Pricing and registration details are to follow, but our goal with these classes is to keep the cost of participation as low as possible so that as many new people as possible can participate. 

Exhibits

At its core, our biennial conference is an opportunity to share the fruits of our labor and celebrate the remarkable diversity of our crafts. The Members’ Exhibit and Fashion Show serve as the twin centerpieces of the conference, providing a welcoming and supportive venue for artists of every skill level to showcase their work. Whether you are brand-new or a seasoned fiber artist, sharing your work and creative vision inspires the whole CHT community.

            While the official submission categories, rules, and entry dates are to follow in future email blasts and the registration booklet, this is your early invitation to begin dreaming up a masterpiece that speaks to our conference theme of “Weave Texas”. Think about how our state’s vast geology and cultures could inspire your weaving, spinning, dyeing, or felting. Whether you find yourself drawing color and textural inspiration from the state's varied landscapes, structural inspiration from famous Texas-related songs or sayings, or anything else that calls to you, there are so many ways to “Weave Texas.” I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

If you are looking for a nice dose of inspiration to get you going on your exhibit entries, be sure to visit the Fort Worth Weavers Guild's juried statewide exhibition, The Wild Wild Weft: Celebrating the Art of Texas Weavers, running from October 3 through November 7, 2026, at the Lewisville Grand Art Gallery in Lewisville, Texas!

In addition to our usual exhibits, I’m thrilled to announce that we will also have a dedicated exhibition for our special events study group. This year’s study group theme is Inspiration Exploration, and I cannot wait to see the incredible work the group members produce. The study group exhibition will be in the conference hotel in the same ballroom as the other exhibits for ease of viewing.

Raffle Baskets

Guild collaborations are the heartbeat of the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas, and our biennial basket raffle is where that collective energy truly shines. Every member guild is invited to assemble a themed gift basket that highlights the creative spirit and unique personality of their local community. Beyond being a delightful and highly anticipated highlight of the conference, these baskets serve a critical purpose: all funds raised through raffle ticket sales go directly into the CHT conference general fund, providing vital financial support that make our conferences possible. When brainstorming themes with your guild, remember that the only limit is your  imagination. Baskets can be large or small, open or wrapped, so long as the goodies inside are visible and tempting to ticket buyers.

To make participation easy for every guild, we have several delivery options. If your guild members are attending, simply bring your completed baskets directly to the registration desk. If no one from your local guild is able to make the trip to College Station but you still want to participate, please shoot an email to rosetta4tax@gmail.com and/or conference@weavetexas.org to coordinate delivery. We’d be happy to work with you!

Flea Market

We are introducing an exciting experiment at the 2027 Conference: a Flea Market! Drawing inspiration from the popular gatherings hosted by our friends at the Texas Basket Weaver’s Association, we are replacing the standard commercial vendor space with an evening dedicated to mutual destashing. Many of us are looking to simplify our workspaces and pass along items we no longer use, others would love to pick up a craft but can’t quite afford new equipment or materials. This flea market offers a relaxed, affordable way to rehome looms, spinning wheels, leftover cones of yarn, hand-dyed fibers, tools, and finished items. It is the perfect venue to clear out your stash or find a bargain, all while supporting our community!

Those who would like to participate will be given the option to register for a table during normal conference registration. You will be responsible for all aspects of your transactions including remittance of sales taxes.

Door Prizes

 If you have items you’d like to destash but aren't up for manning a table at the Flea Market, consider donating them as door prizes! We are looking for clean, usable items in good condition, such as weaving and spinning tools, fiber arts books, handspun skeins, handwoven towels, or small handcrafted accessories. Guilds can coordinate and package their contributions together to deliver. Logistics of door prize collection is pending our finding a Door Prize Coordinator! Speaking of…

Volunteer Opportunities

Organizing a statewide gathering takes a collective effort, and CHT relies entirely on the hard work of our generous members. Volunteering is a wonderful way to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and become a more active part of our community.

We are currently searching for enthusiastic members to fill our remaining leadership vacancies:

Flea Market Coordinator

Door Prizes Coordinator

If you are ready to help us “Weave Texas” in 2027, please send an email to our planning committee at conference@weavetexas.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

Your CHT 2027 Conference Chair,

Darcy Fabre