Marilyn Robert has worked in the field of textile design and fiber art since the 1980s. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fibers from the University of Oregon. She has been the recipient of grants and awards, including a Japan Foundation Artist Grant in 1997 to travel in Japan for study of traditional indigo-dyed textiles and contemporary fiber art. She is the author of several articles about textiles, and enjoys curatorial work. She taught for thirteen years at Lane Community College as head of the Fibers program, and as an adjunct Fine Arts Professor at the University of Oregon, both in Eugene, Oregon. Marilyn was the co-founder of Eugene Textile Center and currently travels, lecturing and teaching workshops. She teaches surface design techniques, such as dyeing, printing, mechanical manipulations of cloth, as well as handweaving. Marilyn is passionate about dyeing with botanical dyes and continues to teach and to learn more about this subject.
Designing for Warp and Weft Ikat
An expansive discussion of the development of a handwoven ikat motif, both warp, weft and compound designs. Demonstrating everything from how to design and construct the warp to binding the warp and weft bundles. Ending with a brief discussion of dyeing and dressing the loom. This is a lot to fit in, but if time allows attendees with have a go at designing their own motifs.
Materials to bring: graph paper and pencil, calculator and colored pencils.
Using a Shifting Box, a tool for warp ikat patterns
Warp ikat patterns can be made using various methods to “shift” the tied pattern. While several methods will be discussed, the focus will be on using a shifting box. This method is more exact. A loom with the shifting box will be set up to illustrate the process. Participants will get a template and instructions from which they may make a shifting box for themselves.