Patrice George recently retired from the Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC, where she taught woven textile design and production for 18 years. After studying history of art at the University of Michigan, she spent a year in India, and studied traditional handweaving in Sweden. Moving to NYC in 1974, she found work as a handweaver/designer in the textile industry, where she learned dobby and jacquard design and production skills. In her NYC studio, Patrice was an early adapter of computer-interfaced looms and software. She developed courses in computer-aided woven design for the School of Visual Arts, Parsons and FIT. A long time member of Complex Weavers, she is currently a member of the New York Guild of Handweavers and was a guest on HGA’s Textiles and Tea in November 2024.
Education: BA, University of Michigan, History of Art, 1970
MA, Fashion and Textile History: Museum Studies, FIT, 2020
Twists and Turns: Leno in Contemporary Woven Textiles
Leno, a variation of plain weave where warps are “twisted” to create a firm structure that prevents spaced warp ends from slipping, is enjoying a revived popularity in the handweaving world. Articles on hand-twisted leno, bead leno, and doup leno techniques have recently been published in craft media, along with several on-line videos and conference workshops. This seminar will update my 2014 CW Seminars presentation “Weaving with Light and Air: Leno and Gauze Structures.” I will present a variety of contemporary leno woven textiles, and explain the advantages and disadvantages of bead, doup, and hand-twisted formations. It will appeal to anyone interested in adding open spaces, and lace-like elements to any handwoven project, from simple to very complex.
This session will be captured for the Weavers Handshake, CW’s online, on-demand learning platform.
