​​​Hey there! It's me, Janna Vallee, popping in to let you know what's going on with me and some of the textile folk around greater Vancouver and beyond.
 
I’ve been keeping busy between designing new workshops, teaching after-school textile programs in local public schools and spending time between my two Sunshine Coast textile studios, one of which is brand new. You can now shop my entire Everlea Yarn collection and stay for tea and conversation at my new wee shop, inside the coolest shop and artist hub in Gibsons BC, The Kube Studios. I'm there on weekends.

On my looms and needles
I'm currently weaving a tapestry commission as well as knitting up a storm for some new samples to show at my Fibres West booth (it's coming up fast. Yay for spring!) Above is my Ambershore shawl, by local designer Inese Sang, in my naturally dyed Organic Merino Fingering in the colourways Water, Twilight and Madder.


~ There is a bundle of this exact trio in my shop if you want to snag the last few from these same dye lots. Pick up at Fibre West is available ~
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This shawl is only my second-ever attempt at colourwork knitting and I've learned a lot. It's also my first time knitting a pattern by Inese and the clarity and ease that this pattern offers is brilliant - I'm so grateful!
I've still made a whole bunch of mistakes, though - at no fault of the designer of course, including increasing in the wrong place at the center stitches twice due to my strange decision not to use stitch markers. I refuse to rip back all that knitting, or ladder back to attempt to fix it in case I mess up and then HAVE to rip back all that knitting. The way I usually knit anyhow is that as long as it more or less looks good and doesn't mess up the overall design and stitch count, I let mistakes lay where they may. I discovered last year that for that reason I am a terrible test knitter.
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I am 100% a process maker. I love a good story, and evidence of process even more. Don't small mistakes offer character in all circumstances? Let's call it a symbol of resilience that the overall design is barely affected by all my errors. So, this cosy handmade treasure will be held tight as a symbol of comfort for more than its warmth and tactility.

So, that's me right now.
What's happening locally? So much!
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News
Selena of Dank Fiber and Abbye Dahl have joined forces to create the knitting design studio, Wool & Pine. Check out their stunning premiere garment the Sorrel pullover.
 
The online School of SweetGeorgia has released a few new workshops, Spinning with Suspended Spindles, Plan Your Make Nine, and the first of their Handwoven Colour series.
 
Pattern releases

• Caroline Dick released the beautiful bulky knit Raven Pullover.
• Inese Sang released the lovely bobbled mitts, Salna
• Jenny Faifel released this leopard print Cat Love hat and the Options pullover.
• Illitilli released Washington: a gorgeous textured chevron, positive ease cardigan
• Pip and Pin released this playful and fun to knit Sprokett Socks in a colourful slip-stitch design as well as the Wishing Rock shawl
• Have you seen Abbye Dahl's Cloche Knits 2 book?!?! The Fedora is calling to me.

Jobs
SweetGeorgia Yarns is hiring!  SG is on the search for a new Customer Care Associate & Administrative Assistant to join the team at their Vancouver-based SweetGeorgia studio. ⁠

⁠Events Around Town
Be sure to check out our calendar from time to time. I add events as I hear about them.

Fibres West is coming up quick on March 13th+14th! The location has changed this year, so don't forget to double check the address before you go. It will be held at the FIELD HOUSE, behind the Langley Events Centre, 7888 200th St, Langley, BC. Rather than entering from the Event Centre itself, head East on 80th Ave and right on 202A.

Workshops
Ruth Jones is teaching tapestry at The Silk Weaving Studio in February. If you have any interest in tapestry what-so-ever, don't miss this amazing opportunity to learn from Ruth, who is master designer, weaver and artist.

Know of an event or other listings that I can include in an upcoming newsletter? Email me!

Janna

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AMERICAN TAPESTRY ALLIANCE (ATA) is a non-profit organization which provides programming, grants, scholarships and opportunities for tapestry weavers around the world. In 2015 I participated in an ATA thinktank whose goal was to research approaches to appealing to new weavers. One of the ideas that grew out of that conversation was a social media tour, and since then I’ve hosted one every two years.

The Tapestry Media Tour runs in anticipation of ATA’s biennial international, unjuried small format exhibition. And well, It’s that time again! Join me and six other weavers on Instagram for American Tapestry Alliance’s 3rd Tapestry Media tour...this year's theme: Weaving Small.

Beginning January 20th join us every day for a week Instagram, as we share our approach to weaving small format tapestries. To increase your chances of winning one of 22 prizes follow all the stops on Instagram at @rebeccamezofftapestry @sarahcswett @bridgetcetera @pattikart @mirrixlooms @kathetoddhooker and @everlea_yarn
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Prizes include, 1) one of five mini Hello Looms, 2) Rebecca Mezoff’s online Mini Looms course, 3) a three-month subscription to the online textile school @SchoolOfSweetgeorgia, 4) one of five Hokett Tiny Turned Beaters 5) one of five free entries into @AmericanTapestryAlliance’s Renditions 2020, ATA’s 13th international, unjuried, small format exhibition, and 6) one of five free one-year memberships to American Tapestry Alliance.

Here’s how to enter to win. 1) Follow @americantapestryalliance 2) Beginning January 20th, follow and comment on each stop on the tour for one entry at each of the seven stops.
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The Tapestry Media Tour is our way of encouraging you to exhibit with us! Renditions 2020 is ATA’s 13th international, unjuried small format exhibition and is open to all tapestry weavers around the world, new and seasoned. Find more details about entry into Renditions 2020 HERE.

Tapestry is a weft-faced cloth. Wefts are laid into the warp as the weaver desires, and packed by beating them down until the warp thread is covered. Tapestry is usually a simple two-shed process: only the colours change. Traditional French tapestry techniques become knowledge that frees up artistic expression: one is always learning. This course explores pictorial possibilities of the woven grid within your chosen colour palette. It is an opportunity to begin a new tapestry. You will explore solutions to both technical and aesthetic challenges. Your tapestry may be completed at home, subsequent to the classes, with materials provided.At the first class, each student will be offered to choose their tapestry materials from a selection of SWS\Sanjo silks of various textures in natural colours, and\or DMC Article 478 from France, in limited colour ways. For example, at our last class, we had a basket of pre-wound yarns to choose from (in black-white-grey-pink-blue palette) included in the course price. Optional colour choices may be purchased at $12-16 per ball.
This course is suited to your level of experience. Beginners, you will try out techniques on a pre-warped loom following a traditional sampler. Experienced weavers are encouraged to bring a black-and-white working drawing or trace a photo that inspires- it will serve as concept for your experiments.
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Class size is limited to 5, allowing more personal instruction.
This course will take place on 3 consecutive Thursday evenings: February 6, 13 and 20th, 2020, from 6:30-9 pm. You may register at Eventbrite:( see link below).
​Course price only (bring your own warped loom, tools and yarn to the classroom): $195

If you need a loom, the cost will be an additional $140, please contact silkweave@telus.net to get it ordered before the class starts.

Ruth Jones is an Aubusson-trained tapestry designer and weaver with a background in Classics and Fine Arts. She believes that patience, required for skill-building, pays off in gained visual and manual dexterity.



 To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/tapestry-weaving-with-ruth-jones-tickets-84034590723