Handloom Weaving: Create Organic Shapes

Start the course by getting to know your teacher, Juliana Maia, who tells you about her professional career, her leap from architecture to visual arts, and how she found a powerful form of expression in the art of weaving. She also shows you her most distinguished projects and major sources of inspiration.

Next, go over the materials you need to weave on a handloom and get familiar with the loom itself, exploring its components and accessories as well as how they work. Search for references and create your own color palette before you begin experimenting with shapes and compositions.

Using your preliminary designs, draw full-size versions of the fragments you're going to weave. Juliana then shows you how to lash on and transfer your patterns so you can start weaving. She also teaches you how to create texture and volume and bind off your finished fragments.

Once your pieces are ready, experiment with different combinations and arrangements and then sew them to a cushion cover. Juliana ties everything together by giving you some tips on how to preserve your art and attach it to different surfaces.