——August 1-2——Guatemalan Style Backstrap Weaving with Louise Young

Related Courses/Events: Textile Courses

Dates: Saturday-Sunday, August 1-2, 2026, 9:30am-5pm

Registration closes July 17 so the instructor can prepare materials.

Optional: Friday, July 31 Latin American Textile Travels Craft Night Series presentation with Louise Young. A show and tell from Louise’s amazing textile collection and talk about her travels to Guatemala and beyond.

Description: In this workshop, we will weave in the Guatemalan style of backstrap weaving. This produces a sturdy, warp faced textile which can be embellish with vertical stripes, ikat, warp manipulation, or secondary weft. For those who are familiar with standard loom or rigid heddle weaving, the main difference you will find between those and Guatemalan backstrap weaving is that backstrap weaving uses a continuous warp (it isn’t cut to dress the loom) so that it is possible to create cloth with three or even four selvages (if you are really good!).

Backstrap weaving is a very good lesson for any weaver to learn or review the basics of weaving. It’s also very portable and takes up virtually no space in your studio (my loom fits into a cut off blue jean leg!).

For this two day workshop, you will observe a demonstration of the warping technique, which in some ways is much simpler than with European style looms – there are no eyes to thread!! Participants will begin with a pre-measured warp to and continue with the string heddles and warping process. By the third day everyone should be well on their way with weaving.

The project will be a two color cotton panel which can be used as a couch pillow or a hand towel.

Weaving yarn and backstrap looms are provided during class. You will have the option to borrow or buy a loom after class if you need to finish your project or wish to continue weaving on your own.

Workshop Fee: $250

Materials Fee: $45 to be paid directly to the instructor during class.

Optional Loom Purchase: $55

LOUISE YOUNG learned backstrap weaving in Santa Catarina de Barahona, Guatemala in 2001 and has since studied with weavers in other communities in Guatemala, the Andes, and in Myanmar. She prefers backstrap weaving to loom weaving for its flexibility – and its ability to keep her flexible!