weaving workshop at Koskela...

Koskela weaving workshop, Sept 2012

Doesn't this look like a happy place to create? 

Last Saturday I had the absolute privilege to run a weaving workshop at Koskela. And for all of you that haven't been out to visit them in Rosebery, Koskela is an Australian design company, located in a truly amazing converted warehouse in an old industrial suburb in Sydney.

When I was asked if I would like to be a part of their new series of weekend workshops, I did not have to think before I said yes! I mean, how could you say no to teaching a class in a beautiful space, surrounded by amazing people, Indigenous and Australian artworks and weavings,  custom furniture and homewares, and LOTS of colour and texture?! 

Yep - there was only one answer!

A couple of weeks ago I ran a weaving workshop at The Pop Up shop, and it was so much fun I thought I would recreate the same feeling and atmosphere at Koskela by filling the big wooden table in their cavenous workshop room with LOTS of colour, lots of fabric and lots of materials to experiment and play with... 

And with a sold out class, I knew the big group of lovely people would be able to enjoy each others company and feed off each others own unique way of weaving.

Which is exactly what happened! 

After giving a demonstration of how to begin a simple woven bowl using plarn (or recycled plastic shopping bags), everyone went off in their own direction - creating the beginnings of a woven bowl that would be unique and special to them... 

And that is why I loved the day. Everyone picked up the techniques so quickly that before I knew it, the table was a' flurry of activity, with hands working overtime to create something that was in their own colour palette and in their own beautiful, creative style....

A detail from Anna aka Rummey Bear's weaving piece.
I loved that everyone created their own colour  palette and own weaving style straight away...
(photo courtesy of Rummey Bears)

The table was FULL of colour and texture as I wanted to provide lots of different materials and ways of creating and playing with their weaving....
(photo: Rummey Bears)

Everyone looks so serious in these photos! But with only 2.5 hours to learn and create,
everyone wanted to get into it quickly!!

I filled the table with as many materials as I could, so each person could
explore and see what was going to work for them and their own unique style of weaving...

And there had to be tons of colour!!! I covered the tables with bits of vintage material
that I have been collecting for years...

The workshop room at Koskela was so amazing to work in! The big wooden tables, the wall of tools,
the friendly staff and the morning tea all make the experience truly lovely...

By the end of the class people had started to get the hang of the techniques
and were well on their way to creating some amazing woven bowls.
Koskela had made everyone a bag to put all their materials in,
and I know that many of them were filled to the brim with materials
to play with when they got home!

Thank you Koskela and everyone who came to the class.
I loved it and I hope you did too...
Hope to see you at the next workshop!