a guide to what happens where

Patron Handbook

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Copyright ©2019 Yarnworker – All Rights Reserved

Quick Links:

Yarnworker School

Liz Gipson’s Patreon Page

Yarnworker Website

Private Facebook Group

You may want to bookmark these sites in your favorite browser. The School and Patreon seem to work best in Chrome.

Please add worker@yarnworker.com to your email contact list so you don’t miss any emails from me.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter to get general news of inter-est for weavers.

You can also find me on the following social sites @yarnworker.

This guide is for Patrons of the Yarnworker School. I could not do what I do without you. Thanks for being here.

https://www.yarnworkerschool.comhttps://www.patreon.com/LizGipson/overviewhttps://www.yarnworker.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/https://us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0399885ba51bd6395a57c299b&id=3146c6fb00https://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/https://www.instagram.com/yarnworker/https://www.pinterest.com/theyarnworker/pins/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKfcgPRE3WHOP4tQ9KjLl7g?view_as=subscriber

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Welcome to the Yarnworker WorldHowever you found me, I’m glad you are here. Yarnworker is my place in the yarn universe where I can connect with other rigid-heddle weavers and share weaving know-how.

In 2017, I launched the Yarnworker School of Weaving with sup-port of an amazing Patron community. Patrons first and foremost fund the weave-alongs and keep them free and ongoing. I host three to four weave-alongs a year where we tackle a pattern from the Yarnworker Universe. Most weave-alongs are geared towards the advanced beginner or intermediate weaver. Tackling some-thing a bit more challenging together makes us push our limits.

In return for your generosity, I try to spoil you as best I can with rewards, insider news, first crack at registration, and discounts on Yarnworker School classes and other collaborations I cook up.

This handbook outlines where you can find the various bits that make up the Yarnworker campus. The entire experience is man-aged by me with a bit of help from a few trusted contractors. I film and edit the videos myself and manage the various plaforms we use to take a deep dive into a very specific thing—weaving on the rigid-heddle loom.

As a patron, you get discounts on all classes and if you are brand new to rigid-heddle weaving, I encourage you to take Weaving 101 and 201 to learn some of the foundational techniques that we will revisit time and time again.

I’ve taught thousands of weavers to weave and I’ve been able to aggregate their questions into a core body of knowledge (see page 13 for a know-how checklist). If you add these fundamentals to your tool box of techniques, you can weave anything you want. What I present is not the only way to do things, but a good first way.

Heddles up! Liz

https://www.yarnworkerschool.com/courses/weaving-101-my-first-weaving-projecthttps://www.yarnworkerschool.com/courses/weaving-201-colorwork

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Table of Contents

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Yarnworker Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Administration Building (Patreon), 5 Classroom (Thinkific), 6 Study Hall (Facebook Group), 6 Activity Center (Yarnworker Website), 7 Book Store, 7

Reward Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

General Information, 9 Regular Reader, 9 Super Supporter, 10 Bigger, Better, More, 10 True Believer, 10

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 How do I access the weave-alongs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 How do I ask a question? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 How do I join the Facebook Group? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 How do I use my class discounts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Know-How Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Yarnworker CampusThe Yarnworker experience is not housed under one roof. We are spread out over a number of platforms. Imagine you are on a col-lege campus lined with beautiful trees, outdoor seating areas, and various buildings where different things happen. Here is a brief outline as to what happens, where. I cover much of this informa-tion in this brief orientation video.

Patreon: The Administration Building www.patreon.com/lizgipson The Patreon community is how the Yarnworker School is funded.

Supporters make a monthly contribution according to their budgets and needs. Rewards start at the $3 level. I post patron-only content here about once a week.

If you have question about the platform, check out Patreon's Support Center or feel free to message me via Patreon or email me at worker@yarnworker.com.

Get Patreon Posts Sent to Your InboxYou can have Patreon posts sent to your inbox. To do this, click on your avatar in the upper right, then click on "My Profile Settings" in the drop-down menu. Scroll down until you see options for Liz Gipson, then click the types of email you want to receive.

The automated forwards come from Patreon’s email. It’s a good idea to add message@patreon.com to your contact list so they don’t end up in your spam filter.

I tag all the posts with keywords. Tags are located on the left-hand side of the post page. If you are looking for information in a past post, click on the tag that correlates to the topic you are looking for and it will pull up all posts on that topic.

https://youtu.be/S2eK6Ll7vjIhttps://www.patreon.com/LizGipsonhttps://support.patreon.com/hc/en-usmailto:worker%40yarnworker.com?subject=Patron%20Herehttps://www.patreon.com/LizGipson/postshttps://www.patreon.com/LizGipson/posts

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Thinkific: The Classroom

www.yarnworkerschool.com This is where the classes and weave-alongs are housed.

It requires a separate log-in and password. Once you have a Thinkific account, you can register for as many classes and weave-alongs as you wish under that account. As long as you maintain a Thinkific account, you have access to all the classes and weave-alongs you have registered for, 24/7. Patrons get deep discounts on classes and patron-only content for their ongoing support to keep the weave-alongs going. You don’t have to be a patron to register for weave-alongs. Help spread the word and bring a friend!

Facebook Group: Study Hall www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL This is a closed group and a benefit of being a patron.

You will be asked if you are a patron of the Yarnworker School when you request to join. Part of the magic of this group is that we have a focus and that we are relatively small. Each month I post a theme; it could be a current weave-along, a new class, or a catch-up month. The theme will be in the announcements/pinned post.

Postings should be either on that month’s theme or can be relat-ed to any past courses, weave-alongs, classes, or other Yarnworker patterns or books by me.

Please refrain from sharing non-related topics.

https://www.yarnworkerschool.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/

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Yarnworker Website: Activity Center www.yarnworker.com This is my home base. Here, you will find my blog, general re-sources, FAQs, my bibliography, the Yarnworker Shop, my in-per-son workshop schedule, and other news of interest.

Book Store

I draw on my published work quite a bit in the school. These books are available at Yarnworker.com/books.

Part recipe book, part technique manual, this book will guide you through what you need to know to live in a handwoven home.

Know nothing about rigid-heddle weaving? This is the place to start.

Offers up a rationale for sampling first. When in doubt, swatch it out!

Answers the most common yarn questions rigid-heddle weavers ask.

https://www.yarnworker.com https://yarnworker.com/product-category/books/https://yarnworker.com/shop/handwoven-home-by-liz-gipson/https://yarnworker.com/shop/weaving-made-easy-by-liz-gipson/https://yarnworker.com/shop/a-weavers-guide-to-swatching-bundle/https://yarnworker.com/shop/a-weavers-guide-to-yarn-print-and-digital-bundle-edition/

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Reward Levels

It is an honor to have you put down some of your hard-earned money to support this work. Every level of patronage supports the ongoing work of maintaining a resource-rich website, weave-alongs, classes, the Facebook group, and other Yarnworker con-tent. I negotiate product discounts and offer freebies whenever I can. You never know when I’ll pop in with something extra.

Beginning in April 2019, I’ve tweaked the rewards levels. The big-gest change is that I’m making all course discounts retroactive.

Everyone receives the following benefits for being a Patron:

Instant Access to Project Planning Sheet Index to the Yarnworker World Access to the private Patron-Only Facebook Group Insider news and surprise bonuses from time-to-time Free Class Bonus Patterns Patron-only Seminars on Special Topics Free access to weave-alongs with code PATRONPERK My undying gratitude

Some benefits are available right away (links above). After your first pledge is processed, discount codes will be messaged to you directly via Patreon and physical rewards will be sent in the mail For instance, if you sign up in April, your first pledge will be pro-cessed in May.

I try to keep Patron benefits accessible to every budget.

Regular Readers $3 a monthYou regularly read the stuff I put out in the world and you want to see more of it. You receive all the benefits above, plus 25% off all classes.

https://yarnworker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Project-Planning-Worksheet-with-Tips.pdfhttps://yarnworker.com/patron-only-index/https://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/

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At $7 and above, patrons become a Yarnworker Producer and get to vote on the Yarnworker weave-along selections.

Super Supporters $7 a monthYou regularly read the stuff I put out there and you actively en-gage with it—you weave-along, make projects from patterns, watch the videos over and over again. You receive all the benefits of the previous level, plus:

A voice in choosing the weave-alongs Yarnworker ruler 35% discount on classes

Bigger, Better, More $15 a monthYou regularly read what I put out there, engage with the content—you weave-along, make projects from patterns, watch the videos over and over again—and want to see more of everything, includ-ing things I’ve not even thought of yet. You receive all the benefits of the previous level, plus:

Yarnworker Enamel Pin Free digital copy of A Weaver’s Guide to Swatching One free class in the Yarnworker school 45% discount on classes

True Believers $30 a monthYou regularly read what I put out there, engage with the content—you weave-along, make projects from patterns, watch the videos over and over again—and you know that if I put my mind to it, I can come up with just what you need to make your weaving life better. You receive all the benefits of the previous level, plus:

A Yarnworker 10-dent Key Chain Free signed copy of A Weaver’s Guide to Swatching 25% discount on Yarnworker books and patterns All classes Free!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Access the Weave-Alongs? Weaving together is one of the best parts of participating in the Yarnworker School. I host 3-4 weave-alongs a year where hundreds of weavers come together to weave the same project at the same time and support one another.

To participate in active weave-alongs: Active weave-alongs are free for everyone while they are happen-ing. Bring a friend to weave-along with you!

Keep an eye on your patron updates to know when the next weave-along is happening and what we will be weaving. Once registration is open, you’ll enroll in the weave-along, gather your materials, and we’ll all get started weaving. The education part is free, but you may have to purchase a pattern. I’ll be there answering questions, providing feedback, and helping you troubleshoot your projects.

To participate in past weave-alongs: For non-patrons, there is a small fee to participate in past weave-alongs. As a patron you get free access to all past weave-alongs. Use the code PATRONPERK to register for any weave-along for free.

How do I ask a question?

While weave-alongs are active, you can ask questions in the dis-cussion area of each weave-along, in the Facebook study group, or on the community feed of my Patreon page.

After a weave-along is complete, I don’t answer questions at the Yarnworker School, but you can read past questions and answers. As a Patron, you can ask a question at any time about any weave-along in the Facebook Group or on the Community Page of my Patreon Page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/https://www.patreon.com/LizGipson/community

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Classes are always open to questions at the School, in the Facebook Study Group, or Patreon Community Page.

How do I join the Facebook Study Group?

If you haven’t done so already, join the Yarnworker Patron-only Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL

Click “join group” and leave the requested information—affirming you are a patron and the name and email address you used to sign up for Patreon. I’ll approve you ASAP.

Part of the magic of this group is that we have a focus and that we are relatively small. Each month I announce a theme; it could be a current weave-along, a new class, or a catch-up month. Sometimes a theme rolls over to the next month. The theme will be in the pinned post/announcement.

Postings should be either on that month’s theme or can be relat-ed to any past courses, weave-alongs, classes, or other Yarnworker patterns or books by me. Please refrain from sharing non-related topics.

How do I use my class discounts?

To register for a class visit yarnworkerschool.com, then click on the class you are interested in signing up for. Click the “buy” but-ton and enter you discount code during check-out.

Check your message in your Patreon account for all discount codes. If you misplace your coupon code, or can’t remember if you’ve used it or not, feel free to message me via Patreon or email me at worker@yarnworker.com, and I can check for you.

There are additional tips for navigating the school on this page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/yarnworkerWAL/http://www.yarnworkerschool.comhttps://yarnworker.thinkific.com/pages/tips-for-navigating-the-school

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Rigid Heddle Weaving Know-How Checklist

My vision for the Yarnworker School is to create a space where weavers could work on skill building. Most of this know-how is taught in Weaving 101 and 201, the rest of this know-how can be acquired by participating in weave-alongs.

Project Planning How to select the right yarn for your purpose How to determine the optimal sett for your chosen yarn Knowing when it is a good time to sample Doing the math to plan your project How to read a weaving pattern

Warping Know the direct, indirect, and hybrid method and when to use which method How to adapt the direct method for colorwork; know its up sides and downsides. Modifications for wide warps Choosing the packing material that works for you Troubleshooting (missing the apron rod, threading errors, etc.) Learn a variety of knots and know when to use them

Weaving Know what role headers play Use the appropriate beat for your project Yarn and color transitions—tail tuck, ply-split join, feathering Managing multiple shuttles Know when to weave back and when to weave on Stay stitching vs permanent stitching—when to use which stitch

Finishing How to remove the cloth from the loom Fixing flaws Finishing fringe in a variety of ways Know the washing techniques appropriate for your fabric

https://www.yarnworkerschool.com/courses/weaving-101-my-first-weaving-projecthttps://www.yarnworkerschool.com/courses/weaving-201-colorwork

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Thanks so much for becoming a Patron of the Yarnworker School. It is a constant work-in-progress and this somewhat unusual set up allows me to be flexible and responsive. Technology is always changing and we change right along with it, innovating where it make sense. I'm always open to your ideas and feedback. Being a full-time teacher means I’m always learning, too.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me at worker@yarnworker.com.

Learn more about the history of the school here.

A special thanks to the lemonade crew, those who have been here with me since the beginning.

I could not do what I do without you. I hope the Yarnworker School will help you gain the skills you need to weave the cloth you want. There is no there here, weaving is a journey that takes you to so many unexpected places.

Heddles Up!

Liz

mailto:worker%40yarnworker.com?subject=Patron%20Questionhttps://yarnworker.com/yarnworker-weave-alongs-and-school-faq/