Beginning Weaving Part 2 | Next Steps with Megan Karlen (AUG 26-30)
*OPTIONAL BOARDING HOUSE ROOM RESERVATION (THIS HOLDS YOUR SPOT, ROOM FEES + TAX DUE AT THE END OF YOUR STAY)
August 26-30 (TUE-SAT, 9 AM–4 PM)
Once you have the foundation skills of weaving (winding a warp, dressing the loom and throwing the shuttle, the next step is to build a knowledge-base of weave structures. In this energizing and “building on skills” workshop), instructor Megan Karlen will take you on a journey through multiple weave structures: Color and Weave, Shadow Weave, Double Weave (and Double Weave Pick Up) and Designing with Blocks (Summer and Winter). Using the 64-color palette of Shetland and Highland wools, you can choose to focus on one of these structures or work through all four. You’ll leave the class with a new-found understanding and comfort level when you approach your own projects at home. A Harrisville Designs Model A4 loom is provided, along with all necessary equipment and our 100% woolen yarns in 64 colors.
Skill Level: Advanced beginner. Students must be able to wind a warp, dress a loom, and weave independently on a floor loom.
Cancellation Deadline: 7/1/2025
MEET YOUR TEACHER
Megan Karlen is an award winning painter who loves bringing abstraction to textile art. Her specific focuses include limited-edition kitchen cloths and scarves. Megan’s work is inspired by the slow-art movement and the recognition that hand-made quality-conscious pieces bring with them an intrinsic feeling of satisfaction simply by having them around. Assisting beloved HD weaving instructor Tom Jipson during his final year of teaching, she continues to imbue the passion of his distinguished 46-year legacy into her own workshops. Megan resides in North Adams, MA, a turn-of-the-century textile mill town in the Berkshires. She's currently a student in the Hill Institute Master Weaver program.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Please note our 2025 cancellation and refund policy includes a non-refundable $100.00 registration fee per workshop. In the case must withdraw, you have 8 weeks prior to class for a full tuition refund, less the registration fee. After this date all payments are non-refundable, no exceptions. Thank you for your understanding!
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.
Single Rooms, $70 Per Night
Please note, the boarding house is for class participants only.
With spectacular views of town from its third-story perch, our boarding house offers bright, airy accommodations just a few minutes’ walk from the studio, shop, and general store with cafe. Year after year, returning students remark upon the peaceful camaraderie they enjoy winding down after class in the spacious common areas, and the fun conviviality of cooking family-style dinners in the kitchen. In addition to a living room, dining area, and full kitchen, the boarding house has six bedrooms and two full bathrooms.
Built in 1853, Cheshire Mills Boarding House provided lodging for workers at the mill for over 100 years. Today, Harrisville Designs is dedicated to maintaining an economical nightly rate to help ensure the cost of lodging is affordable during workshops and classes throughout the season.
Harrisville Designs is happy to provide towels, sheets, and pillowcases for an extra $20 per stay (please order ahead). However, students are more than welcome to bring their own linens. Pillows and blankets are provided. Reservations can be made while signing up for class. We do apologize, it’s an old building. There is no elevator and two flights of stairs. Please pack accordingly.
Alternative Housing & Dining
Harrisville is a small village (pop. 1200) with a post office and general store/cafe across the street from the studio and Boarding House. Harrisville is a short drive from Peterborough (15 minutes away) and Keene (20-25 minutes away); both offer a nice variety of hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Additional accommodations in Harrisville are available at Aldworth Manor and the Harrisville Inn and at local Airbnb’s including the Harrisville Guest Suite. Peterborough accommodations are available at Cranberry Meadow Farm, the Jack Daniels Motor Inn, and the Little River Bed and Breakfast. Options in Keene include the Carriage Barn Inn, the Best Western Plus, the Fairfield Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn Express, the Courtyard by Marriott, and Days Inn. We also suggest searching Airbnb and Vrbo.
Location
About Our Workshops
Nestled in the heart of a historic textile village, workshops at Harrisville Designs take place in the Bethuel Harris Mill. Built in the 1830s as a spinning mill for locally raised wool and located at the end of the canal, it originally operated on water power. Today, it’s home to our first-floor retail store and spacious second-floor workshop studio. Year after year students are greeted by sunlit windows, fresh air, and tranquil views of the mill pond and preserved industrial brick buildings.
Workshops vary in skill levels and lengths. Enrollment is limited to ensure each student is immersed in the atmosphere of a working studio rather than a classroom. Most scheduled classes meet from 9 am to 4 pm; however, the studio is open to students 24 hours a day while their class is in session. Looms are provided in the weaving classes, and woolen yarn and other materials are included unless otherwise noted in the materials lists online. While taking a class, students receive a 10% discount on HD items in our store, including looms! (Excludes sale and consignment items)
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.