Backstrap Loom Band Weaving Workshop

Backstrap loom weaving is an ancient and portable technique that allows the weaver’s body to control the tension of the warp threads. With only a few simple tools, this method has been used for thousands of years to create beautiful and intricate textiles.

Unlike a rigid floor or table loom, a backstrap loom relies on the weaver’s movement for tension. One end of the loom is secured to a fixed point, such as a tree or post, while the other is attached to a strap that wraps around the weaver’s back. By leaning forward or backward, the weaver can loosen or tighten the warp threads while working.

In this three-hour workshop, participants will use the tabby weaving technique to create a woven band or belt on a pre-warped backstrap loom. Each weaving kit includes all necessary materials, including a pre-warped loom, dowels, a backstrap, and the tools needed to attach and adjust the loom.

By the end of the workshop, participants will remove their weaving from the loom and may finish the ends with tassels. Unfinished pieces can be neatly wrapped and completed at home.

Step-by-step instruction will be provided throughout the workshop, allowing everyone to work comfortably at their own pace. No previous weaving experience is necessary. Just bring yourself and a willingness to explore this expressive and meditative craft.

Please bring a snack or sack lunch.

Artist Biography

Ruthellyn Whittington was raised in Southern California in a family that valued creativity and education. From an early age, she found joy in writing and illustrating stories, a passion that led her to study art and English. She explored a wide range of media including ceramics, sculpture, calligraphy, mosaics, printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, batik, and weaving, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in textiles. She later earned teaching credentials in art and English.

Since retiring in 2018, Ruthellyn has returned fully to her own artistic practice. As a textile artist, she creates woven works inspired by photographs, dreams, and imagined narratives. Her work has been exhibited at venues including PVAA Gallery SOHO, Chaffey Community Museum of Art, Huntington Beach Art Center, Cambria Center for the Arts, Studios on the Park in Paso Robles, and numerous galleries and arts festivals throughout California.