YarnworkerU provides a space for rigid-heddle weavers to explore the potential of their loom and their weaving ambitions.. What started in 2016 as community-funded weave-alongs, grew into a virtual classroom experience for rigid-heddle weavers, and now has evolved into this form. This space is hosted by Liz Gipson, who has taught rigid-heddle weaving for over 20 years and written numerous books about this wondrous loom. Her mission is to share rigid-heddle know-how to help make your weaving life better. 

Whether you are a beginner in need of a few foundational classes, you have been weaving for a while and want to challenge yourself, or perhaps you just want to weave something with a little bit of extra help, you have found a space to do so. YarnworkerU is open 24/7 with a large backlog of courses and constantly evolving new material, allowing you to weave at your own pace, and to join us for a weave-along or live events. Free yourself from algorithms and ads to enjoy a space that is just for your enthusiasm of weaving on a rigid-heddle loom.

Ready to start weaving?

Join us today to create the weaving life you have been looking for. 

I understand those stuck places where you just wish you could ask a question and get an answer, and the overwhelm that comes with learning something new with all the language that goes with it. This frustration is amplified when you don't have any other rigid-heddle weavers nearby or feel overwhelmed in the chatrooms.

YarnworkerU can provide the support, inspiration, and encouragement in an algorithm-free, ad-free environment to help you fuss less and weave more. As your host, I am committed to your learning and make myself available for questions across multiple avenues, including directly in the classes, in the Ask the Teach thread in the discussion area, and via live sessions. You can also seek advice, share your work—the highs and the lows—with your fellow weavers in the community, during weave-alongs, weave-ins and meet-ups.

Don't let the feeling of being overwhelmed hold you back from exploring your enthusiasm for weaving. Join YarnworkerU today and become a part of our supportive community of weavers led by a road-tested host.

Hi, I'm Liz, the host of YarnworkerU. For most of my life, I have been passionate about weaving and all that it entails and the rigid-heddle loom is my muse. I find it the perfect little loom for this great big world. For over two decades, I've made weaving my career—first, working in weaving-related publishing and manufacturing, to working with start-ups in the education space.

I weave almost every day and have designed over 100 pieces of cloth to facilitate your creative expression. Over the years, I've written five books about rigid-heddle weaving, taught countless workshops in all sorts of settings, and even co-hosted a TV show.  My deep, abiding love of the rigid-heddle loom has led me to specialize in helping weavers discover this versatile, portable, affordable tool.

Learning is layering. There is no "there" to get to. New avenues to explore via my loom of choice are constantly revealing themselves to me. I don't consider myself an expert, rather roadtested. I've probably traveled where you are going and can offer some guidance to help you get to where you are headed, with less fuss and more joy. I relish making learning to weave accessible to beginners, while also providing support for experienced weavers.

In addition to hosting YarnworkerU, I enjoy lifting up other weaving voices. You can find comprehensive rigid-heddle resources, not just my own, on my website, Yarnworker.com, and monthly inspiration in my newsletter. 

Build your know-how with this four-class series design to build your weaverly muscle. 

Each of these classes is designed to build upon the knowledge and skills you've gained in previous classes, so you can continue to grow and improve as a weaver. As a bonus, you also have access to a course on Swatching and a study group on Multi-Heddle Warping. 

These courses are just the beginning of what YarnworkerU has to offer. As a member, you'll have access to over 20 weave-alongs, past and present study groups, a private forum, regular livestreams that are recorded, and a bevy of resources at your fingertips, 24/7.

This space was started as community-supported weave-alongs, the backbone of the Yarnworker experience, and has continued to grow into its current form. My goal is to support weavers who love the rigid-heddle loom, tackle your most frequent questions in the form of thoughtful content that is satisfying to beginners and confident weavers of cloth, and provide you with inspiration to keep weaving.

This space is only possible because of the terrific community of weavers who have supported this space's growth. YarnworkerU exists because of weavers like you. In turn, I do my best to support your weaving path and create resources that help you weave the way you want to weave.

There are three levels of membership and all the benefits are largely the same for each level. The exceptions are Super Supporters and True Believers, they get a vote in developing content. I'm giving you the option to pledge based on what your budget allows and the value you place on the content. 

I've compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions to help you make an informed decision about joining. If you don't find the answer to your question here, please feel free to reach out to us by clicking here.

YarnworkerU is a membership site dedicated to rigid-heddle weaving. It offers weave-alongs, foundational classes,, a private forum, livestreams, and resources to help you explore all that the rigid-heddle loom has to offer. Hosted by me, Liz Gipson, an experienced weaver, teacher, writer, and total fan of the rigid-heddle loom. 

As a member of YarnworkerU, you'll have access to our weave-alongs, foundations classes, live sessions, pattern bundle and other resources, and the opportunity to gather with weavers who share your interest in rigid-heddle weaving. You'll also be able to take advantage of any new content added in the future, so you can continue to expand your knowledge and skills. 

The membership is ongoing, so you can access the classes and resources for as long as your pledge is current.

Generally speaking, there are about four new content offerings per year, mostly in the form of weave-alongs or study groups, in addition to ongoing drop-in and live sessions. New material is based on community feedback and members who get to vote on what we will tackle next!

All of the classes and weave-alongs are pre-recorded, so you can watch them on your own schedule and at your own pace. Livestreams are also recorded so if you can't make it to an event live, you can watch it later.

Once you join, you'll have access to all of our classes and resources through our website. All you have to do is log in with your account and you'll be able to start learning right away.

Absolutely! We offer classes for all skill levels, starting with the Basics, which is perfect for beginners. We also offer intermediate and advanced level classes as well. I'm dedicated to making sure beginning weavers feel welcome. Teaching newbies is my favorite thing!

As a member, you'll have access to both me and the supportive community of rigid-heddle weavers where you can ask questions, share your work, and get feedback from other members.

You can cancel your membership at any time. Memberships are non-refundable. Even if you cancel, you will be able to access YarnworkerU until your membership runs out.

There is a difference in price for monthly or annual membership, with a saving of 2 months when you join annually.

Simply put, it is a form of spam control. By going through our full membership process, it paces you behind our paywall and provides us all with a bit of privacy.

If you're ready to explore all the rigid-heddle has to offer, join us at YarnworkerU.

Heddles Up!
—Liz