Weaving

Ruthie's has 4 instructors with 90+ years of weaving experience collectively; Ruth Dabritz, Melody Messinger, Sue Garifo, and Monica Shanahan. There is always someone to help you whenever you need it, with a wide variety of teaching styles to fit your needs.  

Membership Cost

Monthly membership (tuition) is $80.00.  Non-members are charged $10.00 per hour for consulting.

"Membership seems expensive..."

Not when you look at the going rate for beginning workshops. But, at Ruthie's you can go for instruction or to work on your own any or all hours that the studio is open for your individualized instruction/ attention. So, let's say you spend 3 hours a week  weaving at Ruthie's getting your personal instruction. That means you're getting 12 hours of instruction for less than $7.00 per hour.  A local arts school has a class schedule that you must meet to be able to get instruction (at their convenience) and you have to pay for 5 weekly classes totalling $90.00.  At Ruthie's - if you wanted to - you could be at the studio all hours that it is open each week and weave to your heart's content! That means you could get 32 hours of instruction for only $.63 cents an hour per month! You can't beat that with a (lease) stick! The really nice thing is that you can come and go at your convenience and work at your own pace on whatever you choose. No other facility in Oregon offers this!

"What do I get for my monthly membership?"

You have access and use of all available equipment in the studio and individualized instruction at your own pace.   Ruthie's has an incredible library of weaving books that is the most accessible library around. There are also books on spinning and dyeing too. If you are a new weaver, your first project will be kitchen towels. This will teach you to plan a project, read a draft, make a warp, dress the loom, weave your project, and finish it. Your next project is anything you choose to try!

Members also receive a 10% discount on all supplies, including yarns, books and magazines