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Piedmont Fiber Lab Weaving Residency

The Piedmont Fiber Lab Weaving Residency is a 2-week program that provides access to an AVL Industry Dobby Loom, equipment, training, and support.

Our residency program is designed to give experienced weavers access to professional, production-scale equipment that is rarely available outside academic or industrial facilities. Our industrial dobby looms are ideal for scaling weaving projects and doing complex weave structures for producing yardage, weaving artisan and specialty fabrics, sampling new materials, creating fine art, and more. Sectional warping beams allow for warping up to 75 yards at a time. 

To ensure a successful residency, we seek weavers with experience using weaving software and (x proof that they have enough weaving experience). Training on using the industrial dobby looms and sectional warping equipment is included.

The residency program is operated by Piedmont Fibershed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a regional fiber system in the Piedmont of North Carolina centered around local fibers, local dyes, and local labor, Learn more about us.

About the Program

❋ Weaving at Scale

Weave up to 58” wide on warps up to 75 yards long. Mechanical assists allow you to weave more, faster, with less physical strain.

❋ Access to Materials

Residencies include 1-2 days of training on using an AVL industrial dobby loom and sectional warping equipment.

Residents receive a 40% discount on our inventory of natural fiber yarns, and we can connect you with local farms, mills, and stores for materials like fleece, roving, and dye plants.

❋ Training and Support

Work in a community dedicated to creating textiles that support our environment, our economy, and our community—one thread at a time.

❋ Crafting Sustainability

Now accepting applications for the following dates:

  • Oct. 19 - Nov. 1

  • Nov. 9 - Nov. 22

  • Nov. 30 - Dec. 13

  • Jan. 4 - Jan. 17

  • Jan. 18 - Jan. 31

  • Feb. 8 - Feb. 21

  • Mar. 1 - Mar. 14

  • Mar. 22 - Apr. 4

Apply here

Program Details

Location: Piedmont Fiber Lab, Burlington, North Carolina

Duration: 2 weeks*

Tuition: $700

Optional:

  • Apartment at Riverbee Farm: +$800
    A private apartment with shared bath in the modern guesthouse at the historic Riverbee Farm, located 15 minutes away from Piedmont Fiber Lab

  • Piedmont Fibershed-prepared warp: +$250

  • Private lesson on WeavePoint software: +$150

*We are open to proposals for residencies longer than 2 weeks or that require the use of multiple looms. If you would like to propose a special residency, please describe it in your application.

Equipment and supplies include:

  • A 60” AVL Industrial Dobby Loom with CompuDobby and air assist

  • Sectional warping beam and warping equipment

  • Cone winder

  • Bobbin/pern winder

  • Boat shuttles

  • Cutting/work table

  • Sewing machine

  • PC with WeavePoint software

  • 40% discount on our yarn inventory

The residency takes place at Piedmont Fiber Lab, a 3,000-square-foot production weaving studio that houses seven production-scale handweaving looms, auxiliary equipment, and an inventory of several hundred pounds of weaving yarn.

Piedmont Fiber Lab is located in the semi-industrial production facility and warehouse of TS Designs, a North Carolina apparel company focused on sustainable, domestic production. Residents can work through Piedmont Fibershed to explore options to access TS Designs’ dye lab, garment dyeing facility, die cutting machine, and dye garden.

Equipment and Facilities

Piedmont Fibershed’s mission is to support a sustainable, regional fiber economy in North Carolina. At Piedmont Fiber Lab, we are building a hub for small-scale manufacturing of artisan textiles connected to our land and culture. and so we encourage residency projects that use natural fibers and locally-sourced materials and/or reflect the cultural heritage of our region.

Piedmont Fiber Lab is located in Burlington, NC, an area deeply rooted in the history North Carolina’s textile industry. You’ll see the area’s textile culture all around you, from sheep farms to hosiery mills to the Textile History Museum at the historic, restored Glencoe Mill Village on the Haw River. We are happy to provide you with recommendations for places to visit.

Immerse Yourself in a Hub for Sustainable, Regionally-Rooted Textiles

Apply for a residency

Apply here

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Piedmont Fiber Lab Weaving Residency is open to adults 18 years and over who are experienced weavers. Applicants do not need to have experience using an industrial dobby loom, but we do recommend experience using weaving software, drafting complex patterns, and creating large warps.

    We welcome applications from designers, artists, professional craftspeople, manufacturers, researchers, students, scholars, brands, and more.

    To learn more about whether our residency is right for you, email us at info@piedmontfibershed.org

  • There are numerous hotels and housing rentals in and around Piedmont Fiber Lab in Burlington, NC. Residents can get a preferred rate at beautiful, historic Riverbee Farm in nearby Haw River, NC. Get more information.

  • Piedmont Fiber Lab is located Burlington, a town in central North Carolina located between Durham/Chapel Hill and Greensboro. Our location is a few minutes off I-40 and short drives from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). Burlington’s train station is served by Amtrak’s Piedmont and Carolinian lines.

  • You can reach out with questions by emailing info@piedmontfibershed.org.

  • Our application exists primarily to make sure residents and their projects are a good fit for our facilities and organizational mission. Applicants are asked to submit a bio, work samples, and description of their intended project/work.

    Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.