Deposits and Fees

It’s great to take a Navajo weaving class,. Our typical class has about 12 or more students. When students show up to class, the sturdy, adjustable looms are clamped to the tables, the warps are stretched out on these looms, all ready for the first day of weaving class. There is a bag of tools, Navajo weaving tools, combs, battens of every size, width and length available for starting to finishing your textile. By the time, you sit down to start your first lesson, think of how this all came together.

Looms were built, tabletop attachments were built. Tools were made, sanded and bluffed. Dowels in 3 sizes have been bought, cut and sanded. Metal rods have been cut and sanded. Metal loops have been made. Metal hardware has been purchased. Money has been invested in buying wood, and other needed materials. Time invested is about 45 to 60 labor hours. To prepare the warps and selvage cords. Commercial warps are purchased, re-spun and stretched before warping. Commercial single weft yarn is plied with 4 strands and spun and then stretched out for strength. Materials are bought for warping and set up for 5 days of warping 12 looms.

Money has been invested in buying required materials for warping. Time invested in preparing and warping 12 looms is about 55 to 65 labor hours, working over 12 hours a day. Once the gearing up is done, shipping out looms and tools to required class area or packed into our duffle bags which may weigh over 50 pounds.

Travel time while hefting heavy boxes and bags to and from classes requires more hours and expenses. When a student cancels, it doesn’t cancel the labor hours and material costs already invested in preparing for the weaving class.

When a student is upset over the material fees, it negates the positive energy of our time and money spent in preparing for the class. The deposit made when registering for a class is kept if the student cancels a week before the class starts, this helps with off-setting some of our invested costs.

The material fees is gathered at the end of class and it helps with purchasing more materials for the next class and just a little goes toward reimbursing our initial labor hours.