I’m a novice weaver, so I like it when I find a down to earth post about the basics.
This one is going to be very handy when I’m out and see yarn that just needs to be bought. It explains how to estimate what you need to weave a scarf.
Tag: hand weaving
Fringeless weaving
In the last year or so, I’ve got into tapestry weaving. I’ve always been put off weaving by the space and money taken up by the loom.
But if you are doing something small, you can get away with a basic frame.
Most of these involve wrapping the warp thread round the top and bottom of the frame to keep it in place. This means that either the weaving has a fringe at both ends, or there is a lot of darning in to do.
Or so I thought, but then I found an online class for fringeless weaving. You wind your weft round a jig, then attach it to the loom using an auxiliary weft.
This is my jig. I reckon I can use it for three sizes. Small, medium, and large. I’ve joined the pipes together using plumbing fittings, and then cut through the pipe to allow the jig to be removed once the warp is on the loom. The parts of the jig are held in place by dowelling inside the pipes, which stop them from moving from side to side. The tension of the warp holds it together in the other direction. The warp is help in place by an auxiliary warp, which can be reused in the next tapestry.
Once you have the auxiliary weft in place, you need to adjust the tension before you start weaving. My usual loom doesn’t have this facility, but I found a nice simple one online. There is a slight delay in implementing this plan, because as you can see, it came ready warped.
So now I’m trying another experiment on that warp. Waste not want not. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode. But don’t hold your breath…
When waves collide
Today’s post is another collection of pictures from my trip to the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
This represents most of a room full of woven hangings on the theme When waves collide, hand woven in cotton by Theo Wright.
It shows the different effects that can be gained by varying the colours, and making slight changes in the interpretation, while still creating a coherent collection of work.
Recycled looms
Now, I know you can make looms out of all sorts of things. The big, serious ones cost loads of money, but on a smaller scale, there is a lot of scope for using your initiative.
There are instructions online for using old picture frames, or sturdy cardboard tubes from the middle of fabric bales.
But this post about using parts from electrical gadgets must take the prize. I love the idea of using a telephone receiver for a heddle!
An experiment with the peg loom
I’ve had my peg loom for a while. I originally got it to make a rag rug to protect our heads from a low doorway. I wove a rectangle with strips of old sheets and curtains that had been used as dust sheets. Although I liked the result, I wanted something with a bit more impact. So I made a second layer with some pile to it.
Then I decided to do an experimental piece of art, and made this windmill banner.
Since then, I’ve had loads of ideas, & read a lot about peg looms, but not actually done anything with it.
So it is time that changed.
A peg loom is a very simple gadget. You have a series of regularly spaced holes to hold your pegs, and the warps are tied to the pegs. You weave on the pegs, and when that gets full, you push the fabric down onto the weft strings.
The result is a thick and flexible fabric. You can create all sorts of patterns, but you have to be prepared to go with the flow a little. You can’t aim for exact measurements, because everything depends on the type of weft you use, and how tightly you squidge it down. WordPress doesn’t recognise that term, probably because it is a little technical for it.
So I thought I’d make a mirror frame. Here is a collage of what I did:
