Well, my avatar's name, anyway. Yesterday I went to a workshop called "Weaving a Tiny Tapestry", and what fun it was. And a lot of thinking involved! Here is a picture of my loom (yes, it is pretty much a picture frame with string). The second pic is my day's work: weaving in passes, stripes, pick and pick (those are the spots at the bottom) and I'm very proud of the columns of colour. We leapt straight into playing with the warp in the afternoon -- which wasn't so successful (yes, those are holes -- I blame hardanger), but still, that's what learning is about. At the top is a more successful attempt at interlinking. Altogether a very successful day.
How cool! And you've already learned so much. I would love to learn to weave, but currently my time is more than occupied by stitching/knitting/sewing.
Which is why I'm glad I can live vicariously through you! I hope you share more progress photos.
**Signature Under Construction**
(will update soon with current WIPs and other info )
Awesome! You have done a fantastic job. Brings back wonderful memories of a weaving class I took decades ago. A loom much like the one you showed and once a week for 10 weeks. I loved it and have always wanted to go back and learn more and get a loom etc etc, but never had the time, money or space I guess. And then I discovered stitching. Was this a one day workshop? Like booknurd, I hope you'll show more pictures and thank you for the wonderful vicarious experience!
Carole
WIPs
Star Wars Afghan:Chewbaca
HAEDs:
O Kitten Tree
Dancing with the Cat
Everything else "on hold"
2022 Finished: Star Wars Afghan: Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Finn, Rey, Poe, Han Solo,Darth Vader, BB8,Luke Skywalker
Oh how wonderful and insightful that must have been, as a child I often made woven mats just with left over wool and wrapped it around cardboard with notches cut at the top and bottom, simple fun then.
Please share with us any more you do and how you make the patterns that looks really interesting did you have charts or just work it out as you go?
It was a 1-day (6 hr) workshop organised by the local Embroiderer's Guild branch. Our tutor was Alison Delaney, and she was excellent. She must have brought 30 samples of all sorts of tapestry weaving, from samplers to very complicated designs. Since this was (notionally) a beginners class, we were asked to bring wool, scissors and a fork (!), and she supplied the looms pre-warped (which we could buy; I did). There were no designs because we were just learning how to do some basic passes. I intend to add to the sampler by practicing what I've learned and finding out how to do other textual weavings. I could get to like this...
What a lot of fun you must have had at the class Serinde. I always wanted to learn weaving but never did so I will watch and learn through this thread.
Sally in Brisbane Australia
WIPS
Christmas Stocking from World of Cross Stitching mag. 262
What a lovely sample! Great work.
I love weaving, I am so glad you also found it. So when are you buying your loom? Seriously, if you can buy those children's looms they sell at toy shops, they are quit good!
As for the holes: in old times that's how they made all the tapestries. So don't worry!
Agi
"The world, as a colourful knot of threads, has turned into a memory, and now you cannot be sure whether it was real." (Géza Ottlik, Hungarian writer)
I've been looking at those children's looms... but what I really want is something built out of pvc plumbing kit -- slightly bigger, not that I have anywhere to put it.
I should also say that I took the weaving on holiday, tore most of it out and started almost from scratch again. Couldn't bear that hole. Slits that can be sewn up, but not a hole! My fingers were sore by the end, so I must have been working hard... (not quite in focus, but you get the idea)
Definitely worth sore fingers. I think I mentioned before that I took a weaving class decades ago and if I had been able to afford it at the time (but I was in school) would have pursued that craft and would have a loom or two now. Loved it. Your piece is really pretty!
Carole
WIPs
Star Wars Afghan:Chewbaca
HAEDs:
O Kitten Tree
Dancing with the Cat
Everything else "on hold"
2022 Finished: Star Wars Afghan: Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Finn, Rey, Poe, Han Solo,Darth Vader, BB8,Luke Skywalker
This looks really lovely. Hope your fingers heal quickly and you can continue.
Agi
"The world, as a colourful knot of threads, has turned into a memory, and now you cannot be sure whether it was real." (Géza Ottlik, Hungarian writer)