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Weaving a Tapestry: Start to Finish

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Here We Go!
So I know this is the knitting community, but in the spirit of all things fiber arts, I thought I’d share my latest weaving project. I wove this tapestry over the course of two weeks on random evenings and weekends. I’m excited to gift it to two of my friends, who recently bought their first home together. Hoping it can warm up those new walls!
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About the Loom
For this project, I used the Lisa frame loom by Louet (massdrop.com/buy/lisa-frame-loom-by-louet). Y’ALL. I can’t say enough good things about this loom. It’s the fourth loom I’ve ever woven on and by far the most fun to use. The others I have at home are the Melissa & Doug multi-craft loom (great for beginners), the Lost Pond Looms Kingfisher (for biiiig tapestries and rugs), and the little hand loom from Ellen Bruxvoort at Fibrous ATX (for necklaces, coasters, and other small pieces).
What I love most about the Lisa loom is that the warp notches are super close together, which allows you to play around with intricate details. The frame sets up in about 30 seconds and the height is quickly adjustable. I also like that the warp threads sit above the frame (rather than flush with it, like the Melissa & Doug loom). Plus, the rubber stoppers at the top and bottom make it easy to lean the loom against a wall or coffee table without it falling, so you can work at different angles.
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Materials
Stash buster! This is probably the first project I didn’t buy a single new skein for. Instead, I landed on a color scheme within my existing yarn supply: shades of primary—red, yellow, blue—with some room for weirdness, like speckled gray and black-and-white stripes. This tapestry features some of my very favorite fiber, including botanical-dyed thread I brought home from Peru, fluffy merino wool my friend brought me from Iceland, bamboo silk thread from Japan, and yarn I dyed myself using avocado pits. (I would’ve never guessed avocado would yield that mellow salmon pink!)
Process
Going into it, I knew I wanted this weaving to be a color and texture party, so triangles, roving, and dangling loops were going to be part of the mix. I drew a quick sketch of the general picture in my head, then gave myself the freedom to go off book. It was a meditative experience to let myself get abstract, find a groove, and just go with the flow. Here are a few progress shots—don’t mind the inconsistent lighting!
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Finishing & Details
Once the tapestry was off the loom, I tied off the bottom warp and used the top to mount it to a piece of wood. This part’s always pretty tedious, but it’s exciting to be in the home stretch!
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Finally…
Here it is, coming in at about 23 by 17 inches. At the time of writing, this weaving is already carefully packed away for the trip to my friends’ new house. I’ll try to add some photos of how it looks hung up in their space.
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Weaving Resources
I picked up my first loom about two years ago. Back then, I thought of weaving as a very traditional slow craft (I kept picturing those complicated floor looms the size of baby grand pianos). But pretty quickly, I realized there are so many different tools, techniques, and styles out there, and different weavers and weaving communities put their own stamp on this age-old craft.
Because weaving has seen a resurgence lately, particularly on the kinds of frame looms I learned on, it has a huge presence on Instagram. Search #weaversofinstagram or #weaverfever, and you’re bound to find artists around the world who inspire you, like @janelle_pietrzak (instagram.com/janelle_pietrzak) and @meghanshimek (instagram.com/meghanshimek). One of my favorites is Lindsey Campbell at @hellohydrangea (instagram.com/hellohydrangea). Along with making beautiful textiles of her own, she’s put together some seriously user-friendly online classes (hellohydrangea.com/weaving-classes). I took the intermediate class just to learn her special method of stick mounting, and it didn’t disappoint!
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Thanks for taking a look at my post! I hope you’ll share your own textile projects, WIPs, and/or sources of inspiration below.
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LIHI
0
Jan 9, 2019
This is super inspiring.... guess i found my next project
kristinaten
510
Jan 11, 2019
LIHIThank you!! I hope you'll share :)
Pjdfood
1
Dec 24, 2018
Beautiful, a long time ago I raised horned Dorset sheep and learned to card, spin and weave their shearings. Your post inspires me to return to weaving
kristinaten
510
Jan 3, 2019
PjdfoodThat's so cool! I'd love to learn to card and spin wool someday. What sort of items do you weave? I've primarily made smaller tapestries like this one, and have also tried jewelry, ornaments, coasters, and the like. Always curious how folks apply their craft. Happy weaving!
(Edited)
JodiA
2
Dec 5, 2018
Thanks for sharing-picked up a loom recently, not having a clue as to how to start! Inspiration
kristinaten
510
Dec 10, 2018
JodiAI can't wait to see what you make!
Ladydee59
4
Nov 8, 2018
What a beautiful tapestry. I have always wanted to try it but I make so many different things I am afraid to start another. If I fall in love with anything else I will be in divorce court. I don’t have anymore room in my car or trunk to hold stuff. I need a workshop. But back on topic. This is lovely. Please keep sharing.
kristinaten
510
Jan 3, 2019
Ladydee59Thank you! <3
StitchpunkNZ
53
Oct 4, 2018
Love your weaving! I have a Majacraft rigid heddle loom for things like shawls and scarves, and a couple of gorgeous Mini tapestry looms by Hokett Would works. If only I had time to use them! (I dye yarn and fiber for my online shop, and knit, crochet and spin.) you've made me even more keen to find some weaving time!
kristinaten
510
Oct 11, 2018
StitchpunkNZSounds like you have an impressive setup over there! Admittedly, my weaving days are few and far between now. It's such a big time commitment that it takes some psyching up to get going, but once I start I get laser-focused until the project is done. Would love to learn to spin!
Mormor9
3
Sep 19, 2018
I loved what you came up with. After reading this post, I am inspired to try weaving. When I was in Italy, I visited a place that taught people to weave. I would have to stay 6 months to learn everything. The tapestrys were very large but beautiful. I didn’t try it. I taught myself to sew, quilt, crochet, still working on knitting. I make landscape art quilts. It would be fun to add weaving!Mo#1
kristinaten
510
Sep 24, 2018
Mormor9Yes, try it! I'd love to see what you make. That class in Italy sounds fascinating. When I visited Peru last year, I took a one-day weaving workshop from a school that also teaches more comprehensive, months-long classes. Would be great to study those traditional techniques for a longer period someday. They're infinitely more complex than the frame-loom weaving I do, which I found quite easy to pick up through a little bit of online reading and trial and error.
Superflychild
1
Sep 13, 2018
Love!
kristinaten
510
Sep 24, 2018
SuperflychildThank you!!
CaddoP
1
Sep 12, 2018
thanks for sharing - what you made is a work of art!!
kristinaten
510
Sep 12, 2018
CaddoPWow, thank you! That's so kind of you to say :)
Kasplus1
0
Sep 11, 2018
Love it!!
kristinaten
510
Sep 11, 2018
Kasplus1Thank you! :D
Whoa. I'm not really into weaving at all but this is incredible! Great guide and pictures with a stellar finished product! So cool!!
kristinaten
510
Apr 16, 2018
livingspeedbumpThank you! :)))
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