Tapestry Weaving Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM © F+W MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. F+W MEDIA GRANTS PERMISSION FOR ANY OR ALL PAGES IN THIS ISSUE TO BE COPIED FOR PERSONAL USE. WEAVINGTODAY.COM Tapestry Weaving: Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM Geometry Man Tapestry by Karen Donde From Handwoven, May/June 2009; pp. 48-50. Tapestry Weaving: Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM hat’s the next best thing to Tapestry 101 point of the tapestry bobbin, your learning tapestry from the fingertips, or a tapestry beater. Weaving masters? Learning from First, make a simple cartoon the size across the warp in one direction and Wstudents of the masters! For a shaft- of your tapestry and warp a tapestry returning to the starting point in the loom weaver, the first three required or shaft loom for plain weave. The opposite shed (2 picks) is called a pass. samples for the Handweavers Guild of following directions are for working One pass creates a wavy line. Multiple America’s Certificate of Excellence, from the right side of the tapestry. passes in a single color create thicker Level I, are daunting: weave three Wind a tapestry bobbin or a lines with smoother-looking edges. End 7" × 10" tapestries, each demonstrat- butterfly with a single or multistrand a weft with a half hitch: carry the weft ing progressively more complicated weft whose grist is slightly narrower under the last warp thread, wrap it techniques. Fortunately, I had an ace than the space between warp threads. around that thread, and slip the bobbin in the hole. Two fellow guild members, Paternayan Persian rug yarn comes as through the weft loop before tighten- who study with tapestry artists Archie three 2-ply strands. Two 2-ply strands ing. Tuck the tail to the back. Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei, are separated from the three to use as Rectangles and squares Mul- were willing to teach me. Weavers’ weft in Geometry Man. tiple wefts in different colors can guilds are rich resources, brimming Straight lines Anchor the weft on weave in the same row, appearing with generous, sharing individuals! the first warp thread by bringing the only where they are needed for the The first COE sample calls for bobbin (head first) up from underneath design. In this traditional style of geometric shapes. I used a computer the cloth between the first and second European tapestry, adjacent wefts drawing program to create a variety of warp threads, leaving a 2" tail. Carry travel toward each other “head to shapes and moved them around the bobbin over and back under the head” or away from each other on-screen. Geometry Man appeared! first warp thread, over the second warp “tail to tail.” To build two rectangles The basic tapestry techniques thread, under the third, and continue side by side, start the first weft from the described here represent only a weaving plain weave across the row, left selvedge as described above and fraction of the many methods used by allowing enough weft to avoid draw-in weave left to right to the desired width, tapestry weavers. Practice with these and picking the plain-weave sheds with then turn and weave back to the left for your own Geometry Man or try your fingers or using the loom’s selvedge. Start the second weft from them with other geometric designs. shedding device. Beat firmly, using the the right selvedge and weave right to PROJECT at-a-glance Weave structure 2-ply strands are divided and two 2-ply strands are Tapestry (weft-faced plain weave with discontinuous used together as weft. wefts). Warp length Equipment 1 60 ends 1 ⁄4 yd long (allows 33" loom waste and sam- Tapestry or 2-shaft loom, 8" weaving width; 6–8 tapes- try bobbins (or you can use weft butterflies); tapestry pling) or 60 ends 60" long when wrapped in a continu- beater or fork. ous warp around a 14" × 30" Schacht tapestry loom. Yarns Stetts Warp: 12/9 cotton seine twine (925 yd/lb, Vävstuga Warp: 8 epi. Swedish Weaving and Folk Arts), 75–100 yd. Weft: 40 ppi. Weft: Paternayan rug wool (672 yd/lb), about 110 yd total in several colors: white #261, 30 yd; black #220, Finished Dimensions 1 2 yd; light tan #745, light green #653, dark green Width: 7 ⁄2". Woven length (measured under tension 3 1 #650, gold #732, brown #416 (15 yd each); the three on the loom): 11 ⁄8". Finished size: 7" × 11 ⁄4". Tapestry Weaving: Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM left until it meets the other weft. Turn the Before they turn to enter the next shed, one is second weft around the last exposed warp wrapped around the other so they are inter- thread and weave back to the right selvedge. locked in the space between adjacent warp This technique is called “meet and separate.” threads. This produces a zigzag vertical line. Because shapes continue to flatten when the Dovetails Instead of interlocking the weaving above them is beaten down, weave wefts, each weft can be turned around the them taller than desired height. Two side-by- same warp thread, one from each design, side shapes needn’t be woven row by row at before completing the pass in the opposite the same time. One can be woven before shed. This also creates a zigzag vertical line at building the adjoining one. the join, but around the same warp thread. For three rectangles side by side, build two For double or triple dovetails, turn two or shapes next to each other, leaving a section of three passes with one weft around the shared warp for the third. Because the weft for the warp thread before doing the same with the middle rectangle is entered right to left, the other weft. Triple dovetails were made at the weft for the third enters left to right (tail to outside edges of Geometry Man’s triangle tail), traveling away from its neighbor. Start arms to exaggerate the zigzag. the weft for the third rectangle on the warp Diagonals and triangles Principles used thread adjacent to the second rectangle and to weave diagonal lines at various angles can travel out to the selvedge. Complete the pass be applied to all shapes and sizes of triangles, by weaving back toward the middle shape in diamonds, parallelograms, trapezoids, and the opposite shed. irregular straight-sided figures whose sides join at other than 90-degree angles. Managing Weft Joins Start by weaving a weft from the left Many techniques exist for dealing with the selvedge to a point where the diagonal line will vertical slits that result when two wefts are start, turn around that warp thread and weave woven using “meet and separate.” Short slits back to the selvedge to complete the pass. On can be left as is. Unless slits are part of the the next pass with the same weft, turn around 1 tapestry design, any opening greater than ⁄4" the second warp thread to the left of the one is avoided using one of several methods. used for the first pass and weave back. Sewing One of the least visible joins is to Continue, stepping two warp threads at a time sew the slits closed with a fine, strong thread. to the desired length of the diagonal. Fill in by This is easiest to manage when you are weaving the second weft, right to left, turning weaving one shape at a time. Using a tapestry on the warp thread to the right of the one needle, anchor the thread with a half hitch on where the other weft turned, advancing by a warp end at the bottom of the woven shape two warp threads with each pass. and wrap around the warp threads on either To make a steeper diagonal line, turn on side of the slit after every two passes with the every warp thread. To make it even steeper, working weft. End with a double half hitch weave more passes, always the same number, and push the tail to the back. before shifting to the next warp thread. For a Single-weft interlock While sewing a slit more gradual slope, increase the number of allows building one shape and then attaching warp threads in each step. Fill in each the next as it is built, several interlocking diagonal with the adjoining weft in the same methods require weaving both shapes at the pattern of passes and warp steps used to same time and connecting the wefts as they create the diagonal. Note that only the meet. For single-weft interlock, two wefts are steepest diagonals result in slits long enough woven toward each other until they meet. to require joins. Tapestry Weaving: Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM Most important tapestry skill I learned? Taking that isn’t quite right is simply part of the tapestry process. out! Tapestry weaving involves much trial and error. I practiced weaving shapes (and taking them out) with the Extensive sampling of wefts and shapes can improve your sampler at the left before weaving my Geometry Man, and skill for a final piece, but taking out and redoing something I still rewove sections as needed for him. BEST OF eBooks Designing and Weaving with Blocks A Baker’s Dozen 13 Handwoven Bags Designing to Weave & Sew New Handwoven Collection CDs Available Now! these downloadable collections and many more are available now! TM shop.weavingtoday.com TM shop.weavingtoday.com 866-949-1646 Tapestry Weaving: Free Tapestry Weaving Instructions, Projects, and Tips for Using a Tapestry Loom TM Set Your Body (and Your Loom) Free by Karen Piegorsch rame looms are popular among both ex- perienced and novice tapestry weavers Fdue to portability, low cost, and ease of warping.