Tapestry Weaves
This type of weaving, a new practice for me, uses multiple weft strings at a time to create different images rather than repeating patterns. In tapestry weaves, the warp strings are hidden under a thick mesh of weft strings, so only the design inlaid in the weft strings is visible.
Tetris Wall Hanging.
My most recent project to come off the loom, I created this wall hanging for a dear friend. I freehanded all shapes using scrap colors from previous projects. This project was a challenge for me because my warp strings kept snapping! After some quick maneuvering with extra warp string and large metal bolts, I saved the project and created a beautiful final product.
As is typical with this type of tapestry weaving, I used up to 11 or 12 weft strings to create each distinct shape. Because the warp material was so fragile, I had to place each weft shot to prevent any potential snaps carefully!
I used very vibrant colors for this piece because I wanted each block to really pop out of the fabric, giving the illusion of three-dimensionals to each block. I secured the top of the piece with wooden dowels that allowed the weaving to lay flat against a wall.
This block was particularly challenging to weave because the weight of the pink mohair was so much lighter than the blue wool. As a result, I had to find ways to layer multiple weft shots of the mohair with single shots of the blue wool to keep the piece even. Although it was a complicated technical challenge, I love the final result; the softness of the mohair against the distinct blue gives the block some unique dimensionality.
This green square is my favorite block in the piece; the unintentional asymmetry of the red lines gives me a sense of unease because of how the asymmetry disrupts the pattern. However, the colors also pair very well together; the green also mellows out the vibrancy of the red, which would have been too bright on its own.
Overall, I was happy to pull this off the loom and see the completed piece on the wall. This weaving has made its way to California and is now hanging in the home of my sweet friend Isabel.
Block Rug.
Done on my floor loom, this piece traveled to two states and three apartments before I was ready to pull it off the loom. I made a fully weft-facing rug using a traditional tapestry method of spacing out the warp strings. Often working with up to 7 or 8 weft strings at once, I freehanded all of the blocks on this rug, trying to create vibrant pops of color on the cream background.
I used the interlocking weft method to avoid creating holes in the piece, making it very stable for wear and tear. However, I also used a variety of yarn weights for all of the weft components in this rug, so while weaving, I would have to adapt the number of weft shots I was interlocking between yarns of different weights.
Although this piece took about nine months from start to finish, I loved how it looked after I cut it off the loom and am excited to display it in my new home!
Sunrise Plant Mat.
This little mat was done as a short square on a floor loom. Using some waste yarn, I freehanded a small sunrise over water into this tapestry weave. I used a comb, rather than a beater, to get the clean rounded edges of the sun and light.
Bridger Range Tapestry.
This tapestry, depicting the Bridger Mountains Range, was completed on a floor loom using scrap materials from previous weaving projects. Measuring in at 1’x1’, this piece adds the perfect pop of color to a room.