In this project, I'm using the color palette from Weave the World - Woodlands weaving kit. Since I wrote this post, I've updated the Woodlands Weaving Kit. It's still basically the same colors, but there are different textures and sizes of yarn. You can still make this project with the new kit, or any kit in the shop.
Planning
I can't go anywhere without a loom
And I usually have the project all planned out before I pack it up for a trip.
But on this trip I was pressed for time, so I just brought the entire weaving kit with me and figured I could plan it in the car. No studio this time, just my lap!
I wanted to make a piece that would show you all of the colors in the Woodlands Kit, so I got out all of the yarn and laid each color across the loom.
I kept rearranging, over and over. I can take a long time to decide.
Finally, I was happy with the progression of colors.
I realized that I'd need to get up eventually, so I had to devise some way to remember my genius sequence of colors.
I decided to string the balls and take them off as I wove them.
Doesn't it look like a trendy statement necklace? 😊
My big idea was that after I wove each shape, I would twine over it with a color from the opposite end of my "necklace." I tied a knot in the yarn at the beginning of the twined row, and then at the end.
To tell the truth, I was not liking the piece after I reached the middle-point of the weaving. The colors really sang when they were from opposite ends of my "necklace," but towards the center, they got kind of muddled and I thought it was boring.
And... the weaving was expanding. It was wider on the top than the bottom.
Hmmm, not good.
I decided the make the bottom the top, and add rya knots. The rya knots would give weight and disguise the wider end of the weaving.
It Worked! I really liked it after upside-downing it.
When this happens, you just act like you did it on purpose! That's what being an artist is.
I just saved you a lot of money on art school tuition.
Back in the studio, I took it off the loom.
First I sewed in the bottom warp threads and trimmed them off.
Sorry! I forgot to take a photo of this step.
Here is a picture from an older post Your First Weaving Project.
Here is the bottom all trimmed up.
I cleaned up the back by sewing in the hanging yarn ends.
I combed the rya knots before I trimmed them.
I just used regualr sewing shears to trim up the hanging yarn.
Getting it ready to hang
Tying on the dowel
I tied the warp ends around the dowel. I tied the knots on the back side of the weaving.
Since the ends will be trimmed very close, I put a dab of glue on each knot. I'm using Aleen's Clear Gel Tacky Glue here, but if all you have is Elmer's white glue, that will do fine. You can find both kinds of glue at any craft store or Walmart.
After the glue dried, I trimmed the ends very short. If they're too long, they will show over the dowel.
Click hereto go to my post on how to tie a slip knot to hang your weaving.
I know that I'm supposed to hang it on a wall, but it just looked so pretty on the pillow!
