Check out the new slide show on Interweave's website, What to do with thrums.  It is very inspirational.  I have buckets of thrums in my basement studio and use them on occasion in making patches with my Weavettes.  The ideas in this slide show are far more practical.

Take a look and tell me which one is your favorite.

www.interweave.com/weave/events_exhibits/thrums/

Claudia

Comments

Wed, 08/19/2009 - 16:46

naturalfibres (not verified)

Many, many years ago I made my mom a Bog Coat, using thrums for the weft.  We tied the thrums together, mixing the colours and fibres.  I didn't try to hide the knots or the tails - I let everything hang out.

Wed, 08/19/2009 - 17:08

amelia (not verified)

My favorite is the belt ... that may breathe new life into my inkle loom :-)

Wed, 08/19/2009 - 21:01

claudia (not verified)

That sounds very cool.  Do you have any pictues?  I would love to see that.

Claudia

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 18:34

kbird (not verified)

oh my gosh!!!

First of all, I had only recently learned/heard of the term "thrum" on a podcast I listen to called "Stitch It"... (Sorry, it's a knitting/spinning podcast).

Second, I had never heard of it in reference to weaving!  And, I guess that's primarily what I do... weave with thrums... but maybe that's a loose definition of the term, since I am using t-shirt scraps, and pretty much every strip I work with is 2ft - less or more.  I do join the strips when I weave, but there are always little "bits" hanging out, which I actually really like...

Live and Learn!
Kay

Sun, 08/23/2009 - 16:53

BlueLoom (not verified)

In the context of weaving, "thrums" means very specifically the warp fiber that is wasted at the beginning and end of each warp where the warp has been tied onto the front apron and the back beam.  It's not just any old yarn scraps.  Some looms are better than others at letting you weave almost to the end of the warp, but on all looms you eventually reach a point where you can't get a shed (the shed is the opening in the warp through which the shuttle moves). 

Sun, 08/23/2009 - 17:49

kbird (not verified)

Ahh... a learning moment!  Thanks for sharing!

Kay

Wed, 09/16/2009 - 17:15

Loominaria (not verified)

I think I like that rya dog the most, but they're all great ideas.  I'm separating the wool thrums from the rest to use for needle felting, and I have some ideas for knotted rugs and coasters and such.  You can also lay thrums across a marudai to add fringe to kumihimo.  This is usually done at specific points for tassels, but I'm thinking it could be done all through a braid to make a 'feather boa' type of scarf.

'Saori' was a new term, so I've had my learning moment early for today.