Welcome Tapestry Weavers and Welcome March, our 2 nd month into our Tapestry Study Group ! February has been fun and I'm learning a lot, what about you?  What direction will we take this month? It seems right now that most people are working independently and that's great ! Please write about your experiences and post pictures if you wish, so we can learn and share your journey ! For those of you who would like to form groups to study a particular technique, please go ahead. There's room for everybody:) Also many of those new Tapestry Weavers we're waiting for you :) please ask questions, we're very willing to help ! 

Let's talk and make Tapestry!

Cathie

Comments

Mon, 02/29/2016 - 09:16

Artistry

What it's not March 1 st yet? Oh darn, jumped the starting line:)

Wed, 03/02/2016 - 15:17

Artistry

Unfortunately no weaving yesterday or today. I have a sore hand that I must have strained while doing the twining I guess ( 30 in. wide and I doubled it). I'm wondering weather to get a brace for it to wear while I'm working. 

Dangling the weaving in front of my eyes is like dangling a piece of cheesecake in front of my nose !

how is everyone else doing this month?

Cathie

Thu, 03/03/2016 - 14:59

Artistry

Would anyone like to embark on designing a cartoon then weaving a tapestry over a couple of months? We're talking a small tapestry:) 

Cathie

Thu, 03/03/2016 - 15:56

theresasc

about your hands.  I guess your muscles will have to get use weaving again.  What I am finding with tapestry is that I do not feel the passage of time as I do on a floor loom.  There is not the large motions such as throwing a shuttle and pulling a beater.  All the sudden I will get up and it is a couple of hours later and my back is aching like I am 100 years old.  That is something that I have to watch closer.  I might put a timer by my loom so I get up and stretch every 15 minutes or so.

 

As for creating a cartoon, that is one of the hardest things for me to do.  I have absolutely no experience in drawing, sketching, or painting.  I see other tapestry weavers processes in creating a cartoon and I am baffled and amazed at the same time, not to mention envious as well!

Thu, 03/03/2016 - 19:27

Erica J

Hmm, I am a month behind and feel the same as theresasc about drawing. However, I do like a challenge and the UKWSD Online Guild is doing sketch books this month. So I'll take you up on that challenge Cathie, especially if we're going to take a few months doing it.

I've nearly finished my tied weave samples and only have some warp faced samples left for my CoA portfolio. This should leave me with a lot of time to work on tapestry come April!

Is it cheating if I design my cartoon on the computer and print it off?

Thu, 03/03/2016 - 21:57

Artistry

There are so many ways to design cartoons! A great way to make a design of something realistic without drawing, is to take a photo, print it off on the computer ( if you're set up that way ) and just trace it, same with an actually photo, but I think it's easier when it comes from the computer. you can even make a collage of photos and paste them on a piece of paper and trace the whole thing . Then you go to Kinkos, FedEx office supplies etc. ( a printing place) and tell them what size you what the final piece of paper to be. Then you have part of the process done.

if you want something abstract, you could tear pieces of colored papers into shapes and arrange into composition and draw lines with colored inks for example. For an interesting background try water colors in broad sweeping uneven strokes, let it dry, then do your various art work on top.learned about the water colors from Tommye:)

you get the idea!

making the actual cartoon is another step! But getting the design down is the hardest part :)

Cathie

Fri, 03/04/2016 - 16:45

theresasc

but this is hours of weaving & unweaving.  I think I have taken a couple of areas out what seems like 15 times.  I took a few days away from looms, I have been fighting a nasty late winter cold.  Crazy weather here, one day its 60 degrees and the next we get 5" of snow - I am really ready for spring.

african violet 1

Fri, 03/04/2016 - 18:59

Erica J

Cathie, great ideas! You have my mind whirling with ideas, well it already was now even more ideas! It's a good thing it is still several hours before bed time! I have a photo/painting in mind to start with, looks like TJ and I will have something to work on during art time tomorrow!

Theresa, that tapestry looks gorgeous already! We all end up spending a bit of time as Penelope don't we! Bonnie Tarses once told me a story about sharing space with a wood worker, she was lamenting having to do a bit of unweaving one day. His reply was that he was so jealous of her and he wasn't being sarcastic. He replied to her puzzled look by saying, if he gouged the wood too far there was no ungoinging it to go back, so he envied her ability to go back and undo her mistakes! :)

Fri, 03/04/2016 - 22:30

Artistry

Theresasc,  oh, tapestry! I do a lot of ripping too! You have gotten so much done on your piece it's impressive. i really like how you've delineated the petals with what looks like delicate progressive pinks. 

Sorry you're not feeling well. There is so much going around :(

Erica, where do I know the name Bonnie Tarses from?

 

i spent the day on tapestry. I have a problem right in the center of the warp, it effects about 3 inches. My Shannock instructions said for a tapestry my size( 30 in. Wide) to leave some heddles empty on each of the 4 shafts and center the warp on each shaft. The result is The shafts overlap which creates crooked and crammed warp threads in the center. I've tried doubled twining, half hitches doubled with the cotton seine twine. Still 12 epi, in center and 10 epi everywhere else! The only thing that seems to help is to frequently pull the shafts apart. tomorrow I may try twining again and tying to the sides of the loom.

at any rate I'm ready to begin ,so, I'll know soon enough how much of a problem this is going to be. If a real problem I'll just cut it off , chalk it up to experience and start over!

Cathie

Sat, 03/05/2016 - 16:37

Artistry

Ok. I figured it out . It's really so simple! The places where it's crowded and I have 12 epi, I'll just remove two ends, making 10 epi. Then I'll retwine, which should shift the warp over to fill in the gaps. It will only narrower the piece a smidge, because I don't have to do it all the way across the warp.

i just got Contemporary International Tapestry by Carol K. Russell, which came 2015. It's very good in my opinion. I got it from Schiffer publishing. It's been so interesting to look at the different techniques and how the artists have used them so effectively. 

Does anyone have fav. Tapestry books that are historical, contemporary in subject that they wouldlike to share the titles of?

Cathie

Sat, 03/05/2016 - 16:38

theresasc

the woodworking comparison, gives me a much better perspective on my weaving:-)

Cathie - I hope you are able to work the bugs out of your warp.  It is always challenging and interesting to work on a new/different piece of equipment.  Sometimes they seem to have a mind of their own!

As for the new cartoon - I think I am going to pull out something that I had tried once before and ran into troubles with.  Maybe now I will be able to work it out so that it weaves the way it should.  I really should finish up the African violet before venturing onward.  I have enough warp on the loom for some more smallish tapestries. 

Now the question is - when weaving multiple images on one warp, do you cut each off when finished or place spacer yarn between each image kind of like you would between towels on a floor loom?  Any opinions??

Sat, 03/05/2016 - 19:14

Erica J

You are most welcome Theresa! Bonnie has been full of so much sage advice. Cathie, Bonnie is most well known for her Color Horoscope weaving. She has been intervewied in Handwoven, and by Syne Mitchell when she was doing WeaveCast. 

I printed out the image I had originally thought to use for a cartoon, but noticed the lines in it are very linear, not incredibly interesting, but maybe. I do think it would make a great cartoon for a pile weave though, so may be of dual use. :)

Mon, 03/07/2016 - 12:23

Artistry

Theresac,  with the tapestries on the loom, I put a header in ( I like to put in half hitches with sewing thread as a weft protecter, then a header) and then put in spacers , like cardboard strips . Be sure like on a floor loom, you leave lots of fringe for both pieces for twining, and header for the next one. I think it's less wasteful and time consuming to do it this way , then tying on again. That's my opinion, any others?

are you tired of African violets? I like your piece a lot ! 

Erica, now I recognize Bonnie's name! My sister in law even has one of her pieces For her son! 

 

Mon, 03/07/2016 - 15:00

theresasc

That is what I thought I could do.  I am not tired of African Violets, I have two others blooming!  I should have enough warp on my loom to weave a series.  That sounds pretty ambitious, but you know what they say, go big or go home!  LOL

I did get side-tracked with some placemats that I put on my last naked floor loom.  The combination of my mom still using her autumn colored mats and a naked loom and enough fabric and carpet warp in the stash were irresistible.  The placemats will weave up fast and then it will be back to tapestry.  I have most of the yarn picked out for the next African Violet.

Sun, 03/13/2016 - 01:14

Michaela McIntosh

Hi,

I just joined the group.  Our WSG has chosen to concentrate on tapestry and we are using Caroll Russell's book as a guide.  Your cartoon is very helpful as to how to do one, though we areno where near ready for that.  Most are very new to tapestry and are learning the techniques of joins, color change etc.   If you don't mind I'll just follow along with you.  Cathie I hope your hand is better.  

Sun, 03/13/2016 - 14:36

Artistry

Hi Michaela,  welcome ! Carole Rusell's book is really good, a terrific place to start! Of course you may follow along with us :) if you have any questions about what people are talking about, or questions of yours about your own work , please ask!

maybe you'd like to post a pic of what you're learning too? Friendly crowd here:)

thank you for asking about my wrist !

i will be weaving the day tomorrow. I should, finally get this 2 inch header woven, and the warp threads 1/2 hitched, then it will be time to weave.this part has taken forever.

Mon, 03/14/2016 - 23:09

Lenore

Hi, Still new to all things weaving...Although I am practicing "projects" on my countermarch loom at home, I would also like to invest in a sturdy, uncomplicated tapestry loom (not tiny bead looms, but not huge either!) that can live in an apartment.  I am inspired by the beautiful Navajo designs and many contemporary weavings I've seen. Any suggestions? Many thanks!

 

Sun, 03/20/2016 - 18:37

theresasc

I have been mostly occupied with one of my floor looms this month and when sitting there weaving I can see my tapestry loom.  I kept glancing over at it trying to figure out where to go next.  Tapestry is so different compared to weaving cloth on a shaft loom.  With my floor looms it is just pick the correct treadle and throw the shuttle.  With the tapestry that I am weaving, I am doing areas at a time and in order to get to one place, I have to do something else first.  So here is the latest progress - it is coming along, almost 1/2 done now.

African Violet

Sun, 03/20/2016 - 20:10

Erica J

That is fabulous!!! Looking great, Theresa!

Have fun!!

Sun, 03/20/2016 - 23:41

tommye scanlin

I just posted at my Tapestry Share blog today about a small galvanized pipe loom I've recently built.  At the post I have links to Archie Brennan's loom diagrams and a blog post by Sarah Swett at which she writes about her many pipe looms.  My blog is at http://tapestryshare.blogspot.com if you want to take a look.

Tommye

Mon, 03/21/2016 - 10:45

Artistry

Yes, the pipe looms are great! Thanks Tommye! 

I also like the Mirrix loom which comes in all different sizes. I have one that fits in my suitcase for workshops:)

thereasc, the tapestry looks great! You're coming along.

i started Patagonia, I'm so excited about! Haven't made much progress though,because I keep taking out weft bundles and readjusting the colors or number of wefts. since I'm working with different kinds of wefts mixed together I haven't quite determined how many to put in the weft bundle. There will be different amounts according to what I use, almost have that one figured out:) I'm starting to see what I want to have the foreground look like through the color experimentation. That would have been so much easier with colored pencils!

it's just so good to be weaving:) leaving town tomorrow for some traveling be back, before April 1!

i will post when I have more than a skinny line of tapestry, lol!

Cathie

Mon, 03/21/2016 - 12:24

Artistry

Tommye, I just checked out your blog Tapestry Share and saw the Pipe Loom ! Fantastic! 

I encourage our tapestry weavers who are looking for a portable , easy make, and good loom, to check it out! I'm making one for myself:)

Cathie

Group Audience
Tapestry Study Group